Past mastery

Arent&Pyke has the knack of mixing styles and eras with the greatest of ease, as evidenced by this inventive re-imagining of a Federation home for a vibrant young family.

- JUDY PASCOE

This delightful family home in Sydney's inner west goes by the sobriquet 'Layer Cake', inspired by the interwoven elements that bind its heritage and contemporary architecture together.

The icing on the cake, therefore, is surely the vision that designers Arent& Pyke brought to the project, to create a warm, stylish, light-filled haven for a family with three young children.

Putting a contemporary slant on a Federation-era house without losing its intrinsic nature is a delicate art, but Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke, along with design director Genevieve Hromas, finessed it to perfection, having become specialists in re-imagining heritage homes for modern living. They bring a bold perspective and inventive personality to each project, energising and invigorating them for a new generation.

This home, on a large corner block, was renovated and extended by architects Carter Williamson in 2020, adding a second-storey master bedroom, ensuite and walk-in robe, and increasing the footprint downstairs with a new kitchen, casual living and dining leading to the garden and new pool. Arent&Pyke was consulted initially on interior architecture and furnishing plans as the owners were keen for the modern addition to respond sensitively to the Federation elements.