FRONT runner

The owners of this once-derelict heritage home in Melbourne took a big leap of faith – a risk that has paid off in spades.

- STORY Carli Philips | STYLIST Jacqui Addison | PHOTOGRAPHY Tatjana Plitt

When they began renovations on their home in inner Melbourne, homeowner Lee-Ann and her fiancé, Will, admit they were “terrified”. The floorboards were punctured with holes that ran right through to the ground and the entire place was a rundown mess. It was an enormous project, but together with building designer Aydan Doherty of Design by AD, they managed to transform it into a place where they could “live a beautiful life,” Lee-Ann says.

Although it was a “massive risk”, Lee-Ann and Will had some things working in their favour. “They bought just before building costs started to skyrocket because of Covid,” Aydan recalls. “And Lee-Ann has an instinctive eye for design, great intuition and is really resourceful. There’s a strong interior scheme that carries her signature.”

The heritage facade was retained but everything else was gutted. The front four rooms - originally three bedrooms and a living room - were rebuilt as two bedrooms, a main bathroom and a living room drenched in Dulux Manila. French doors were added and now open onto a tiled chequerboard courtyard with sparse plantings of cacti and succulents - a design cue inspired by fashion designer Isabel Marant’s Melrose Place store in LA.

"I adore the soft beige and grey colour palette and the trinket shelf showcasing pieces from our travels."

LEE-ANN, OWNER