A Heritage Family Home With a WOW-Factor Architectural Upgrade
Interiors
Inside Anna Thomson’s family home. Puku Ottoman by Coco Flip. Grey sofa by Weylandts. Yellow armchair by Jardan.
The kitchen island bench faces the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, capturing a perfect view into the backyard.
Yellow armchair by Jardan.
Sage green joinery and natural timbers give the modern extension a relaxed feel.
The kitchen’s galley-style workspace is nestled to the side.
The dining zone of the open-plan space.
Views of the leafy backyard enhances the home’s calming atmosphere.
Floating timber steps lead to the bedrooms upstairs.
Penny Chair by Ka Ra Studio.
The upstairs landing.
The main bedroom.
Perforated steel screens offer privacy for the upper level.
The son’s bedroom.
The oversized bathtub is a luxurious addition.
Tones of charcoal feature throughout the interiors.
The dramatic extension at the rear.
The Federation charm of the facade remains untouched.
Interior designer Anna Thomson and her family moved into this classic Federation home in Melbourne’s inner North back in 2019, right before the birth of her son.
‘We loved the location. It’s on a lively street in Thornbury with lots of young families like us,’ Anna says.
It was slightly smaller than they hoped, but when no bidders turned up to the auction, they snapped it up. Then, a year later, the pandemic hit.
‘Spending so much time at home during COVID, we quickly realised we still needed more space,’ she says.
‘I was working on the dining room table in a small open-plan living/dining area, which wasn’t ideal. We loved our street and our neighbours, so we decided to renovate rather than move into a bigger home.’
Some friends, who had recently updated their own home with Three C Architects, recommended Anna reach out to the Melbourne-based design firm for the renovation.
There was never a question that the existing ‘gorgeous facade’ would be retained, with the real transformation coming in the form of a dramatic extension at the rear.
A new second-storey crafted from dark steel mimics the existing pitched roofline of the Federation frontage, giving a nod to the modern spaces it hides inside.
The original house opens to a sweeping living room with industrial-inspired details, featuring polished concrete floors and oversized windows shaded by perforated screens on the exterior.
Inside, natural timber joinery, pops of sage green, and Anna’s lived-in styling softens the robust architecture, giving the house a warm, almost mid-century mood that channels details from her Dutch heritage.
‘My styling is inspired by northern European design. I love the simplicity, functionality and warmth of Dutch design in particular, which inspires the furniture selection for my home,’ she adds.
At the centre of the living zone, there’s a much-loved grey Weylandts sofa that’s been with the family for more than a decade, and still remains in prime position beside the sliding glass doors overlooking the leafy backyard. But, Anna admits they’ll often fight over who gets to sit on the yellow Jardan armchair — Fletcher, her six-year-old son, usually wins.
‘The house is more than we ever dreamed of. We love entertaining, so the open-plan layout of the house suits our lifestyle perfectly,’ she says.
‘Sitting on the bench seat at the dining room table, I have a view of all four aspects of the property. I love having my lunch here in the early afternoon when the sun floods in from the north and I can watch Fletcher playing in the backyard.’