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Beautiful St Kilda home renovation references Paris decor

Lounge room
Lounge room

Located in Melbourne’s iconic beachside suburb of St Kilda, this double story Victorian terrace was restored to its former grandeur recently by Melanie Beyond Architecture and Design. “We aimed to provide our clients with a functional home that honoured its 19th century bones while also drawing reference from the client’s passion for Parisian décor,” says Melanie Beynon of the stunning abode that features beautiful, luxe materials and detailing but is practical enough for family living.

Living room

Upon passing through the home’s grand Victorian entry, the owners’ love of blue is plain to see. A highlight space, the lavish front sitting room is painted in a gorgeous blue shade – it’s the perfect complement to the room’s original marble fireplace and antique crystal chandelier. The room is beautifully furnished and accessorised with a mix of pieces from Gubi, Coco Republic, Kartell, Mondoluce and House of Orange.

Lounge room
Formal sitting room
Entry
Entry

The heart of the home, the rear of the ground floor was reworked to include kitchen, dining and living zones with new expansive steel-framed doors and windows opening to the garden. “This communal space is refined in form, function and materiality to facilitate optimal family living. The kitchen is outfitted with customised tapware and high-end equipment to accent the carte blanche space,” says Melanie.

Kitchen
Kitchen

A feature Volker Haug pendant light hangs over a large porcelain-clad island bench that is offset by soft grey cabinetry – a separate bar area is the perfect spot for entertaining guests. New parquetry oak flooring and an integrated gas fireplace adds warmth and comfort to the shared space.

Bar area
Dining and bar area

Navy carpet leads from the entry up the remastered original staircase – the master bedroom is a highlight upstairs. “The palatial master suite bathroom is the feature of the first floor, boasting a spacious light-filled volume with high ceilings, restored fireplace, double shower and a double vanity accented with indigo blue joinery,” says Melanie. Custom polished nickel tapware and brass detailing complete the scene.

Bathroom
Bathroom

“This project proved to be a true collaboration between our client’s personal aspirations, our architectural interpretation, and the builder’s realisation. Through this rounded approach we believe this monumental Victorian home has reached its full living potential and can sit proud amongst its heritage neighbours.”

Second bathroom
Second bathroom
St Kilda bathroom
Second bathroom

Photography: Sharyn Cairns | Styling: Sandford Grey + Hilgar Design

For more on Melanie Beynon Architecture and Design

Victorian terrace renovation makes excellent use of laneway

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Victorian weatherboard surf cottage gets fresh revamp

Located near Geelong, in Victoria’s Barwon Heads, this gorgeous light-filled home features a sensitive restoration of, and extension to, an…
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Architecture

A sneak peak of the stunning new penthouse atop St Kilda heritage building

A stunning New York-inspired residence housed atop a landmark 1880s heritage building, Luke Fry Architecture and Interior Design’s exciting new project, the George Penthouse, will have 360 degree views of the Melbourne CBD.

A perfect harmony of chic modern meeting classical heritage, the penthouse is set to be the crown jewel on top of the former George Hotel (now largely apartments and hospitality), with an open deck rooftop, and 500 sqm of living space.

Future home to frequent traveller Sean Cummins, he gave full creative control to Luke Fry, to maintain the authenticity of the building’s original character while responding to the progressive, ambitious brief. After extensive consultation with heritage specialists, the penthouse design showcases some subtle but simple nods to St Kilda’s vibrant past.

“Architecturally the penthouse façade conceived in both concrete and natural stone was designed in a series of scalloped columns that reflect the rhythm of the original façade and parapet of the original building which can still be seen from Fitzroy Street,” says Luke.

The exciting new project, starting this year, isn’t just a testament to a new style of penthouse living but also the rejuvenation of the suburb.

“It raises the bar for living in St Kilda – especially penthouse living – as there would only be a handful of properties globally that would tick all the boxes this does,” Luke says. “A beautifully designed architectural penthouse of this quality, scale, heritage context and with these views also adds to the neighbourhood’s character and appeal.”

