The process of building a dream home can occasionally be a little tricky. There are several ways things can go wrong, including customer demands, deadlines, and various interruptions. It's difficult to determine who got the better deal—the homeowners or the person they hired to design it—after listening to Australian architect Greg Natale describe the house he built for a customer in Sydney's Mosman.

“I was really lucky with this house, I was like a kid in a candy store.” Natale talks about the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom house that was finished in August of last year.

Natale said that, “Marble and stone were such a big part of the scheme. But the clients were amazing because they were really receptive to new things and they let me be really creative. They wanted a very light house with heaps of vintage pieces, and they wanted it to feel really European.” They clearly got what they desired. Marble is a defining feature throughout the house, from the powder rooms and hallways to the formal dining and living areas. Natale was inspired by recent visits to Milan's iconic Villa Necchi Campiglio. Additionally, the fact that Natale had previously worked with the homeowners made a difference because it meant that everyone knew they had a taste for vintage furniture going into the project.

Natale attentively searched Parisian markets for the ideal items for nearly three years. However, he was also eager to complement them with more contemporary elements, like the formal dining table Natale himself designed. The designer has a soft place for all the stones since it reminds him of his childhood, but he also loves the personalized pieces. “I love all the palladiana, all the broken marble. It really does feel nostalgic for me because I grew up with all that stuff. We used to think it was a bit daggy in the ’70s and ’80s, but I love that it’s back in vogue again.”

However, intending to build an Australian palazzo is one thing; actually creating one that looks nice is quite another. When asked if he ever has to restrain clients who come to him with inventive ideas after their journeys through Europe, Natale, who is famous for his use of pattern and vibrant colors, doesn't hesitate. “But what I hope people can see from this project is that it’s really curated. I’ve been around for 21 years now, so there was definitely a look that I was known for, but with this new work I’ve tried really hard to break that mold and create something new. I hope the work feels fresher.”

This Mosman home's rear entry features custom wall cladding, shelving, and wall coverings made of American oak by Freestyle Joinery; an aged brass door by Ginardi; Vesta and Bianca vases, a Niemeyer bowl, and a Vedere sculpture (on a shelf); all of these items are by Greg Natale; palladiana flooring made by Terrazzo Australian Marble; and artwork by Sarah Kelk.

In the hallway, flooring in Granito Louco quartzite from Gitani Stone.

Sofas from Galerie Glustin, a vintage coffee table made of hammered and abraded steel from Gerard Guignard Antiquities, palladiana flooring installed by Terrazzo Australian Marble, vintage Italian travertine and brass table lamps from Conley & Co., and Bec Smith's artwork can be found in the downstairs bar and guest wing.

The kitchen island is made of White Ice granite from Gitani Stone, and the benchtop is aged brass and brass from Astor Metal Finishes. The counter stools are by Gabriel Scott Bardot, and there is a vintage Italian Modernist chandelier made of brass and convex Murano glass from Peter O'Rourke at Alfies Antique Market.

In the dining area, a Greg Natale-designed dining table, custom-made banquette upholstered in shagreen leather from Spinneybeck, Pamplona dining chairs by Augusto Savini for Pozzi from 1stDibs, upholstered in Chérie fabric from Dedar, inquiries to South Pacific Fabrics, flooring made of American oak by Freestyle Joinery and Granito Louco stone from Nefiko Marble, Room Skins wallpaper in Travertine from Fromental, a vintage.

The Kettal outdoor chairs, sofa, and Cala side table from Mobilia are on the terrace's outside area, together with a Minotti Florida coffee table from Dedece and palladiana flooring made by Terrazzo Australian Marble.