When interior designer Jen Young first walked through this four-bedroom 1920s bungalow on Sydney's Lower North Shore, she could see exactly why the owners had fallen in love with it.
"It was packed with character - quaint facade, ornate ceilings and beautiful leadlight windows - and the back of the property had the most wonderful northern light, which flooded the main living space. The house was brimming with potential."
The owners have three young daughters and wanted this to be their family's forever home. "While it had been renovated and extended in the early 1990s, the interior was feeling a little tired and there were several pain points we needed to address," they say.
First, the awkward layout. "It was a real rabbit warren, with small, poky rooms at the front and a dark, narrow hallway that led through one of the bedrooms out to the kitchen/living/dining area at the back," says Jen. "Upstairs, the main bedroom's ensuite was positioned under the pitched roof so you had to sort of crouch in the shower."
Having laundry appliances located under the kitchen benchtop was also problematic. "With young children, the machines run almost constantly," says the owner. "We'd have guests over and be serving tea and all the cups would be rattling away."
Jen set about reconfiguring the internal layout to provide better functionality and flow, turning the main bathroom into a laundry, splitting one of the bedrooms into a bathroom, powder room and butler's pantry, and making the formal dining room the fourth bedroom.
Upstairs, the ceiling was raised to improve the usability of the ensuite and a study and walk-in wardrobe were added. Period features were restored and the dated extension was given a contemporary refresh with a new kitchen and custom joinery.
Outside, Jen's plan included a new entertaining deck, complete with outdoor kitchen, and a pool. "Having the new alfresco area extend seamlessly from the living area means the owners can open the space up and enjoy a bigger, brighter living area," she says.
In the hallway, an arched steel door with fluted glass panes marks the transition between old and new. "Aesthetically, it takes your breath away and from a functionality perspective, it draws light into the hallway and helps with soundproofing and temperature control in the children's bedrooms," says Jen.
Meanwhile, a huge picture window in the kitchen captures as much as light as possible and allows the parents to watch the kids in the pool when they're cooking.
With its smart battened island and sleek Shaker-style joinery, the kitchen makes for a breathtaking central hub. "The curved end of the island adds softness and a sense of welcome - you feel you can just pull up a seat when someone is preparing a meal," says Jen.
The bright and earthy palette of white and oak with black steel accents runs throughout the house, enhancing the sense of space and providing the perfect backdrop for the owners' collection of modern Australian art.
"For us, art is what really adds colour and personality to a space," says the owner. "We can move things around and completely change the look and energy of the space."
A renovation of this scale can be gruelling, but for the owners, it was worth it. "This was always a special house, but now it just feels incredible - it draws you in from the moment you open the front door," says the owner.
"There's a little bit of magic in every room, from the arched steel door and the huge windows to the striking kitchen island. We still pinch ourselves that we get to call it home."
Jen Young Design, jenyoungdesign.com.au
Sand & Stone Landscapes, sandandstonelandscapes.com.au