Shona McElroy: the “fantastically ugly” apartment she turned into a beautiful home

When interior designer Shona McElroy first walked into her Edgecliff apartment, most people would have walked straight back out. The layout was awkward, the kitchen was hidden away, the bathroom opened into the living room, and a closed-in balcony came with terracotta floors, popcorn walls and a popcorn ceiling.&nbsp; But Shona, founder and principal of&nbsp;Smac&nbsp;Studio, saw what it could become.&nbsp; In this episode of The Edit, Shona joins Home Beautiful Editor-in-Chief Elle Lovelock to talk about turning an old 1920s apartment into a beautiful, functional home, why north-facing light matters, how to avoid the dreaded &ldquo;Pinterest house&rdquo;, and what interior designers really think through before a room comes together.&nbsp; She also shares how she helps clients edit their belongings when downsizing, why a coffee table book can be the beginning of an entire room, how virtual reality is changing interior design, and the deeply nostalgic item she brought from her mystery drawer.&nbsp; This episode covers:&nbsp; Shona McElroy&rsquo;s 1920s Edgecliff apartment renovation&nbsp; How to fix an awkward apartment layout&nbsp; Why natural light can make a smaller home feel better&nbsp; What to know about popcorn walls and ceilings&nbsp; How to design cupboards,&nbsp;shelves&nbsp;and drawers around real life&nbsp; Downsizing,&nbsp;decluttering&nbsp;and editing sentimental pieces&nbsp; How to avoid creating a &ldquo;Pinterest house&rdquo;&nbsp; <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;: