Bringing back period charm to Brunswick West, Victoria on Selling Houses Australia
How we revived a stripped back Victorian terrace to its former glory with bold colour and a functional kitchen
Photography Melissa Heath/Selling Houses Australia
Situated on the corner of a very busy intersection, this solid little Victorian-era dwelling in Brunswick, Victoria had been in the same family for 70 years. In fact, owner Sam grew up here; his parents emigrated from Italy in the 1950s and made Melbourne their home.
As was the style at the time, the period features were completely stripped out of the home. When Dennis and I arrived for Selling Houses Australia, what we saw was a charmless facade and concrete, concrete, concrete.
Inside was no better; Sam and his wife Rosie had rented it out for years and it was lacking the warmth Rosie remembered. Could we bring it back to life?
“It’s no beauty – the biggest understatement of the day”
~ Wendy Moore
Selling Houses Australia Brunswick West: adding a dash of living room love
The look I wanted for this house is a bit edgy, a bit urban and a little bit industrial, with lots of warmth. I went with greens, dark greys and contrasting crisp white to highlight the original features, adding a contemporary urban edge.
The styling involved lots of different textures: natural materials, leather and timber, combined with a saturated colour scheme to feel warm and contemporary.
Underfoot, I chose Dundee Pitkerro laminate floorboards from Flooring Xtra to extend down the hall, the living spaces and into the kitchen. It’s a practical, high-impact yet affordable option that brings a lot of texture to the space. The living room walls are painted in cosy Caster Sugar from Wattyl, with a feature wall for a bit of drama!
Adding elegance are windows framed by Calypso Duette coverings from Luxaflex, with statement lighting from Emac Lawson – I just love this Reva Ceiling pendant.
Selling Houses Brunswick West hallway revival
Extending the same flooring from the hallway through the living spaces and to the kitchen was a no-brainer – they’re Dundee Pitkerro laminate floorboards from Flooring Xtra. The entry to the home now feels light, bright and welcoming, thanks to a new coat of Wattyl Caster Sugar.
Budget kitchen makeover on Selling Houses Brunswick West
Where to start? This kitchen was as basic as they come, with no pantry and no fridge and a giant abyss in the middle of the room. I knew instantly that I wanted to add an island in the centre to use up that valuable space: so practical for cooking and for a family to sit around. I also need to build a cavity for a pantry and a family sized fridge.
We revived some of the doors of the existing cabinetry by having them resprayed in the same colour as the new Kaboodle cabinetry. For the benchtop, we had a solid benchtop from the hardware store cut to size, and then stained it to match the colour of the floorboards.
Above, a pair of Tonic industrial pendant lights from The Lighting Outlet continues the industrial vibe, as well as black appliances (how cool). The oven and black glass cooktop were picked up at Technika and the stainless-steel French door fridge is Euromaid, with the final black touch in the Pleon 8 sink and Linus 5 tap in Black from Blanco.
A dash of elegance for the windows comes via the Caplypso Duette coverings in Calla from Luxaflex.
Small bathroom ideas in Brunswick West
This little bathroom has to service a home with three bedrooms. We gave it a budget but high-impact update by respraying it white and replacing the shower and vanity. A dash of pizazz comes via the black tapware (all Caroma) and a Remer Modern Arch 500mm mirror with a matt black frame, found at The Blue Space (along with the new vanity).
Creating bedrooms with personality
All three bedrooms were updated with paint, flooring and window furnishings, with built-ins added to the master and second bedroom. I went with Akuna Piper loop pile carpet from Flooring Xtra, a deep charcoal that ties with the chic urban vibe I was going for. All three bedrooms now feature the Claredon pendant lights from The Lighting Outlet.
The master frame is the standout of course - we chose a Lincoln bed frame with upholstered bed head and mattress from 40 Winks.
Adding some street appeal on Brunswick West Selling Houses
With absolutely zero street appeal Dennis had his work cut out for him. The facade had been completely stripped of any period charm, but he managed to work his magic and with some fresh greenery, new tiles and a fresh paint job, the home looks stunning!
The sales history of the Selling Houses Brunswick West
This home was sold back in the 1950s for $7000 to Sam’s parents. By 2015, both of Sam’s parents had passed and the house stood empty. Sam and his wife decided to rent it out rather than sell it, but after 10 years it was rundown, dilapidated and in dire need of basic maintenance. They need to sell it due to a decline in Sam’s health, and the desire to live a comfortable life in retirement.
The couple received one offer of $920K but felt its value sat closer to that of the neighbour, which sold for $1.25million. Andrew pointed out that the location, on the corner of a busy block, subtracted a huge amount of value.
Did Selling Houses Australia Brunswick sell?
The home in Brunswick West featured on Selling Houses Australia in May of 2024 did indeed sell. After the renovation, market feedback was around $1.1 million, and ultimately the home sold for $1.14 million! The agent had predicted a sale between $1.1 – 1.2 million. This was a great result for the family.
Who pays for the renovations on Selling Houses Australia?
The couple contributed $60,000 towards this renovation, a generous amount that we were able to push even further by providing labour and products from our sponsors. We were thrilled with the result for this property. situated in a difficult location.
