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Renovating
All About Soul: A Designer Modernises and Extends Her 1920s Home
A Melbourne designer mixes sleek modern touches with restored period features in her intriguing family home
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation or extension each week. Here, Kirsty Ristevski, director at interior-renovation firm MAYD, reveals how she transformed her four-bedroom, two-bathroom period house in Melbourne into a four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home with an abundance of living space, customised joinery and enviable indoor-outdoor flow.
Gained: A new double-storey extension housing an open-plan kitchen with a butler’s pantry, as well as a living and dining area, home office, powder room and laundry downstairs. Upstairs is a new master bedroom with an ensuite, dressing room and gym. The remaining original rooms of the house were fully renovated.
The facade after works
The original floor plan
The rear of the house before works
What was the house like originally?
A single-level, 1920s weatherboard house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
What was the house like originally?
A single-level, 1920s weatherboard house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The original kitchen before works
What did you want to achieve?
To stay true to the period charm and soulfulness of the home, while maximising the home’s functionality in order to streamline daily family routines – and all on a budget.
I wanted to design and build a desirable home with practicality, beauty and fun for the kids in mind.
What did you want to achieve?
To stay true to the period charm and soulfulness of the home, while maximising the home’s functionality in order to streamline daily family routines – and all on a budget.
I wanted to design and build a desirable home with practicality, beauty and fun for the kids in mind.
The original living room before works
The original bathroom before works
What were your must-haves?
Top 5 Rookie Bathroom-Renovation Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
What were your must-haves?
- Plenty of storage.
- To give the ‘retreat’ rooms of the house, such as the bathrooms and master bedroom, a luxury-hotel feel.
Top 5 Rookie Bathroom-Renovation Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
A bedroom in the original house before works
The rear of the house after works
What exactly did you do?
- Knocked down a large part of the original house, leaving just four rooms, a bathroom and the front hallway.
- Renovated the remaining rooms, stripping them back to bare walls and floors.
- Turned one of the original front bedrooms into a second living room and enlarged the opening.
- Gutted and remodelled the original bathroom.
- Replaced or covered the original open fireplaces with custom-built wardrobes.
- Restored the original Victorian sash windows throughout the house and the ornate ceiling in the formal living room.
- Added a new double-storey extension housing an open-plan kitchen with a butler’s pantry downstairs, as well as a living and dining area, home office, powder room opening to a light well, and a walk-through laundry. Upstairs is a new master retreat with an ensuite, dressing room and gym.
- Installed custom-designed wall panelling and French oak chevron flooring in the front hallway.
- Put in new doors, hardware, cornices, skirtings and architraves throughout the house.
- Installed a full-height sliding-cavity door between the bedrooms and kitchen/living area so the two spaces could be zoned-off as required.
- Put in new corner-anchored, floor-to-ceiling sashless aluminium windows in two of the bedrooms to maximise light, views and airflow.
- Stripped and repainted the facade of the house, installed new slate on the roof and tessellated tiles on the verandah, put in a new bluestone path and a new iron fence and gate.
What problem or constraint did this project address?
Being a period home in the City of Port Phillip council, this house sits under a significant heritage overlay, so planning permits had to be obtained with designs that adhered to the character and appearance of the local area.
The budget was relatively limited for the outcome we wanted, so a ‘spending where it counts’ mentality was adopted for the entire project.
Being a period home in the City of Port Phillip council, this house sits under a significant heritage overlay, so planning permits had to be obtained with designs that adhered to the character and appearance of the local area.
The budget was relatively limited for the outcome we wanted, so a ‘spending where it counts’ mentality was adopted for the entire project.
How does the new work address these problems or constraints?
There are always compromises in any renovation, whether it’s budget, council restrictions, space or light limitations. With this project, the goal was to create a beautiful, practical family home with all the modern amenities while respecting the home’s history.
In order to preserve the historical integrity of the house, we carefully restored those period features that were in a worthy state or replaced them. We blended old and new styles throughout the home to create a sense of flow. The home has the most welcoming feel to it; it really has soul.
