Making an impression

Photography by Tony Potter
Styling by Carolyn Fienberg

Story by Susannah Hardy

Sydney couple Peter and Chrissie Zaverdinos started over and created a magnificent family home with a fabulous French design.

Eight years ago, architect Peter Zaverdinos of Archicorp Architects and his wife Chrissie decided to upgrade. Their two children were growing up and the family required more room. “Basically we needed a bigger house,� Peter says. So the couple transformed a run-down single storey house in Sydney’s exclusive suburb of Vaucluse into the perfect family home with a French-provincial twist. Now some years down the track, the couple are absolutely delighted with the finished product and still enjoy searching for decorative items that might enhance their charming French-Provincial-inspired design.

As the site was a problematic one with large sections of existing sandstone, it would have been difficult to completely bulldoze the existing building. Even so, very little remains of the previous house. The ground level has an open-plan layout with an impressive formal lounge/dining area and country-style kitchen. This opens onto a charming casual dining area with French doors leading to the rear courtyard and pool. The interior space is bright and airy thanks to plenty of natural light and Dulux Chalk USA on the walls throughout. Dulux Chalk USA continues upstairs, however the bedrooms on the second level have each been painted in a different colour from Porter’s Paints with a French wash finish.

Peter and Chrissie are both enamoured with the charm and character of the French countryside, which they’ve successfully incorporated into the design of their house. To achieve this result the couple have dressed the light-filled, neutral-coloured space with an array of ornate furniture pieces and decorative items. These range from country-style pieces such as the dresser in the formal dining area from Imagine This to more grand and opulent items like the mirror and chairs in the master bedroom from Country Chambers.

The windows all feature elaborate full-length drapes made of French calico while the dining-room chairs and Louis lounge have been upholstered in beautiful French toile. Although the interior is straight out of the French countryside, the exterior has been designed to work with the Australian climate and lifestyle. Blessed with a northerly aspect and fabulous water views, the block of land had enormous potential, which Peter has successfully realised. At the back of the ground level, French doors open out onto a paved courtyard – perfect for summer living and entertaining.

To complete the picture, Peter has installed an above-the-ground pool with a glass window that looks right into it the water. As the land flows onto a rock shelf, it was difficult to build in an in-ground pool. The second level of the house also benefits from the marvellous location with a stunning outlook over Sydney Harbour. The very elegant master bedroom, with walk-in wardrobe and marbled ensuite, has French doors opening onto a balcony to take advantage of the wonderful vista.

Thanks to careful consideration and hard work, the design is stylistically consistent throughout – from the traditional corbelling right down to the smallest item of furniture – and the result is spectacular. And by combining this detailed look with a sense of practicality, Peter and Chrissie have managed to achieve the best of both worlds: a beautiful house filled with traditional French charm that has all the ease and comfort of a true family home.

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