Before moving into her Victorian-style, heritage home in a dense Port Melbourne neighborhood, Blank Canvas Architects principal Cecilia Yuan made some quick cosmetic changes to the interior, which had been remodeled by a previous owner. “When we first bought the house in 2011, it had a very quaint country cottage style, which didn't suit us,” says Yuan.

Yuan swapped out paint and carpet and removed joinery while biding time until a bigger renovation was in order. “Seven years later, we finally decided we needed to do something about the wasted spaces and the disassociation with the outdoor space that the existing layout provided,” says Yuan. The top goal of the 2018 overhaul? “To maximize the internal space without compromising the external area,” says Yuan. “We have a seven-year-old son who is obsessed with cricket and soccer and needs the outdoor area!”

Before: Front Facade

After: Front Facade

First, Yuan rehabbed the historic detail at the front facade, as well as the period features in the two front bedrooms. Then the architect took a more modern approach to the rest of the interior and the rear. She relocated a bathroom and laundry room in order to condense the main living areas together at the back, where a new set of bifold doors span the entire width of the rear facade.

Before: Rear Facade

After: Rear Facade

Before: Combined Living Areas

After: Combined Living Areas

The cool-toned interior palette is driven by the kitchen’s blue-gray cabinetry. The Superwhite textured marble on the counters and backsplash was “specifically chosen as a timeless natural material that provided texture with a touch of elegance,” says Yuan. Pale oak flooring warms up the scheme, while black accents in the cabinet hardware, faucets, and appliances, provide notes of sharp contrast.

Yuan strategically relocated the ground-floor bathroom and laundry room to better utilize an existing narrow window opening in the living room that overlooks a private side alley. She placed the bathroom’s walk-in shower there for dramatic effect. The shower now “takes full advantage of its location on the side alley of the house with a frameless glass skylight above that looks into a tiny lush garden, giving the illusion of showering in the open garden,” says Yuan.

Before: Ground Floor Bathroom

After: Ground Floor Bathroom

Before: Office

After: Office

Before: Master Bedroom

After: Master Bedroom

After: Upstairs Bathroom

More Before & After stories:

A Fussy ’70s Abode in Melbourne Gets a Hygge-Inspired Overhaul

A Melbourne Pub Is Recast as a Funky Home

A 1930s Church in Melbourne Gets a Dramatic Conversion

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Blank Canvas Architects / @blank.canvas.architects

Builder: Matherson Construction Group

Structural Engineer: Structural Bureau

Interior Design: Blank Canvas Architects

Cabinetry: J & V Modern Cabinets