Saving Grace
Investing in a piece of local history paid off for Melbourne interior designer Amanda Lynn.
The owners of this home in inner-city Melbourne, interior designer Amanda Lynn and her husband Leon Levine, had no plans to move when they bought this property, a former shop built circa 1905. Having noticed a procession of developers inspecting the building with a view to demolishing it, the couple felt they had to act to save it. “Although it was more than 100 years old, it wasn’t heritage listed as it had been a commercial building. The idea of replacing this lovely piece of Melbourne history with new townhouses made us really sad,” says Amanda.
The couple agreed with the developers on one thing: the practically derelict building needed serious work. But retaining the remnants of history it offered from its time as a milk depot/bar owned by Italian postwar migrants was essential. “It was a case of doing as much work as necessary but as little as possible,” says Amanda.
Designing a house for a client is a considerably different prospect to creating a home of one’s own. In this case, Leon took on the client role so Amanda could use her interiors nous to turn the house into a beautiful, liveable whole that respects the property’s heritage. “Leon’s wish list was fairly succinct: a freestanding bath with a view and multiple places to read,” she says.
Amanda began by opening up the front rooms on the ground floor, removing a wall between the original shopfront and the storage room behind it to allow for an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space that now also benefits from increased natural light. An island bench wrapped in Grey Aether marble separates the kitchen from the dining zone; it’s just the right height to conceal prep mess from view in the living and dining areas. Also in the kitchen, a mirrored splashback visually increases the feeling of space. Placed opposite one of the original timber-framed windows, there is an additional mirrored wall that amplifies the light and reflects the greenery outside.
Accommodating Leon’s wish for multiple reading spots, Amanda placed a pair of supremely comfortable 1970s chrome-framed easy chairs in the light-filled living area and a garden setting in the newly created internal courtyard (previously three storerooms). Options for reading upstairs include a window seat in the main bedroom plus an armchair and built-in bench on the coffee terrace. “The bench is sized to accommodate an open broadsheet newspaper,” says Amanda.
The living room includes built-in joinery for the couple’s library of books, with a workspace at one end for writing and puzzles. The bookshelf joinery occupies the width of the home, in what was previously a boarded-up front window. The existing windows were replaced with reeded glass for privacy from the street.
Beyond the kitchen are two bedrooms (one currently usedasAmanda’sstudio),separatedbythenewcourtyard. The inspiring studio is colourfully decorated with objects and artefacts Amanda has collected over the years, including a treasured painting by late Indigenous artist Sally Gabori. In fact, Leon and Amanda’s extensive collection of artworks is displayed
throughout, creating talking points and giving the home real personality.
The first-floor addition was meticulously conceived. The couple’ s private domain, it includes the main bedroom suite and a secluded coffee terrace. “The terrace is an extension of our bedroom,” says Amanda. “Leon and I like to enjoy an early morning espresso as the sun rises. In the afternoon we like to sit in the armchair and read, shaded by a Japanese maple.”
Throughout, the finishes are deliberately low-key to “link back to the building’s utilitarian heritage”. All of the furniture came from the couple’s previous home, which slotted in perfectly.
Amanda is justifiably proud of the project .“We managed to salvage about 90 per cent of the original building, including the frontage,” she says. “Despite being relatively modest in size, we were able to carve out many different areas for relaxation – the courtyard and coffee terrace, and the library zone in the living area. Every space is well used and loved.” > Amanda Lynn Interior Design, Brunswick East, Victoria; 0438 951 141 or amandalynndesign.com.au.