A house grows with you.

“I fell in love with its warm welcoming façade, the light-filled entertaining and living spaces, with retained Victorian charm and the green leafy outlook from all windows,” Belinda says.

The timing was unusual. As Covid lockdowns began, the spaciousness and quiet of the house offered an unexpected sense of retreat. Belinda had imagined that one day it might become a family home; she just didn't expect the future-partner chapter to come with such synchronicity.

Francisco was supposed to return to Argentina in March 2020. Instead, travel restrictions kept him in Australia. A few months later, he and Belinda met for coffee at Hancock Lane on a cold winter's day. By spring, they were hosting their housewarming together.“It happened so quickly after buying the house!” Belinda says. “A whirlwind romance, a reimagined life together in Australia, and we launched the immigration process for Francisco, the workshop and kitchen projects in 2021.”

The house evolved alongside them. European engineered oak floors replaced the original flooring, the kitchen was reimagined and Francisco's eye for aesthetics and craftsmanship helped shape the work.

The result is a home that feels contemporary without losing the character that attracted Belinda in the first place. The classic double-fronted Victorian façade retains its presence, while inside, high ornate ceilings, generous windows, herringbone floors and ornate fireplaces provide a sense of permanence. Separate living and family spaces give the house flexibility, while sliding doors open the rear of the home to a deck and level garden.

The renovation was completed well before their daughter Siena arrived in 2022. 

“This experience has transformed his career path too which is wonderful - the home was the beginning of a huge transition in both our lives and has a lot to answer for,” Belinda says. “We have absolutely loved living here for six years as our family has emerged from a wish and grew into real life.”

The house has since absorbed the beautiful messiness of family life. Birthday parties have filled its rooms and garden, including celebrations for Sienna's first and second birthdays. The deck has become a natural gathering point for barbecues, while summer afternoons have been spent beneath the jacaranda with a toddler paddle pool and drinks on ice.

“We love to BBQ on the deck and successfully managed 40 guests across the different spaces for our daughter’s 1st and 2nd birthday parties,” Belinda says.

But perhaps the home's greatest gift has been less tangible: its ability to make daily life feel connected.

During parental leave, Belinda could walk almost everywhere - to cafes with friends, baby swim and music classes, Balmain Library, family homes and mother's group catch-ups. The neighbourhood became an extension of the house itself.

“I’m eternally grateful for the incredible memories of being home with our beautiful daughter during that time, and being able to walk everywhere,” she says. “It was the most unexpected and wonderful gift of living in this location.”

 That walkability is central to the appeal of these neighbourhoods. The peninsula has the rare quality of feeling intensely local while remaining remarkably close to the city. Here, everyday errands become familiar rituals and independent businesses become part of the fabric of family life.

For Belinda and Francisco, the list is long.

Weekend brunch might mean Mr Café, Kafeine, Dirty Red or Hancock Lane. Orange Grove Farmers Market has been a longstanding ritual. The Dry Dock, East Village Balmain and Elliots have become part of the family's local circuit. Kadami Studio, Emilio's butcher and Fruitologist feature in the weekend routine, alongside the people who have become trusted parts of their lives.

“We literally can’t live without these wonderful people and their special talents in our lives,” Belinda says.

Even the home's distinctive peach front door reflects this sense of neighbourhood connection. Inspired by the refreshed façades of nearby homes, the colour was chosen to complement the darker grey exterior before being carried into the central lounge.

It is a small detail, but characteristic of the house: personal, warm and connected to its surroundings.

“We’ve been incredibly fortunate to grow deep friendships in the peninsula neighbourhood with decades-long relationships with people on our street, across the way and down the road,” Belinda says.

“Once you live here, it is very hard to consider leaving. I am not sure there is another community as generous and friendly as the Balmain/Rozelle village.”

For a house that began as a solo purchase, the irony is hard to miss. It became the setting for a partnership, a family and a network of friendships that reached far beyond its walls. Its architecture provides the framework, but its meaning has come from what has happened within it.

“To us, homes are for living, gathering, growing, play and rest,” Belinda says. “We’ve been fabulously lucky to get to all of this together in such a vibrant place.”

Her message for whoever comes next is simple:

“Live well, get local, life is beautiful.”

View the listing: 13 Terry Street, Balmain