Hidden in plain sight.

For Michael and Katie Harris, this element of surprise was essential. “We wanted the house to feel completely private and introspective from the street,” Michael says, “then open in a way that felt expansive, generous and deeply connected to the landscape.”

This delivers a harbourview residence of remarkable composure and precision - a contemporary architectural statement that balances grandeur with calm, scale with softness, and luxury with deep liveability. Set high along the prestigious Hampton Villa Estate ridge, the home commands cinematic views across Camerons Cove to the glittering skyline of Barangaroo, while remaining entirely secluded within its own carefully orchestrated world.

The area is no stranger to architectural pedigree, yet this pocket - an enclave of significant heritage estates and sweeping landholdings - feels worlds apart from the bustle below. “It really does feel like a privilege to live here,” Katie says. “The scale of the surrounding homes, the green buffers between properties, the elevation - it creates a sense of space and distinction that’s incredibly rare on the peninsula.”

The decision to build anew among some of Balmain’s most revered heritage residences carried weight. Approval to create a contemporary home was both an opportunity and a responsibility. “We wanted the house to be architecturally recessive to its neighbours, yet strong enough to stand on its own,” Michael says. “There was a sense of obligation to build something of real substance and integrity.”

Architect Tom Wills responded with a residence that is both bold and deferential - its mass carefully sculpted, its material palette chosen to converse with its historic context. Extensive limestone, reclaimed sandstone along the laneway frontage, and finely detailed masonry ground the home in permanence, while crisp modern forms articulate its contemporary side.

Inside, the language shifts from architectural gravitas to serenity. Nina Maya’s interior design brings a layered restraint: pale oak, white marbles, soft linens and murowash finishes creating spaces that feel luminous, tactile and calm. “Elegant, sophisticated, calm - those three words really define the feeling of the home,” Katie says. “We wanted everything to feel considered but never heavy, luxurious but never overwhelming.”

The heart of the home unfolds across a vast open living level, where wall-to-wall stacking glass dissolves the boundary between inside and out. Limestone and basalt terraces extend seamlessly to manicured lawn and a harbour-facing pool, transforming everyday living into something quietly spectacular. “Our favourite space is definitely the main living zone,” Michael says. “It spills directly into the garden and across to the pool terrace. It’s where everything happens - family time, entertaining, quiet evenings, long lunches. The views are always present, but they never overpower the space.”

Throughout, materiality does the heavy lifting. Timber joinery, oak floors, marble benchtops and quartz surfaces establish continuity and depth, while picture windows frame shifting harbour light like living artworks.

Never imposing, Tom Wills’ mastery of sightlines ensures visual permeability and a sense of connection between levels, while thoughtful zoning allows for both togetherness and retreat. Four generous bedrooms occupy the upper level, each with its own ensuite, with the master suite opening to breathtaking harbour vistas, a sculptural freestanding tub and dual vanities. “The bedrooms are designed to feel like private sanctuaries,” Katie says. “They’re expansive, but also deeply restful.”

Below, the home reveals its extraordinary lifestyle benefits: lift access across all levels, a private gym, games room, butler’s kitchen, extensive storage, and secure garaging for four vehicles - all seamlessly integrated, never visually dominant. “Everything was designed with future-proofing in mind,” Michael says. “From the lift to the garaging, the solar and battery systems, the multiple living zones - this is a home that will adapt to every stage of life, whether for a growing family or for downsizers later on.”

Yet for all its scale and inclusion, the home’s greatest luxury may be its privacy. Entirely hidden, the site offers a level of seclusion rarely achieved so close to the city. “You don’t see your neighbours, you don’t hear them,” Katie says. “You’re completely immersed in your own environment, yet you’re only minutes from cafes, parks, pubs and the ferry.”

From the terrace, Sydney Harbour becomes a constantly evolving performance: superyachts drifting past, cruise liners gliding toward the city, ferries tracing familiar paths, and fireworks punctuating the skyline after dark. “There’s something incredibly grounding about watching the harbour,” Michael says. “It reminds you that the city is alive, dynamic, always moving - yet from here, it feels peaceful.”

That duality - urban energy and residential calm - defines both the home and its setting. Elevated, private, and architecturally resolved, the residence captures the rare sensation of retreat without removal. “We hope this home becomes a sanctuary for its next owners,” Katie says. “A place that delivers beauty, comfort, privacy and longevity - a home that truly supports life, now and into the future.”

And in its quiet confidence - revealed only once inside - it’s doing exactly that.

View the listing: 1 Grafton Lane, Balmain