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This 1960s Newport house is one of the best mid-century restorations we’ve seen in recent years.
Renovated by Five Foot One Design, the project honours its original architecture while overcoming functional shortcomings: namely a lack of storage, and an underutilised lower level.
Five Foot One Design director Kathryn Thompson says the home’s mid-century origins served as a key source of inspiration, but the vision extended beyond a conventional restoration.
‘The goal was to reimagine what the quintessential Australian beach house could be, layering a distinctly coastal sensibility over the timeless mid-century design language,’ she says.
‘We didn’t want this to feel like a predictable mid-century makeover. It was important to be bold and expressive with colour, allowing each space to have its own personality, while staying true to the era and the client’s brief.’
On the ground level (inclusive of the main living and dining areas, kitchen, main bathroom and all three bedrooms) the owners wanted to enhance the sense of space, without completely losing the defined spaces of the original house.
Kathryn explains, ‘The original layout felt closed in, so the arrival experience was redesigned. The once-pokey foyer was reimagined into a semi-open plan that flows naturally into the main living and dining areas, improving both connection and functionality.
‘In the kitchen, it was important to the clients that the separation of rooms remained — staying true to the retro floor plan rather than defaulting to an open-plan approach.’
A new cantilevered joinery screen with integrated shelving and technology cleverly separates the main dining area from the living room and a secondary casual dining nook.
‘Our goal was to create separation between the zones, while still allowing visual connection and flow. Achieving this balance — particularly while keeping the piece visually light — required very careful detailing,’ says Kathryn.
‘Concealing the AV elements and structure within the unit added another layer of complexity, but the end result is both elegant and functional.’
The lower ground level was further excavated, allowing space for a functional bar area and second bathroom in replacement of an ‘old dusty storage room.’
Patterned tiles, pedestal basins, shell-inspired lighting, and textured timbers capture the spirit of the home’s original era — now rediscovered and lovingly revived.
‘It’s now one of the most compelling spaces in the home — deeply characterful, highly functional, and somewhere the family genuinely loves to spend time,’ says Kathryn.
Five Foot One Design’s modern interpretation of 1960s features is what sets this home apart.
With its cream laminate surfaces, mosaic benchtops, overhead shelving and custom timber hardware, the kitchen offers a tactile, playful, and functional space that looks authentic to the mid-century era.
In the main bathroom, the original pink bathtub was retained as a striking focal point, setting the foundation for a gentle, feminine retreat infused with blush glass mosaic tiles
Existing pine timber floors throughout the home were updated and finished with a matte lacquer, and cedar windows were meticulously restored.
‘Overall, the brief was about balance — retaining the retro charm that made the home special in the first place, while adapting the spaces to support contemporary living,’ says Kathryn.
Five Foot One Design are proud to have ushered this home into a new era, creating a home that is unmistakably 1960s-inspired yet fresh and relevant today.
Kathryn says, ‘There’s a warmth and effortlessness to it — elevated, but still approachable — and that balance perfectly reflects who our clients are and how they wanted to live in the space.’
