BEFORE

WHO LIVES HERE? Rhiannon, a public relations director; her husband Nick, a corporate manager; and daughters Alys and Charlotte. LOCATION: Melbourne’s inner west. ORIGINAL PROPERTY: A tired but well-loved Edwardian character home with ad hoc fibro extensions added in the ’ 70s. “The previous owner was an artist and there were two artist studios adjacent to the house,” says Rhiannon. TIME FRAME: From design to completion took two and a half years. WHY THIS HOUSE? “We loved the northern light that streamed through the house throughout different times of the day,” says Rhiannon. “Although rundown, we knew it and the block had the potential to be a wonderful home that could accommodate different generations.” WHY THE RENO? Rhiannon and Nick bought the home after relocating from London. In 2011, they moved in, with plans to update it in time, as their children grew. “There is a wonderful community here and we knew that we didn’t want to move from the area,” says Rhiannon. “With parts of the house starting to fall apart, we knew we’d have to renovate at some point.” MUST-HAVES: Open and airy communal zones, with custom spaces for parents, children and grandparents to retreat to as well. “Nick is English and much of our extended family live overseas and in the country, so we wanted to be able to be a hub for both our families when they come to Melbourne and need somewhere to stay,” says Rhiannon. THE WORKS: Old additions were demolished. Architect Sarah Bryant then used the footprint of the original house as her launching point to design a more family-friendly layout for the property. BUDGET-BREAKERS: “The tapware was really key as it’s such a functional and visible part of the kitchen, so we were prepared to spend a little more on this,” says Rhiannon of the solid Hansgrohe mixers specified for the kitchen island and in the butler’s pantry. FAVOURITE ASPECT? “On a summer evening, I love being able to open up the sliding doors to the garden,” says Rhiannon. “Now, we have a beautiful flow throughout the whole home, with the family living area and kitchen leading directly into the outdoor living space.”