For more

A look inside this luxurious bespoke Melbourne penthouse

Atop one of Melbourne’s CBD apartment blocks sits a meticulously designed penthouse, almost entirely customised by its new residents. It is home to Joan and Wes, who purchased the entire…

Real reno: St Kilda Art Deco home elegantly revived

Originally built in 1936, this two storey Art Deco home was beautifully renovated recently for its inhabitants who have lived in it for the last 25 years. “Our clients raised…
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Outdoor & Exteriors The Block

The Block 2019: courtyard reveals

Today’s wrap up of last night’s courtyard reveals comes to you from our friends at The Block Shop!

MITCH AND MARK: 2nd PLACE
SCORE: 29/30

Mitch and Mark once again brought the ‘wow factor’ to their latest space, producing a drop dead gorgeous Palm Springs-inspired outdoor courtyard that was light, bright, fresh, and — most importantly — fun. The hero was undoubtedly that amazing floor-to-ceiling outdoor wallpaper, which featured the enormous palm trees and breeze blocks synonymous with America’s desert design hotspot.


Shop their look

TESS AND LUKE: LAST PLACE
SCORE: 24.5/30

Tess and Luke continued their dramatic, almost monochromatic, look in their courtyard space, producing a gorgeous, contemporary area that featured patterned flooring, a black feature wall with gold Rio sculptural feature, gold pots, a large domed hanging heater and black table with timber bench seats. But undoubtedly the main focal point was that absolutely stunning spiral staircase, which all three judges agreed was a stroke of genius.

ANDY AND DEB: JOINT 3rd PLACE
SCORE: 26/30

Andy and Deb managed to create a beautiful, calm “inner city oasis” in their courtyard, which the judges all agreed was a lovely, warm, inviting area.


“This is a chilled space. I feel like I’m right at home here,” said Darren upon stepping into the walled-off courtyard, which featured timber feature walls, vertical garden details, a timber bench seat, circular coffee table and a large patch of artificial turf – perfect for buyers who might have a woofy little friend in tow.

Shop their look

EL’ISE AND MATT: JOINT 3rd PLACE
SCORE: 26/30

El’ise and Matt managed to create a beautiful, tranquil space in their courtyard, which the judges agreed provided a lovely respite from the busy streets of St Kilda outside. They managed to do this by incorporating a stunning stone feature wall – designed to match their gorgeous feature fireplace inside – a timber bench seat, large statement pots, hanging pendant lights and a black wire table and chair set. But it was the bamboo garden feature that won over the judges the most.

Shop their look

JESSE AND MEL: 1st PLACE
SCORE: 29.5/30

It wasn’t just Jesse and Mel’s eight-metre high tiled feature wall that scored them a win for Courtyard Week. In terms of form and function, the couple absolutely knocked it out of the park. “This is spectacular,” Neale said, upon stepping foot inside the striking space, which also featured statement sconce lighting, a timber BBQ and bar fridge, large timber seating area – complete with bespoke upholstery – and a huge timber table and black chairs.

Shop their look

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The Block

The Block 2019: living & dining reveals

This week’s room reveal roundup comes to you from our friends at The Block Shop!

MITCH AND MARK: 
SCORE: 22/30: JOINT LAST


Mitch and Mark continued their mid-century ‘Palm Springs Luxe’ theme in their living/dining area, producing a gorgeous on-trend, bright and luxurious room. The first thing the judges noticed when they stepped inside was the fact the couple had chosen to replace their ‘Cottage Garden’ light-box windows from last week with beautiful, framed surf photography.

Their decision to pare back this large feature wall went down well. “That was a good call,” said Shaynna, who thought Mitch and Mark had styled their room, which included a stunning white brick feature fireplace, blue velvet dining chairs, a white terrazzo table and brown leather couch from Freedom, immaculately.

TESS AND LUKE
SCORE: 22/30: JOINT LAST


Tess and Luke had various setbacks this week, but overcame every conceivable obstacle to produce a stunning, contemporary living/dining space. The hero in their room was that beautiful custom-made timber table, which they built to butt up against their huge island bench, making it the focal point of the room.

Elsewhere, they used a mellow palette of whites and creams, including an oversized cream couch, earth-toned circular coffee table, light-coloured rug and grey occasional chairs to work as a contrast to their black brick feature wall and fireplace. That wall, in turn, played beautifully with the light from their oversized void, which Shaynna said would prove a huge selling-point for their home.

