Inside the Annandale shop conversion turned contemporary family home, listed for $1.8 million

If you’re looking for light-filled living in the inner west, this shop conversion at 35 Reserve Street is a top find.

Set on a corner block in Annandale with a north-facing back garden, the modest 1898 facade hides a contemporary rebuild by Studio Internationale that borrows elements from the Sydney School of Architecture.

Split-level living, raked ceilings, bagged brickwork and concrete floors blend in a simple but practical floor plan that celebrates natural light and garden views.

The two front bedrooms have generous windows overlooking a pebble forecourt, protected from the street by the high walls of the former shop front. Each has a wall of built- in storage, high ceilings and polished floorboards.

An unusual tunnel-like skylight streams light into the bathroom, which features a pedestal basin with mosaic wall backdrop behind which you’ll find a walk-through shower and a mosaic-framed bath. The laundry sits next door and comes with a guest toilet and storage.

At the end of the hall, a suspended concrete landing hovers over the living room, butting up against a set of six solid concrete steps.

From here, walls of glass marking the home’s northern boundary draw the eye to the compact but well-established garden.

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The block wall dividing the living and dining zones is warmed by a double-sided storage cabinet in timber, with a pebbled floor-channel mirroring the light well set into the ceiling.

The gas kitchen is tucked behind a storage unit and has Smeg appliances and stainless steel benchtops.

It’s not a huge space and the new owners may choose to open up the kitchen.

The property is within easy reach of city buses on Parramatta Road and is zoned for the nearby Annandale Public School.

It’s listed with Belle Property’s Robert Clarke with a price guide of $1.8 million, and goes to auction on March 17. 

“What I really like about the property is the contrast from an old shop conversion to a really modern, light-filled property that I think is very hard to find in Annandale,” Clarke says.

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