How an interior designer renovated a ‘leaky ship’ house into a warm, cosy home
Contemporary interiors delicately reference the whimsical decorative style of the late 19th century in this historic harbourside home.
Jane Baker and sons Jack (seated) and Sam enjoy a morning coffee at the vintage French dining table. A large rattan chandelier from Isla Design hangs over the table.
The home
A three-bedroom, two-storey detached house built in 1881 in Sydney’s inner west.
Who lives here
Interior designer Jane Baker, director of Isla Design, and her two sons, Sam Bristow, 21, and Jack Bristow, 19.
What I did
“The house had been well loved but was a bit of a leaky ship,” says Baker. “I re-plastered, repainted and updated the kitchen and bathrooms in a styleI thought reflected the original house.”
My favourite room
“The living room is so cosy, especially in the winter when the Jetmaster fireplace is on,” says Baker. “The vintage rug was the starting point for the colours I chose in here, and the cushions feature my designs inspired by Indian Mughal patterns.”
The ’hood
“Birchgrove is a hidden treasure,” says Baker. “It’s so close to the city and the village atmosphere of Balmain, but very peaceful, like a village within a village. It’s a breathtaking spot.”
Future plans
“Inside, I’d like to introduce some more layering of subtle patterns with the wallpaper designs I’m working on,” says Baker.
Best advice
“I think skylights are undervalued in how they open up a room. In my house, it’s quite magical to see through them to the trees above and watch pools of light cast at different times of the day.”
“Green Velvet” by Porter’s Paints features in the reception room. Under the stairs, Baker has fashioned a cocktail bar from an antique Chinese console.
The kitchen evokes an English country house. The pot-filler tap over the stove is one of Baker’s favourite gadgets and the bench is a vintage French baker’s table.
“The large-scale paisley motif of Isla Design’s ‘Mor’ wallpaper emphasises the ceiling height in the tiny ensuite by leading the eye upwards,” says Baker.
“I bought the ‘Cayman’ four-poster bed from Xavier Furniture,” says Baker. “I love the way four-poster beds create a graphic frame within a bedroom.”
The downstairs family bathroom features a lacquered Chinese folding screen. The octagonal mosaic floor tiles are from Surface Studio.
A well-placed skylight floods the living room with light. The antique Indonesian bookcase is from Orient House, and Isla Design cushions add further comfort to a feather-filled couch.
Baker had the baby grand piano she played as a child in England shipped to Australia. This room also features her collection of bird cages, plus a pendant light and vintage rug from Isla Design.
The hallway features prints of parrots by Edward Lear, better known for his nonsense poetry. The Turkish glass pendant lamp is a vintage piece from Isla Design.
The curtains, in Isla Design’s “Cayman” fabric, filter sunlight into the dining space, where Archie the cat carefully sits between old ceramic candlesticks and cut-glass hurricane shades.
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