ANDY AND DEB
SCORE: 28/30: SECOND


Andy and Deb produced another exceptional space this week, ther gorgeous pared-back living area seeing them take out second place. The judges fell in love with the room, which continued with the couple’s trademark ‘coastal luxe’ vibe.

They particularly liked how everything flowed from the kitchen, as well as the placement of their large timber table and contemporary chairs, configured to run adjacent to their island bench. Neale loved their light, bright colour palette, cane coffee table, cane occasional chair, white in-built cabinetry and the white sofa and jute rug. But the thing that piqued his interest the most – and had all three judges rejoicing – was the placement of their stunning piece of commissioned Indigenous art.

EL’ISE AND MATT
SCORE: 24.5/30: THIRD


El’ise and Matt had a rough time in the judging last week, with Shaynna, Neale and Darren questioning a lot of their decisions with regards to their kitchen. This week they were back on track, revealing a stunning, contemporary and homely living/dining space, complete with burnt orange sofa, petrified wood nest of tables, a brick feature fireplace and a selection of stunning artworks.

“They’re back!” Neale said, upon stepping into their luxe oasis, which also sported a dark charcoal sofa, grey rug and olive hued cushions to match their green kitchen seats.

JESSE AND MEL: FIRST
SCORE: 29/30


Jesse and Mel are back! This week we took out a win for their near-perfect living/dining room. Like Deb and Andy, Jesse and Mel decided to orientate their dining table adjacent to their kitchen bench, a decision that won them favour with the judges, who loved the open, contemporary feel. They particularly loved that the couple held back 500mm from their kitchen to allow extra room in their living area, making theirs the most functional and usable living space of anywhere on this year’s Block.

They particularly loved the fireplace, which the couple made to be the architectural focal point of the room by incorporating custom black marble benchtops and cabinetry. Unlike so many of the other couples, theirs was a fire that could be enjoyed while sitting on the oversized couch, or the two stunning blue occasional chairs, while still watching the television.

The judges were instantly smitten.

Shop your favourites from these rooms at The Block Shop

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Bedrooms The Block

The Block 2019: Master bedroom reveals

I gotta say, I wasn’t mad about any of the rooms this week. None were bad at all, I was just underwhelmed in general. And there were a lot of items in them that I out and out hated!

Thank goodness Mitch and Mark at least shook things up by being brave with the floorplan change. I suspect the other contestants will get a bit snippy about all that once they’ve had a chance to digest what it might mean for their own homes. An entertaining living room sandwiched between two master bedrooms doesn’t seem a recipe for a good night’s sleep!

Once again, I think the photos of these spaces seriously let them down and I’d suggest you watch the reveals on catchup if you missed them to get a better idea!

For now, here’s a recap of the scores and the judging…

House 1 Mitch & Mark 27/30 first place

The talk of the night was the guys deleting the master bedroom from the third floor altogether, effectively making their four-bedroom home a three-bedder. Controversial! Instead, they created an entertaining living space with a cathedral ceiling with skylights. And boy, did that ceiling look good!

The judges were stunned. Shaynna said she was confused but she loved it. Darren was speechless. “Holy cow,” he said. Shaynna thought it was probably the most exciting twist she’d ever seen on judging The Block. While Neale said Mitch and Mark were designing the house for themselves and he was confused at how to judge it.

Shaynna said it was all elegance and class. Neale added: “It’s Palm Springs, it’s the epitome of glamour. I think we’re meant to be sitting around the pool here (personally I’m not sure there’s any other excuse for that rug!). It’s a make believe pool house.”

They then started to discuss the reality of the floorplan change and the fact this entertaining room with veranda would be next to and on the same floor as the other homes’ master bedrooms. “There are deep ramifications,” noted Neale.

Was it a strategic masterstroke to devalue the others’ homes (I think not)?

Our picks to buy: Bamboo Lattice wallpaper by Grafico | Panama modular sofa by Freedom

 

House 2 Tess & Luke 24.5/30 joint third

First impressions were largely good for this one. Darren lay on the bed to look out of the skylight and he loved its position. He said the colours were spot on. “It’s edgy and cool and art driven, there’s interest, pattern and texture. I’m proud of their evolution from last week to this week.”

