If you own a Federation-style home in Sydney, if you haven’t already you may be tempted to renovate. But with revamping comes risks: a heritage home is subject to rules and regulations, and you don’t want to lose its history with a complete overhaul. You also can’t play it too safe, either; otherwise, what’s the point? In my experience, a Federation-style home redesign can be hugely rewarding, but a balance between respecting the architecture and infusing modern functionality is so important.
But what’s Federation style? Many heritage homes in Sydney are built in this style: think red-brick exteriors, tall chimneys, and ornate ironwork (filigree). Or, think back to the pictures of houses you drew as a child: pointy rooves, walls scribbled in red, and a little, square window.
Why we drew Federation-style houses as children remains a mystery, but what we do know is that this style of architecture is uniquely Australian. It spans the period from 1890 to 1915, and it refers to the establishment of the Federation of Australia in 1901 when the Australian colonies officially became the Commonwealth of Australia. The architectural style is a mash-up of Edwardian and Victorian (but it’s less uptight, and it takes our country’s balmy climate into account).
Caerleon in Bellevue Hill, Sydney. Built in 1885, this two-storey house was named after Caerleon, a small town in Wales. Photo: Wikipedia/CC
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR SYDNEY HERITAGE HOME IS FEDERATION-STYLE
If you have a heritage home in Sydney, it’s probably Federation, particularly if it’s located in a suburb like Woollahra, Paddington, Centennial Park, Redfern, Mosman, Newtown, Annandale, Leichhardt or Bellevue Hill. In fact, the first Federation Queen Anne house – which is one of 12 Federation styles – was built in 1885 and stands in Bellevue Hill.
YOU’LL KNOW IF YOU HAVE A FEDERATION-STYLE HOUSE IF IT HAS:
- A red-brick exterior.
- Australian-themed motifs in the timber or cast-iron latticework (look out for emus, rising sons – the symbol of the Federation’s new dawn, and the dawning of a new century – kangaroos, and native flora). Post-1900 you can find geometric Art Nouveau influences.
- A covered verandah with columns (brick or timber).
- A dominant but intricate roof-line (featuring gables, chimneys, and more).
- Gorgeous leadlight windows.
- Victorian interior features, like pressed ceilings and timber skirting/cornices.
Federation houses are quite stately. They also usually have ornate gardens with fountains, bathrooms with busy colour schemes and patterned floors, and not-great lighting. If you want to redesign your Federation-style home, then you need to think about the following before anything gets knocked out or painted over…
KNOW THE RULES, BUT HAVE FUN
If you have a heritage home in Sydney (or anywhere in Australia) you’ll need to check with your local council about what can and can’t be done. For example, many Federation-style homes have brick or sandstone exteriors that can’t be touched, or they have limited paint colour schemes that need to remain (usually found at the top of some Federation-style roofs, in a V-shape). Once you’re clear on the rules, the fun starts.
If someone wanted to renovate a Federation house, I’d modernise aspects of it, like fittings, but still pay homage to its history by retaining some of the main features that make it Federation. If the council allowed, it could be a lot of fun to knock it about a little – say, to let in a lot of light, or to paint the red brick white, or another colour of choice.
Maintaining the Federation detailing: for the bathrooms potentially use a patterned tile for the flooring, keeping the plumbing where it is but specifying new sanitaryware being the more cost-effective option, and perhaps add a free-standing bath and a separate shower if the space allows it. For the kitchen, keeping the new white goods but retaining all federation design and finishes including period style skirting and cornices.
LET THERE BE LIGHT!
Federation-style homes tend to have a lot of dark timberwork, black granite in the kitchens, and some rooms can be a bit pokey. To add a contemporary element, adding more light would achieve a positive outcome, as well as aesthetic lighting, should be considered when it comes to revamping a Federation home.
If a client wants to revamp their Federation-style home, the opportunities are endless, giving it a contemporary feel, changing the colour of paint, lightening up joinery and woodwork, while retaining the federation style. The floor-to-ceiling height is generous compared to some new builds, so to embrace this in the designs is important to the general outcome. Retaining or introducing pendants or chandeliers can highlight the home’s old-world feel.
Definitely keep any leadlight windows, as they are beautiful and pay homage to the home’s history. I’d possibly change their placement and repurpose some of them if the design welcomed it or just leave them as is. I would also add a skylight or two where possible, to let extra light in.
CONNECT THE INDOORS TO THE OUTDOORS
Federation houses are quite ‘close-up’, and they generally lack indoor-outdoor spaces. Many of them have manicured gardens and covered verandahs, but these spaces are distinctly separate from the inside of the house. There’s grandeur but not openness. Lots of glass and sliding doors are contemporary, and Federation-style homes don’t have features like that.
For a fresh look, the trick is to bring the indoors, outdoors. A conservatory or a new wing, with glass doors leading onto the verandah, could open up that side of the house. Use outdoor furniture on the verandah, and if allowed, open up the verandah by extending it (as long as the original columns and detailing are kept on the outside, of course).
CREATE A LAYOUT THAT’S FAMILY-FUNCTIONAL
How today’s homes are used is very different to what a Federation house was originally designed for. With a Federation-style home, the layout is traditional and not conducive to modern, family living. For example, the bedrooms in a Federation home are generally right near the front door, on the left and right (unless it’s a double-storey, then they’re upstairs).
No one likes bedrooms at the front, or very formal living rooms, which tend to feature in Federation homes – for life in 2023 and beyond, the rooms need to be more casual, and the layout needs to be shifted around. When renovating an idea would be to keep one room as a study or home office in the front and make the other a guest bedroom. The kitchen and family room could also lead out onto the garden.
Finding a balance between paying homage to a Federation-style home’s history and infusing modern functionality is possible. You just need to have the right interior designers on board – Marylou Sobel Interior Design has experience with redesigning Sydney heritage homes, and we can guide you through the process, step-by-step.
Want to redesign your Sydney heritage home? Contact us for expert advice that respects your home’s history and breathes new life into an old space.
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