A historic home gets a spacious new addition to reorient the rear living space to light, air and terraced garden views.
Hewson. The oak table is by Joel Elliott.Jennifer Soo
The house
Newlyn House is a freestanding 1890s Victorian home in Sydney’s Bronte with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a heritage-listed façade and a contemporary extension leading to a garden with pool.
Who lives here
Copywriter Tess Hewson, creative business consultant Remi Abayomi, and their children Chilli, 10, and Buzz, 6.
What we did
“Our architects, Downie North, transformed the rear, removing outdated rooms and creating a flowing kitchen and courtyard connection on one level,” says Hewson. “The upstairs layout was reconfigured to create four bedrooms.”
Favourite room
“The serene guest bedroom upstairs, with its large window and calming garden outlook, feels like a private retreat.”
The ‘hood
“It’s a close-knit community,” says Hewson. “The house is also within walking distance of cafes, the kids’ primary school and Bronte Beach.”
Future plans
“I love working in the garden, figuring out what grows best in which spots. It’s an evolving sanctuary drawing the family outdoors to explore.”
Best advice
“If you keep the colour palette cool and calm, like we did, it allows colourful artworks and objects to do the talking,” says Hewson.
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