The charming thing about a renovation or new build is how the homeowner approaches incorporating purposeful personality into the function and décor of a home.

This Balmain beauty is a home many art enthusiasts would be envious of. From the colour scheme throughout, to the curated collection of pieces featured on the walls, the Van Gogh Stary Night inspired carpet and top floor art studio overlooking the Sydney harbour.

The Architect has achieved the impeccable fusion of heritage restoration with modern luxury. This Art Noveau style home was built in 1904 during the Belle Époque period, alongside the two neighbouring properties, by a widowed woman who became the first female developer in Australia. The coloured glass used in the original wooden windows also provided inspiration for the colour palette used throughout the home as another way to tie in old with new.

Another key element was to bring the outside in. This was achieved through the use of greenery throughout the home, a plethora of windows and stacker doors to enjoy the landscaping from indoors, balconies out both sides of the home, the usage of florals in print and textiles and the teal green feature colour.

The three levels offer distinct living spaces on each floor: the ground floor features the dining, kitchen, living and outdoor areas, the middle floor houses the bedrooms and bathrooms, while the top floor functions as the aforementioned art studio.

This creative and natural oasis is the perfect spot to juxtapose the hustle and bustle from the 9-5. It provides a peaceful retreat where inspiration thrives and stress melts away.

Method behind the masterpiece

What was your inspiration?

The homeowner wanted to retain the period feel for the house but with a more contemporary update. This included returning parts of the home to the original form and reintroducing the archways, coupled with restructuring and modernising the bottom half of the home. The areas have been joint together through flooring for a cohesive flow from old to new.

How does the door hardware fit into that?

They were looking for a high-quality product that could be used on multiple applications and was available in a specialist finish that echoed copper tones.

An original porcelain door knob was retained in the living area, then they matched the size and weight of the original knob with the new knobs introduced throughout the rest of the home.

Matchy Matchy – what did you match the finish to?

The style of the door knobs fit well with the Victorian period detail and the homeowners colour and finish requirements.

Copper accents were used throughout the home for lighting, tapware, other hardware and general décor. The Natural Bronze finish was used for its similarity to copper and being a living finish, it will age gracefully, just like the home.

Fav detail / fav piece?

The art studio on the top floor overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge and surrounds. The homeowner wanted to ensure that when she was creating, she would be at the perfect height to capture the beautiful views out the rooftop windows, so a platform was created to house her easel and studio bench.