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It’s only natural for a home that once served the needs of a young family to need some minor updates two decades later.
This challenge presented itself in interior designer and stylist Marcia Hong’s renovation of a double-fronted Victorian home in Yarraville.
‘The owners, Nick and Grace Fitzsimmons, purchased the house in 2006, when [their daughter] Emma was just one,’ Marcia says.
‘What began as a family home became the backdrop to their children growing up, and they always imagined staying for the long term. The renovation was ultimately about allowing the house to evolve with them rather than moving on from it.’
The layout of the home worked against the family’s lifestyle — living spaces were cramped and the second bathroom had a small footprint.
Marcia’s design focused on functionality; she never tried to create a new house, rather choosing to carefully unlock the potential of the home the owners already loved.
‘The brief was ultimately about balance: practical enough for everyday family life, sophisticated enough to feel special, and layered enough to develop character over time,’ she says.
The facade and front rooms of the home was retained, to respect its heritage street presence, whilst the rear of the home was updated substantially to create a generous and welcoming light-filled home.
‘During the concept stage, Grace shared a series of inspiration images, many of which featured bold colour. I remember thinking immediately: She’s speaking my language.’
The kitchen was opened to centre the island, which is paired alongside bold mint green joinery. After all, a kitchen isn’t just for cooking, but a place of connection.
‘The curved island became more than a functional work surface. With the dancing pendant positioned above it, it creates a natural gathering point — somewhere to prepare food, sit, talk, entertain, and simply be together,’ Marcia explains.
The kitchen feels contemporary but not overly styled, and prioritises function over form, with an added generous butler’s pantry offering ample storage.
Instead of being inhibited by the site’s heritage location and creating a period-appropriate interior, Marcia used the existing features to design thoughtful, contemporary, and functional design moments.
The home’s original Victorian soul was enhanced through the reworked bathroom.
Separating the existing joint bathroom and laundry allowed the designers to make the most of the bathroom’s heritage features, such as the existing leadlight windows, which became the hero of the space, and the generous ceiling height. The grand nature of the bathroom is also aided by the larger-format Japanese textured tiles.
‘I think one of the most rewarding aspects of this project is that it isn’t really about a house being transformed into something completely different. It is about a much-loved home entering its next chapter,’ Marcia says.
‘For me, this is what good residential design should do. It shouldn’t simply make a house look beautiful. It should make the life happening inside it feel better.’
