Passion PROJECT

Having spotted the potential in a 1920s bungalow, one Sydney couple put heart and soul into making it the perfect family home.

- Jessica Bellef

Tiles from Industrie Tapware. Bench seat, Cotswold InOut Furniture. Cushions, Freedom. Throw, Adairs.

Homeowner Suzanne Kwan and her son Oliver. Sandstone steps and ledging, KLS Sandstone. Silhouette grey granite cobblestones, Sareen Stone. Exterior trims painted Dulux Surfmist.

DINING/FAMILY This page and opposite Nicholas relaxes in the wonderfully light and laidback new family living area. Artwork by Gloria Petyarre. Sofa and armchair, King. Coffee table, Coco Republic. Dining table and chairs, Cosh Living. Custom joinery designed by HOME by Belle and made by Instyle Design Interiors (throughout).

Since we’ve finished the renovation, we’ve had quite a few neighbors walk past and want to have a look at what we’ve done inside!” says Suzanne Kwan of this home, a recently updated 1920s bungalow on Sydney’s Lower North Shore. Considering the state the property was in when Suzanne and her husband Geoff purchased it in 2010, the neighborly curiosity is justifiable. “It was definitely the worst house on one of the best streets!” says Suzanne.

Over the years, the cottage had endured what Geoff describes as a series of “dodgy renovations”. “There was stick-on brick on the fireplace, dated timber panelling in the kitchen, and the front verandah had been closed in. It was all very dark and dingy,” he explains. But the couple had a feeling that this old charmer could be restored and updated for modern family living. “Looking at the house from the street, you could see there were lots of potentials,” says Suzanne. “We loved its original sandstone footings and the fact that it was set forward on the block, which gave us the option to extend later if we wanted to.”