A London-Inspired Victorian Terrace With ‘New Classic’ Charm

The rear kitchen and dining area is characterised by the enormous circular window. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Slate blue cabinetry anchors the whole design in a calming space. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Marble sits easily beside the rustic render in the kitchen. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Light floods into the space via a skylight and rear doors. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Clever integrated storage was a key feature of the brief. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Elegant sculptural curves in dialogue. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Heritage furniture and fittings soften the contemporary elements of the home to create warmth. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Soft, warm timber creates an inviting dining setting. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Eclectic elegance in the lounge room. Photo – Alex Reinders.

The lounge has more contemporary, lighter colour palette. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Contemporary curves and classic geometry are precisely calculated here, as well as the mixture of textures and tones. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Shaker style cabinetry and a lemon yellow lime render in the bathroom. Photo – Alex Reinders.

There are French provincial vibes in here! Photo – Alex Reinders.

The second bathroom is a cooler palette. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Patterned tiles give off texture and character. Photo – Alex Reinders.

The Soane wallpaper is a direct nod to the client’s British taste. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Painted cabinetry is distinctly continental and ‘old-world’. Photo – Alex Reinders.

The view into the ensuite. Photo – Alex Reinders.

Checkerboard tiles and green marble splashbacks is a playful combo in the main ensuite. Photo – Alex Reinders.

A loo with a view! Photo – Alex Reinders.

To the owners of this Victorian terrace, the residence held as much sentimental potential as it did design possibilities.

‘The clients had recently moved back to Melbourne after five years living and working in the UK,’ says interior architect and director of Sophie Davies, Sophie Davies. ‘They wanted the renovation to seamlessly blend the Victorian terrace house and its traditional detailing, with a contemporary renovation that represented today, and had a European sensibility.’

With its Victorian heritage offering distinct similarities with British 19th century architecture, this home presented an opportunity to weave elements of the family’s recent time in London, into the next chapter of their lives.

In order to achieve a hybrid traditional-contemporary look, Sophie sought to layer different eras and materials in the newly renovated house, designed by Pandolfini Architects. In the kitchen, traditional shaker cabinetry was paired with marble detailing for a contemporary edge, while traditional printed wallpaper from Soane (that gives off an ‘old-world feeling’) in the main bedroom contrasts with yellow checkerboard tiles in the ensuite.

From a styling and decoration perspective, traditional heritage furniture was selected to contrast with the modern curves of the architecture. Special plaster finishes and lime renders sew it all together, layering a patina of warmth and age over the new spaces.

‘I don’t strive for my interiors to be perfect’ says Sophie. ‘I think perfection is sterile and cold. I prefer my interiors for feel slightly rustic and imperfect, like the humans that inhabit them.’

See more projects by Sophie Davies here and more projects by Pandolfini Architects here.