Heaven Sent In Perth, divine inspiration and a lot of DIY delivered a very stylish city apartment.
Thanks to thoughtful touches by a style-savvy couple, this church conversion in Perth is singing once more.
When Tenille and Jimmy inspected this inner-Perth apartment in 2014, they found the contemporary-meets-heritage features instantly appealing. The apartment itself was quite new, one of a block of two-level apartments converted from a deconsecrated church in 2005. But it was the potential of the place that really won them over: filmmaker Jimmy saw the possibility for a third level and interior designer Tenille knew how to make it happen.
“Jimmy thought we could remove the ceiling and build a second mezzanine up into the ceiling void,” says Tenille. “It seemed feasible so we took the plunge.” What followed was a 12-month renovation, during which the couple lived on site (plus adopted a short-legged distraction in the form of Django the dachshund).
Together, the trio slept on a mattress on the ground floor of the 3.5x8m kitchen/dining/living area for the first six months while their bedroom above was shifted to a new third level and a new living area installed in the middle with the existing bathroom.
To create their third level, the couple removed a pine false ceiling, revealing the original A-frame of the 1905 church, a portion of which is now showcased in their wardrobe. They reused the existing bedroom’s jarrah floorboards in their new bedroom, and salvaged structural jarrah beams from the garage of their previous home to create the support beams of the new floor. “Opening up the roof space meant we could showcase the original structure of the church,” says Tenille. “That heritage is what makes this home unique, and is something that will help preserve its value in the future.”
The project grew beyond its original parameters, however. “We gave the whole place a cosmetic refurb,” says Tenille. The kitchen was extended under the stairwell, then jazzed up with a new splashback and cabinet fronts. There’s fresh paint and new lighting throughout too.
In the dining area, a wallpaper mural depicting The Great Waveoff-Kanagawa by Hokusai installed by previous owners has been integrated into an industrial-style black-steel wall-mounted storage/display unit. “We would never
have chosen the mural or the jarrah floor in this area ourselves, but we loved being taken outside our comfort zone,” says Tenille.
Jimmy and Tenille say their favourite element of the renovation, however, is the sculptural staircase leading from the second level to the third. They wanted it to feel open and not intrusive, so together they worked hard on the design to ensure there wasn’t a single visible fixing. “We had three tradies give us quotes for the staircase, but none were confident taking on the build,” says Tenille. “We deliberated as to whether the design was too risky, but we had all the structural approvals, so backed ourselves and with the help of a boat-builder friend, Jimmy built it himself. It turned out better than we even imagined!”
Today, the home feels very much like a New York loft. The couple have eked as much as possible from the modest footprint (3.5x10m plus courtyard on the ground floor and 3.5x8.5m on the two floors above) to give themselves plenty of lifestyle and storage options. They also say the home is imbued with joy and filled with very personal memories, thanks to their handy friends and family – especially Tenille’s parents – who helped tirelessly with the renovation.
And how did the filmmaker work through the often-fraught design phase with his interior designer wife? “I had to learn about the details and the difference between the obvious and practical way to build something versus build difficulty versus the way Tenille wanted it detailed,” says Jimmy, laughing. “The conversations usually revolved around cost versus build difficulty versus design execution.”
“It was all worth it,” says Tenille. “We love walking around a space we dreamt up and the fact that we built everything ourselves. The feeling of being surrounded by good design and quality. Everything is exactly how we want it. It complements our life. Every inch of the home brings us delight daily.”
‘OPENING UP THE ROOF SPACE MEANT WE COULD SHOWCASE THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH. THAT HERITAGE IS WHAT MAKES THIS HOME UNIQUE .’
Tenille, owner/interior designer