Budget priority was given to ‘heroes’ that would pack the biggest punch both in looks and comfort. These included the chevron flooring in the hallway, the individually designed bathrooms, the Dekton work surfaces and Rubn pendant in the kitchen (this brand is available at Fred International), hydronic heating, and sparing use of stunning New York marble.
Combining these luxurious elements with less expensive finishes gave us the aesthetic we wanted and kept us on budget.
There are always compromises in any renovation, whether it’s budget, council restrictions, space or light limitations. With this project, the goal was to create a beautiful, practical family home with all the modern amenities while respecting the home’s history.
In order to preserve the historical integrity of the house, we carefully restored those period features that were in a worthy state or replaced them. We blended old and new styles throughout the home to create a sense of flow. The home has the most welcoming feel to it; it really has soul.
Budget priority was given to ‘heroes’ that would pack the biggest punch both in looks and comfort. These included the chevron flooring in the hallway, the individually designed bathrooms, the Dekton work surfaces and Rubn pendant in the kitchen (this brand is available at Fred International), hydronic heating, and sparing use of stunning New York marble.
Combining these luxurious elements with less expensive finishes gave us the aesthetic we wanted and kept us on budget.
How does the new addition sit beside the original home?
Opposites attract! A sense of cohesion was created by combining traditional and modern design features in the old and new parts of the house, and sticking to a monochromatic colour scheme throughout.
In the kitchen, the sharp lines of the matt-black Dekton island benchtop and integrated sink sit beautifully against the carefully crafted two-pack polyurethane panelled joinery, which conceals two fridges. The panelling is carried through from the hallway in the original part of the house to the kitchen in the modern extension, linking the two.
Opposites attract! A sense of cohesion was created by combining traditional and modern design features in the old and new parts of the house, and sticking to a monochromatic colour scheme throughout.
In the kitchen, the sharp lines of the matt-black Dekton island benchtop and integrated sink sit beautifully against the carefully crafted two-pack polyurethane panelled joinery, which conceals two fridges. The panelling is carried through from the hallway in the original part of the house to the kitchen in the modern extension, linking the two.
The new hallway with chevron flooring
Sleek black Laminex joinery in the children’s bedrooms in the original part of the house adds a modern touch, and hides their mess.
A full-height sliding cavity door within one of the hallway arches allows us to separate the sleeping quarters in the original part of house from the bustling kitchen and living zone in the new addition when required. The door was designed to disappear from view when not in use.
Sleek black Laminex joinery in the children’s bedrooms in the original part of the house adds a modern touch, and hides their mess.
A full-height sliding cavity door within one of the hallway arches allows us to separate the sleeping quarters in the original part of house from the bustling kitchen and living zone in the new addition when required. The door was designed to disappear from view when not in use.
The new butler’s pantry
What was the budget? Approximately $600,000.
Where did most of the budget go?
What was the budget? Approximately $600,000.
Where did most of the budget go?
- Expansive double glazing at the rear of the new extension, which was installed to maximise the northerly orientation and morning sun, as well as create a connection between indoors and out – all while helping to naturally maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.
- Chevron flooring in the hallway.
- New bathrooms.
- Dekton benchtops and Rubn pendant in the kitchen.
- Hydronic heating.
- Touches of New York marble from CDK Stone.
The new powder room under the stairs
What challenges did you have to work around?
Budget, space and a heritage overlay.
How would you describe the new extension?
Soulful, practical and beautiful.
How To Create a Five-Star Bathroom on a Set Budget
What challenges did you have to work around?
Budget, space and a heritage overlay.
How would you describe the new extension?
Soulful, practical and beautiful.
How To Create a Five-Star Bathroom on a Set Budget
Key features
- A double-height ceiling in the living room of the new extension that creates a significant feeling of space.
- Mix of natural and man-made materials, and traditional and modern design features.
- Extensive concealed custom joinery.
- Luxurious bathrooms that bring home that luxurious hotel experience.
- A strong connection to the outdoors from all rooms.
Tell us about the beautiful joinery in the house
The joinery was custom-designed by MAYD to minimise household clutter and create a proper home for everything our family uses. All the joinery was designed to have its own unique aesthetic, while at the same time working harmoniously together.