Shaynna adored the artwork which had set the colour palette for the whole room, while Darren said he didn’t see anything he didn’t like.

Neale said the mirror was wrong and in general, it was just too cluttered. He loved the shaker profile of the wardrobe doors and said it was his favourite walk-in so far. Darren said he thought they’d made the perfect (his and hers) walk-in robe.

Our picks to buy: Jess Marney Design art prints | Cubarita Wise framed art print

 

House 3 Andy & Deb 24.5/30 joint third

Neale said: “What a lovely calm room. They took on board that message that they needed to be grown up and they have run with it.” Darren was so happy to see more interest and more texture. “It feels fresh, contemporary and very liveable.”

Shaynna said the paint colour was divine, but she wasn’t a big fan of the bed and bedsides, saying they were a bit Nanna!

While they loved the aesthetics of the walk-in, practically speaking, the amount of storage was a bit of a letdown.

Our picks to buy: AURA Home linen

 

House 4 El’ise & Matt 26/30 second place

They all loved the gorgeous period ceiling, “I’m in love with that,” said Darren. “I feel like Tom Cruise jumping on the couch right now. The wallpaper is painterly. To sit this beautiful tone of green against all the blues and purples is a really really elegant colour palette. It’s gorgeous.”

Neale said it felt very wlemcing and real. “I think El’ise and Matt really understand the meaning of home and the emotion of what that means.”

Shaynna thought the paintwork was very well done and thought the art was breathtaking. Neale said if there was a negative it was that it was quite small.

Into the robe, Darren said he loved champagne metallic joinery but “it’s a bitch to clean!” Shaynna said it is was definitely glamorous and beautiful. “It has got my heart.”

Although they had sacrificed some bedroom to make the robe bigger, they hadn’t added extra storage, which Neale said was disappointing.

Our picks to buy: Undertow wallpaper by Grafico | Corbelle black pendant light by Beacon Lighting | Folded by Maria Radun art print by Art Lovers Australia

 

House 5 Jesse & Mel 22/30 last place

Shaynna said it was a great decision to have the bed face the veranda and Darren said there was a lot to love; the cornicing, lighting layout and the pelmet.

But it went downhill from there.

The judges were starting to see a pattern. Shaynna said: “They’re taking a real estate cookie cutter approach.” Neale added: “This room feels like it’s ticking boxes. I’ve seen it before.”

Darren said it was perhaps cowardly to repeat the upholstered wall behind the bed idea from last week’s bedroom and it felt like deja vu.

Shaynna didn’t like the desk or the big mirror opposite the bed, although she did love the “sexy” TV hidden within it.

Neale thought it felt ordinary. “I’m sorry, I’m completely underhwlemed. They really impressed me that first week but I’m not feeling that this week. Jesse and Mel are becoming the team who are constantly disappointing.” Ouch!

And Jesse’s rough, unfinished floor was of course criticised in the walk-in.

Our picks: Vertical leaner TV mirror | Buddy vases by Marble Basics

The more I look at these rooms, the more I personally dislike a lot about them but I’m not sure I’m ready to be that person that criticises when I wouldn’t have a hope in hell of pulling off what the couples do in such short timeframes. What do you think? Do you want to hear my opinion even if it’s not positive? I’m not a big fan of being a big meanie so I often think if it’s not something nice, don’t say anything at all!

Love to hear which room YOU loved?

See all our Block coverage.

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The Block

The Block 2019: formal living room reveals

It was an important space on last night’s Block room reveals: the formal living. Up front, I have to say I don’t think the following images do the rooms justice as they certainly looked a lot better on TV than they do in the photographs. These things can be so hard to capture sometimes! But overall, it was another strong week so early in the competition and I agreed with the judges’ first place for El’ise and Matt.

House 1: Mitch and Mark

28.5 out of 30, second place

“Honey I’m home” were the first words out of Darren’s mouth. “Me too,” said Neale.

“I am loving these guys’ sense of colour,” said Shaynna. “These guys are Hollywood. It’s lush, it’s over the top and I love it.”

They loved the herringbone floor and the inset carpet with the brass detail. “It looks really finessed,” said Darren.

Neale said it felt like it had been there forever, which was a big compliment.

