Welcome back to Behind the Facade, your backstage pass into the personal stories that shape the homes we love.
Today, we’re with Stephanie Ferrara, a three-time Adrian William client, Sydney interior designer, and mum of two, standing in her beautifully reimagined Earlwood home. From whirlwind wedding-day renovations to crafting the perfect al fresco pizza nights, Steph’s journey is equal parts nostalgia, creativity, and warm, family-focused design.
Steph’s first venture began in 2019, on the heels of her wedding prep. “My husband and I found a double-story apartment in Canterbury, stripped bare by the previous owner,” she recalls. “We renovated in six weeks, amid trains clattering downstairs, a 250-guest wedding to finalise, and full-time jobs.” The result? A vibrant launchpad for dinner parties “every night of the week” and a space that felt warm, inviting and thoughtful from first glance.
Pregnant months later, Steph set her sights on a Federation fixer-upper in Ashbury. “I sat in the street down the road on auction day,” she laughs, “until Dan called and said, ‘We’ve got it.’” Another rapid refresh followed, this time with a growing family in mind. But as her second pregnancy settled in, Steph craved proximity to her childhood “village”, and so the Earlwood house beckoned.
“When we moved in, it was super clean, modern, and minimal, exactly what we needed after that detailed Federation home,” Steph explains. Yet that crispness came at the cost of warmth. On day one, she knew certain fixtures had to go: “I said, ‘These lights have to change. We need texture and a touch of warmth.”
Steph introduced warmer paint tones, swapped in MCM pendants and brass-accented pendants over the kitchen bench, and layered in designer finishes, Venetian plaster for a custom kitchenette, handmade tessellated tiles in the alfresco area, and a micro-cement finish in the master suite. “Each tactile surface,” she says, “makes the home feel like ours…and it’s perfect for our young family.”
If there’s one space that defines Steph’s touch, it’s the outdoor living area. “We love entertaining, and we love pizza,” she grins. The yard remodel removed a dated deck, added lush grass, and introduced a built-in barbecue beneath natural tiles. “Everything’s handmade out here,” she notes, “from the tile-by-tile backsplash to the amphitheatre steps that frame our Barangaroo view.”
Now, “most Sundays we’re cooking pizzas outside, music on, kids running free,” she says. “It’s our perfect weekend ritual.” The clever addition of hidden joinery and a walk-in pantry keeps toys and clutter at bay, ensuring the home remains “chic, clean, and ready for anything.”
Steph’s biggest design challenge? Balancing her busy interior-design practice, her husband’s career, and two energetic daughters, without letting home life feel chaotic. “We wanted a haven,” she explains. “Ample storage, multi-mode lighting, and materials tough enough for family life but beautiful enough for clients.” The result is a house that “slots straight in” for any owner, she says, with “big windows that bring the outside in, so we rarely need lights on, just natural drama as storms roll in.”
Earlwood isn’t just where Steph lives; it’s where she grew up, where her mum still resides, and where she built her childhood village. “We’re steps from Cook’s River, parks, and our favourite chocolate shop,” she smiles. “I can walk my daughter to daycare, hop on a train for work, or stroll to the little Earlwood village for groceries.” That connectivity, she says, is “as valuable as any design feature.”
If this house could talk, Steph imagines it saying, “I’m here for you.” It’s witnessed weddings, births, and countless pizza nights, adapting seamlessly along the way. “It’s more than inviting,” she reflects. “It’s a framework for family life, welcoming, flexible, and always ready for the next chapter.”
From rapid flips to thoughtful fine-tuning, Steph’s Earlwood home is a testament to living design: spaces that honour your past, embrace your present, and open doors to your future. Step inside, you might just feel the same sense of calm, creativity, and community that she does every day.
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‘Behind The Facade,’ is your backstage pass to the world of architecture and homeownership. We go beyond the status quo to bring you candid conversations with architects and homeowners, discovering the inspirations, challenges and personal stories that breathe life into these structures. It’s architecture unmasked. Raw, authentic, and deeply human.