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Zoe Cuthbertson and Richard Healy hit the rental market jackpot when their application to lease this 1860s Fitzroy cottage was approved.
The narrow brick cottage had recently undergone a renovation — introducing an internal courtyard and second bedroom to the home — ideal for Zoe and Richard’s stage of life, as soon-to-be parents.
‘I was about seven months pregnant when we came to look at this place… It’s the only rental property where I’ve never wanted to change a thing,’ says Zoe.
The couple’s love for the property was instant — helping Zoe through her final months of pregnancy, and providing a low maintenance, central base for the family following the arrival of Rafaela (now 14 months).
‘I knew I’d be spending an awful lot of time at home over the next year so I wanted to invest in it being a lovely place to be,’ says Zoe.
‘The huge bathtub was a big drawcard, as I was terribly sick while pregnant and the only way I got any relief was lying down in the bathtub. I remember the first bath I had when we moved in, I almost cried with joy (and hormones)!
‘I also thought that something more modern — a quality I wasn’t previously drawn to before — would be low maintenance and easier to clean — which has been true — but it still has lots of gorgeous old features, like the charming facade and fireplace.’
Zoe and Richard have thoughtfully styled the home with quality pieces suited to the relatively narrow floor plan.
‘I’m quite a tidy person, so I like everything to have its place, without feeling cluttered,’ says Zoe. ‘I also like all of our furniture to serve a purpose, and for our home to function well. It’s honestly taken us over a year to figure out how we use the space, and what we need from it.’
Pieces such as the living room bar save space by doubling as a desk, and a mid-century sideboard provides extra kitchen storage amassed for Zoe’s catering, content, and styling business, Undressed.
Zoe leant on her interior designer friend Kate Burchell to choose some of the larger furniture items, whilst artworks by Richard adorn many of the walls, alongside treasured pieces by local brands and makers.
The result is a home that is both stylish and functional for a young family, without screaming ‘kid friendly’ on arrival!
Zoe explains, ‘I think while Rich and I obviously know that we’re parents, we don’t identify that as our entire being, so we wanted to retain a lot of our house as it is and not let it be taken over with “kid stuff.”
‘I know everyone rolls their eyes at this and says “you’ll see,” but a year in and it hasn’t been overrun with cheap plastic, yet!’
Zoe assures us there’s still plenty of chaos alongside the calm, and the home is at its best when it’s full of people.
‘There’s often music playing, lots of laughter, and crying too!’ she says. ‘The best part of a family home is that it’s like a living organism, flourishing and growing with us. Some days I come through the door and there’s mess everywhere, but I’ve decided to rebrand it as ‘signs of life’ and this calms me down, albeit briefly.’
Above all, Zoe says it’s the memories her family have made in the home, and the community they’ve built, which they treasure most.
‘My standout memory is being in our home with a newborn baby… We ate beautiful food, the house was littered with cards and bunches of fresh flowers, and we’d just bought a new room spray that now every time I use it takes me back to that soft, gentle time.
‘Since then, it has been the site of so many “firsts” — Raf’s first word, her first steps… This is certainly a home I’ll never forget.’
Living on a semi-industrial street in inner-city Melbourne means there’s never a dull moment for the family, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
‘It has such a lovely sense of community which you wouldn’t expect from such an urban setting,’ says Zoe.
‘I love that we never have to get in the car to go anywhere. Raf and I are always pounding the pavement, and while we might not have the luxuries of more suburban living (a big backyard, for example) we have some of the most beautiful parks, namely Edinburgh and Carlton Gardens right on our doorstep.
‘I guess there’s always a trade off no matter where you live, but this is the perfect place for us in this stage of our lives.’
