Bringing a 1920s Home Back to Life

Lolita Colenso Design was commissioned to sensitively restore this 1920s home, bringing it back to its architectural roots while responding to the client's deeply aligned vision. The transformation unfolded as a seamless collaboration, inspired by a shared love for the flowing elegance of  Arts & Crafts, and the timeless appeal of Mid-Century Modern design.

Despite the property’s severely deteriorated condition, including complete rewiring and plumbing overhauls, we approached the project with care and creativity. Over 100 outdated ceiling spotlights were removed, and essential foundation work was undertaken to protect the house from rainwater ingress.

Central to the renovation is the new kitchen, which we designed as an expansive open plan living, dining, and cooking space. We created a striking modern glass extension a dramatic ‘glass box’ that floods the interior with natural light and opens up views to the surrounding landscape and mature trees. The color palette of the kitchen was inspired by owners 19th century Italian yeast pot from Puglia, lending warmth and rich earthy tones to the space.

One of the earliest spatial changes was relocating the oversized utility area from the kitchen's center to a more discreet back room. This allowed us to create a new chillout zone complete with a modern fireplace.

To unify the ground floor, we installed end grain parquet flooring throughout the hallway, study, cloakroom, and kitchen. Each plank was hand stained to achieve a lived in look.

Original fireplaces were missing or damaged beyond repair. In response, we created bespoke focal points throughout: The hallway and master bedroom now feature Art Nouveau inspired tile surrounds in rich shades of blue and turquoise. The living room fireplace was reimagined as a bold Mid Century Modern stone feature wall, constructed from locally sourced, recycled riverbed stone an iconic and sustainable design statement.

Every window, pane of glass, and door was replaced to suit the period integrity of the home. For the front and side elevations, we commissioned custom stained glass windows from local artisans, reintroducing the colour, craftsmanship, and character the home had long lost.