Real reno: Melbourne Bayside bungalow's modern makeover

Located in a heritage overlay precinct within the Melbourne Bayside suburb of Hampton, this weatherboard Californian Bungalow was overhauled recently by the talented team at Bask Interiors.

“We were restricted as to how the outside of the home could look from the street but ultimately the house was completely gutted,” says interior decorator Michelle Hart of Bask Interiors who restored the front of the home and opened up the back before adding a second storey and pool to create an enviable family home.

Home to a family of four, the renovation was designed specifically with a young family in mind. “It has three separate living zones, four bedrooms, a home office, pool and alfresco eating area and lock up garage with ample storage throughout,” says Michelle of the largely monochrome home that relies heavily on the clever layering of texture to create warmth.

“I’m most proud of being able to maintain certain features of the original house while being able to make it flow into an appealing larger family home. I really paid attention to storage options and how a family would live in it, so functionality was important as well as aesthetic,” says Michelle.

Currently trending, one of the home’s standout features is the black steel doors and frames that signal the transition from the old to the new part of the house (they also enclose the new wine room too). Other notable additions include a new mud room entry coming in from the garage and plenty of feature lighting in the downstairs rooms of the house.

Black door frames separate the old and new parts of the home while statement lights create talking points throughout

The kitchen, powder room and ensuite feature Tundra stone, a series of stunning La Paloma bricks make for a dramatic fire place feature and Haymes Paints feature throughout. “We used Haymes Paints ‘White Modesty’ on the walls and ‘Greyology 1’ on the ceiling and skirting boards. The kitchen and laundry were painted in ‘Smokey Silhouette’ and the mudroom and wardrobe doors in all the bedrooms are in ‘Sense,’” says Michelle.

“My signature look is a mix of many different styles pulled together. I like simplicity in rooms, but also look at adding in details that become the many layers of a room or home. I always like a home’s energy, look and feel to flow seamlessly or cohesively without it appearing too ‘matchy matchy’” says Michelle.

“I like rooms that tell different stories with art, photographs and pieces collected from travels or over time. I like mixing old things with new and I like pops of colour as much as going completely neutral with earthy tones. Texture is key for me; I really love including contrast through texture. Each home is unique so creating something individual for its occupants is what I love to do.”