Terrace with a twist- Flamboyance in Newtown

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The owners of this smart terrace had little difficulty deciding who would do their renovation – Melbourne Architect Peter Johns had been a flatmate years ago. “He got to know me quite well and because I’m quite a flamboyant person he gave the back of the house a flamboyant feeling,” says co-owner Charlotte.
Hence the rear of the house being painted red because at one stage Charlotte’s hair had been dyed that colour. And perhaps the P & O style porthole symbolises a face. The original design was apparently far more radical, with an extra detail supposed to indicate Charlotte’s flowing hair, but this was toned fown in the interests of saleability.

The final result is impressive, particularly a massive light well through the centre of the house, which hovers over the kitchen and living area. Apart from ensuring the homes is flooded with natural light, it creates an interesting focal point.
Off the entrance hall, the front room of the original house was retained and serves well as a third bedroom or study. To the right are some imposing timber stairs leading up to the other two bedrooms, one with a wall of built-ins, and the other a storage cupboard, and the bathroom which has an interesting mix of mosaic and large white tiles, and a roomy shower, though no bathtub.
There are wide ironbark timber floors downstairs and chocolate carpet upstairs. The kitchen features stainless steel benchtops and Miele appliances. The living areas open via bifolds to a beautiful fern garden. There’s a rear-lane access but I’d prefer to keep the garden than ruin it to make way for a car.

The agent, Glenn Regan says:
“It’s got quite a quirky architectural design and you get that great combination of the internal and external flowing well together. It’s a nice street and that end of King Street reminds me of parts of Brunswick Street, Fitzroy- it’s quite bohemian, so it’s fitting that a Melbourne Architect did their renovation.”

The owners say:
“I love the garden because everytime I go out their I feel like I’m going on a bush walk. And in the house I love the flow of the living area- you can be cooking dinner, watching TV and watching the children- and then you can walk out through the bifold doors, all on the same level, to the back garden”