Lintel

Project information

Originally built in 1900, Strathfield Holme is a foremost example of Sydney’s own symmetrical Federation style. Occupied initially as a private dwelling, and then by a government-owned education department, the heritage-listed building’s incredible footprint offers ample opportunity for rest and hospitality, work and play. Period features – gabled wings, slate roofing, turned timber posts, tessellated tiles, stained glass, and French doors – nestle elegantly within a landscape of generous local planting.

Renovated to accommodate the daily activities of an extended family, the site houses eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a principal kitchen and butler’s pantry, a dining hall, living quarters, a home gym fitted with a sauna, and a lap pool. A self-contained unit conjoins the primary block via a sheltered walkway. Outdoor lounging and entertaining is facilitated variously by three garden-side pavilions.

Inside, exposed red-brick walling continues the home’s outward presentation and obscures the once-deliberate rupture between indoors and out. Sensitive contemporary updates are informed by existing Victorian-era fixtures, carefully restored to their former glory. A rhythmic barrel-vaulting motif has been used throughout to alleviate the bulk of the building’s display to the rear. These steel-capped arches beckon natural light and frame antipodean views to the surrounds and sky.