SPINNING AROUND

IT TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF SEARCHING AND A FRESH PERSPECTIVE, BUT DION AND MEGAN FINALLY HAVE THEIR DREAM HOME

- JANE PARBURY

Dion and his wife Megan spent two years scouring Sydney’s Lower North Shore, trying to find the housing holy grail: the right home in the right area. They happened upon a cottage built in 1910 with a later, second-story addition. It needed work, but it was located on a spacious corner block with the potential for lovely, leafy views. “We didn’t really want to renovate,” recalls Dion of the home they share with their daughters Fiona and Jennifer. “But we couldn’t find the combination that worked for us, so when we found this place, we thought we’d take the plunge.”

Aside from an interiors update, the biggest issue was the home’s layout. Most of the living areas, including the kitchen, were at the back of the property, which meant that the beautiful north-facing aspect at the front was more or less redundant. The decision was made to turn the home around, bringing the living areas up front and relocating the main bedroom and ensuite to the back. In the process, an awkwardly positioned staircase would be moved, and the upstairs level reworked to accommodate bedrooms and a rumpus.

With two children and a busy working life, the couple handed the design and project management of the renovation over to interior architect Alanna Smit. “We liked the work Alanna had done before, but also when talking to her, she seemed to get what we were wanting to do in terms of design, and what it would look like,” says Dion.