Timing It Right

This narrow 1880s Sydney terrace punches above its weight thanks to smart spatial planning and a dynamic decorating approach.

- John McDonald

DINING An imposing artwork, Blue Dandy by Paul Ryan, has an equally handsome backdrop in seagrass wallpaper from Ascraft. The Jardan ‘Maggie’ dining chairs, seen reflected in a mirror-faced cabinet, are covered in Ralph Lauren ‘La Garoupe’ linen in Indigo. ENTRY Walter, the owners’ cavalier King Charles spaniel. The signage above the door references the area’s heritage, and the salvaged door has a cathedral-glass window that opens for ventilation.

Lauren Mahoney’s passion for late-1800s architectural styles made her property search a very specific one: she fancied old fireplaces, ornate tiles, broad skirtings, high ceilings, formal architraves and pretty iron lacework. She and her husband Steven Zahra were targeting Sydney’s inner west. One day in October 2014, a phone call from a property agent made things happen – immediately. “We bought the house that very night,” says Lauren.

Lauren, the creative director of interior design firm Decoroom Interior Designers, usually recommends living in a house for a while before renovating, but in her case she was raring to go the day they picked up the keys. “We had a four-month settlement, which gave me time to plan everything and have the tradies ready to get started the day after settlement.”