STORY Rosanne Peach STYLING Paul Hopper PHOTOGRAPHY Craig Wall

A baby grand piano in a narrow Paddington terrace? Not a problem. Steep stairs, designer furniture and a toddler? Simple! For owners Tim and Veronique, fitting all their passions under one roof, no matter how big or small, is what home is all about. With some simple, space-enhancing tricks, everything fits and family life has never looked so stylish. Coming from a new-build home in Perth, the couple found the transition a little challenging at first - but Veronique had always dreamt of a Paddington terrace. "You soon get used to living in a smaller space and we love the area," she says. "It has a wonderful village-like atmosphere."

One thing which Veronique, a classical singer, wasn't going to compromise on was her baby grand piano. Once she'd worked out it could squeeze into the terrace's narrow dimensions, it was a done deal. Before moving everything in, the couple took to the home with a paintbrush, upping the sense of space and light with Dulux Whisper White. They also had the floors stained Black Japan in the living area, carpeted upstairs in a dark charcoal to balance the light walls, and flew in Tim's brother Dayne, a builder based in Perth, to help them to transform the backyard with decking in merbau timber. "What's made the biggest difference to the sense of space are skylights and mirrors," says Veronique, who had large mirrors cut to fit and hung in nearly every room. "My mother is a bit of a mirror queen too.

She has full mirrors above all the fireplaces in her home, so before I even moved in I knew I needed them here." While Veronique's mother handed down some style inspiration, Tim's father, a builder, passed along plenty of interiors know-how. "Tim has a great eye," confirms Veronique. "He bought the chandelier in the living room before we'd even found the house. That set up the black-and-white theme and it sort of blossomed from there."

On this monochrome base, the couple were able to mix 20th-century, baroque and contemporary pieces with ease. When their daughter Grace (now 18 months) came along, they made the decision not to baby-proof the house, but rather teach her to live with the things they love. "The only baby-safe things I have are a few locks on unsafe cupboards, instead of shutting off things so she can't touch anything," says Veronique. Like most ‘terrace babies', Grace has learnt to navigate the stairs slowly, without balustrades or gates, reports Veronique, and makes the sophisticated living room her own. "It sounds terrible but we have our dinner in front of the TV; we just sit on the floor and chill out," she says. "Grace has a little box for her toys in the front room. She's really good with the coffee table and has worked it all out. If they grow up with respect for your furniture and your home, they know to be careful and you can all live happily together, even with designer pieces."

INSIDE STORY
Who lives here? Veronique, 27, a singer with the Brandenburg Orchestra; her husband Tim, 37, a sales and marketing director, toddler Grace and Jani, a miniature pinscher.

Favourite paint shade? "Dulux Whisper White. It can be used in varying strengths and makes small spaces appear larger. Black is timeless and elegant if used sparingly."

Every home needs... "A dog."

Any clashes or challenges along the way? "We've been really lucky that we have very similar tastes, which makes decisions easier. The challenge for Tim was the renovating part - he does not deal well with mess and clutter!"

Finish or material you're most happy with? "The mirrors are such a simple addition but they give a great feeling of space and height to the rooms."

On a Sunday morning, you'll find... "Tim riding his bicycle, and I'll be walking Jani and Grace in Centennial Park with my girlfriend. Then we have breakfast and coffee at home with the papers, or at Paddington Grind."

Yes, a Paddo terrace is narrow, but we love it because... "There is such a great feeling about living in an old terrace and Paddington is a real city village. You get to know everyone and the shopkeepers are fantastic. I hardly use my car, so we feel more eco-friendly."

What does the word ‘home' mean to you? "Home is a place to relax, be with family and friends, and enjoy each other within a wonderful space that we've created together."