The only issue Shaynna had was that everything was directed around the fireplace and it shouldn’t have been flush to the floor. Darren didn’t like the marble-look shelving because it didn’t feel as authentic as everything else in the room.

But it was otherwise good news with the judges saying this was the standard they’d expect towards the end of the competition, not this early on. “They’ve made a masterpiece of it,” said Darren. “It’s amazing.”

They all hoped they had the stamina and budget to continue in the same vein.

Our picks to buy: The Danielle canvas print by Colour Clash Studio | Esther pendant in solid brass by Beacon Lighting | Cooper green velvet armchair from Freedom

House 2: Tess and Luke

22 out of 30, last place

First up, it was the first time this couple had finished a room!

“It’s another wow room,” said Neale, on first impression. Darren loved the flooring, the colourscheme and the lighting plan.

Neale said the art was hung much too high. Shaynna said structurally and in the major details , it was great. But they weren’t getting the sense of scale or style right. While the pendant light was incredible it was hung much too high. “Whoever is doing the styling is panicking. They don’t really know what they’re doing.”

Neale’s first instinct was that it was a very elegant but blank canvas. “As blank canvases go it’s a very good one. I want to come in here, roll my sleeves up and finish the room for them!”

Shaynna said the dark shelves were a mistake and felt too heavy. Darren said it was 80% there. “They need to add more.”

Neale said: “Give me some things that make it feel like a home. This certainly isn’t the room to pull back on.”

Our picks to buy: Empire chandelier in black by Beacon Lighting | Make Me Blush artwork by Hannah and Clint X Artist Lane

House 3: Andy and Deb

25.5 out of 30, third place

It was off to a great start again. The green wall was immediately popular with all three judges and the artwork choices were “genius”.

Darren said: “Everything in here feels like the right scale for the space. They’ve found a really nice balance to make these grand spaces feel personal.”

Neale said there was a sense of Colonial. “I love the fact they’ve introduced one small lamp. You could actually have some ambience at night.”

Shaynna however said it didn’t feel cosy enough. It was too white and bright and they should have used that green on all the walls. “They probably weren’t brave enough but maybe they should have been,” Neale added.

He thought the shelving was beautiful though, and the styling. They all agreed the LED lighting on the shelving wasn’t the right choice. They also questioned why they created a niche for the curtains when it wasn’t actually hiding what it should have!

Darren said: “I love that Andy and Deb have done everything that we said in the first two judgings.” Neale said they had hung on to their style but it had grown up.

Our picks to buy: Dreamer art print by Adele Naidoo | Sun Goes Down art print by Jonathan Gemmell

House 4: El’ise and Matt

29 out of 30, first place

Shaynna was gobsmacked. She loved that it was the first house to do all the detailing like cornicing and the ceiling rose. Neale said: “This is pretty spectacular. This is giving Mitch and Mark a serious run for their money.”

Darren loved the colour palette. “It feels like a modern take on what this building requires which is a kind of gentle understanding of heritage detailing,” he said, and added: “I’m fizzing out!”

Then they all lost it over the Venetian plaster on the walls. Shaynna loved that the fireplace was elevated to the right height and had a mantel.

“It seems like a real home,” said Neale. “Because they’re the sort of layers you build up over time.”

“This couple’s sense of romance and heritage excites me,” says Shaynna.

There weren’t many negatives. Neale said the hallway side of the room was a little under styled. But that was it!

Our pick to buy: Vittoria Curve sofa by GlobeWest

House 5: Jesse and Mel

23 out of 30, fourth place

The pair changed the floor plan, adding a hallway. And spending a lot of money on doors (and other things!) in the process.

“They’re incredible doors,” said Neale. “That’s a serious amount of work,” said Darren. “To put that amount of money and effort into a door is huge on week two. This looks super contemporary to me, right out of a luxury designer showroom.”

Neale said it didn’t feel as homely as some of the other rooms. Shaynna loved the ceiling rose and the light combo but hated the marble tile border around the edge of the floor. Darren agreed and said it jarred with the rest of the room.

While there were many beautiful things in the room, Shaynna said the mirror and fireplace didn’t work together. Neale said it felt a little forced: “I feel like I’m in some kind of corporate waiting room. It’s not feeling warm and fuzzy.”

