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For Kimberley and Ed Howley, this Fitzroy North home has always been about potential — first, as a well-located fixer-upper, and later as a light-filled, functional family home primed for entertaining.
Ed bought the house just over a decade ago, drawn primarily to its inner-north Melbourne location.
‘It was close to everything, and really close to Mitte,’ he says of the cafe next door that has since become a cornerstone of their daily lives and community.
When it came time to renovate — after getting married and enduring 235 days of lockdown together — Ed and Kim’s dream centred on bringing family and friends together.
‘From the outset, we imagined a long Christmas Day table stretching from inside to out,’ he explains. ‘We love entertaining, and that part of the house was designed very much around that dream.’
Other mandatories included a full laundry, extra powder room, plenty of natural light and ‘lots and lots of storage’.
They engaged Emlyn Olaver of Olaver Architecture to help reimagine the house, later working with Hyland Built to bring the vision to life.
‘Emlyn and his team developed three options for us — small, medium and large,’ Kim explains. ‘There was even an exploration into adding a second storey, but ultimately the medium option gave us everything we needed while respecting the block.’
Light, warmth and ease of movement became the guiding principles, resulting in a floor plan that now feels intuitive and effortless. ‘I genuinely can’t imagine it arranged any other way,’ Ed adds. ‘It just works.’
One of the renovation’s most memorable moments came unexpectedly — at a stone yard. The couple had selected a marble for the kitchen island, bathroom benches and bath surround, only to watch in disbelief as all four slabs cracked while being lifted. Declared defective, the marble had to be replaced immediately to avoid delaying the build. With a holiday looming the next day, Kim and Ed visited four stone suppliers in a single day.
‘Most options were unavailable or had long lead times,’ Kim recalls. ‘But at the final stop, we found a pink-toned marble that just felt right.’
The rhino pink marble has since become one of the home’s defining features, bringing warmth and personality throughout. ‘In hindsight, we’re so glad it happened,’ Kim says. ‘We can’t imagine the house without it now.’
Throughout the renovation, care was taken to preserve the existing garden, including an olive tree that Hyland Built kept alive during construction. Today, it stands taller than the house.
The connection between indoors and out is one of the home’s great strengths, particularly in the dining area, where large openings extend directly into the lush garden beyond — the couple’s indoor-outdoor entertaining dream realised.
Location remains just as important now as it was when Ed first purchased the home. Nestled moments from Edinburgh Gardens, Darling Gardens and the Merri Creek trail, and surrounded by much-loved local shops, the house feels deeply embedded in its neighbourhood.
As the Howleys prepare to pass the home on, Ed says it’s the light he’ll miss most. ‘The way it moves through the house is extraordinary,’ he explains. ‘At midday, a diamond-like shard of sunlight dances across the island bench, and by evening, the sunset through the living room window can be spectacular.’
For Kim, it’s the ease of living the home provides. ‘It supports our busy daily lives so beautifully,’ she says. ‘It’s thoughtful, functional and genuinely homey.’
Selling feels bittersweet, but right. It’s time for their next chapter, and for someone new to fall in love with a home that was designed, quite simply, to work.
78 Michael St, Fitzroy North, VIC is listed for sale with Lee Muddle from Jellis Craig and will go to auction on Saturday February 28, 10am AEDT.
