Having moved from Portugal to Australia, the owner of this North Melbourne terrace was dreaming of a calming house that reminded her of home.
Carole Whiting was engaged to refresh the traditional 1880s residence, with a brief to increase the home’s functionality and feel. But expanding the compact floorplan of 81 square metres with interconnecting hallways and minimal natural light provided a challenge.
The client was especially conscious of ending up with a house that wasn’t too polished or ‘modern Australian’, so Carole says it was important the new renovations were sympathetic to the period features of the building. They collaborated with boutique building company Abode Restoration, and decided to render the existing brick walls rather than plaster them, to retain as much internal space as possible, while new lights and copper ducting were bought in to enhance this rustic character.
On the ground floor, hallways were removed and the ‘wasted space’ was cleverly repurposed to create a laundry and powder room. A large skylight was introduced in the kitchen, bringing much-needed natural light into the originally dark area, and a new streamlined galley-style kitchen effectively doubled the size of the original kitchen!
Injecting various shades of blue was another key part of creating the home’s cohesive and calming atmosphere.
More muted tones in the kitchen transition into stronger tones in the entryway, creating an almost sky-blue backdrop for a flock of ceramic wall-mounted swallows — a common symbol in Portugal, representing love, loyalty, hope, and new beginnings. It’s a sweet and subtle feature that also represents the client’s migration to Australia, Carole explains.
The furnishings feature a mix of new and old pieces that were refreshed with paint to fit the new space. Other personalised touches include the hand-painted blue wings across the steps of the white curved staircase, while the arched insets in the main bedroom was updated with a blue-toned illustrated wallpaper reminiscent of Portuguese tiles.
Now, the aptly named Swallow House is a homage to both the owner and the building’s past, transformed by its serene interiors.
Want to see more from The Design Files? Sign up to our newsletter for your weekly dose of home and design inspiration here!
