Inside the stunning Paddington home that caught singer Ellie Goulding’s eye
This incredible Paddington terrace is eclectic, eccentric and purely sensational. It has also proven a hit with magazines, a fashion brand and a top UK singer.
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From the street, you get a glimpse of a soulful old world, one where passers-by stop to peer through the french doors of the Regency-style frontage.
The moment you walk in, there is a wonderful sense of space and comfort. The Paddington Estate, the home of Lorraine and Arnie Arnold, and their children Arabella and Ben, is eclectic, eccentric and purely sensational.
Features such as high ceilings, chandeliers, surprise and delight. The home also magically shifts into an intimate venue space.
“Many a time people have come in, thinking it is a cafe, wine bar or vintage shop!” Lorraine says. “In fact, we’ve met many people from the neighbourhood this way; some end up inside for a cuppa or a drink. We love this sense of community.”
Lorraine, a psychotherapist and lecturer at Western Sydney University, and her husband, artist Arnie, also host various intimate events including weddings, birthdays, graduations, engagements and urban retreats.
“We have a friend’s 60th coming up, and we just had a group of gorgeous girls get together for an urban retreat.
“Our children Arabella, 12, and Ben, 2, also keep us busy with lots of fun outings in local parks, netball and performance dancing.
“We just love it here.”
Tell us about your home? This grand Regency-style terrace was built in the 1860s and juxtaposes original historical features with a 1970s neoclassical makeover.
An artist’s home for 45 years, it offers charm and elegance with its beautifully aged antique and vintage surrounds.
The house has been featured in Vogue and Vogue Living magazines, Rolling Stone and AdNews, as well as used for film and photoshoots, including UK singer songwriter Ellie Goulding and fashion brand Ksubi.
We also have hosted Art Salons, it has been a pop-up art gallery for Australian artists and intimate workshops by Lorraine.
Who did your interiors? Arnie’s father Roland Arnold, a cartoon and local Sydney sign-writer, lived here for 45 years. Originally from Switzerland, Roland’s whimsical eye has been inherited by his son Arnie, who is an artist, muralist, collector and second-hand/vintage dealer, and has continued the legacy.
What was the design brief? This house has its own spirit. It is alive with a unique sense of identity and exhibits a dose of exuberant life and love. John Singleton, who owns the offices and Bonython cafe next door, remembers this place as being party central in the ’60s and ’70s. In the ’70s and ’80s, the old stables at the rear were the offices and creative hub of Mojo advertising agency.
What inspires you when it comes to homes? Old European majestic with their interesting antique books, well-made regal furniture and imaginative artefacts. Arnie has a flair for seeing and collecting the unusual.
What is your favourite room? We spend a lot of time cooking in the kitchen with its original colonial sandstone floors and fireplace. The kitchen table looks out to the original ’70s pool area with its passionfruit vines draped around the roman columns. We can also look through to the dining room, living room and out into the lush front courtyard.
What did you find most challenging when designing your home? We spend a lot of our time — and money — restoring it back to its grand self. Over the past few years, it has become a lifestyle and passion project.
Where are some of your pieces of furniture from? Arnie is constantly sourcing and discovering beautiful pieces from his businesses on Queen St, Woollahra. He is also in contact with second-hand dealers, auction houses and vintage shops, and manages deceased estates through his business @_bazaar_bazaar_
What would you change about your home? We’d love solar pool heating.
What book is on your bedside table? Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr.
Describe your use of art in your home. Many of Arnie’s collage works, mixed media, paintings and sculptures are displayed throughout. A fascination with bold graphic imagery, nostalgia and memory are mixed in with an adult sensibility that enables Arnie’s work to morph symbolism and mythology. The house is a canvas for Arnie to keep creating, and the backyard is my canvas for gardening.
What do you treasure in your home? We love our handmade Shiraz Iranian rug in the living room. We found it hidden at the back of an old theatre in Croydon that had been converted into a rug shop.
