Jillian's Apartment

by Jillian Dinkel

This original 1904 apartment in Sydney’s Manly had been neglected for decades before Jill of Jillian Dinkel jumped at the chance to breathe new life into it.  Deemed uninhabitable by the bank, Jill saw boundless potential in the crumbling wedding cake cornices and original Victorian archway. Jillian’s studio specialises in heritage home restorations, expertly adapting them to modern living while preserving period charm. A complete reconfigure of the existing layout turned this 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home into a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom with separate laundry.

Marble, one of the studio’s favourite materials, abounds in this renovation, adding an expansive natural element to the kitchen and bathrooms. Floor to ceiling steel frame partitions section off the ensuite’s double shower and grey cobblestones give a mudroom function to the laundry.

The result is a much loved family home with beautifully preserved and restored heritage details, thoroughly modernised for contemporary living.