Visual artist Kate Tucker was initially ‘daunted’ when she came across this historic Edwardian house in Thornbury, Melbourne, five years ago.
Although it had been previously renovated, the 1910-built dwelling still required a decent amount of work to become the sanctuary Kate envisioned for her and her children.
‘But when I walked inside and felt the light and space, I could immediately see how beautiful it would be,’ she says.
There were a few key upgrades necessary, but what the home really lacked was a garden — the existing backyard was clad with concrete and felt small due to the space occupied by a carport.
To rectify the situation, Kate engaged her neighbour and carpenter Ben Builds to create a beautiful hardwood deck accessed directly from large glass sliding doors in the living room. She also removed the carport and called upon her parents to help fill the garden with plantings, creating a lush outdoor space for her family to enjoy.
‘My parents helped a lot, I get my love of transforming nests from them,’ Kate notes.
While the artist had hoped most of the renovations would be cosmetic, she soon discovered the house also needed partial restumping. This led to a bathroom renovation, plus re-plastering, new flooring, and replacing the old doors and windows — later followed by the addition of a luxurious ensuite designed by architect Maggie Edmond.
It was a gradual effort, but luckily Kate had plenty of time to work with during Melbourne’s lengthy Covid lockdowns! Slowly but surely, she transformed the house into a comfortable space where many treasured memories were made with her two children.
‘When lockdowns prevented me from going to my studio, I made work in the house and (then) carport, and poured a lot of creative energy into renovations,’ Kate explains. ‘We spent hours lying in a hammock in the backyard watching the birds.’
Now, her favourite aspect of the property is its sense of light and space at the rear, in addition to the high ceilings and garden outlook that evokes ‘a very special feeling’.
‘It’s also quiet and peaceful inside because of the double glazing, and gets incredible light at golden hour,’ adds Kate. ‘The garden is totally private with loads of sky and trees that are beautiful through the seasons. And the location is amazing, a short walk to some of the best restaurants and music venues in Melbourne.’
With her practice now expanding, Kate has purchased a new home with a bigger garden where she can build a large, flexible studio. But she’s making sure to soak up her final days in the sunny Thornbury pad before it heads to auction at the end of the month!
29 Kelvin Grove, Thornbury, VIC is listed for sale with Janine Ballantyne and Paul Spirli at Nelson Alexander and goes to auction at 12.30pm on Saturday August 31.
