Miracles happen — Local Paddo

To greet guests entering through the stained-glass front door of her home, Miracle must walk on top of Korean artist Do Ho Suh’s sculptural installation, Floor.

The architecturally integrated work, which consists of thousands of tiny figurines holding up the very glass surface this rescue dog strides across, is the first of many pieces which actively engage contemporary art and the Arts and Crafts architecture comprising this historical residence.

Braelin was built in 1918 by Donald Esplin for the then-Alderman of Sydney, Sir Allen Taylor. Today it’s home to nine-year-old Miracle and her family, whose personal collection has turned the bungalow-style abode into an expertly curated gallery.

The fine art is only part of the creative vision for Braelin. The property had been altered over the years, so it needed a lot of doing — and un-doing — in order to restore the interiors more closely to the original plans.

Decorative elements, like Queensland maple wainscoting, were dismantled and refurbished; a flap-door for Miracle was crafted with the same gaskets, seals and brass hinges as the heritage doors found on the house; and superlative furniture was selected for its dialogue with the time period.

That it’s reupholstered in artisanal fabrics means Miracle is usually relegated to napping on one of two cosy dog beds, but a beautiful knotted rug deliberately thrown over a Mario Marenco three-seater sofa gives her the chance to huddle with her best human friend, co-founder of Voiceless — a globally recognised institution for animal protection.