UP & OUT

A designer's dramatic renewal of this 1920s house marries timeless form with contemporary function

- JACKIE BRYGEL

After living in Italy for six years, a couple and their three young daughters bid arrivederci to the European dream and returned to Australia. They were greeted with open arms by loved ones but the period home they bought in Melbourne didn’t extend as warm a welcome.

Dark and dated with an impractical floor plan resulting from decades of mismatched renovations, the house lacked modern comfort and cohesion. Fortunately, Mikayla Rose, director and principal designer at Heartly, knew where to begin. She set to work masterminding a top-to-toe renewal of the original house, coupled with a two-storey addition at the rear. “We needed to create a spacious and uplifting contemporary home for this joyful family,” Mikayla says of the 18-month project.

Living A 'Valley' modular sofa upholstered in Luna Oregano is teamed with a 'Molly' coffee table, both from Jardan (this page, top).