FACE value

The realisation of a family's vision for a warm and eclectic home and working space has allowed this building's history to shine.

- Judy Pascoe

Turning a former Salvation Army hall and stables on Sydney's Lower North Shore into a family home combined with commercial premises was a challenging brief for Maryann Schmidt, creative director of Hunt & Design. It was a challenge that she relished, however, and the resulting warm and eclectic home and its attendant slick co-working space is a triumph.

Maryann had been approached by her friend, Rowena Clarke, to help with the realisation of her family's dream project. Attracted by the property's facade, its history and the potential of the site, Rowena and partner, Anton Heckendorf, had a vision to create a home for themselves, their son, Baxter, seven, and dalmador, Oreo, as well as a commercial setting for their creative marketing business. When they bought the property it was in desperate need of an update but, after some minor work to make it liveable, the project stalled for five years as they faced many obstructions from the local council.

When Maryann saw the building she was instantly on board. "I had a connection and knew I had to be involved," she says. "We had a shared vision of how we saw the design and it was a perfect start."

Rowena and Anton wanted to restore the true character of the building's heritage while giving it an edgy and glamorous update - "New York loft meets Newtown grunge with a French twist," says Maryann. As well as having been a Salvation Army hall, the circa-1910 property had been the headquarters of a major recording company. The stables, which were built in 1923, were joined to the original building by a 1970s extension. "It has lived many lifetimes and has many stories to tell," says Maryann. Known as the Citadel in Salvation Army parlance, the moniker has been kept by the family for their business, Citadel Creative.