RENEWED LOVE

A sensitive renovation brings warmth and refined glamour to this Sydney heritage home.

- Judy Pascoe

For those who appreciate the delights of heritage houses, finding one for sale in near-mint condition can be quite a thrill. So it was for this family – a couple with a young daughter and pet beagle – when they came across Lairdwell, a stately Federation cottage on Sydney’s Lower North Shore. Attracted by its rich history as well as its potential, they wasted no time in engaging interiors studio Harper Lane Design to realise their vision.

“The home was well cared for, well maintained for its age and in a liveable, comfortable condition,” says the firm’s director, Jade Bury. “But the owners came to us with a clear idea about the look and feel of the home they wished to live in and the cosmetic work needed to get it there.”

Originally single storey, the cottage had a first-floor extension added some years ago, but the Federation facade, with its gabled roof, wide eaves and return verandah, was unchanged and charming. “Most of the home’s detailing was intact,” says Jade. “Preserving and working sensitively with the heritage features was a priority for everyone.”