Before her decades-long tenure as a stylist and designer, Sibella Court spent her youth beachcombing the eastern Australian coast for shells, fostering what would become a lifelong love of collecting and curating.

She moved to New York in 1999, and for a decade worked as an interiors stylist for brands such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. But she missed home. In 2008, Court returned to Sydney and founded Society Inc, a shop that she described as “part hardware store, part haberdashery and total make-believe.”

Three years ago, she closed the retail space to make way for Sibella Court Studio, a design agency for hotels and other interiors. “It’s as much as or even more of a process of storytelling and uncovering a history than simply choosing a particular aesthetic or working from a sketch,” she says about her curatorial process. “It’s letting an experience, sense of nostalgia, or understanding of craftsmanship inform and direct the design decisions.”

Today, Court lives in Bundeena, a small coastal village an hour south of Sydney, with her daughter. Here, she shares a guide to the city that started it all.

A bouquet from Bess, a flower shop on the outskirts of Sydney.

BESS

This, and the following five places, are all in Paddington, a lovely suburb to stroll and window shop in. Bess is a great place to buy native Australian natives flowers and wild, magical bouquets. (besspaddington.com)

DI NUOVO

My favorite clothing shop, Di Nuovo has an exquisite selection of consignment designer clothing. (dinuovo.com)

ALIMENTARI

I have been frequenting Laraine Russo’s Italian deli for many years. They serve simple and fresh food. It’s also the best coffee in town, although I only drink tea. Be sure to try the tomato bruschetta! (instagram.com)

A display table at Berkelouw, the largest and oldest bookstore in Australia.

BERKELOUW BOOKS

I peruse the top floors of this renowned Sydney bookstore (the oldest in town) for the secondhand books. I always walk out with a stack to add to my libraries. (instagram.com)

FRED’S and Charlie Parker’s

Have a drink in the quiet front bar at Fred’s, or head downstairs to Charlie Parker’s. They’re both beautifully designed by my friends at Acme. (merivale.com/venues/freds; merivale.com/venues/charlieparkers)

Halls Lane Woollahra

From Paddington, walk over to the neighboring Woollahra. Hugh Stewart exhibits his portraits at Halls Lane—and you can sit for him to capture your time in Sydney with one of the world’s best photographers. (hughstewart)

THE BAY TREE

They sell everything a cook and host could ever need or desire, new and vintage alike. (thebaytree.com)

ART GALLERY OF New South Wales

Every floor of its new wing is spectacular, beginning with the ground floor Yiribana gallery, which showcases Aboriginal and Torres Strait artists. Don’t miss Lorraine Connelly-Northey’s Narrbong-galang (many bags) from 2022. The subterranean Tank Gallery, as well as every other exhibition space, engages all the senses. Afterward, cross over to the main building for a break at the restaurant. I like sitting at the bar for snacks and a moment of quiet, looking at the view before returning to the collection. (artgallery.nsw)

A restaurant in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden.

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN Sydney

Get lost in the 70 acres of gardens in the heart of the city—just across the road from my gallery—then walk to the water for beautiful views of the Opera House and harbor. I especially love the cactus garden. You can purchase a plant of your own. (botanicgardens.org)

PALMER & Co.

Step back in time at Palmer & Co.—a bar I co-designed many years ago—for some live jazz and fun. (merivale.com)

CAROLINE SIMPSON LIBRARY

My all-time favorite library, specializing in Australian interior and garden design, historic crafts and trades, and architectural details. They also have an enormous collection of wallpaper samples and trade catalogues. You’re welcome to have a browse, but if you’re working or interested in something specific, I recommend you make an appointment. The incredible librarians and curators can pull items from the vast archive for you to study upstairs. It’s tucked behind the original Mint building, which is worth exploring, too. (mhnsw.au)

PROVIDER STORE

A jewel box of a store in Surry Hills selling beautifully curated handcrafted products for the home. They also have a house in Hobart, Tasmania, that is available to rent. (providerstore.com)

GOLDEN AGE CINEMA & BAR

A petite cinema with just 50 velvet seats, showing both old and new movies. For lunch or dinner, try Poly next door or Nomad just down the road. (ourgoldenage.com.au)

A 2022 exhibition at Chau Chak Wing, the main museum at the University of Sydney.

CHAU CHAK WING MUSEUM

A thoughtfully curated museum built to house the many collections acquired by the University of Sydney over its lifetime. Afterwards, wander around the university to look at its Gothic architecture, especially the Main Quad, where my history tutorials were once held. (sydney.edu.au)

Photos: Jennifer Soos; Courtesy of Bess; @instagram/berkelouwbooks; Courtesy of Botanic Garden Sydney; Bosiljka Zutich/Alamy