Pinnaroo Pool

Flat roofed front elevation

In need of a bit of love and 'vision', this house at 9 Pinnaroo Court, Greensborough has an interesting floor plan. The house curves around the central pool, much like the way Peter McIntyre's 'Coil House' curves around two magnificent gum trees. 

Images & Floor plan courtesy Darren Jones Greensborough

Peter McIntyre's Coil House - 40 Keam Street, Ivanhoe

The house has a newly renovated kitchen which is pretty contemporary and the bathrooms have also been renovated. Price range is quoted at $450,000-500,000 - what a great entry level home with potential to renovate into something really retro & cool!

New Kitchen - Nice Profile Light

Pool needs a renovation but the courtyard has serious potential!

 

Another One!

Another Mid-Century home ear marked for development in Montmorency. When you look at the condition of the house inside - solid timber floors, ducted heating, fresh paintwork, modern kitchen - it makes me cringe that some people would send all of it to the scrapheap, to make money. This is not a sustainable future!

Montmorency House - Image Christou & Co.

What the house could be with a little 'vision' perhaps? (Instead of 3 ugly townhouses).

 

A River Runs Through It

Sad to see this great home at 27 River Street Briar Hill advertised for land value only. It is on a large block but the house looks very solid and in good condition. Thanks Modernist Australia for bringing it to my attention.

Images Ray White Greensborough

 

Watsonia Retro

Pull out your floral aprons kids - this is one for lovers of the 1950's! I was quite excited to see this untouched retro gem at 15 Papua Street Watsonia. Apparently one loving owner has 'preserved' this cute-as-a-button home in original condition. Most encouraging to see a Real Estate Agent that gets the retro appeal too!

Neat as a Pin.

Retro Love!

Images courtesy Ray White Greensborough

Yes Bronte!

I was very excited to see the listing at 25 Bronte Street, Heidelberg last month as it was clear from the photos that this home had been put together by a lover of 'retro' and 'mid-century modernism'. Filled with brave colour and design that enhances the good 'bones' of the building, a fairly humble 50's weatherboard home has been elevated to a stand out property. Bravo owners!!

Fantastic Bold External Colour Scheme - Contemporary but also Enhances the existing Character of the Facade

Key Colour Red brought through to the living room.

and Kitchen - Lovely new plywood ceiling too!

Brave bathroom tiles! - Images courtesy Barry Plant Ivanhoe.

Not so Mellow Yellow

Regular readers will know that Yellow is one of my favourite colours. I found a series of great yellow kitchens back in January and recently I found another. Trawling the real estate pages as I tend to do, I couldn't help fall in love with this bright yellow kitchen at 57 Booyan Cresent, Greensborough. It's so cheerful! I hope the future new owners like it too.

Images courtesy Darren Jones Real Estate

Rosebud in Spring

Boasting views to the Dandenongs and North facing family room at the rear this home at 26 Rosebud Avenue, Viewbank also has a fantastic original kitchen and bathroom!

Funky kitchen handles!

Original bathroom in great condition

Images courtesy Darren Jones Real Estate

I want this house....

I want this house at 51 Seymour Road, Viewbank.... I want it bad!

Designed by Darlinghurst based Interior Designer Don McQualter - Retail designer for Scanlon & Theodore, Zimmerman & Mambo - it oozes a style and sophistication that belies its Viewbank address. Although I must admit I do love this pocket of the suburb having only discovered it late last year when I inspected the 'Seymour Spectacular'.

It's not exactly 'mid-century' but its design certainly employs the principles initiated by Modernism in the 50's & 60's. Alas, it is probably too grown up for me anyway. It is certainly too grown up for my bank balance ;)

Perfect kitchen!

Love the lowline fireplace, dark windows and orange rug!

Holiday feeling...

N  E  1  4  10  S?  All images courtesy Jellis Craig Ivanhoe

Banks Road Beach House

Love the Vertical Cladding & Skillion Roof

Okay so its a looong way from the beach, but 27 Banks Road Eltham North is exactly the sort of beach house I fantasize about every Summer! It's the 50's style, vertical board cladding and crazy slate floors... Strip off the twee fretwork and brass light fittings and you've got yourself a mid-century beauty.

