My favourite part of the house: its facade. Interestingly, it doesn't have a proper front door.

Vaucluse House is one of The Historic Houses Trust‘s ‘living museums’; you can be toured through it, and have afternoon tea in the teahouse afterwards, if that kind of thing takes your fancy (it does take mine). So that’s exactly what I did. I won’t regale you with the house’s extensive history as the HHT’s website does a pretty nifty job of that, and, besides, I wouldn’t want to ruin the whole point of the tour in case you’re keen to go. But I will show you some photos and mention some details I found interesting. So here we go.

Nursery.

The house was bought and remodelled by William Charles Wentworth in the early nineteenth century, “a gifted but restless lawyer and politician”, according to the HHT. He had a fair number of achievements under his belt. His family was pretty rebellious for the time; his wife had two children before they were married and he was born to an unwed mother. Oh, the scandal. As a result, the family was left a little isolated from colonial society. But they had a pretty opulent drawing room, which might have made things easier to cope with.

I found this small bed in the nursery terrifically amusing.

The house isn’t especially expansive, but its facade is something else – the Gothic look to it is the home’s most confronting feature, and is my favourite part. The inner courtyard is also pretty special; it feels like a walled city when you’re standing inside it, and it serves as the connecting point between the main house and the servants’ areas, including the kitchen.

The dining room, typically a male-dominated space, according to our tourguide, had a portrait of Wentworth’s favourite daughter hanging in it – a fairly controversial move for the time, apparently. The tiles used in the room were handcrafted in Italy. The drawing room boasts wall-to-wall carpet when rugs were typically used, and blue pigment at a time when blue was not synthetically produced, making it a rarity. An interesting point noted by the tourguide was the need for symmetry in keeping with the time’s conventions; one door in the drawing room leads nowhere, its only purpose being to mirror the door on the other side of the room. I’m a little strange myself, so can see how that would be appealing (especially with my OCD), but tend to prefer the design school that favours thoughtful functionality.

The famed dining room. Breaking with convention.

Master bedroom. Mattresses were piled high to stave off infestation by bed bugs.

The house was bought by the NSW government in the early twentieth century and has been on show since then. The layouts have been recreated by curators – some of the pieces are original, others have been sourced. It’s reminiscent of Como House, a Melbourne mansion I blogged about early last year, except Vaucluse House is smaller in scale. They both have their intrigue – Como House’s riches-to-rags background, Vaucluse House’s eccentric owner – and the hallmarks of colonial wealth (including servant bells, one of my favourite oddities).

The all-important chandelier.

Servant's bell. Does what it says on the tin.

Drawing room (the fanciest room – for entertainment).

Walls of the inner courtyard.

Kitchen. Atmospheric.

I love terraces. My fascination with them was one of the reasons I started this blog. What makes featuring this house so interesting is that I was able to explore a pretty rare Victorian terrace – one located at Mosman. Mosman isn’t renowned for terrace housing. It has short semis, large (super-large, oh-man-why-can’t-I -afford-a-place-like-this?-large) Federations and modern homes, but to be honest I didn’t even know it had terrace stock (and I love finding out new things about Sydney’s architecture). There are some suburbs in the lower north shore where terraces are bordering on common (Neutral Bay, Waverton, Kirribilli, McMahons Point), but this isn’t one of them.

So this place excites me.

It’s three storey and right near Mosman Bay, one of the suburb’s most coveted spots. Mosman, for the record, is pretty massive (it’s divided up into unofficial precincts), and the sections near Mosman Bay and Avenue Road are very pretty and worth a walk, if you don’t know the area.

The house is mostly unrenovated (one of its bathrooms has been updated), but that’s one of its best features – firstly as I love looking at homes in original/semi-original condition, and secondly as it means the character has been retained (there’s nothing sadder than a terrace that has had all its trimmings ripped out and is just a modern husk). There are multiple ornate fireplaces and lightfittings, plus the original floorboards, high patterned ceilings and sash windows.

It’s an end terrace, which means that it has more light (and space) than your average terrace – makes renovating easier, as the main priority when reconfiguring a terrace is often getting access to more light. The floorplan is closed, and I imagine that the downstairs living/kitchen areas will be opened up, leading onto a timber deck facing the direction of the harbour. There is a second kitchen in an upstairs bedroom that I presume will be pulled out when the house is renovated. The current staircase is narrow and tall. The fact the terrace already has two bathrooms, an internal laundry and parking (…just try to park nearby for any significant amount of time and you’ll see how useful this is) is handy as it means that renovation can be focused primarily on restoration, especially if the new owners don’t choose to dramatically change the floorplan (and I’d argue that the floorplan only really requires substantial alteration on the ground floor).

On the property side of things, I found 15 McLeod Street as it’s on the market. It’s for sale (not auction) for around $1.4m, which, given the fact it’s such a unique find in such a covetable location, makes it well worth scoping out for anyone looking in the area, in my mind.

