Paul and Nicola Ferro with their children Edmund (5), Freya (4), Sebastian (7) and Lily (9). Photos by Gerard O'Brien. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

Venard's entrance hall, with its ornate archways and pressed tin ceiling, hints at the size and the grandeur of the rest of the house. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

The home has dominated the skyline near the top of Hawthorn Ave for 115 years. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

The drawing room is used for entertaining; architectural details abound. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

The master bedroom is directly under the tower. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

The plans revealed things the owners had not known, such as the capacity of the 18,000-litre well and the fact their television room was originally a cloakroom. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

The sweeping staircase was once splattered with paint. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

The first-floor bathroom. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

The open-plan kitchen/living area which was originally a series of small rooms used only by the servants. : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark

A Mornington landmark : Family brings French flavour to Mornington landmark