Darren said Jesse had taken a very real estate approach to decorating. “It does present well but it doesn’t have the homeliness and the lived in story we’ve appreciated in some of the other houses.”

Shaynna said the accessories were bargain basement and didn’t elevate everything else in the room.

“To me this feels the least connected to St Kilda and the least connected to the heritage of the house,” said Neale. “This could be anywhere.”

On a positive note they agreed their project management skills were outstanding to have achieved that level of detail and on time.

Our picks to buy: Deeply Connected by Belinda Nadwie limited edition canvas print from Art Lovers Australia | Frost chandelier by Beacon Lighting

So, what did YOU think? We’d love to hear which room was your favourite!

All our Block coverage

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The Block

The Block auction results 2018: Sara & Hayden clean up

It was the night we’d all been waiting for: auction night! And The Block didn’t disappoint with the usual anticipation and stop-starting! And who would have thought it, Hayden and Sara, who ruffled so many feathers, ended up winning, adding the $100k prize money to their already impressive $545k profit! Not to be sniffed at! They sure had the last laugh!

Winners Hayden and Sara / Image credit: Nine

So, here’s how it all panned out…

First up were KERRIE & SPENCE. Emotions were high with Kerrie in tears before things even started on the auction couch! Their reserve was $2,435,000. $2.4m was the strong starting bid from buyer’s advocate Nicole Jacobs. Then it became a bidding war between her and fellow buyer’s advocate Greville Pabst. Then Frank Valentic joined in on the action. Things slowed down and sped up and suddenly they were sitting on a profit above the reserve of $415k. Wow. Frank eventually won for his client at $2.85m. Kerrie and Spence were clearly delighted and in total shock.

Second up were HAYDEN & SARA, certainly not clear viewers’ favourites this year! But like Scotty said, they sure made The Block more interesting with all that drama. Sara chose the auctions as the ideal time to announce her pregnancy and even did a gender reveal on TV! It’s a boy! Their reserve was $2,475,000. Bidding started at $2.5m but was quick to slow. It looked like they were only going to take home $25k! But you know how these things work! When it got to $200k above reserve, Sara was happy enough, but it eventually shot up to $3m and $525k profit. And then kept going!  $3,020,000 and $545k. Sara couldn’t contain her extreme excitement! Wow. Theirs was the only apartment to crack the three mill mark.

Image credit: Nine

Next up JESS & NORM with a reserve of $2,650,000. And it really looked like it was going nowhere (I know, I know, I should know how it works by now, right?!). It was a slow bidding war between Greville and Frank. At the end it was going up just a few grand at a time until Greville won at $2,859,000 and $209k winnings for the couple. They were so genuinely delighted. How can you not love these two?!

Then came BIANCA & CARLA with a reserve of $2,690,000 and things were going super quickly! No messing around from their auctioneer, Damien Cooley! Ooh, it was nail-biting stuff with Damien refusing to take anything less than $3m after bidding hit $2,900,000. But he then took $2,925,000 and ended up at  $2,991,000 to Greville and a profit of $301k for the girls. Going fourth didn’t do them too badly after all!

You couldn’t help but feel nervous for last up, HANS & COURTNEY. You could see they were too, with Courtney in tears. And to cut a long story short, it went to Greville (again!) for $2,770,000 and $410k profit. And the buyers were sisters Rose and Yvette who originally owned the hotel too. Nice touch to end on!

What did you think of the results? We’ll have auction commentary from Greville Pabst, who cleaned up for his clients, later today!

All our Block coverage.

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Bedrooms The Block

The Block room reveals 2018: second guest bedroom

These were probably never going to be that exciting! They’re not big rooms so we’re effectively judging bed styling, art and wardrobe choices. But I suppose by the same token, there’s no excuse for doing a bad job at this stage of the game! The scoring, equally, wasn’t particularly controversial. What did you think?

First: BIANCA AND CARLA

28.5/30

Darren said it was balanced and beautiful. Neale said the girls were so good at showing luxury through texture and tone. Shaynna loved the artwork and the wardrobes (with brass trim and timber insides). Darren said you’d be happy with that much storage in a master bedroom. Neale said guest rooms now needed to be more like hotel rooms because we all live through our laptops, so the study nook went down well. The bedside lamps seemed mean though, in comparison to their other great lighting elsewhere.

