Knocked out of the (Design)park.

The entry sequence sets the tone. What was once a traditional formal dining room has been reimagined as the moment of arrival, open views hinting at the spatial generosity beyond. From here, the house opens into a layered series of living, dining and family spaces, unified by a heightened sense of volume, light and flow. The transformation is the work of Designpark - Caroline de Torres and Marty Samuels - whose considered adaptation amplifies the home’s Victorian bones while introducing a contemporary clarity throughout.

Rather than overwrite the original fabric, the renovation builds upon it. High ceilings and oak floorboards anchor the home in its heritage, while oversized glazing, skylights and refined joinery introduce a cathedral-like quality to the interiors. Sightlines are deliberately drawn outward, with greenery always in view - whether through French doors opening to the deck, or from within the calm, light-filled family spaces that connect seamlessly to the garden.

“I feel like it’s a warm, comfortable, relaxing inner city oasis,” owner Drazenka Floyd says. “Once you enter and shut the door behind you, it feels like a little haven in the heart of Paddington.”

That sense of retreat was central to the brief. Having lived in the house for two decades, Drazenka and Murray Floyd knew its potential intimately. “When we bought the house 20 years ago, we felt it had really good bones,” Murray explains. “It was always open plan downstairs and we loved the family room with the cathedral ceiling and the way the large glass doors connected to the garden.”

What began as a request for a new kitchen soon evolved into a whole-of-home transformation. Designpark extended the kitchen footprint to the boundary, absorbing a former breezeway to create a more generous culinary hub and accommodate a powder room. Upstairs, the layout was reconfigured to allow for a larger bathroom, walk-in robe and laundry, while the attic was converted into a third bedroom - completing a home that now feels cohesive, intuitive and effortlessly liveable.

“We wanted to utilise the space in a more cohesive way to make it work better for our family’s needs,” Murray says. “It feels timeless and relaxed and we use every room in a way that we didn’t previously. It’s now a contemporary home but still very respectful of its Victorian origins.”

At the heart is the kitchen - a refined, light-filled space with marble detailing and high-end finishes that absorb the demands of daily life. “This extended area has had the biggest impact,” Drazenka notes. “It’s where we cook, eat, tell stories, laugh and just generally connect. It really is the heart and soul of our home.”

The connection between inside and out remains a defining feature. Timber decking wraps the rear of the home, immersed in green garden scenes that shift with the seasons. “We love the peace and tranquility of the garden, particularly in spring and summer when the light is dappled in the early mornings and late afternoons,” Drazenka says. “Taking a moment to have a morning coffee and preparing for the busy day ahead is a lovely way to start the day.”

Upstairs, generous bedrooms with built-in wardrobes provide private retreats, while the master bedroom opens via dual French doors to a wide balcony - a quiet vantage point over the garden below. Throughout the home, thoughtful details elevate the everyday: sophisticated joinery, designer lighting, air conditioning and ceiling fans, and bathrooms finished with a calm, restrained palette, including a two-way main bathroom with bathtub and an additional powder room.

Despite the refinement, the house remains deeply personal. “We didn’t take a particular stylistic approach,” Drazenka reflects. “Other than it should be a family home that feels modern and harmonious with great flow and energy. I feel that we did achieve this.”

After 20 years, the home holds layers of memory. “It has been the solid and happy foundation of our family life,” Murray says. “Our sons have grown up in this house and there’s been a lot of joy and happiness. The warm memories we have shared in this home will continue to sustain us long into the future.”

Beyond the front door, Paddington continues to deliver. Centennial Park, beaches, galleries, cafés, schools and the CBD are all close at hand. “We love how central Paddington is to absolutely everything,” Drazenka says. “We’ve always felt a great sense of community in all the years we have lived here.”

It’s this balance - of architectural clarity and emotional warmth, urban convenience and sanctuary-like calm - that defines the home. A thoughtful reimagining by Designpark, it stands as a quietly confident example of how heritage terraces can evolve to meet contemporary family life, without losing their soul.

View the listing: 176 Underwood Street, Paddington