Welcome back to Behind the Facade, your backstage pass into the personal stories that shape the homes we love.
This week, we venture behind the stately facade of 105 Station Street, where history and creativity converge in a c1884 Victorian terrace. Exposed brick walls bear the patina of time, while a sculptural staircase and glass-roofed kitchen create gallery-like spaces alive with light and texture. It’s a home that marries industrial grit with artistic soul – so unmistakably Inner West.
Josh and Sean Szeps came to Sydney as self-described "pretentious Brooklynites fresh from New York". Josh, a Sydneysider who'd lived in the Big Apple for over a decade, and Sean, his American spouse, craved the industrial edge and brownstone character they'd left behind. House hunting revealed a frustrating binary: properties were either completely run down or sterile white renovations devoid of personality. "We wanted something in the middle," Sean explains, "with character and personality, something that felt like the Inner West."
When they walked into 105 Station Street, they found their middle ground – and so much more. The c1884 Victorian terrace, with its exposed brick walls and kitchen that opens to the sky, immediately spoke to their aesthetic sensibilities. Sean ran outside with an indescribable expression, telling Josh simply: "You need to see it." They both instantly knew this was the one.
The home's provenance only deepened their connection. Originally an 1800s storefront, it later became a grocery store in the 1920s. That commercial heritage explains the distinctive sunken front room. Once a shopfront, it’s now an intimate space perfect for family movie nights. "The history gave it even more soul," Josh reflects.
But it was the location that sealed their decision. Station Street forms a quiet, family-friendly neighbourhood directly opposite Petersham Park, with its pool, playground, and oval. The kids can play safely on the street while everything essential – Petersham Station, Norton Plaza, and Parramatta Road – remains within walking distance. It's the kind of community-focused living that drew them to the area.
When it came to renovations, the couple approached with careful restraint, determined to preserve the home's authentic character. The original spiral staircase had to go, replaced with glass see-through stairs that maintain light flow through the house. They added skylights, partitioned the front loft into a proper bedroom, and installed an upstairs laundry – updates that feel as though they've always belonged.
Out back, a dilapidated shed was transformed into a studio surrounded by greenery. Both working in creative fields, this became their quiet retreat for filming, brainstorming, and writing. "We kept most of the home's original charm," Sean notes. "We didn't want to strip the brick or character away."
The existing bedrooms upstairs showcase why preservation mattered. An oversized picture window transforms the main bedroom into a reading sanctuary, overlooking the lush courtyard garden. Across the hall, the second bedroom glows with coloured light cast by original stained glass windows – reminders of the home's Victorian heritage that Josh and Sean were determined to protect.
Now, as their children grow and space needs evolve, the family prepares to move on. Yet they're certain about the type of occupants this home deserves. "This is a home for creative people who value uniqueness," Sean believes. "When friends walk in, they'll instantly say, 'Wow, this place is different.'"
Standing in that sun-filled kitchen, surrounded by exposed brick and looking out to the leafy courtyard they've nurtured, you understand their attachment. This is more than a home – it's a creative sanctuary that has weathered Sydney's changes since the 1880s while maintaining its distinct personality.
In an era where homes look increasingly similar, 105 Station Street offers something irreplaceable: constancy with character, community with creativity, history with heart. For the right occupants, it promises to be exactly what Josh and Sean found – a one-of-a-kind refuge that inspires daily while connecting them to the vibrant community that makes Petersham so special.
Watch the full interview here.
'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.