I personally liked the dark drapes and the tan leather bedhead and the simple and sophisticated colour palette. I think the judges picked the right winner.

Our pick to buy: Custom leather bedhead

Second: JESS AND NORM
27.5

Neale said the colour palette, height of ceiling and the styling felt so welcoming. Shaynna said she wanted them to replicate it in the master bedroom and she couldn’t get the smile off her face. Darren said it felt more sophisticated. Neale said it was a textbook example of taking many shades of grey and yet still keeping it warm and welcoming.

Shaynna said the Woollies flowers were daggy and Neale was cross that there were no bedside lights. But otherwise it was all good!

I loved those putty coloured Shaker style wardrobes, mirroring their kitchen cabinets, and the overall soft and relaxing look and feel.

Our picks to buy: Mirror and artwork

Joint third: HAYDEN AND SARA
26/30


Neale said they’d made the best of a small room. Darren and Shaynna loved the bed styling apart from that navy faux fur throw (yuck!). Shaynna loved the amount of storage but Neale thought the end cupboard was a little too tight.

Shaynna felt the room was trying too hard to be luxury and that they were caught between two target markets. She said the room was old fashioned and for more of an older clientele. Neale however liked it and found it glamorous and the right style for the rest of the apartment.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the dark wardrobes but found everything else perfectly pleasant if not all that memorable! The ceiling was great though!

Our pick to buy: Artwork

Joint third: KERRIE AND SPENCE
26/30

Neale said it was another small room but it felt bigger than Courtney and Hans’ because of the orientation of the bed. Darren loved the bedhead and couldn’t stop touching it! He thought the space was planned really well with a nice big wardrobe. Shaynna loved the storage too. Darren was very excited about the air con vent integrated into the joinery. Shaynna thought there were too many woodland creatures! Neale found it hard to fault and liked the soft palette but thought it wasn’t particularly exciting or memorable. Shaynna agreed. Darren said at the end of the day, a simplified room with a simple palette was difficult.

I personally was not a fan of the cute animal prints (better for a kid’s room) and thought they were hung a bit too high.

Then they saw the bonus study space down the hall and were very impressed. Neale said it could only be an advantage to them.

Our pick to buy: Artwork

Fourth: COURTNEY AND HANS
25/30


Darren said the room was very vibrant. Neale said it was one of the nicest rooms they’d delivered. But he also felt claustrophobic. Shaynna agreed and thought the bed should have been placed differently. It could also feel softer and grander if they’d done sheers across the wall like they did in the master. Darren loved the concrete look wardrobe doors with the colour palette. They all liked the whimsical art choices but ultimately Neale felt that at opens, buyers might think the bedrooms were disappointing compared to the living areas.

Our picks to buy: Velvet cushion

The rest of our Block coverage

The master bedrooms

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RENO ADDICT The Block

Block buyer’s advocate: renovating for your demographic

Did you watch the the buyer’s advocates tour The Block earlier this week? Here one of them, Greville Pabst, shares his top tips for renovating for your demographic. 

When renovating, one of the most challenging things is to ensure you appeal to your most important audience – the future buyer.

This Block season, we’ve seen some of the couples struggle to renovate with the potential buyer in mind in a style that’s suitable for the St Kilda market. As a part of The Block’s Buyer’s Jury, I advise contestants to ensure they early on establish the demographic of the area to make sure they are considering attributes that will add value to their apartments. Many renovators make the mistake of overcapitalising and spend too much money in areas that necessarily won’t add much value to the home.

Here are some of my top tips when renovating for your target market:

Know your market

Many people rush into renovations before really knowing too much about the area they’re in. Research the demographic and surroundings, who lives here and who will most likely be attracted to the area, for example is it downsizers, families or young professionals? Would the potential buyer be an investor or owner-occupier? For example, if you’re in a family area, the renovation should be approached with children in mind and focus on areas such as the kitchen, living rooms and backyard.

Your local area

Each area has its own personality where certain attributes are expected. In a Brighton house many people expect a pool and are willing to pay for that, but further out in the suburbs were people don’t anticipate it, it might not add any value to the home. If you’re in an area with many young professionals, a proper study may add value to the property instead of a third bedroom or an extra living area, as many professionals today tends to work a lot from home.

