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Before & after: Melbourne reno features spectacular DIY

By Amy Collins-Walker •

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‘A renovator’s dream’ was the best way to describe the Melbourne home pictured below, when it was purchased by Corinne and Ben Taylor in 2013 before undergoing an extensive renovation. Located in Melbourne’s Yarraville, this home was originally built in 1947 and now features a fabulous modern extension at the rear, much of which was completed by Ben who works in construction.

BEFORE front elevation
BEFORE front elevation
AFTER front elevation

“When we first bought our house our design goal was to always maintain the original period of the front of the home and build a modern contemporary extension with an open plan layout. We wanted to create a direct contrast between the rear modern extension and the front period style of the home,” says Corinne.

BEFORE kitchen
BEFORE kitchen
AFTER kitchen
AFTER kitchen

“My husband and I bought this house just after we were married and began renovating it straight away. It was our little, but not so little, project we wanted to accomplish together as newlyweds before we began our biggest challenge of becoming parents,” says Corinne who now shares the home with the couple’s two sons.

BEFORE bathroom
BEFORE bathroom
AFTER bathroom
AFTER bathroom

“For the build, we engaged my father and brother to complete the main structural components of the front and rear as my father runs his own building company in Ballarat. My husband and I then engaged all of the trades directly and project managed the build and fit out components whilst both working full time jobs and living in the house the entire time. Let’s just say that this got quite testing at times living with a temporary kitchen and bathroom for over six months,” says Corinne.

BEFORE kitchen & dining
BEFORE kitchen & dining
AFTER living & dining
AFTER kitchen, dining & backyard

With a career as a project manager in the construction industry, Ben tackled much of the renovation himself including the majority of the fit out. He worked on the plumbing (he’s a plumber by trade) and carpentry including the installation of windows, skirtings, architraves and the timber floor. “He even completed the massive task of measuring up and installing the glass balustrade to the stairs and second floor,” says Corinne.

The glass staircase
AFTER: The glass staircase that Ben, impressively, installed himself.

With 6.5 metres ceilings above the kitchen and dining areas, and a large open plan area at the rear of the home (that spills out to the garden), the new home certainly feels much more expansive than the original. “By not having a large block we sought to maximise the flow of the house and ensure that every inch was used as efficiently as possible,” says Corinne.

AFTER dining
AFTER dining

“Natural light and high ceilings were very important as we wanted to create a bright home that provided abundant natural light and also natural ventilation. We originally intended to have a single story extension to the rear but then chose to increase this to double storey to allow us to draw as much natural light in with the north facing facade,” says Corinne who also wanted to be able to open the rear of the house up during the warmer months to extend the living area into the backyard and further maximise the use of the block.

AFTER the view from the second floor
AFTER the view from the second floor

“Our interior design brief was to utilise as many natural materials as possible to create an environment of warmth, texture and vibrancy. We chose to use materials such as Australian hardwoods, recycled brick and polished concrete to create this feel, along with light textured tiles to reflect the light throughout the bathrooms,” says Corinne.

AFTER - An abundance of windows flood the space with light
AFTER: An abundance of windows let light flood the space

Photography: Lecinda Ward

More before & afters

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June 5, 2018

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Nestled among the rolling vineyards of the Shoalha Nestled among the rolling vineyards of the Shoalhaven area on the NSW South Coast, former Block contestants @rachelandryan Carr have transformed a tired rural property into a luxurious holiday retreat that feels like a slice of Italy. Surrounded by the natural beauty of gum trees and rural views, the property is designed to transport guests to the heart of Tuscany, blending the charm of the Australian landscape with the elegance and luxury of Italian design. 

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New @kmartaus home coming later this month and her New @kmartaus home coming later this month and here's a few of the standouts, with pricing and more info on the blog now, via link in bio.

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Swipe for before An interior designer shares the Swipe for before 

An interior designer shares the clever ways they took this homestead from tired 80s to a welcoming country retreat for holidaymakers without spending a fortune or starting from scratch.

This fireplace became a beautiful focal point after a lick of paint, for example.

See more before and afters from @wandarra_homestead on the blog now via link in stories/bio.
How heavenly is AFL star @rhysstanley_'s home he s How heavenly is AFL star @rhysstanley_'s home he shares with wife @kirstenstanley_ and their young kids?!

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Brand new furniture in an 1877 house and IT WORKS! Brand new furniture in an 1877 house and IT WORKS!

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Head to the blog via link in bio to read more about the partnership.

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#spabathroom #zenbathroom #spavibes #bathroomremodels 

📸 @jonathantabensky
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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. Stephanie says

    August 18, 2018 at 12:31 am

    I really am enjoying your renos, but why not show the same perspective before and after?

    • Jen BishopJen Bishop says

      August 18, 2018 at 5:20 pm

      Not everyone takes their before pix with this in mind. Agree it is easier to see the changes when they’re done that way, but if we only accepted those stories we’d miss out on a lot of goodies! Glad you’re enjoying the real renos, we love them too!

  2. Kumar Nadarajah says

    August 20, 2018 at 10:57 am

    The renovation looks very impressive.

    At present, Pseudofilm Factory is filming a movie and would like to utilise this house for a scene in our movie

    Please let us know the process involved and if we could meet and discuss further.

    Thank you.

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