Perfect blend This living room strikes the perfect balance
CAUGHT BETWEEN A 1940S FACADE AND A MODERN EXTENSION, THIS LIVING ROOM STRIKES A BALANCE BETWEEN OLD AND NEW
When Australia-born Tess and Englishman Rupert first strolled up the walkway to their future home in Melbourne’s south-east, they knew instantly that this was where they were meant to live. “It just reminded me of a classic English doctor’s house, and Rupert is a doctor,” explains Tess. However, the property needed some serious work to turn it into the home of their dreams, so the couple enlisted the help of friends Chris and Jane Howell, of Northbay Constructions and Howell Interiors. Despite the temptation to demolish the building and start from scratch, Tess was adamant the clinker-brick facade of the house had to stay and, with it, the living room behind. “It’s part of the house we fell in love with, and this is our original room, so it’s really where the old and the new come together,” she explains. Cue an inspired cosmetic makeover that transformed the space in double-quick time. ORIGINAL ROOM: “A very 1980s look with white carpet and velour curtains. It had dark window frames and a dark, redbrick fireplace, and a lot of the original features of the 1940s house,” says Tess. TIME FRAME: About one week as part of a major home renovation. WHY THE MAKEOVER? Tess and Rupert wanted a buffer zone to smooth the transition from the original 1940s front of the home to the ultra-modern extension at the back, as well as a place of quiet and calm for themselves and their three daughters: Caitlin, 17, Isabella, 14 and Amelie, 11. THE WORKS: New flooring was laid. The walls and fireplace were painted and shutters replaced the drapes. A new marble hearth was also installed. LESSONS LEARNED: “See past horrid curtain fittings and ugly wallpaper to find a room’s true potential,” recommends Tess.