Subscribe 
Home Tour: Inside a Restored Heritage Paddington Terrace by STUDIOJOS
A romantic Paddington terrace with a storied past and a considered future.
For Joss Knight, founder and studio director of STUDIOJOS, taking on this heritage Paddington terrace required a considered approach — one that would respect the original character of the home, while creating a functional and thoughtful backdrop for the owners’ daily life. The goal was to develop a strong design concept that didn’t overpower the home’s history, as well as a series of contemporary interventions that would enhance its liveability.
This Victorian-era home has lived through many iterations throughout its 140-plus-year history. Without a doubt, this is the most elegant yet.
The La Belle Époque Concept
While the project reflects Joss’ belief that interiors should feel enduring rather than tied to a particular trend, La Belle Époque, as the project came to be known, allowed for a slightly more decorative and romantic approach than some of the studio’s more minimalist projects.
“I drew inspiration from La Belle Époque, an era that celebrated beauty, art, craftsmanship and French elegance,” says Joss.
“Rather than attempting to recreate a period interior, I wanted to capture the elegance, craftsmanship and optimism associated with La Belle Époque and reinterpret those qualities through a contemporary Australian lens,” he continues. “The result is not intended to belong exclusively to the past or present. It is a home shaped by history and the arts, but ultimately designed as a reserved and considered backdrop to the clients’ everyday lives.”
The Sitchu Edit: Shop The Look
Knightly Biscuit Hand Towel
StudioJos Spraucy Table Lamp
Maison Balzac Summer Set of 4 Goblets
Loving This Home Tour? You Might Also Like…
The Best Occasional Chairs That Will Have You Sitting Pretty
A Timeless Material Palette
This approach involved a “warm, layered and timeless palette” that uses texture in place of colour to create depth and allow the home’s architectural detailing, furniture and objects to take centre stage. Think soft, chalky neutrals, natural stone and light timber.
“The panelling was introduced as part of the new interior scheme. I designed it to feel as though it had always belonged to the home, taking cues from traditional Victorian detailing but simplifying the proportions and execution,” adds Joss. “It gives the rooms depth and architectural rhythm while helping to bridge the original heritage character with the more contemporary elements.”
This fusion approach also made way for one of the home’s most striking details—the use of stone as a motif. Joss explains, “Framing the doorway in marble was a way of transforming a functional opening into a sculptural threshold. It creates a sense of ceremony between the spaces without relying on excessive ornamentation.” He continues, “The marble-framed transition between the kitchen and adjoining living space is one of my favourite moments. It captures the broader intention of the project: taking a traditional architectural gesture and expressing it through a contemporary material application.”
Heritage Renovation
But working with a historical home is not always smooth sailing. “We also uncovered a house fire that must have occurred 40–60 years prior in the attic, which meant all of the existing attic/roof structure had to be replaced due to the unstable conditions that were uncovered as part of the reno.”
Despite the setback, the unexpected discovery paved the way for a favourite room. Besides the marble transition, it’s the attic bedroom that Joss feels a particular affinity for. “It feels quiet, private and cocooning, and it demonstrates how even an awkward or compact part of a home can become something special when every detail is carefully considered,” he notes.
The Sitchu Edit: Shop The Look
Lessons for Renovating Your Own Terrace
As for lessons for anyone embarking on the renovation of their own terrace? Make that narrow footprint work hard but don’t be afraid of it. “I treated the limitations as an opportunity to introduce highly considered, integrated design solutions,” Joss explains.
“The attic was transformed into a calm and private office rather than being treated as leftover roof space. Under the staircase, I designed a sculptural wine display that makes use of an otherwise difficult area while also creating a strong moment of interest.”
The result? A resolved and cohesive home with sophisticated interiors that feel at once calm, comfortable and highly liveable.
Project Credits
Interior Design: STUDIOJOS
Styling: Ed Hansen
Build: JCorp Construction
Photographer: Dave Wheeler
FAQs
The home was designed by Joss Knight, founder and studio director of STUDIOJOS. The renovation of this heritage Victorian terrace in Paddington was a full interior project, with styling by Ed Hansen, construction by JCorp Construction and photography by Dave Wheeler. Knight approached the brief by respecting the home’s original 140-year-old character while introducing contemporary interventions to improve its liveability. The project became known as La Belle Époque, after the European era Knight drew on for its celebration of beauty, art, craftsmanship and French elegance, reinterpreted through a contemporary Australian lens.
La Belle Époque refers to a European era that celebrated beauty, art, craftsmanship and French elegance. Rather than recreating a period interior, Joss Knight of STUDIOJOS reinterpreted those qualities through a contemporary Australian lens. The home uses a warm, layered and timeless palette that relies on texture rather than colour to create depth, allowing the architecture, furniture and objects to take centre stage. Think soft, chalky neutrals, natural stone and light timber. The intention was a home shaped by history and the arts, yet designed as a reserved, considered backdrop to everyday life.
Two details define the project. The first is a marble-framed threshold between the kitchen and adjoining living space, which Knight describes as transforming a functional opening into a sculptural threshold and a sense of ceremony between rooms. The second is the attic, reworked into a quiet, private space that demonstrates how even an awkward or compact area can become special with careful detailing. New panelling, designed to feel as though it had always belonged to the home, adds architectural rhythm, while a sculptural wine display sits beneath the staircase.
The most significant surprise was evidence of a house fire in the attic, believed to have occurred 40 to 60 years earlier. The discovery meant the entire existing attic and roof structure had to be replaced because of the unstable conditions uncovered during the renovation. Working with a historical home rarely runs smoothly, but in this case the setback led to one of the home’s favourite rooms. The reworked attic became a calm, private space rather than leftover roof space, showing how an unexpected structural problem can create an opportunity for considered design.
Knight’s advice is to make the narrow footprint work hard without being afraid of it. On this project he treated the home’s limitations as an opportunity to introduce highly considered, integrated design solutions rather than fighting the constraints. The attic was transformed into a calm, private office instead of being written off as leftover roof space, and the awkward area under the staircase became a sculptural wine display and a deliberate moment of interest. The result is a resolved, cohesive home with interiors that feel calm, comfortable and highly liveable despite the tight proportions.
Loved this home tour? You might like to take a peek at our other recent home tours.
Our Sitchu editors work hard to deliver you the best products, events and venues that we hope you will love, each one is selected independently. Sitchu may receive an affiliate commission when you follow some links.