Consider your floorplan 


One thing that impacts many peoples’ decision whether to rent or buy a property is the floorplan. Many people look for a good flow between each area with an abundance of natural light throughout. Areas such as kitchen and living room should be facing north for maximum natural light. Avoid having the kitchen tucked away in a separate room, or having a bathroom that comes off the kitchen, not the hallway.

Spend money in the right areas


When you know your area and have the future buyer in mind, it’s time to start renovating. The research will help you avoid overcapatilising and spend money on features that may not add any value to your home for resale. Try to retain original features of the home, like cornices and original stained-glass windows. Updated heritage features in combination with modern touches are appreciated by many buyers.

I always say that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. These areas could cost a lot to renovate but remember that many updates can be made without blowing your budget, you might be surprised what a fresh coat of white paint or new tapware can do to the room. Other cost friendly updates include polishing timber floors, updating light fittings, replacing door and drawer handles, and when it comes to the exterior, landscaping and painting the outside of your home can add value. It’s important to have the front of the home well presented as we all know that first impressions do matter.

Even if you’re not planning on selling your home straight away, it pays to plan for the future to ensure you get the most return on your investment for the day when you do decide to put your home on the market.

–Greville Pabst is a leading expert in the Australian property market with over 30 years’ industry experience. He is the CEO of WBP Group, one of Australia’s largest buyer’s advocacy, property advisory and valuation firms. PropertyDuo gives home buyers and sellers the advice they need to make informed decisions. Don’t risk a guess, chat to one of their trusted associates to the get the information you need before starting your property journey.

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Homewares

Urbanana: Craving colourful and unique homewares

Believing there weren’t enough stores that provided colourful & unique homewares that strayed away from the conventional, childhood friends Josh Giuliani and Si Canty launched their own online boutique, Urbanana.

urbanana

Calling St Kilda home, it was very important to ‘The Urbanana Boys’ to have a personable brand that stocked a myriad of products from their local area and beyond.

“We frequented the Greville St Market and found out about locals that made unique and colourful products in the area,” explains Josh. “Si actually knows Sarah Hankinson, who is an already established illustrator based in Windsor so we got her on board. From there we searched the internet for the coolest homewares we could find from Europe and America to complete the initial range.”

The Urbanana Boys
Josh and Si

Their product range can’t be summed up in a sentence, spanning the homewares spectrum from Hawaiian skulls to soy candles, but for Josh and Si that’s the exact point. For them, they see their products as an avenue for self-expression, and therefore pride themselves on supplying unique homewares where people can celebrate their individuality in all aspects of life.

“That’s why we love what we do,” says Josh. “It’s because we have that desire to be different and break the mould. We think our unique homewares give our customers the opportunity to stand out, and add some individuality to their home.”

For ‘The Urbanana Boys’ everything goes back to their mantra to ‘Seek Urbanananess,’ which is all about having fun, enjoying life and craving uniqueness, and for those that shop at Urbanana they’ll definitely find that mantra to be true!

Urbanana is offering Interiors Addicts 10% off everything using the promo code ADDICT.

Shop online.

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Designers House Tours

Iconic St Kilda apartment by David Hicks proves size isn’t everything

This apartment, by David Hicks, is in the iconic Banff Building on St Kilda’s famous Fitzroy Street. It was once used as an army barracks by the Americans during World War 2.

“The owners came to us as they liked what we do and had been following our work. They are a professional couple who had downsized from a larger home nearby to allow freedom to travel while providing a bolt hole in their home town,” says David. “The apartment has been the home of many notable St Kilda icons due to its prime position overlooking Albert Park towards the city skyline.”

It’s not huge, as 85 sqm, with two bedrooms, one with ensuite, a powder room, study, separate dining, living and kitchen. “Although we are known for our many high end large scale luxury apartments and residential building designs, the clients could see that our aesthetic of modern luxury could be related to a smaller space. They had an understanding of how we combine architecture with decoration and our dedication to detail and material selection. We have a very strong focus on achieving quality design that is both intelligent in its layering and comfortable.”

Minor structural works were undertaken with one large bathroom divided in two to create an ensuite for the master bedroom and the powder room, complete with shower, that can be used with the second bedroom.

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