Hidden Talent

A majestic 19th-century inner-city terrace is lovingly restored, with a secret tranquil oasis nestled at its heart.

In the formal living room of this terrace is what its designer calls a “secret door”, flush with the panelling and little more than an outline. But lower its crafted brass handle and, with echoes of Narnia, you enter a blissful retreat, a sanctuary for the owners, with a marbled ensuite, walls of wardrobes and a cosseting bedroom overlooking a leafy courtyard. For designer Megan Burns of CM Studio, this secluded space offered a smart solution to a design dilemma – how to create a tranquil oasis on a busy main road in Sydney’s inner east.

When the owners, downsizing empty-nesters, first glimpsed the three-level house in 2014, it was down at heel and seriously in need of TLC. Having been divided into four flats for nearly a century, it was a warren of rooms and, awkwardly, the bottom floor could only be entered from outside. “It was rough and original,” sums up the owner. But she and Megan saw potential in this ragtag assortment of rooms.

Most importantly, the house was the last terrace in the row, with windows on three sides soaking the interiors with light and connecting them with nature. “It avoided that tunnel-like feeling of many terraces,” says the owner. “The house appealed, because we are outside people, and knew we could do something with it.”

There were limits, however. Because it sits in a heritage area, they couldn’t alter the imposing facade and the front rooms. And, due to council height restrictions, any new extension on the rear could be only two storeys.