The joinery was custom-designed by MAYD to minimise household clutter and create a proper home for everything our family uses. All the joinery was designed to have its own unique aesthetic, while at the same time working harmoniously together.
Interior materials palette
- Laminex black finish and Impressions Classic Oak for the joinery in the butler’s pantry and children’s rooms.
- Le Parqueteur French Oak chevron flooring in the hallway.
- Caribbean Granada wool-loop carpet from Colours Carpet Court South Melbourne.
- Burnished concrete slab throughout the ground floor of the new extension.
- CDK Stone New York Marble on the kitchen splashback and fireplace hearth.
- Cosentino Dekton in Sirius on the kitchen island.
The new main bathroom
- Earp Bros black subway tiles and basketweave tiles in the main bathroom.
- Signorino Tile Gallery large-format porcelain tiles in the master ensuite.
- Floating vanity with integrated basin, and dressing table clad in Cosentino Dekton in Kelya.
- Master wardrobes in Polytec Notaio Walnut.
Exterior materials palette
- Aluminium windows by Creative Windows.
- Alucobond aluminium-composite cladding in Matte Black.
- Concrete render with a feather finish (a feather finish creates a slightly rustic, textured look).
‘Butterflies’ artwork by David Bromley
Paint colours
Interior:
All Dulux paints used inside and out:
Exterior:
Paint colours
Interior:
All Dulux paints used inside and out:
- Vivid White on interior walls.
- Professional Ceiling Paint in Black on lower part of the kitchen ceiling, butler’s pantry and dining area.
Exterior:
- Grand Piano Quarter-Strength.
- Monument.
- Vivid White.
- Black Gloss Weathershield on lacework and front door.
Why do you think this renovation works so well?
Careful attention has been paid to maintain and even accentuate the home’s soul, paring back where necessary to allow the heroes to shine.
A focus on bringing in natural light and opening external vistas ensures the inside of the house is always connected to the outside. Pleasant surprises such as the powder room under the stairs with its perfect view of the Japanese maple tree, the walk-through butler’s pantry, and the outdoor shower all add to this home’s charm.
The bathrooms in the home are very different, but equally functional and pleasing to the eye. You’ll see a modern twist on traditional in the black family bathroom downstairs, to tie in with the period features of the house; and modern, large-format tiles with a walk-in shower and sleek integrated vanity in the master ensuite, complete with a dressing table.
Underfloor heating, heated towel rails, freestanding baths, and both overhead and handheld showers complete the luxurious experience, making the everyday feel like a hotel stay.
Careful attention has been paid to maintain and even accentuate the home’s soul, paring back where necessary to allow the heroes to shine.
A focus on bringing in natural light and opening external vistas ensures the inside of the house is always connected to the outside. Pleasant surprises such as the powder room under the stairs with its perfect view of the Japanese maple tree, the walk-through butler’s pantry, and the outdoor shower all add to this home’s charm.
The bathrooms in the home are very different, but equally functional and pleasing to the eye. You’ll see a modern twist on traditional in the black family bathroom downstairs, to tie in with the period features of the house; and modern, large-format tiles with a walk-in shower and sleek integrated vanity in the master ensuite, complete with a dressing table.
Underfloor heating, heated towel rails, freestanding baths, and both overhead and handheld showers complete the luxurious experience, making the everyday feel like a hotel stay.
Tell us
Which details in this renovation do you love most? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Need more renovation inspiration? Don’t miss Houzz’s last Project of the Week: Opposites Attract in This Extension to a 1960s Bungalow
Which details in this renovation do you love most? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Need more renovation inspiration? Don’t miss Houzz’s last Project of the Week: Opposites Attract in This Extension to a 1960s Bungalow
Images by Tom Roe Photography
Answers by Kirsty Ristevski, director at interior-renovation firm MAYD
Who lives here: Kirsty Ristevski, her husband, two young sons and labradoodle, Maisie
Location: Albert Park, Victoria
Original size: 155 square metres
Size after extension: 220 square metres
Builder and building designer: MAYD
Styling: Kirsty Ristevski