Houzz Tours
My Houzz: A Treasure Trove Terrace Embraces Its Faded Glory
Interior designer Debra Cronin has brought her collectables and bold vision to a unique terrace house in Sydney's eastern suburbs
When confronted by an ageing and somewhat neglected house, most people would immediately set about re-painting, brightening and modernising. Debra Cronin, an established Sydney interior designer, decided to go against the grain when she moved into a sprawling three-level terrace house in Woollahra, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, in 2009. The 110-year-old home lay unoccupied for 40 years and Cronin was faced with its quirky past of loot-stashing holes in the walls, barricaded windows and a detached staircase. She left the peeling paint, old floorboards and original features intact and has filled the grand spaces with collectables, found items and unique objets d’art. The rooms are furnished with a combination of antiques, industrial pieces and warm textures – imbuing the home with a sense of wonder and adventure.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Debra Cronin and her two loveable dogs, Rosie and Ted
Location: Woollhara, NSW
Size: 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Debra Cronin and her two loveable dogs, Rosie and Ted
Location: Woollhara, NSW
Size: 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Cronin’s love of secondhand treasures stems back to her time living in Notting Hill, London, where she used to sort through the bits and bobs at Portobello and Golborne markets. The interior designer does note that you have to be selective when shopping at secondhand markets: “It’s dangerous because you can end up with so much stuff.”
The feature wall in the front room shows off Cronin’s collectables in all their weird and wonderful glory. One of the many things the eye is drawn to is the array of taxidermy displayed on the wall. “I’ve collected them over the years,” she says. “As long as it’s not killed for the taxidermy and not gone to waste, I’ll bid on it. Most are over 100 years old – it seems a shame to not still enjoy them. They should live on!” she says.
The feature wall in the front room shows off Cronin’s collectables in all their weird and wonderful glory. One of the many things the eye is drawn to is the array of taxidermy displayed on the wall. “I’ve collected them over the years,” she says. “As long as it’s not killed for the taxidermy and not gone to waste, I’ll bid on it. Most are over 100 years old – it seems a shame to not still enjoy them. They should live on!” she says.
Here is the living space before the transformation. The mammoth transformation took Cronin an unbelievably short time of four months. “I’m a German machine; there was an incredible amount to do. There was no front door, the stairs weren’t even attached to the walls and there was no power on the top floor,” she says. “I was going to auction houses every week to furnish it. I had brought my own things, but in a home this large, it just disappeared,” she explains. “I definitely have a love/hate relationship with renovating now.”
The previous condition of the home is almost unrecognisable. The original peeling walls are a recurring feature throughout the home and suit the mostly auction-bought decor to a tee.
"I really recommend buying at auction – it’s a great way to buy," says Cronin. When she's not bidding for herself, she is sourcing beautiful one-off pieces for her clients. "It also satisfies my shopping addiction," she jokes.
While the eclectic designer is proud of her collection, she also has regrets on things she has missed out on at auction. “There was a collection of antique- framed butterflies, about 30 in beautiful old wooden frames. I wish I had have continued to bid, but I bowed out. If it’s a one-of-a-kind item, it’s worth paying for,” she says.
The long hallway from the front room to the living room and kitchen is a testament to the many years of inhabitants the walls have seen. “I love transforming. I tried to keep as much of the weathered look as possible while mixing it with the new. The layers of history show the story of the house,” she says.
The last tenant was quite elderly and passed away in the home. When Cronin moved in, the walls had been hammered in and there were holes in the floor from people who had broken in and searched for stashed money.
The kitchen is the heart of the home and where Cronin loves to entertain. “It’s a very social house with a constant flurry of visitors,” she explains.
The outlook to the courtyard is made possible by the large pane of glass that Cronin installed. She was originally going to have French doors, but found that the most cost-effective solution was glass. “I’m so happy with it, the room wouldn’t be as bright or dramatic without it. I love relaxing on that daybed – it’s wonderful in the morning with the sun shining through,” she says.
The small but well-appointed courtyard is where Cronin spends a lot of her time during the hotter months.
The master bedroom clutches at the natural light that comes through the window, but Cronin has also embraced the darkness of the home with grey walls and heavy timber furniture.
“The interest of things is more valuable to me than their actual market worth. A weathered side table that has a story really appeals to me,” Cronin says.
The guest bedroom is spacious and continues the eclectic theme of the home with an antique French bedhead that Cronin picked up at auction along with a fringed lampshade.
Bookcase wallpaper: Deborah Bowness
The pale pink and maroon that Cronin painted the walls with provides a welcome contrast against the original staircase and flooring. The paintings are also highlighted against the deeply-coloured backdrop.
"I spend the most amount of time in my upstairs office talking to clients and being inspired," she says.
A fresh lick of paint and a new pane of glass made the room feel bright and friendly.
“Having a collection is what appeals to me. I find it hard to describe my style. One of my friends once described it as a creepy but beautiful nightmare – I quite like that,” she laughs.
One of Cronin's favourite rooms is the bathroom. The rich wooden cabinetry and generously-sized bathtub make it a very relaxing room to be in.
One of Cronin’s adorable dogs, Ted, finds the light for a quick sunbake downstairs.
Cronin has a passion for creating rooms with drama, which is evident from every room in the house.
As a regular host of parties, she has made the most of her dining room with a towering wine collection and long dining table, which set the scene for nights of feasting and drinking.
As a regular host of parties, she has made the most of her dining room with a towering wine collection and long dining table, which set the scene for nights of feasting and drinking.
Cronin decorated the ceiling with what she calls her ‘decanterlier’. Using a collection of decanters, she used butterfly hooks and suspended them by wire. She then powered them with 12-volt halogen capsules.
Cronin, pictured here, with Ted and Rose. “If you go back to my Adam’s Family reference, they’re my Cousin Its’,” she jokes.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
When a run-down rental in Woollahra, which had been abandoned for 40 years, presented itself, Cronin took a chance and launched head-first into the project. She signed a 10-year lease for the 110-year-old property and invested all of her money into creating a home that was a direct reflection of her style. “It was totally unliveable, ransacked and empty,” Cronin says of its original state. “When I got the keys off the owners, it was the first time in my life that I really thought, ‘Have I made a huge mistake?’” she says.
As a make-up artist in London, she spent a lot of time on location in beautiful properties. She wanted her Woollahra home to also be a location home and knew that it would be the perfect way into the competitive world of interior design.
“I knew it would mould my career as an interior designer, so I set about decorating it in a very fun and kooky style to have it featured. It’s sort of Adams Family meets Alice in Wonderland,” Cronin explains.
Cronin frequents auctions to build up her impressive eclectic collection of furniture and knick-knacks. Raffan Kelaher & Thomas and Lawsons are just a couple of her favourite auction houses. She also does the occasional trip to the country for an auction and scours French eBay and Etsy International to find truly unique pieces.
This baby grand piano is just one of her winning bids. “I bought the baby grand for $50, which I thought was a steal, but it ended up costing me $300 to get home! I love it, though, and it’s in the perfect spot in the front room,” she says.