TIME TRAVELLER
A KNOCKOUT RENOVATION IN MELBOURNE’S SOUTH-WESTERN SUBURBS HAS GIVEN A RAMSHACKLE HOME BRILLIANT NEW LIFE
Aflutter of excitement greeted house-hunters Janelle and Jeremy when they first spied their home-to-be in one of Melbourne’s prettiest waterfront suburbs. Admiring its generous-sized block, and with the lapping of the waves almost audible at the front gate, the pair loved everything about the place – everything, that is, except the house itself. What was once a charming Victorian weatherboard had, over the decades, been entirely stripped of its original detailing and had fallen into an advanced state of disrepair.
“When we came to look at it, it was so run-down,” says Janelle. “All of the period features had gone, there was lots of lino flooring, leaking, bowed walls and a terrible old bathroom that felt like it should have been outside. It was pretty bad.”
Enlisting the expertise of architect – and friend – Lindsay Douglas and his wife, interior designer, Julie-Ann Smith from Dig Design, Janelle and Jeremy were confident they were on the right path to creating a home to share with their sons, Samuel, eight, and Elliot, seven. Their faith has certainly been rewarded. From a dark, damp and almost derelict starting point, the most ingenious of renovations has been conceived.
The 1890s home has been restored to its one-time glory at the front, and been awarded a contemporary and light-filled addition at the rear. The extension features a sculptural, open-tread timber staircase which leads to an airy parents’ retreat with prized views of Port Phillip Bay. There’s also a serene guest wing, an inviting alfresco area and a pool that wraps engagingly around the home. And let’s not forget the quirky Space Invaders-inspired playroom, complete with an astroturf rug and a circular reading nook tucked into the wall. But for many visitors, the jaw-dropping moment comes when they step onto the back deck and take in the dramatic composite timber-fin screen that ‘floats’ above the ground floor.
Janelle, who relished the chance to provide input throughout the transformation, has opted for a primarily monochromatic colour scheme. Striking works of art and other well-loved pieces collected over the years have blended seamlessly into the design, and instil it with glints of colour, warmth and personality. “I think my decorating style is quite eclectic, yet harmonious,” says Janelle. “A lot of the items come from my travels to places such as Ukraine and Guatemala, and they manage to bring the experiences I had in those countries back to me.”
This restored home is warm, homely and all about family. “We’ve put so much thought and love into the design that it almost feels like my third baby!” says the mum-of-two. “It’s everything that we could have hoped for – and more.”
KITCHEN
The beauty of this white, bright kitchen lies in its streamlined style and family-friendly design. An expansive island bench topped in Caesarstone in Organic White, illuminated by ‘Aria’ glass pendants from Eurolight, is the statement piece. A rear bench in Caesarstone in Raven and replica ‘Allegra’ bar stools from Matt Blatt give contrast. Open shelving under the bench in Polytec’s ‘Ravine’ laminate in Natural Oak provides space for collectibles (opposite bottom left). Taking pride of place on the wall is the dramatic ‘Two Old Men’ by Cuban artist Jose Acosta. FLOORING ‘Carbonised’ 1830mm x 189mm natural oiled engineered European oak boards, $109/sqm (plus installation), Wild River Timber Company.
DINING ROOM A stylish wood dining table (for similar, try Living Styles) has been teamed with black replica Tolix chairs in the eating zone (try Café Furniture Melbourne), with the delicacy of more ‘Aria’ glass pendants offering a perfect foil to the dining setting’s solidity (above). As with all the home’s internal walls, this room was painted in Dulux White On White. PLAYROOM “We really wanted a decorative feature in a room that was both quirky and also kid-friendly,” says Janelle of the playroom (below right), which runs off the dining room and is separated from the hallway by the staircase and circular window. Janelle designed the Space Invaders-inspired digital wallpaper herself – it was printed by Design To Print (Murals Wallpaper has something similar). The circular reading niche on the other side of the window is lined with acoustic foam to make for the quietest of curl-up spots, and is surrounded by green storage recesses. For a similar style of synthetic grass mat, for indoor or outdoor use, try Carpet Capers.
“THE SPACES HAVE BEEN DESIGNED SO WELL, TO GIVE EACH A SUNNY, AIRY AND FRESH ASPECT” ~ JANELLE
STAIRCASE
“Architect Lindsay Douglas designed the stairs [top left],” says Janelle, “and the open treads allow your eye to connect back to the solid plinth, making it feel as though the stairs are floating.” The base is X-Bond ‘Polished Bond’ render in Grey Marble by Alternative Surfaces, and Victorian ash was used for the treads and stained to match the floorboards.
MAIN BEDROOM
A new world opened up to Janelle and Jeremy when they ventured upstairs for the first time to the second-storey extension, which houses their bedroom (top right), ensuite (left) and a spacious indoor-outdoor balcony room. “We were pretty confident we’d have good sea views when we decided to go up,” says Janelle. “It’s wonderful to wake up to all the light pouring in and to be able to see the water.” The mum-of-two has layered the couple’s bed with a quilt, throw and cushions from Southwood Home. The carpet is Hycraft ‘Carramar’ in Peat from Carpet World Mornington.
ENSUITE
“I really love our bathroom,” says Janelle. And who can blame her? Juxtaposed against Everstone’s ‘Durastone’ floor and wall tiles in Charcoal from Lifestiles in Point Cook, a double vanity in Polytec’s ‘Ravine’ laminate in Natural Oak becomes a focal point. The vanity top in Caesarstone’s Raven and Infinite ‘Vesou’ basins from First Choice Warehouse also hit all the right notes, and recessed shaving cabinets deliver ample storage.
FAMILY BATHROOM With its open fireplace, antique framed mirror from Barkly Glass, recycled chandelier (try Designer Chandelier) and a freestanding tub from Zava Concepts, the wash zone in the sublime family bathroom is imbued with the glamorous vibe of a grand hotel. A ‘Flow’ oak stool from Southwood Home and a ‘Uchino’ bath towel from Turner & Lane bring accents of subtle colour and texture, while the floating vanity, topped with Caesarstone in Organic White and with another Infinite ‘Vesou’ abovecounter basin from First
Choice Warehouse, completes the luxurious look. As with all the home’s original fireplaces, this was brought back to its former glory by sourcing reclaimed iron inserts and mantelpieces.
TILES
‘Concrete Fuse’ 888mm x 443mm porcelain tiles in Lappato, from $109/ sqm, Beaumont Tiles.
EXTERIOR
Spotted gum decking leads from the kitchen and living area to the backyard, where the full splendour of the lightweight Biowood Australia wood-plastic composite cladding can be seen. Janelle and Jeremy applied a clear finish to further weatherproof the cladding and chose a border of liriope plants to separate the Sir Walter buffalo turf from the pool.