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Before & after: A Victorian cottage sees the light

May 2, 2018 6 Comments

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When this inner Melbourne single-fronted Victorian cottage was purchased nine years ago, it was ripe for restoration. “Before the renovation, it was small and dark. We only had two bedrooms and a small living space with a tiny lean-to kitchen and bathroom. But it was on a decent sized block for the area so we had lots of room to extend,” says homeowner Rebecca McDonnell, of the blog The Bargain Styler.

Kitchen before
BEFORE kitchen
Kitchen after
AFTER kitchen

Home to Rebecca, her husband, two small children and a dog, the family began the renovation’s two-year planning process after returning from living interstate. “By the time the back of the home was demolished it was nearly falling apart. We wanted the renovation to let light and greenery in and to accommodate the family as our children grow up,” says Rebecca, who dreamed of a contemporary, open plan layout.

Garden before
BEFORE rear of the home
Rear of the home after
AFTER rear of the home
AFTER garden
AFTER looking out to the newly landscaped backyard from the lounge room

Key to letting the light in is the ample glazing on the northern side of the home – a feature that also allows you to see from one end of the residence to the other. “I love that I can stand in the kitchen and pretty much see the kids at all times due to the angles and the number of windows in the home,” says Rebecca. It wasn’t always that way. Architect Rod Allan of ROAM Architects explains: “The site is six metres wide and 50 metres long with a party wall to the long north boundary. As a result, the house had almost no direct sunlight and no real connection between the interior and exterior spaces.”

Before pic
BEFORE Living room and kitchen
Lounge room AFTER
AFTER The back of the kitchen features timber joinery that demarcates the lounge room

The home’s new-found light is also in large part due to its central courtyard. “We were very keen to create a courtyard in the centre of the long plan which could allow light into the middle of the house. Large two-way sliding doors allow direct access to the courtyard from the second living/play space on one side with a window seat on the opposite side in the kitchen/dining space. By placing a glazed panel at the end of the corridor between the corridor and second living, there are views of the courtyard all the way to the front door,” says Rod.

Curved timber fascia
The new extension features an internal courtyard and curved timber fascia

The curved timber detailing is a design highlight too. “The soft curves of the timber fascia and the splayed wall as you enter the extension combine to create a meandering flow from the front to the back of the house and increase the sense of spaciousness. This allows the main circulation to shift from the north side of the existing house toward the south side in the extension which allows the extension to open to the north light. At the far end of the extension, the roof folds up to capture more light which helps to draw the eye through the space and adds to the sense of spaciousness,” says Rod.

Timber fascia
The new internal courtyard is home to a rather lush fiddle leaf fig!

As for her favourite aspects of her new home, Rebecca names three things: the curved walls, the exposed brick down the hallway (all original, over 100 years old), and the long bench seat in the kitchen. “The children just love it,” she adds.

Kitchen and bench seat
The nine metre long kitchen bench seat provides ample extra seating

Made from Victorian ash, the nine-metre-long seat is stylish yet functional. “It hugs the northern facade of the extension and is a place to hang out with an iPad or a book, chat, play or socialise,” says Rod. “With large sliding and double-hung windows that come down to the seat height, the seat is part of both inside and outside spaces. It really responded to Bec and Andrew’s brief to make the kitchen the social heart of the home and to do this in a way that embraces contemporary open plan living.”

Hallway before
BEFORE hallway
Hallway after
AFTER hallway

“Overall we are really happy with the way we were able to bring so much light into the house given the constraints of the site and the old single fronted house. We also love the long seat and the way this interacts with the kitchen and courtyard to make a place for socialising and indoor-outdoor living,” says Rod.

AFTER bathroom
AFTER bathroom
AFTER bathroom
AFTER bathroom

Unsurprisingly, Rebecca is also very fond of her brand new, spacious kitchen. “I love that it’s such a large size. It really is the heart of the home.”

Study nook after
AFTER what every blogger needs: a study nook

Photography: Tatjana Plit| Furniture: Curious Grace

For more | Rebecca’s blog

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Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys 💗 Me and my boys 💗
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner 💓😁
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack 🥰 @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack 🥰 @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting 🤣 Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help ❤️
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late is marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydney’s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I'll post and I hope to be home and with my lippie back on by Monday. You know it's serious when I'm lipstick free, right?!

This was about a week ago in intensive care. And although my arm is still bloody sore I'm now on a normal ward and no longer attached to any drips, drains or a catheter. I've come a long way.

This has been the most physical and mental challenge of my life but I'm through the worst. I kept my arm. The doctors saved my life.

I cannot say it enough times. If you're worried about your health, don't hang around. Things can change so quickly. 

A huge thanks to my amazing husband @damianfrancis We've had the hardest year yet and our marriage has never been stronger, even if my rings did get cut off my finger in hospital 😜

As great of a job as he is doing at home with the kids, I cannot wait to get home now. Countdown is on to a new year and a fresh start.

And I can't say enough just how overwhelmingly grateful I am to all the medical professionals involved in my care, from the @healthdirectaus nurse who sent me to Emergency to the exceptional surgeons, doctors, nurses and support staff.

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember you never know what's around the corner and this is not a dress rehearsal!

And huge thank you for all your kindness here. Has been amazing while stuck in bed.

Xxx

For those who missed it, I was unlucky enough to get necrotising fasciitis. You'll have to Google it.
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Amy Collins Walker

About Amy Collins Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarKatherine McKinney says

    September 30, 2018 at 7:37 am

    Why do people think it’s ok to do this, to take beautiful old houses and turn them into ghastly imitations of hospital operating rooms?! It’s criminal! If you want an ugly modern horror, then go build one. Don’t destroy an antique gem with your terrible taste.

    Reply
    • AvatarAndrea says

      June 9, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      Looks amazing (some people just have nothing nice to say – above)!

      Reply
    • AvatarCas says

      June 9, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      You’ve clearly not been in a hospital operating room lately

      Reply
    • AvatarAnn says

      June 9, 2019 at 8:30 pm

      Why do people do this? Tear other people down without enough information or just plain good manners? If you can’t say something kind… log off! Don’t look! Learn to knit!

      Reply
    • AvatarSara says

      June 9, 2019 at 9:37 pm

      Rebecca and her husband can do whatever they want with their home. They could of knocked it down and built new but they didn’t. Maybe try a different perspective on life if you think they’ve ruined a house, they have simply made the house a home! ❤️

      Reply
  2. AvatarH says

    June 9, 2019 at 10:27 am

    Maybe you have terrible taste? Everyone likes different things. I love what they’ve done. They’ve kept the period features that were there and added to it. At the end of the day, they had to pay for it and they have to live in it, not you! If you’ve got nothing nice to say…don’t say anything.

    Reply

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