While the owner of this house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is a high-achieving professional, she admits renovating sat well outside her comfort zone. “I had never done it before and I had been looking for something that did not require any work,” she says of her house-hunting back in 2020. But, despite an intensive search, nothing fitted the bill.
Then the solo mum with a young son came upon this handsome 1880s terrace, which ticked many boxes – the leafy area, solid bones, lofty rooms and period details such as ceiling roses and tessellated tiling beautifully preserved. But it would need work – and plenty of it. “I nearly didn’t buy it,” she confesses. “It was poky and compartmentalised, and so dark I didn’t see how anyone could get the light in there.” The tricky orientation, with the non-party wall running along the southern side and a high wall dwarfing the backyard didn’t help. She asked Alexandra Kidd of Alexandra Kidd Interior Design for her advice. “Alex gave me confidence to proceed,” she says. “Although it was not my plan to renovate, I knew she could bring light and fresh air into this home.”
With colleague Jessica Gombault, Alexandra guided the owner through uncharted territory. The brief was, erm, brief and simple. “I must have been terrible. I did not give much direction,” the owner admits, although such brevity could be bliss for some designers. “It just had to be fresh, light and liveable, not too fancy, comfortable but not grand. We are not a sit-down-at-the-dining-table formal family, rather we eat at the kitchen bench.” So the formal living and dining rooms in the front section got the instant thumbs down.
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Australian House & Garden Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Australian House & Garden Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Megan Morton's - RURAL IDYLL
The stylist and author reveals the secrets to her decorating journey with Mimosa Moon, her home in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
RURAL RETREAT
A Colonial-look 1970s property on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria is gently renovated with an English-country aesthetic in mind.
Michael Reid OAM
The renowned art dealer and entrepreneur, who runs a congregation of creative businesses across the globe, shares the moments and muses that have shaped his extensive career.
MASTER peace
Gallery owner Michael Reid has created his own living paradise, a rambling garden he keenly shares with fellow art lovers who visit the Murrurundi, NSW, gallery location.
GARDENS of the world
Up close and personal with the most memorable gardens in Morocco and Spain.
INTO the wild
Three words inspired the rework of this Kangaroo Valley, NSW, home among the gum trees: embracing, vibrant and Animalia.
COUNTRY kitchen.
Flavourful and warming dishes from The Cordony Kitchen with seasonal vegetables as the stars of the show.
HOLIDAY at home
Missing the Indonesian villa they enjoyed on a recent holiday the owners decided to recreate their own retreat at home.
STATEMENT piece
For a holiday home that embodies the coastal beauty of Bermagui, NSW, minimalist bricks were the natural choice, inside and out.
EFFORTLESS charm
With a discrete street frontage, this home fulfils the brief to keep its visual impact on the lush surrounds to a minimum.