In the family

Photography by Ryan Hernandez
Styling by Amy Howker

Story by Donna Peters

On the tree-lined streets of Sydney's eastern suburbs there is a home for the generations.

When Emily Jones' parents were first married and celebrating the arrival of their daughter, they searched for a family home to make the blissful picture complete, never imagining that she would one day raise her own family in the Paddington terrace they chose. Forty-five years later, she now shares the beloved home with her husband, Mark, and their three children. "It's a very special house," she confides. "My parents bought it originally and went on to sell it to my grandparents, then when they passed, my mum and uncle inherited it and we decided to buy it from them."

A NEW CHAPTER
As outward appearances go, the cherished home remains standing as it did when her parents first laid eyes on it all that time ago, but step inside and it's no longer as it was then. Time had wearied the interior and Emily and Mark undertook the task of renovating the aging beauty – and report it was no small feat! "We gutted it from top to bottom," she says. "Our aim was to create as much space and light as possible by adding skylights, raising the ceilings and doorway heights, and painting it so visually it seems a lot bigger than it actually it is."

Emily stresses the importance the fresh colour scheme played in lifting the mood and used Dulux White Birch throughout, a hue she describes as, "very soft and warm but light, and able to offer a feeling of space." Along with natural light it's one of the few constants in the home, which boasts a mix of materials and surfaces. "No one element really dominates the place," she reveals. "We've used wooden parquet flooring in the front rooms, Haddonstone in the kitchen and courtyard, and wool carpets on the stairs and in the bedrooms."

SOMETHING OLD AND SOMETHING NEW
Just like the house, much of the furniture Emily used when decorating was inherited from family, though where fitting, she has substituted heirlooms and antiques with new items. Her trick for integrating the old with the new is to steer clear of signature pieces when shopping and take home only that which is unadorned. "You can then make it your own," she clarifies, "I've made monogrammed linen cushions, and used them on beds and sofas to change their appearance." She goes on to cite an IKEA lounge near her kitchen that she has assimilated into her English theme as an example of this and says she prefers to stick to inexpensive shops for basic furnishings, believing it's the additional touches that create the look.

From one room to the next, the home's character shines, though the disposition varies throughout to reflect individual needs. "Each is themed accordingly; the bedrooms represent who they belong to, and then there are living areas that are quite formal – yet still designed to be used and lived in – while the kitchen and family room are bright and airy with more of a casual feel," Emily explains. "This is where the whole family comes together and I love it – it's actually quite a small space, but when we're all in there, it doesn't seem crowded."

As the years roll on, Emily and Mark's family are creating new memories in the home she once knew as a child – it's a synchronicity she feels lucky to be part of. "It's a very special house," she smiles. "We'd love to keep it in the family and one day pass it on to our kids."

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