T

he fascinating thing about a row of uniform terrace

houses is the way each one has its own personality.

RichardUnsworth’sVictorianterraceinSydney’s

innereastisaperfectexample.Surroundedby

other elegant centenarian homes with similar

features,it’simmediatelydistinguishedbyitscontemporary

front garden. Attractive clusters of potted plants, clipped

Buxusballsandathrivingvegie

andherbpatchgivea clue to the

owner’s identity.

Once inside, looking beyond

thetraditionaldetailingonthe

rugs, baskets and accessories

sourcedfromexoticlocations,

thepicturebecomesclearer.

Richard is, as many stylists and

garden enthusiasts know, the

ownerofGardenLife,theretail

and garden design business he

establishedin1998.Thepots,

planters and accessories he sells

aresourcedfromasfarafieldas

Morocco,China,Turkey,Italyand

Vietnam.Andmorethanafew

make their way into his home.

Richardsharesthisthree-storey,

four-bedroom property with his

partner Greg and their rescue dog,

Winnie.Itwasin2012,whilethe

couple was renting another house

in the same street, that this terrace

firstcametotheirattention.

“It was half-renovated, unfinished and unloved, and full of

builder’srubbish,”saysRichard.“Therewerewindowsmissing

soitwasopentotheelements.Thegardenwasfullofwaist-

highweedsatthebackandthefrontwasaconcretelawn.”

Post-purchase,afour-monthprojecttogettheproperty

on track entailed replacing most of the front of the house,

includingdoors,balcony,theupperfrenchdoors,fretwork

and plaster mouldings. “We wanted to bring the house back

to what it once was,” says Richard. “Internally, that meant

knocking down walls, finishing off the carpentry, polishing

thefloorsandpaintingeverywhere.”

Ontheadviceofafriend,interiordesignerBriony

Fitzgerald,RichardandGreghadallthewallspaintedDulux

Vivid White. It’s a calm backdrop for their eclectic artworks

and collectables. Visitors find Australian-made furniture,

cutting-edge paintings and

photographic prints sharing a

space with items as diverse as

a deer-antler chandelier, vintage

toys and brass cultural artefacts

fromthetimeoftheOttoman

Empire. “I find a lot of pieces on

my travels, and we love checking

out art and furniture auctions,”

says Richard. Together, it all

works as a coherent whole,

thankstoakeenaestheticsense.

When it came to the L-shaped,

80m2 rear garden, there was

obviouspressuretomakeitlook

good, but it really came together,

says Richard, when he let go of

“theexpectationtobeamazing”.

Theresultisaspacethat,while

imbued with recognisable

Garden Life style, is infused with

ahighlypersonalsignature.“It’s

alittlemoreformal,withsome

contemporary twists,” says

Richard.Astandoutfeatureishis

useoffoliageformsthatcomplementandcontrast.“Butthere

is good structure and scale, too. That is essential in any garden.”

You’remostlikelytofindRichardinwhathecalls“the

nook”. He’s at his happiest sitting on the built-in seat in this

spot,readingandresearching.Whenaskedwhathe’dchange

abouthishome,he’spleasedtoreply,“Nothingat all”. >

Garden Life,St Peters, NSW; (02) 9517 3633 or

http://www.gardenlife.com.au.

HGAT HOME WITH

24 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

ABOVEA beautifully composed tablescape on Richard’s desk reveals a world of cultural influences. Flowers and foliage throughout from Mandalay Flowers.

OPPOSITEDinners at the timber table often feature vegetables and herbs picked from the front garden. The kilim rug was purchased on a trip to Istanbul.

Vessels (on table), Mandalay Flowers. Artworks by (clockwise from left) Warwick Orme, Therese Sweeney (both portraits), a vintage boating print, Stephen

Ormandy painting, Gary Heerey photograph and a colourful vintage Scandinavian print.For Where to Buy, see page 224.