Disappointingly, I couldn’t find this terrace on the heritage register. I find this a really strange omission given there are houses far less worthy of conservation that have the notation. I’m confident that its new owners will keep it mostly intact, but I hope they keep ahold of all the little bits and pieces that make character homes so … well, characterful. When polished, this house will be seriously amazing, and even moreso if all the intricate details it has now are still there at the end.

Two sets of French doors lead out to the front terrace from one of the bedrooms.

Just one of the many excellent fireplaces still on display.

As you can probably tell, since they demonstrate a level of photographic skill I haven’t quite yet attained (still waiting for someone to shout me a DSLR and a photography lesson…), these photos are not mine. But no matter. The house is pretty, and belongs to Ellie Bradley, who heads up Xavier & Me.

So today’s post takes the form of another Q&A-with-a-professional. Below is my interview with Ellie, who takes us through her design inspirations and provides some tips for anyone hoping to pretty up their own place. It’s a bit unique insofar as the family decided to move into an already-renovated home; a rarity for design professionals.

How much did your work influence the design of your own home?
We moved into our home in October 2012 and it was already renovated. Our decision to move into a home already renovated was motivated by a year long struggle to get a DA through on another home. It was a very stressful year, so we decided to keep our home, put it on the rental market and go in search of something we can move straight into.

Rugs are used in the home to create contrast in streamlined, modern rooms.

The home was renovated back in 2010, and mixes the traditional features of the home with modern features. The home has loads of storage which was a must and we now also have that crucial extra room which I have turned into my studio. In terms of the style of home, it really was a blank canvas which enable me to fill up the home with my treasures – from porcelain tea pots, to aboriginal artworks, to loads of my cushions and rugs.

Who lives in the house?
I live here with my husband, Richard and my little boy Xavier, who is nearly 5.

How did you decide on the home itself? What was its background?
We needed more space and storage. As I work from home, I really needed (and so did my family) a separate room that I could make into my studio. It’s one of the bedrooms at the front of the house and looks out onto the street with some city glimpses through a beautiful Frangipani tree. We are slightly elevated from the street level, so it’s lovely being able to take in the day without feeling like I am in a fish bowl.

Can you take us through your approach to colour and pattern?
My approach to colour and pattern is constantly changing, as I think this is something I’m still discovering myself as I grow as a designer, but on the whole I am a big lover of bright colours and bold patterns. I love using contrasts in my designs between different materials and media or by fusing bold strong colours with complementary muted tones. I love the modernist art movement Bauhaus’ main objective to unify art, craft and technology. Their rational designs are based on simple geometric shapes and primary colours, which you see a lot of in my work.

 It’s lovely being able to take in the day without feeling like I am in a fish bowl.

 
How heavily styled is your home on a day-to-day basis?

Ellie's office.

On a day-to-day basis my home is pared back on the styling, however I do love showing my treasures and tend to mix it up. I don’t have everything out at once as I like to more curate the spaces in my home. I tend to pick up things here and there, and they don’t all work together, so I have tended towards creating a mini gallery where I change things around, move pieces from room to room. I like the fluidity of styling my home.

Do you have any favourite stores to pick up homewares from?
Planet on Commonwealth, in Surry Hills. I am good friends with the owner Ross Longmuir and he has a wonderful curated mix of artists and his own furniture and fabrics. Another favourite shop is actually one of my online retailers, Everything Beings. Amy searches far and wide for the most interesting new artwork and objects, made by independent and emerging artists, designers and makers all over the world, which she brings to us online. A recent addition to the site was a series of artworks by Australian illustrator Letitia Buchan.

Do you have any tips for others trying to improve the appearance of their home?
Here are my top ten tips for breathing new life into your home:

1. De-clutter – Even if your have created a beautiful room, clutter can detract from the overall look. Make sure those usual suspects of kids’ toys, stationery, magazines, pile of different electronic plugs for different devices (I have one of these on my kitchen bench) have their own place so they are easy to find but not scattered or piled up.
2. Lighting – A great way to update your room is to add lighting. Draping some string lights over a bookshelf or updating your boring ceiling light to something a bit more stylish could change the whole look of a room.
3. Rugs – rugs add texture and warmth to a room. It can also add character to a neutral décor, soften a busy scheme or tie together key colours in a room. It’s also a great way to aid in room planning and acoustics if you live with a large open plan space.
4. Cushions – another great way to add colour and pattern, breathing new life into your room. Mix pattern, colour and textures to create a statement.
5. Wallpaper – There are some beautiful wallpapers out there – whether you want something busy, loud, muted or kitsch. Be brave and completely cover the walls of a small room or make a statement in a larger room by papering just one wall.
6. Reupholster – Old dining chairs, headboards and sofas can be reinvented to refresh a room’s look. Find a contemporary patterned fabric and get your old furniture reupholstered for a brand new sense of style and comfort.
7. Colour scheme – You don’t need to go overboard when finding a colour scheme for a room – unless, of course, you really want to make a statement. Pick out the pre-existing key colours of your room or choose a specific object which you wish to use as the colour inspiration and add complementary coloured ornaments or soft furnishings. If your room has a neutral décor, inject a few really bright shades.
8. Make a statement – If you’ve got a bit of cash set aside, consider splashing it on a statement item which will give your room the ‘wow factor’. Depending on budget, room type and your personal taste, this can range from a designer ornament to a framed canvas or flash contemporary fireplace.
9. Flowers – Okay, so it’s not quite going to restyle the room, but displaying flowers is a wonderful way of breathing life into a room, adding colour and making a style statement. Commit to a regular change of bouquets and vases to keep your room alive and create a feast for the eyes.
10. Mirrors – If you don’t have a feature mirror in at least one room of your house – why not? As well as creating the feeling of space and reflecting light, a mirror says you are proud of your home, it is vanity for your interior and a wonderful way to add perspective.

