On Sydney’s North Shore, a late 1970s home by architect Graham Southwell still holds onto the key elements that defined its era. Built for his own family, the house features large windows, a smart and simple floor plan, and materials that bring warmth without needing much dressing up.

When Leigh Brezler came across the property, it was those elements that stood out. She wasn’t looking to overhaul the house, just to give it more personality and make it work better for her growing family.

What followed was a refresh rather than a renovation. The existing structure stayed as it was. Instead, the focus was on layering in a palette of warm mid-century tones – orange, green, brown – with some blue and yellow to lift the mood. These choices sat easily alongside the original red cedar ceilings and terracotta tiles.

Leigh brought in vintage furniture that felt right for the period and the house. Every piece was selected to support the feel of the home, not distract from it. The result is calm and grounded, a home that holds together as a whole.

Her involvement throughout the process gave the project a personal rhythm. What started as a way to update a family home ended up sparking something deeper. Leigh went on to study interior design, a move that came directly out of working so closely on the house.

Today, the original strengths of the home remain intact. The windows still open wide to the garden, the floor plan still works just as it was designed to. What’s changed is the energy inside, more layered, more lived-in, but still true to the architecture.

This mid-century home renovation focused on the quiet details: colour, furniture, flow. In doing so, it managed something harder to achieve,  a house that feels both new and entirely itself.