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A Renovated 1970s Townhouse Hits The Market In Carlton North

An architect-renovated, low-maintenance home in one of Melbourne’s most sought-after postcodes has just hit the market.

Located in Carlton North, the two-bedroom property is one of seven side-by-side 1970s townhouses offering a rare balance of inner-city convenience, peaceful living, and community.

Take a closer look at the home before it heads to auction this month!

Written

Amelia Barnes

Photography

Oltra Creative

Supported By Nelson Alexander And The Vendors

7/981 Rathdowne Street in Carlton North is for sale.

The property has undergone a stylish renovation to maximise its amenities, storage, and natural light.

Old cream tiles on the lower level were removed in favour of honed concrete floors.

The new kitchen features Miele appliances, pebble grey joinery, and quartz benchtops.

‘Living in the inner city, life can feel busy and loud, so we wanted our home to be a peaceful space,’ says the vendor.

Northern light streams into the open-plan living, dining and kitchen area.

Black tapware and terrazzo tiles in the renovated upstairs en suite.

The downstairs bedroom.

Residents share a garden with vegetable plots.

‘In the summer months we cook on our barbecue downstairs and eat outside, often using food from our much-loved vegetable garden,’ says the vendor.

Writer

Amelia Barnes

Photography

Oltra Creative

1st of October 2025

Design enthusiasts love the 1970s townhouses at 981 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North — as evidenced by the five architects who live in the boutique development.

The townhouses are relatively unique for the area, offering residents generous proportions, secure parking, a thriving communal garden, and Rathdowne Street address — that’s actually tucked away on a quiet bluestone laneway.

‘It’s a really collaborative and proactive group. We all love and care about our building. It’s a really nice community to be a part of,’ says the owner of townhouse number 7, which is currently for sale.

The owner purchased their two-storey property in 2018, and has since completed a stylish architect-designed renovation to maximise its amenities, storage, and natural light. The laundry was converted into a second bathroom, and classic materials (honed concrete floors, terrazzo tiles, quartz benchtops) were introduced to modernise the interiors.

‘We wanted to maintain the charm and character of the original 1970s build, while balancing this with timeless updates to the kitchens and bathrooms,’ explains the vendor.

The kitchen now sits quietly within the open-plan living area, enhancing the sense of space of the double-height downstairs area. ‘It’s a really easy place to live,’ says the vendor. ‘The living and dining area is quite wide compared to what you’d usually find in single-fronted terrace houses in the neighbourhood.’

The owner and their young family spend plenty of time outside on the balcony, and barbecuing in the residents’ garden with vegetable plots, and taking in the beauty of the building’s exterior gardens landscaped by Sarah Perry Design. Other days, they head to restaurants and cafes in Rathdowne Village, Fitzroy North, and Brunswick East that are all within walking distance.

With the owner’s family growing, it’s time for their next chapter. 7/981 Rathdowne Street is on the market, ready for new owners to appreciate its location, features, and the low-maintenance lifestyle on offer!

7/981 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North VIC 3054 is listed for sale with Isabelle McEwan-Marion and Luke Sacco from Nelson Alexander and will go to auction on Saturday October 18 at 11am.