Heritage details are preserved in this sparkling renovation

An old terrace in inner-city Sydney is brought into the here and now while keeping its original charms and quirks largely intact.

'Perfect imperfection' is what the owners of this 19th-century Italianate terrace in Sydney's inner west envisioned for their family home, a place that would have all the necessary trappings for contemporary life without sacrificing the charming idiosyncrasies that come with an older house.

"We wanted to enjoy living in a house full of history where we would never tire of our beautiful surroundings," say the owners, who are parents of three school-age children. "We bought the house for its original features, so they had to be retained and celebrated, from the wonky walls to the uneven floors."

Interior designer Jillian Dinkel, who specialises in adapting period properties to modern lifestyles, was completely in sync with this philosophy. "The owners really love and appreciate heritage details so we were very aligned on that point. We approached the project with a conservation mindset, aiming to ensure that original details were dealt with respectfully," she says.

Happily, most of the essential elements were in pretty good shape. The only tricky items were a balustrade that needed repair, and the replacement of some unusual cast-iron fireplace accessories and terracotta-brick vents.

When it came to complementing old with new, Jillian deferred to materials like brass, marble and leather that would patina beautifully to add to the home's rich lived-in tapestry.

She also introduced artisanal elements, such as handmade tiles in the powder room. "Each one is unique, with little bumps and quirks — no two sit perfectly flat next to each other," says the owner, affectionately. "The windows and doors, all bespoke, are like works of art in themselves."

To brighten up the entry and create a sense of arrival, Jillian specified marble hexagonal mosaic tiles. A sitting room to the right is outfitted with elegant modern furniture, but as per the owners' wishes, the ceiling rose, fireplace, sash windows, skirtings and cornices have remained intact.

An interconnecting door leads to a study/music room, its proportions slightly irregular, thanks to an existing lift that cuts into the space. Back through the central spine, past the laundry and powder room (originally one space), the corridor expands into a generous open-plan kitchen/dining/family room, which now stands in place of a demolished lean-to.

"The old extension had a teeny tiny kitchen and very low ceilings that were ill-suited to the proportions of the house," says Jillian. Since nothing in the space was salvageable, the structure was demolished and the designer took the opportunity to deliver a kitchen, dining and family room that are both pretty and practical.

The enlarged kitchen is designed in a galley layout, with the dining zone opposite occupying what was once an unused internal courtyard. A flat archway connects the kitchen/dining with the adjacent family room, where the ceiling height extends to a lofty 4.5 metres. "Jillian understood how busy we are and that the design of the house needed to make our lives easier.

The dining space is a perfect example — it's not just a place to eat as a family, but also a place to entertain, to do homework, play board games and have lively family discussions. It's a generous living zone where we can all relax together without feeling on top of one another," says the owner.

Upstairs, their daughter's bedroom and ensuite is on a split level. It lacked any traditional characteristics so Jillian added wainscoting and blue wallpaper. Antique heirloom furniture peppers the room and what was once a miniature ensuite has been reconfigured with the introduction of a nib wall to divide the vanity from the open shower.

"The pink and cream tessellated tiles on the floor and the pink Norwegian rose marble transformed this ensuite into a feminine little jewel box with pops of drama and whimsy," says Jillian.

A few steps lead up to the main bedroom suite, now reimagined as a "five-star hotel experience", says Jillian. "The project spanned much of the Covid lockdowns and we wanted to bring some wanderlust into the home for the family and the travel they had been missing."

The concept involved partitioning the room with joinery that doesn't quite meet the top of the ceiling. One side serves as a wardrobe wall, the other side functions as the bedhead. The soothing scheme has a palette of muted hues and beautiful period features, such as the French doors that open onto a balcony.

The whole second floor is dedicated to the boys, planned with a shared bathroom and two generous bedrooms that were given a decorative freshen up in shades of blue. On the third floor there's a converted attic and study with incredible city views. "It's our dream house," says the owner. "We never want to move again."

Jillian Dinkel Designs; jilliandinkel.com

Interlock Construction; interlockconstruction.co