Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Prior to commencing the DA-approved first-floor addition, a carefully planned heritage restoration was undertaken within this Leichhardt Federation home. The focus was on the original bedrooms and living areas, with the goal of reinstating lost period features and restoring the home’s architectural integrity before any new works began.
Over more than a century, many of the home’s original Federation-era details had been removed, altered, or concealed through modern updates. Decorative elements were lost, surfaces were overpainted, and key joinery features had deteriorated or disappeared entirely. This is a common outcome in heritage homes across Sydney’s Inner West, where incremental changes over decades can gradually erode original character.
Fortunately, the current owners took a considered and heritage-sensitive approach. Rather than replacing original features with modern alternatives, they prioritised restoration wherever possible. With a clear vision to preserve the home’s historical identity, they engaged B.E Bespoke to carefully reinstate traditional elements and bring the property back in line with its original Federation character.
In many heritage and Federation homes, original timber sash windows gradually lose their ability to operate as intended. Over decades, repeated painting causes layers of paint to build up within joints, and moving components—areas where paint has no business being. Eventually, this build-up effectively seals the window shut, compromising both functionality and ventilation.
At this Leichhardt Federation residence, the original sash windows underwent a comprehensive
restoration to preserve their period character while restoring full usability. The parting beads and sashes were carefully removed, allowing access to all components. Every painted surface was then sanded back to bare timber, eliminating decades of accumulated paint and freeing up the sash. Following sanding, the windows were meticulously refinished using period-appropriate colours to maintain the home’s original street appeal. The traditional sash cord and weight system was fully re-roped and rebalanced, ensuring each sash was correctly weighted. This ensures that once reassembled, the windows operate smoothly, open and close with ease as originally intended.
One of the key advantages of traditional timber sash windows is their inherently serviceability. Each element can be disassembled, repaired, and reinstated, making restoration not only viable but often preferable to replacement—particularly in heritage properties.
However, achieving a high-quality outcome requires careful, detail-oriented workmanship. In many Inner West homes, inappropriate repairs or shortcuts can compromise both performance and heritage value. At B.E Bespoke, every restoration is approached with precision and respect for original craftsmanship, ensuring the finished result meets the highest standard while preserving the architectural integrity of the home.
A key part of this restoration involved reintroducing the architectural details that define a true Federation interior. With many original elements either missing or not period appropriate throughout the home, a cohesive approach was taken to ensure continuity across all restored spaces within this Leichhardt home. New spotted gum timber flooring was installed throughout the rooms in the original part of the house allowing a clearly defined transition point between old and new where the extension and first floor addition will begin when the new works are undertaken in the future. Spotted Gum was selected for its durability and suitability within Australian period homes while complementing the home’s original aesthetic. The Cypress pine floors that were found under the carpet were beyond economical repair and desperately needed replacing. Some existing period skirting boards and architraves remained in one of the bedrooms, these profiles were carefully matched and replicated, then installed throughout all remaining rooms so that they felt more cohesive and not as disjointed as they were before, with each room having a different profile from different decades. This home, like so many Federation homes, is blessed with 3m ceilings. The main living and entry hallway featured a picture rail so we again copied the profile of the existing timber mouldings and had them reproduced and installed in the bedrooms. These mouldings help to break up the room as a large wall can lose scale and perspective when it's unbroken from floor to ceiling. It also has a great practical application as it can be used to hang pictures and photos from as the name suggests.
New solid timber doors were fitted onto the bedrooms. The current doors were installed by the home's previous owner in the late 1970s so weren’t original anyway and were at the point that they were falling off the hinges after being adjusted so many times. The new hardwood doors were paired with traditional brass hardware, reinforcing the Federation-era character while providing a high-quality, functional finish. Particular attention was given to the transition between old and new elements to ensure the result felt authentic rather than tokenistic.
Due to the installation of the new level flooring, a height discrepancy of approximately 50mm was created from the front to the middle/transition point of the home. This resulted in a visible gap between the bottom of the existing architraves and the new hardwood floorsl. To resolve this while maintaining period accuracy, plinth blocks were introduced at the base of each door architrave. This not only addressed the structural inconsistency but also enhanced the visual authenticity of the detailing, as plinth blocks are a recognised feature in traditional Federation joinery.
Through careful material selection and attention to proportion and detail, these reinstated elements work together to restore the home’s original character—ensuring the updated interior remains true to its Federation heritage while meeting modern living standards.
Decorative plaster ceilings are a defining feature of many Federation homes, yet they are often among the first elements to deteriorate or be removed over time. In this Leichhardt residence, sections of the original ceiling detailing had been lost entirely through previous renovations.
A fireplace in the front bedroom had been removed by a previous owner. The wall had been rendered over but there was still a step in the wall where the fireplace once was. It was decided that we would frame out the recesses on either side and sheet the wall so that everything was in one line. Doing this would mean the original horse hair plaster would need to be removed. A small piece was cut out and we had a custom plaster cornice made up to match the existing profile so that once the wall was built the new length could be installed and matched up exactly with the pieces on the side walls. This room was different from the others. It was the only room that didn’t have a ceiling rose. Ceiling roses are a prominent feature in federation homes and it would be a sin not to put one in. A specialist plaster mouldings company out of Adelaide was engaged to provide a period accurate ceiling rose as well as some new wall vents for the new wall as the originals were sadly covered by the new wall (they were however left intact behind the wall should it ever be pulled down).
The rest of the restoration process in the other rooms focused on carefully repairing and restoring these decorative elements to reflect the home’s original craftsmanship. Where sections of ornate cornices and ceiling roses remained intact, they were used as reference points to replicate missing details. Damaged plasterwork was repaired using traditional methods, ensuring a seamless integration between original and restored sections.
Once restored, the ceilings, like the windows, were painted in period-appropriate tones to highlight the depth and intricacy of the detailing. This not only enhanced the visual appeal of each room but also reinstated a key aspect of the home’s Federation-era charm.
By preserving and reinstating these ornate features, the restoration ensures that the craftsmanship typical of Federation homes continues to be appreciated, adding both heritage value and architectural richness to the space.
Thankfully there are still enough people in the world who appreciate the heritage charm that federation homes offer and want to see it restored. At B.E Bespoke we love being presented with challenges like this and relish the opportunity to extend the life of some of these wonderful homes. If this sounds like a situation that you find yourself in or your looking to do a more extensive renovation in the Inner West and want to add some character to the space feel free to reach out to the team at B.E Bespoke.