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Hipwell Haus lived many lives before interior stylist Tim Neve snapped it up in March 2023.
It was originally built as a general store for storekeeper R.W. Hipwell — whose name still graces the 1926 facade. In the 1960s, it reportedly served as a tailor shop, and in more recent years, Newcastle locals talk about ‘the time a storm tore off the roof’.
When Tim saw it on the market, the original art deco structure had been stripped back to the hardwood frame, leaving no services like water or electricity connected to the property.
‘The warehouse space was literally a dirt floor — weeds and all,’ Tim says.
‘But all I could see was potential. The bones were impressive: expansive open-plan spaces, soaring ceilings, and large windows that flooded the interiors with light.
‘To me, it wasn’t a crumbling relic but the ultimate blank canvas. And for a 100-year-old building, it actually passed the structural building report with flying colours.’
Immediately after the settlement, Tim poured a concrete slab over the muddy floor and got to work reimagining the property as a home for himself and his son, Honne.
‘Drawing inspiration from the building’s visual remnants, I envisioned a design that celebrated its industrial roots — exposed brick, weathered textures, and timeless character,’ he adds.
In the ground-floor living spaces, cork floors are paired with lime-washed walls and venetian plaster as an updated way to maintain the warehouse’s original patina and old-world charm.
Slab of burgundy granite and terracotta breeze blocks make for an intriguing island bench at the heart of the kitchen, while the new walnut veneer joinery ties in perfectly with the new dark timber flooring upstairs.
‘All of the spaces now radiate such ‘feel good’ vibes. Every single person literally gasps as they enter each room for the first time and take it all in, but then quickly settle into the warm embrace of the home,’ Tim says.
Two years into the renovation, the decrepit warehouse has become a creative three-bedroom home that feels like an entirely new build — with all new internal linings, flooring, windows, electrical and plumbing.
‘It seemed like an endless maze of spaces, so I tackled it room by room. There were plenty of times when I thought I just would never get through it all,’ he adds.
It’s been a true labour of love, and Tim’s amassed quite a following online for the Hipwell Haus’ dramatic before and after shots!
But he says it was all worth it: ‘I’m so excited to have refreshed the spaces so they can live on for another 100 years.’
