“I’m a maximalist at heart and colour makes me smile,” says Erin Katsavos whose Art Deco Melbourne home renovation caught our eye recently, in large part due to its beautiful colour and materials palette. We were even more enthralled to learn that the scheme was derived from a couple of Jai Vasicek art prints that were purchased before house plans had even been drawn up.
“Everything was chosen from the colours in the paintings. In fact, I think it’s a great idea to buy your art first and then design your house around it!” says Erin.
The home’s original Art Deco exterior is painted with Dulux ‘Ecology Green’ which sets the tone for the scene that lies within – a gorgeous mix of dark and mint green accented by blush and pops of brass.
“It was so nice to work with Erin’s bold colour choices. They have great impact and impart a real sense of warmth and earthiness throughout the home,” says Amanda Oakley of Mayché, the company responsible for the home’s build.
Located in Ascot Vale, and originally built in 1930, it was the period features that drew Erin to the home when she purchased it a few years ago with her husband Evri. Working closely with Anna Todorova of Instyle Design, the team at Mayché were tasked with retaining as many original features as possible at the front of the home while creating a contemporary extension at the rear, complete with open plan living and ample light.
A vital part of the renovation was the creation of a parent’s retreat at the front of the home – hugely necessary given Erin and Evri are parents to a blended family that includes six children. “We had to include a parent’s retreat so that they could have some down time! We incorporated this at the front of house which is connected to the master bedroom via double doors,” says Amanda.
The timber in the front four original rooms remains untouched – it wasn’t sanded and varnished as part of the renovation. “It gives the rooms such a warm feeling as it has all the little nicks that show it has lived a life. I love that we have kept so many of the home’s original features because many of these houses are painted white to give them that popular Scandi feel,” says Erin.
The home has five bedrooms, three living areas and a fabulous outdoor space that includes a pool and entertaining area. “We love the open plan kitchen, dining and living area with its large sliders and windows that look onto the pool and alfresco. The burnished concrete floor finish in here looks absolutely amazing too,” says Amanda.
And with that many family members you can imagine that practical storage solutions are a must. “One of my favourite design elements is the custom bench seat joinery in the living room as I can hide the toys away in the hidden seat,” says Erin.
One of the children’s bedrooms features an upcycled IKEA bunk bed that Erin spray painted before covering it, and the nearby wall, in decals from Blonde Noir. “They have great designs. Those decals are so awesome because you can peel them off, leaving nothing behind, and move them making them great for rentals too. You can even store and reuse them later,” says Erin.
The bathrooms are a visual treat complete with Meir tapware, Concrete Nation basins, terrazzo and mirrors from West Elm. “The biggest splurge was the real terrazzo in the adult bathroom which I chose just for me. As you can imagine, with so many children, there’s not a lot that I get to do for me these days!” says Erin.
Overall, it’s the seamless flow from old to new that really stands out in this home. “I remember doing a walk-through during construction with Evri and he was amazed at how it all flowed and thought it was hard to remember where the old house ended and the extension started. We focus on attention to detail and this home showcases it perfectly,” says Amanda.
Photography: Dylan James | Styling: Karin Bochnik
2 replies on “Art Deco Melbourne home renovation a colourful blend of old and new”
I like the use of black in the kitchen and other rooms.
i like the bathroom it’s great ?