Interior stylist Mary Holmes recently worked on a very satisfying apartment upgrade in Melbourne’s St Kilda West and we love it for many reasons. It’s on a budget, it overcame some tricky, but not unusual old apartment issues, and it’s for a retiree. We definitely think you should invest in a nice home in this stage of life too!
“It’s no secret I’m a massive fan of mid-century design, and I’ve been lucky enough to work on several renovations in properties from that era. My latest project was a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the beachside suburb of St Kilda West,” says Mary, of Proud Mary. “The apartment was almost untouched since it was built, so naturally, it came with its fair share of challenges—especially since my client, Julie, was working with a strict budget.”
Julie, recently retired, had just upgraded from a one-bedroom to this larger two-bedroom apartment in the same block. Her wish list was long, covering everything from the kitchen and bathroom to new window coverings, lighting, and even some new furniture pieces. “However, being a renovation newbie, she wasn’t sure how far her budget could stretch,” Mary explains. “Practicality was key, but we also wanted to preserve that mid-century charm without turning the apartment into a time capsule.”
Mary talks us through the challenges and how she overcame them:
Challenge #1: The ‘disappearing’ bathroom wall
The first surprise came during demolition: one of the bathroom walls wasn’t a wall at all—it was the back of a wardrobe! The previous tiler had simply tiled right over it. To fix this, we built a nib wall for the tiling to run down the side of the walk-in shower, which also tidied up the wardrobe.
Given that walls in old apartments are rarely straight, I opted for large-format white tiles to minimise alignment issues. Paired with terrazzo, the space now looks fresh and modern—without blowing the budget.
Challenge #2: Plumbing stuck in time
Old apartments, old problems. We couldn’t relocate the plumbing without risking damage to the downstairs neighbour’s ceiling, so we kept everything in place and raised the floor of the walk-in shower instead. While this wasn’t ideal, it avoided potential disasters and fit within the budget constraints.
Challenge #3: Crooked walls in the powder room
Another crooked wall, this time in the powder room, left us with a large gap between the tile and the wall. Caulking wasn’t an option, so we added a timber trim, painting it to blend seamlessly with the walls. It’s a small detail, but one that saved both time and money.
Challenge #4: A tricky kitchen layout
The kitchen had an awkward layout with a narrow end and doors in all the wrong places. By widening the entrance and blocking off one door, we gained more wall space for cabinetry. We worked around existing electrical and plumbing, and where cabinetry wouldn’t fit, we created a cosy seating nook. Floating shelves replaced overhead cabinets, ensuring the windows weren’t obstructed, adding both functionality and a beautiful design feature.
Of course, I couldn’t resist adding subway tiles as a kitchen feature, despite my builder’s frustration with the uneven walls. But in the end, the feature was worth it—and I didn’t even ask how long it took him to get everything straight!
Challenge #5: The shelf surprise
Just when we thought we were done, hanging the floating shelves above the sink caused vibrations that damaged the plaster on the other side of the wall. Luckily, it was an easy fix, and the shelves now offer both practical storage and a charming display space.
“Despite these bumps along the way, with some clever design solutions, a patient client, and a resilient builder, we’ve transformed this apartment into a functional and stylish mid-century haven,” Mary says. “The final result strikes that perfect balance between honouring the original design and making it work for modern living—all while staying on budget.”
