Anita, the new owner of this Victorian cottage in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, wanted a colourful and contemporary look that honoured the building’s heritage, while still showcasing her personality. Denby Dowling Interiors was originally called into to advise on what seemed to be small structural problems, but the project grew to encompass a full renovation. Work involved undoing the damage (structurally and cosmetically) caused by a previous 1980s renovation and adding colour and exuberance to the newly imagined interiors through the use of wallpaper and bold, bright textiles, tiles and furnishings.

The rear of the house was rebuilt as part of this complete renovation, which included a new kitchen and a reimagining of all the interiors throughout using an adventurous colour palette. The project included recycling and restoring the owner’s existing furniture, while sustainable materials were chosen wherever possible by retaining and reusing the fixtures and fittings of the house. The final result shows that following sustainability practices can still result in an adventurous and whimsical interior aesthetic.