Key To The City

Set on the edge of a park near sydney’s CBD, this beautifully renovated terrace reveals a connoisseur’s blend of old and new.

- Nerida Piggin

After bringing up seven children in Sydney’s eastern suburbs – and with most of them well clear of the family home – Jacquie and Tim decided to move closer to the action. In 2003, they spotted a promising inner-city terrace on a great block at the end of a tree-lined street. On one side was a small landscaped park, recently created by the local council. With no wall or fence in place, the park looked as though it belonged to the house, a fact that didn’t escape the couple.

“One of the reasons we bought the house was because of the new park development and the north-easterly aspect, surrounded by trees,” says Jacquie. Another deciding factor was the home’s location, within walking distance of the CBD and close to a small, yacht-dotted bay, so that the upper floor caught fresh sea breezes.

Not so wonderful was the actual structure, which was in a terrible state: a labyrinth of dark and poky rooms, unsafe balconies and a front section riddled with asbestos. After cleaning up the place and making it liveable, the couple moved in, aware that they needed to embrace the challenges of an extensive renovation.