This Shenton Park home – originally two worker’s cottages more than a century old, joined together decades ago – now comfortably caters for its owners and their three young sons. It is proof that there is an art to modernising a much-loved home without losing its old-world charm.

Light and bright, it has three spacious living areas, a dining area, a sparkling pool and a beautiful courtyard. Every room has high decorative ceilings, cornices and tall skirting boards, and the original fireplaces have been retained and restored.

Help with the details

Designer Andrea Pienaar says the owners called on her to help with parts of the renovation and the furnishings.

“The owners have great taste, so they almost didn’t need me,” she says. “But they were creating a new lounge room and master bedroom, so they asked me to help with furniture selection, wallpaper and some of the specs of the extension.”

Confident in their own eclectic style, the owners mostly needed help sourcing pieces to complement their extensive collection of art, furniture and decor. They chose a sofa, occasional chairs, a coffee table, an entertainment unit and outdoor furniture that blend effortlessly with what they already had.

Andrea also helped them choose a striking wallpaper for the new main suite. “It was a bold choice, but I think it works so well with their aesthetic and it makes the room look bigger,” she says.

Stylish and family friendly

“The thing about this family is that they haven’t been afraid to invest in pieces like the velvet couch, even though they have young children,” Andrea says.

“It can be tempting to put everything on hold when there are children in the house, but with some planning and thoughtful consideration, you actually don’t have to compromise too much.”

Andrea says rugs made from natural fibres such as wool can be spot cleaned easily, and entertainment units that sit a little higher off the ground are harder for toddlers to reach.

“There are options out there – you just need to know where to look,” she says.

Tips for renovating a period home

• Keep and restore original features such as fireplaces, ceilings and cornices wherever you can.
• Use decorative mouldings and skirting to tie a new extension to the original house.
• Mix new furniture with pieces you already love so the home feels collected, not bought all at once.
• Choose family-friendly materials, such as wool rugs, that look good and are easy to clean.

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