Service to the queen

Designed by Angelique Perak, Studio Duo

From the architect designer:

Located in one of Sydney’s most iconic heritage precincts, this terrace house originally built in the 1890s has been restored and transformed into a contemporary family home. 

The interiors unfold to reveal a harmonious blend of old and new – celebrating the rich tapestry of the Millers Point history.

Our long-standing homeowner allowed us to be part of the process of searching for and purchasing a heritage property. 

This allowed us a high level of engagement from very early in the project. 

We redesigned the kitchen to accommodate the young family with four children as part of the project. 

A State heritage-designated site can come with its challenges, however, this is where the opportunities arose – working with the original Federation Queen Anne fabric to restore and celebrate its history, while developing spaces, and conveniences to suit modern living.

Considerations included increasing the cross-ventilation and natural daylight to the lower ground level by widening the doorway between the kitchen and dining areas. 

Our kitchen design was very carefully planned to manage the small proportions of the space. 

The oven was custom-sized to achieve a functional corner pull-out unit beside it, with a downdraft being used rather than a rangehood, to preserve the original detailing of the space. 

The integrated fridge has been detailed as a large armoire-style cabinet with slots for recipe books and chopping boards to the sides. 

The decorative brass grilles in the overhead cabinets serve the dual purpose of hiding the air conditioning and acting as the grille. 

The panelled cupboards under the stairs contain the pantry, switchboard, and home automation hub. 

The island is modest in size but carefully planned to include a generous butler’s sink, a dishwasher, bins, microwave, and drawer. 

To celebrate the building’s rich history, articles from circa 1880 were chosen to sit alongside more modern and timeless classics, including the antique wall clock restored by a master clockmaker and photographs we sourced from the archives of the National and State Libraries showing scenes from the laneway and surrounding areas. 

These were printed on cotton-rag and framed by an archival framer. 

The flooring was chosen to sit in harmony with the sandstone hearths and the original flagstones in the courtyard beyond.

The connection between the kitchen and dining room has been enhanced by the design and the courtyard beyond the kitchen window provides a beautiful and functional space to look out on.

Designed by: Angelique Perak, Studio Duo

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Brigid Arnott