I really like Watsons Bay. That isn’t too controversial a statement, I guess, since it bleeds affluence/aspiration. I know I’ve been a bit crazy about apartments lately, but this one provides a decent feel for the suburb as its view encapsulates the feeling you have when you’re there – like you could be at the end of the earth, and it’s very pleasant and there’s no reason to leave. You’re not at the end of the earth, though; you’re in the eastern suburbs, and it’s a cruisy ferry ride back into the city. Or you can hop into your Merc. Whichever.

This apartment’s focal point is its views. The windows are accordingly large and wide, and since there are windows across three walls the apartment is lighter than many.

Another design feature adds to the lightness of the apartment  - the use of whites, creams and golds, which is very consistent across the living space. This achieves two effects – it keeps your eyes on the water outside while also creating a sumptuous and inviting living room (because white-on-white in interior design is pretty much always awesome). 

The floorplan is fairly tight, with a long hallway and two bedrooms. The kitchen is a separate room, which is a step away from the ubiquity of open plan living. You can decide whether a separate kitchen is up your alley or not. I tend to prefer open plan in this respect, but the kitchen here was attractive enough that I didn’t think about it.

Speaking of which, the kitchen is interesting as it adds a northern beaches vibe to the place – blues and whites with beach signs. As in the living room, the consistent colour palette in the kitchen adds appeal and interest. Interesting point – although stainless steel appliances are de rigueur at this point, the whitegoods here blend in with the colour scheme and just seem right. 

The beachiness extends out onto the balcony, which is another place to soak in the views. The bedrooms are built at the front of the apartment, leaving the entertaining spaces with the best vantage points. The owners have dotted the apartment with  artefacts, so most rooms have a point of interest.

Beachy.

This apartment, like the last one, is on the market (my next one won’t be, need to mix it up). Offers over $1.65m are being sought. It’s hard to measure up the value as there aren’t many statistics on sale prices in the area – but a renovated apartment with fantastic views in this type of suburb is always going to set you back. It’s marketed towards certain types of buyer; they might prefer the view and the exclusive location over a comparatively priced terrace farther in, or want a pretty fancy entry point into the suburb. Maybe they’re a downsizer.

The interiors contrast fairly starkly with the exterior of the building. It seems to be a late mid-century block, but it’s been renovated and has a modern security system and gated entrance. Many of the apartment blocks dotting the shore on both sides of the harbour were built around this time, and executive committees have had to work out an approach for working with these older blocks, which are now seriously expensive real estate. It’s a complex scenario in an apartment complex as there’s always the risk that some owners will oppose change, or will have a different idea about the changes that should be implemented.

As you’ve probably noticed, I admire many different housing styles. When it comes to large character houses in particular, there are some suburbs in Sydney that inspire a particular kind of jealousy in me. They have the type of houses that make me wish I weren’t quite so poor. One of those suburbs is Mosman. And* one of them is Mosman’s northern cousin Wahroonga (is it weird that I look at those suburbs as cousins? Probably. I look at Waverton and Wollstonecraft as close relatives too, but that makes more sense), where the houses are big, and so are the land sizes.

This house is on Braeside Street, which in real estate circles is pretty prized as it has nice houses and follows the upper north shore prestige rules (east side, walk to rail). So that’s good. But the house itself is interesting. Wahroonga’s biggest and best are usually Federations, but this one is an Art Deco (it’s made very obvious by the curved walls).

It’s unrenovated (which is a yay from me, from an ogling point of view). It’s in very sturdy condition, though, so in contrast to the Cremorne duplex it’s an exercise in observing the original features of the house, rather than admiring it as a ruinous artefact. I am excited by these original features. You’re about to see why.

The bathrooms! Sweet Jesus, these bathrooms are amazing. Is there even anything for me to say about them? They are colour and pattern and Vogue Living from a bygone era. Yes, yes, yes.

The study is in such good condition that it doesn’t really require any work, and I could say the same about the downstairs sunroom. The fairly excellent bedroom wallpaper will be stripped, and I’d say the upper floor will be reconfigured to add an en suite. Interestingly, the main has a powder room with a shower, but not an en suite, as such.

Powder room.

The quirkiness in this place will most likely be eradicated by the inevitable renovation, but, that said, it will then (given the right renovator) be restored into a commanding character home with good-condition features, so there’s a lot to gain.

* I am aware of the rule against starting a sentence with ‘and’ (or ‘but’). To paraphrase Jackie Chiles, I’m flouting society’s conventions.