By Andrea Jones
The house: Birkdale House, an 1880s homestead, once sat grandly atop a vast acreage on the outskirts of Brisbane. It's now nestled amid modern homes in a quiet cul-de-sac in the suburb of Birkdale.
Its most recent owner spotted it by chance and has again made it a local landmark.
Who lives here: Interior and textiles designer Anna Spiro, renowned for her decoration of the fashionable Halcyon House hotel at Cabarita Beach in northern NSW, her husband Brad Lipke, and sons Harry, 13, and Max, 6.
What we did: "All we have really done is paint it and done stuff in the garden," says Anna modestly. Her carefully-curated collection of art and furnishings has given the classic homestead a lush new life, set amid well-tended, manicured gardens.
Favourite room: "My big bedroom. I live in my bedroom! After dinner I hop into bed to watch TV. It's my happy place."
The 'hood ": We're close to the water and to my parents' house. I grew up near here. But the house is why we're here. My heart sings every time I drive up the driveway."
Future plans: "There's always something to do – that's the joy of an old house. But I hope my children will have a magical childhood here, one they will always remember."