Retro Vision A vintage-loving family and its rare 1970s Porsche.
Who needs an SUV when you could have a classic Porsche like this Melbourne family, writes motoring expert and WhichCar presenter, Elise Elliott.
Tuc ked down one of inner-Melbourne’ s ubiquitous graffitied laneways is a nondescript metal door. Push it open and you find yourself in a whimsical communal courtyard. Climbing roses and clematis tangle with masses of purple love-in-a-mist and Avonview lavender. Ornamental vines sprawl over exposed pipes and wrought-iron steps. The garden reflects the personal style of its owners, strategist Amara Speechley and her husband, landscape designer Cal Watson, who is the co-owner of Be spoke Landscapes.
The couple live here with their threeyear-olds on Vet iver and their bull dog, Pearl. Their home is one of five apartments in what was once a dairy .“We love the untamed beauty of the courtyard,” says Amara. “It’s like having our own little village green.” In contrast with the courtyard, the couple’s sleek understated apartment is decorated with authentic Mid-Century furniture – all sourced from local retailers – teamed with a carefully curated art collection.
Amara and Cal’s love of retro extends to their car, a rare 1976 Porsche 912E. After being discontinued in the ’60s, the 912 experienced a one-year renaissance: exactly 2092 were made in Germany in 1976, all of which were shipped to the US. Somehow, this gem found its way to Melbourne and these very appreciative owners. “When we brought the car home, Vetiver said he wanted to live in it,” says Amara, laughing.
What led to you buying the car? We’d been dreaming about owning a vintage Porsche for a while, but the logistics of having a child and inner-city living made the dream seem out of reach. Then I stumbled across an article about the 912 that praised its city driveability. That kind of stuck with me, so when this little beauty came up for sale we knew instantly that she would be ours. It has its original Cockney Brown tint, no rust and fits a child seat in the back! It was one of only a few hundred built with a factory sunroof and one of even fewer with aircon.
“My favourite part of the house changes depending on my mood, the light and the time of year.” Amara Speechley
“I was petrified of driving a car without power steering or park assist but it’s amazing how smoothly the Porsche glides along the cobbled laneways.” Amara
What’s it like manoeuvring the Porsche around the city? It’s actually a dream! After years of being spoilt with all the luxuries of a modern car, I was petrified of hopping into a vehicle that didn’t have power steering, let alone park assist. It’s amazing how smoothly the Porsche glides along the cobbled laneways of the inner city. The only modification we made was adding a reversing camera. Where do you source your Mid-Century
furniture? Finding authentic pieces can be a challenge in Australia. My favourite stores are Castorina & Co, which has the most heavenly collection of vintage originals (mainly Italian); Smith Street Bazaar is always a treasure trove; and Nord, which carries Scandinavian classics. Also Modern Times, CCSS and Nicholas & Alistair – I would be quite content to browse those showrooms for hours. What are the benefits of living in Melbourne’s inner city? We’ve lived here for more than six years now and we
are so in love with the space. We’re on the doorstep of the CBD but it feels like a world away. Opening the living room windows invites a bit of the buzzy street vibe in, but wandering into the courtyard is like stumbling into a little garden in Europe. What are the interior highlights in
your home? It changes depending on my mood, the light or the time of year. The fireplace in the living room is simple but very striking. I appreciate the original arches in the hallway. I also love Vetiver’s bedroom, where soft light dances across the room in the afternoons. Both our bedrooms look onto the courtyard.
What are your favourite pieces? There are so many to choose from! I love the travertine dining table and chrome coffee table with smoked glass top – both 1970s originals. Then there’s the Grant Featherston ‘Numero VII’ sofa, the Kai Kristiansen shelves, sculptural Arch dining chair by Sarah Ellison and the Giancarlo Piretti ‘Alky’ lounge chair...
Sculpture plays a big part here too – we seem to be collecting a lot of heads! Favourites are by Stacey Rees, Jessica Tremp,BettinaWillner-Browne,Den-Holm Sculpture and Ria Green. What do you love about the courtyard?
Its abundance and eclecticism are what make it so alluring. It’s unlike anything else in the city and is completely unexpected when you wander in from the laneway. There’s definitely a sort of wild abandonment to it – we allow it to be a bit unkempt, which is part of its charm. Our life and home are incredibly ordered, so it’s a real joy to see the garden be more like nature intended, rather than what we intended. Each of the neighbours tends their own little pocket; it creates lots of opportunities for us to connect.