Northside stylist Lydia-Jane Saunders had just two prerequisites when she moved into her spacious apartment 18 months ago.

"I wanted a bath, because I love baths, and it had to have room for a dining table to seat at least eight people," she says.

The 31-year-old is an inveterate entertainer, hosting dinner parties for friends at least twice a month, plus her annual Christmas in July parties.

"I have a Christmas party every year as well. I'm a good cook, but my boyfriend is better. He does the main, and canapes are my thing. I love the styling of them."

This passion for cooking for family and friends is also why, when she moved in, Lydia insisted on redesigning the kitchen.

"It was white and kind of cheap-looking, and quite a bit smaller," she says.

Now it's pristine, and the benchtops are dotted with the sort of equipment that is the mark of a serious home chef.

An island bench, higher on one side than the other, does double duty as a display case for Lydia's large collection of coloured glass, while also disguising any kitchen preparations from dinner party guests.

"(The island) was really low, so if you were sitting at the dining table, you'd be able to see right into the kitchen," she says.

"While I like entertaining, I'm a messy entertainer, so I wanted to hide all of that."

The rest of the apartment has been equally well-designed to suit Lydia's busy life as a freelance fashion stylist and personal shopper.

A roomy office allows her to run her business happily from home, while in the "rack room" across the hall, racks of clothing from finished styling assignments wait to be returned to suppliers.

"I used to live in Potts Point and loved it but, being a stylist, I found I was outgrowing the space," she says.

"The more work I was getting, the more clothing was hanging around and it was getting to not really being able to breathe, there was clothing everywhere. "

"Here, it doesn't have the cafes and bars and so on of Potts Point, but it does have more space."

Including an impressive walk-in wardrobe filled with clothes, accessories and handbags of all shapes and colours, plus another "Imelda cupboard" of shoes which lives in the wrap room.

"I love colour, pattern, I love embellishment, sequins, basically anything with a bit of sparkle," she says.

Judging by the splashes of orange, soft turquoise and purple around the flat, it's a theme that extends to her home as well.

"I don't believe in buying somewhere and decorating it in a week," she says, gesturing to a glass jar containing matchbooks collected from hotels and restaurants around the world. "I like collecting things as I go."

A native of London for four years, styling alongside fashion director of the UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Hilary Alexander, many of the items in Lydia's apartment were brought back with her when she returned to Australia.

"This wallpaper, I had exactly the same wallpaper in my apartment in London, and I loved it so much I had to have it here as well," she says, leading us into a bedroom looking out on to a sun-drenched deck

The red-and-white patterned quilt on the bed was a 30th birthday gift from friends, while the tree of fairy lights on the deck outside was purchased by Lydia after she used it on an interiors shoot.

"That happens a lot," she says.

In the living room, appliqued cushions showing London buses and Brick Lane sit facing a new addition, photo frames filled with pictures of family and friends.

"I'm a little bit homesick for London at the moment, I think with the (Queen's Diamond) Jubilee, all my friends are having parties,' she says.

"London can be really ... well, people can seem down and no one smiles at you. But now it all seems really happy."

Any reminisces will need to be put aside, however, as Lydia faces her next challenge, her boyfriend moving into the apartment.

She's already earmarked a few things that will have to go in the move, while her small television will soon be replaced by a giant, man-size version.

His game consoles have already been hidden away below behind a stack of fashion and design books.

"He says he doesn't want any of my wardrobe space, so that's good, she says with a smile.

"To be honest, I don't think that much will change straight away."