Oh the Crazy Slate flooring - Love IT!

Don't Fret - All images courtesy Morrison Kleeman Real Estate

Devlin the Detail

MR went to check out another pocket sized home at 9 Devlin Court, Rosanna last week.
Located in the Golf Links Estate, it has the Merchant Builder stamp all over it.

Oh I do love a dark exterior paint colour to contrast with brickwork!

Timber Ceiling - tick.  Fireplace - tick.

Images courtesy Miles Real Estate

 

Mini Finlayson

A couple of weeks back, MR and I checked out 17 Finlayson Street, Rosanna. Awesome location - in the Elliston Estate right near the Golf Links/doggie park. We were super keen as a potential house for ourselves but when we inspected the house, as we feared, the South facing backyard meant that even on a sunny day the interior is shaded and cold. Coupled with teeny tiny secondary bedrooms, compact living areas and Finlayson being a semi-busy road we decided to stay put for now. But it certainly does have stacks of potential and I think if MR and I had an opportunity on this place for our first home, we would have tried to buy it at all costs!

Unassuming entrance off Ferrier Court. Gorgeous bricks but just two slot windows to Northern side - baffling!

Teeny tiny meals area and generous kitchen.

Master bedroom & living spaces...

South facing courtyard garden - All images courtesy Miles Real Estate.

 

Spring Meadow

Remember the story about the ugly ducking who grew into a beautiful swan? Well I certainly think this property at 3 Meadow Court, Viewbank is an ugly duckling.... but with a little vision and a lot of elbow grease it could have a swansong!

Think painted brickwork (not rendered!!), a few repairs, a smack-up-to-date colour scheme and some native planting and landscaping - and new window coverings internally.

Linea Studio UK Corkellis House - Source of external inspiration for Meadow Court

Great spacious original kitchen!

Funky original wallpaper! All images courtesy Rendina Real Estate

Wacky Bachli

Its been a while since my last post but Spring has kept me busy checking out lots of cool mid-century homes in Banyule. 

MR and i took a stroll through the Golf Links park over the sunny weekend and stopped off at the inspection for 6-8 Bachli Court, Rosanna.

All current images courtesy Hocking Stuart Ivanhoe

We had often wondered what the house's story was. Although parts of the home seemed in keeping with the merchant style of the golf links estate, others seemed out of step, almost castle-like with angles and forms that aren't familiar to mid-century architecture. After an opportunity to walk through the house and a review of the floorplan, it was clear that the rear section with upper floor had been added at a later time. Although the materials used in the addition were sympathetic, the reworked ground floor had a disorienting layout of rooms. 

Floor Plan Hocking Stuart

After a little research online, I managed to find that the original house (House 'A') was designed by feted architect Charles Duncan and built in 1968-69. The open fire in the living room is entirely reminiscent of the one at 27-35 Seymour Drive, Viewbank so I should have twigged! There are even some photographs taken by Peter Willie in the State Library Archives showing what the original house looked like. Below I have paired the State Library photos with the current sale campaign photos. As you can see, some fairly substantial additions and changes have been made over the years but in line with the materials and character of the original design.

Original entry - Single level dwelling with garage set back from entrance. Dark exterior colour scheme.

Current entry - Upper floor added, garage brought forward.

Original Living - Trademark Charles Duncan fireplace. Beams painted dark.

Current Living - Mantle added to fireplace(?) Beams painted light. Brick planter box to LHS fireplace has been removed.

Original Living - Brick dividing wall between living room and kitchen.

Original kitchen - Small basic original kitchen space.

Current Entry/Dining Area - Probably original kitchen area where current entrance table is. Brick dividing wall between living room and original kitchen has been removed.

Original Rear of Home - Single level dwelling only

Current Side of Home - Taken from an adjacent angle but it shows how the home has dramatically changed form over the years.

Current Family Room/Kitchen - Wacky angles but sympathetic material palette to original parts of the home.

Current Ensuite - Strange 'Speedboat Bath' in very open plan ensuite! - Sympathetic material palette.