Page 129 - Australian House & Garden (January 2020)

HOUSES H G

“We retained the existing footprint and kept the original doors and
windows wherever possible,” says Chelsea of the makeover. Elements
that no longer served any purpose were removed, such as joinery that

wrapped around the perimeter of the glass-walled internal courtyard
and obstructed sightlines through the home. “One of the assets of a
house like this is that you can look through it. That is rare nowadays
– we tend to live looking out,” she adds.
Inspirationforthemakeovercame“straightoutofthePalmSprings
playbook”,saysChelsea.“Wewantedtorejuvenatethehome–toliberate
it.Thesamefreshwhitepaint,ReseneAlabaster,isusedinsideandout
forunity.Therestrained palette allowed for more colour and fun in the
furnishings too.”
SteppingthroughthefrontdooroftheL-shapedhome,thefirstsight
is the glass-walled internal courtyard. It’s undeniably the heart of the
home, both physically and figuratively; the owners say bringing it to

lifewasthemostsatisfyingpartoftherenovation.Astacked-stonewall
on the far side of the courtyard is a wonderfully organic element and
ananchorpointforthespacesthatsurroundit.Communalareas–the
kitchen,diningzoneandtwolivingrooms–wraparoundthecourtyard.
A children’s retreat, study, five bedrooms and two bathrooms occupy
the long length of the home.
A new garage and in-ground pool were the biggest changes to the
property,howeverChelseasaysthesimplerremedialmeasuresdelivered
themostimpact.Thekitchenwasreorientedtolookintothecourtyard

andanewbuilt-indiningnookadded.“Reinvigoratingthekitchenand
meals area has really transformed the house,” she says. In addition,
removingdoorsandloweringthresholdshelpedtomakethehousefeel
moregenerousandconnected.“Theceilingheightswererelativelylow,
so it was important to lift the eye up wherever possible,” she adds.
Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.
While most of the project was straightforward, it was not without
hurdles. For example, the original terrazzo flooring had to go because
some walls were moved. “I still think about this a lot,” says Chelsea,
“butmarryingnewterrazzowitholdwasgoingtobesuch a painstaking
job that we decided to go with timber throughout.”
Chelsea is still adding the finishing layers to the home, rethinking

someofthesmallerspacesandworkingonimprovingthesuncontrol.
What does not need improvement, however, is the abode’s seamless
blendofoldandnew–thestandoutcontemporaryfeatures beautifully
complement the integrity of the original design. #
Chelsea Hing, South Melbourne, Victoria; (o3) 8506 0417
or chelseahing.com.au. w

MAIN BEDROOM Bedlinen, Cultiver. Oluce ‘Atollo’ lamp, Euroluce.
Francesca side table, Temple & Webster. Artwork by Galliano Fardin, Art
Bank. MAIN ENSUITE Right and opposite Inax ‘Repeat Wave’ wall tiles,
Artedomus. Flos ‘OK’ vanity lights, Euroluce. Water Jewels basins, Rogerseller.
Astra Walker ‘Icon’ tapware, Mary Noall. Issy Zi mirrors, Reece. Pluro bath,
Abey. The dressing room (beyond the ensuite) features Häfele and Blum
fixtures and fittings. For Where to Buy, see page 190.