Queensland Homes Volume 13, No 58, 1998

Formal glory

Built in 1901 on an enormous block of land five minutes from the centre of Maryborough, this grand old home had been in the one family until it came on the market in 1985. The years had been kind - it was in good condition and had been lovingly maintained, but it needed a major update in internal decoration. Like many of its ilk, it was dark in the formal sitting/dining room, a huge space with magnificent leadlighted bay windows, built-in window seats, silky oak panelling to picture rail height and a coffered ceiling.

The new owners were determined to restore the home in a manner appropriate to its architectural style - but like many of us, although the lady of the house had a clear idea of what she wanted, she also recognised that one false move could destroy the desired effect.

The first step in the redecoration of the rooms was to clean the silk oak panelling, which sixty years had dimmed to a very dark brown. Methylated spirit and double O steel wool worked wonders, restoring the highlights in the timber and revealing the detail in the joinery which had all been done locally at the time of construction, and which gives depth and interest to the walls. The owners had also sourced two chandeliers designed to take candles and had installed them with a counterweight system in the ceiling which allowed them to be pulled down to light the candles. Now came the hard part.until they decided to call in a professional decorator in the person of John Croft of John Croft Design, in Brisbane.

"The owners' brief was very clear" says John, "they wanted this room to be semi-formal and elegant, but at the same time, lively and welcoming - and they definitely didn't want it to look chintzy. It was also important that the room should be light. I had a clean slate to start with - we decorated this room from scratch and I was thrilled with the end result.

Mahogany and fruitwood rub cheeks with the silky oak panelling

"I used Designers Guild wallpaper above the panelling to lighten the room and highlight the timber which is, obviously, the main feature apart from the room's size and wonderful proportions. I couldn't find exactly the right shade in carpets available on the market at the time so we had that custom made; it looks navy, but in fact it has an aqua dot to lift it without complicating it too much."

Working within the clients' brief, John selected furniture and fabrics. Mahogany and fruitwood rub cheeks with the silky oak panelling while riotous colour in fabrics gives the room a friendly, happy atmosphere. The sofa features a fabulous floral - but this is not your normal floral; more like a botanical print, these flowers march in lines of bright, vivid colour. Cushions, a wing chair, rattan-backed parlour chairs and the window seats pick up the colours and tones of the sofa, creating an harmonious whole.

For the bay windows, John chose Roman blinds with deep pleats - they are soft but not overblown, as the windows themselves are quite a feature. The owners have retained and reused all the original hinges and catches.

Flowers, lamps, paintings, silver and myriad other accessories create visual stimulation - everywhere there is something exquisite to look at and admire. While the room is gorgeous by day, it's not hard to imagine a formal 1900's dinner party with the softly glowing candles of the chandelier illuminating beautifully dressed ladies and their elegantly attired escorts. They would be as at home as the current owners are - what a tribute to the skill of John Croft in creating a setting which is timelessly, effortlessly liveable.