The Design Files: A new lease of life for a mid-century classic

Who: Billie Roy interior designer Sarah Conly and engineer Hugh O’Brien

 What: A faithfully renovated mid-century home

 Where: Ivanhoe East, Melbourne

When Billie Roy founder and interior designer Sarah Conly and engineer Hugh O’Brien bought a mid-century house in Ivanhoe East in 2019, the property had been uninhabited for years and was in serious need of love. Luckily, its new owners were the perfect people for the job.

Unlike most of the houses the couple saw for sale, this home didn’t require a large extension – just a lot of work to enhance the existing floor plan, outdoor spaces, mezzanine level and raked ceilings.

“It was just such a special home, and even though it needed a lot of love, there was already so much going for it,” Conly says.

“We knew we wanted to do a lot of it ourselves, and as there were minimal structural changes or large extensions required, we would be able to.

“However, have you ever heard designers saying that their own homes were the hardest? Well, they were not lying.”

Conly and O’Brien are only the third owners in this home’s history, and they were lucky enough to recently speak to its first owners – who are now in their 90s – about the property’s origins.

At the time of building, the area was mostly farmland, so the original owners engaged two friends and architects, T.H. McNeilly and D.J. Parker, to design a typical English-style home.

Instead, they were presented with a modernist design, which turned out to be the best possible outcome.

“[The original owner] told me so many other fond memories of the home, and it was really nice to hear how they used the house, as it is still how we are using it today,” Conly says. “Many of her favourite spots and things about the home [are] the same as ours are now.

“It really hasn’t changed much since they built it, apart from a bathroom renovation and some other cosmetic changes by the owners in between. I guess that’s the thing about good design – [it] lasts the distance.”

Conly and O’Brien spent almost every spare minute of Melbourne’s 2020 and 2021 lockdowns renovating the house sympathetically.

Structurally, they reconfigured rooms, added and removed walls and fully renovated one of the main bedrooms and the bathrooms.

Beyond this, cosmetic updates involved replacing the carpet, repolishing the floors, installing new joinery and painting indoors and out.

It’s hard to differentiate the original and new features of this home, which is exactly as Conly intended.

“We have lightly touched every space and tried to stay true to the style of the home as much as possible, but had a bit of fun with it too,” she says.

“I feel like we’ve achieved a home that is true to its bones, but we have made our own.”

How to create a timeless home

Interior trends come and go, but a sense of timelessness is the marker of a truly well-designed space.

There are many examples of homes designed and built decades ago which feel just as inviting and modern today. So, how to create a home that lasts the ages? Consider the following:

• Buy well, buy once. Don’t be tempted by cheap furniture. Spend time researching and saving, and invest in the very best pieces you can afford.
• When sourcing furniture and lighting, consider vintage designs that have already stood the test of time. Classic designs from the 1950s and ’60s have already been around for 50-plus years, so they’re not going to date anytime soon.
• Timeless doesn’t mean “bland”. When deciding on a colour palette, white is an obvious choice, but also try shades of tan, charcoal, navy and black for a classic look that still offers depth and variety.
• Be discerning, not impulsive. Your goal when purchasing anything at all, from a new couch to a new teapot, is to try to imagine it in your home when you’re 85. If you can imagine still loving it in 50 years, you’re onto a winner!

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