THROUGH THE YEARS Respect for its layers of history was at the forefront of this Melbourne property’s renovation

When the owners of this Victorian home in Australia decided to undertake a renovation, they made sure to respect its layers of history

Elizabeth Wilmott’s two-storey Victorian home in Melbourne, Australia is steeped in history. And as with many period houses, its original architectural features have been blended with elements from the periods that followed – namely Art Deco and mid-century. This historical melting pot is something Elizabeth – who lives here with her partner Takis Scordas, her 17-year-old son Joey and their Australian terrier Bobbie – is passionate about.

The family had lived in the property for 12 years before deciding to renovate it. After a careful search, Elizabeth enlisted the help of Fiona from FMD Architects (fmdarchitects.com.au), who she trusted to respect the home’s heritage. ‘It took a while to find the right architect, someone who would appreciate its quirkiness and wouldn’t turn their back on its layered past,’ she recalls. ‘Fiona completely got what we

wanted.’ At the front of the house there are two living rooms on the ground floor, and two bedrooms, a study and a bathroom on the first floor, all of which were in good order. However, a lean-to at the rear, in which there was a kitchen and laundry room, cut off the living spaces from the garden. ‘It also stopped light from entering the core of the building,’ says Elizabeth. Fiona suggested demolishing the lean-to and replacing it with a single-storey timber-and-glass extension to house the kitchen-dining area, a laundry room and additional bathroom, as well as a terrace on the roof. ‘The design was inspired by Victorian women’s fashion,’ explains Fiona. ‘Seen from the street, the house evokes a formal dress, with a bustle visible from the back.’ A picket fence that winds its way around the garden adds the finishing touch.

One of the unique additions to the house is the curved window in the dining area. Elizabeth was thrilled when Fiona suggested the

idea: ‘I knew it would increase the overall cost, but I just had to have it!’ The striking black-and-white terrazzo floor tiles were the starting point for the colour scheme. ‘I found them a year before they were needed but I’m so glad I bought them when I did,’ says Elizabeth.

Contrasting with the home’s Victorian features, contemporary materials have been used throughout. The kitchen island, for instance, is made from concrete, warmed up with terracotta tiles and a built-in timber shelf used to display cookbooks, artwork and pottery. Elizabeth teamed the dining table – which is a repurposed late-19th-century dressmaker’s table – with mid-century-style chairs. ‘My favourite room is the dining room,’ she muses. ‘The table is at the centre of everything.’

In the 1930s, the then owners installed a bathroom on the first floor, with an all-green colour scheme and a mirror embossed with a whimsical sailboat motif. ‘You can just imagine how excited the family would have been when their new bathroom was finished,’ says Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth wanted a modern, family-friendly shower room and chose mosaic tiles in a mix of blue and copper shades, adding a square basin with wall-mounted copper taps to match. A huge mirror covers one wall, creating the illusion of more space.

Brought to life by landscape designer Jo Ferguson, the garden features curvaceous walls built by Elizabeth’s brother Andrew, a stonemason. Narrow trees planted along the boundary will eventually screen out the neighbouring property, while the centrepiece is an old apricot tree, heavy with fruit from November.

Now the home has been given a new lease of life, Elizabeth and her family enjoy relaxing in the light-filled living rooms, which feature contemporary, personal touches throughout. ‘The house always had great bones,’ she reflects. ‘And now it’s also beautifully dressed.’