It definitely wasn’t love at first sight when Kimberley Tan first stepped inside this dilapidated Victorian terrace house with her husband, Jeff Swinyard late last year. ‘I must admit I didn’t quite share the same enthusiasm for it that Jeff did.’ she recalls! The home was dark and unloved, and had been vacant for almost a year, but Jeff saw the potential here, and soon talked Kim around!
‘Jeff convinced me that we could work our magic on the old terrace, and we purchased it as our next project as we loved the location, proximity to our Studio and the potential that it had to become something really special.’ Kim says.
Since moving in earlier this year, the pair have made a number of cosmetic changes whilst planning a bigger renovation. The interior has been repainted white, including kitchen cabinets, and cabinetry handles replaced, whilst the pair have also tackled landscaping works in the front courtyard. The ‘big reno’ is planned for next year.
Whilst they are excited to put their skills to work and re-design their home ‘properly’, Kim and Jeff have already made a mark on the place. Kim has delighted in decorating the space with a collection of vintage furniture and artwork. Her passion for thrift shops and vintage finds is self evident – she is particularly fond of her iron & timber dining chairs, salvaged from an old bar in Perth.
‘I have been going to thrift shops ever since I was a young girl with my mum, and love the thrill of the hunt, the authenticity of vintage pieces and the history behind them’ Kim says.
The pair also have a passion for greenery, and have lush indoor plants scattered in every corner of the house. ‘We love that our home is a little urban oasis in the middle of the city’ Kim says.
