The renovated three bedroom Victorian home that Natalie Doherty shares with her husband Grant Edhouse is a sophisticated yet relaxed home, designed around Natalie and Grant’s busy lifestyles. The pair are big travellers, so were keen to create a functional, low maintenance space they could return to after weeks overseas and feel instantly at home.
Natalie and Grant lived here for 8 years before deciding to tackle a renovation. Both busy, career focussed people, they were keen to enlist the help of experts when the time finally came to update their home. They worked with Anthony from Chan Architecture for the architectural design, and Natalie’s sister Mardi from Doherty Design Studio on the interiors.
‘They were both phenomenal throughout the entire process’ recalls Natalie. ‘They have ideas of how to best use spaces, maximise the amount of natural light, and fit in enough robes with shoe drawers to house all our clothes and shoes!’
The renovation was extensive. Retaining the distinctive Victorian front part of the home (complete with ceiling roses, cornices and gorgeous period details), Anthony reworked the rear of the home, creating a light filled, contemporary living and dining space which maximised the tight width of the block (just 6 metres). Meanwhile, Mardi selected the perfect unexpected details to complete the look – from patterned tiles, to painted wall panelling, electric blue carpet and contemporary light fittings.
Having only completed their renovation last year, Natalie is still very much in the loved-up honeymoon period with her new home! When asked for her favourite element, she struggles to choose. ‘Everything!’ she says, enthusiastically. ‘From the front picket fence, to seeing the stunning hand blown glass pendants in the corridor, to walking past the beautiful bathroom, electric blue carpeted stairs, passing the grey panelled walls and walking into the kitchen/dining area and seeing our beautiful island bench…’ the list goes on!
Natalie has recently taken a leap of faith and left the corporate world behind to launch her own dog walking business – Melbourne Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun. Natalie is CRAZY about dogs, so her new little biz is well worth a look for Southside pooches in need of a little extra love during the week!