Finally making this expansive house into the home they always wanted was a labour of love for these owners.
The owners of this house on a double lot in Melbourne’s Toorak – a couple passionate about art and design – clearly recall the first time they set eyes on it in 1983, when they drove past almost by chance. “We stopped the car and I said, ‘If we ever move, this is the type of house I’d absolutely love’,” recalls the husband. “It almost had something of a fairytale feel about it.” Dating from the 1920s, it was designed in the Tudor Revival style by architect Robert Bell Hamilton for the director of Victoria’s electricity commission. Serendipitously, a week later it came up for sale.
Back then, it was in a sorry state. A downpipe at the front was broken, there were issues with rising damp and an unalluring 1970s-style flat roof extension had been added to the back. But that did nothing to deter them. “One of the themes by which we live our lives is ‘contagious optimism’,” says the husband. “We saw the problems, but we dreamed of what we could create in the future.”
It ended up taking some time to realise. Initially, they conceived plush bedrooms for their two children, but other parts of the house remained unfinished as they focused for decades on building up their businesses. “Our room almost looked like we were at university,” quips the wife. “Part of the walls weren’t even painted or wallpapered,” adds her husband.
Esta historia es de la edición June 2017 de Belle Magazine Australia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 2017 de Belle Magazine Australia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Double handling
Leading architectural hardware designer Bankston has collaborated with New York's Civilian on a new range of door handles and levers.
Coastal COOL
A Hamptons-inspired weekender on the Mornington Peninsula is remodelled for three generations of one family.
CLOUD STREET
A sophisticated design with exquisite detailing elevates a top-floor penthouse into a world-class home for a returning local family.
Future proof
Crafting a beach house that could eventually become a permanent residence meant walking a fine line between relaxed and sophisticated.
Going with the ith flow
Two melds enticingly into one when an inner-city terrace tones up for contemporary living.
CHEF'S kiss
Entertaining by a smart renovation for a family of foodies on a grand scale was made possible
MAISON D'ART
Step into the captivating world of French gallerist Amélie du Chalard, for whom life, art and history are in perfect harmony.
ERA DEFYING
An interwar bungalow moves boldly into the 21st century while also celebrating its fabulous past.
PALM CANDY
Pink tones cap off a romantic mix of Spanish and Moroccan styles at a designer's weekend retreat.
HOUSE ROYAL
A pair of scented leather gloves sent to King George III marks the birth of one of the world's most enduring fragrance houses.