The Design Files: How this neglected St Kilda terrace was transformed

Who: Barb Hyman, her three kids and partner, and a dog named Thai

What: A stylish terrace home

Where: St Kilda, Victoria

When Barb Hyman moved into this sprawling St Kilda terrace in 2013, there was a lot of work to do. She evocatively describes this history of the property as shaped by “a probable mix of debauchery and neglect”.

The largest job was knocking down the lean-to attached to the back of the house, and replacing it with large, steel-framed glass doors, that welcome light into the home.

In addition to plastering unfinished walls, and providing support to the original wooden stairs, the garden has been her biggest, yet most rewarding, challenge.

She says when she purchased the property, the garden had “only one tree – a fig tree – and loads and loads of hard-waste rubble in the soil”.

After spending endless weekends clearing out the space and filling skip bins, Hyman created an orange orchard out the front, and a “wild Mediterranean-style garden out the back” with the assistance of brilliant local landscaper Gavin Smith.

Inside, the home is brought to life with personal touches that sit gently within the grand proportions of the space. “I am very sentimental about everything. I don’t have anything that doesn’t mean something to me,” Hyman says.

Our photographer and stylist found little notes and drawings from her kids poked into a gap in the window sill or pinned to the side of an antique dresser. For Hyman, the most precious objects are the books she made when the children were babies, which “tell the story of their growing up, with drawings, pictures and loads of quirky mementos”.

While Hyman is charmingly elusive about how she ended up in this St Kilda residence (“Lets just say it wasn’t via the usual means – serendipity, lots of patience, and a story best shared over a bottle of wine”), it is clear that she is right at home.

“I feel eternally grateful to live here and come home to this space. The greenery, watching the garden grow and change shapes in the seasons, it’s an absolute gift,” she enthuses.

Make time stand still

Interiors 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 interior that lasts the ages? Consider the following:

• One misconception is that bold design choices will date. You only have to look at iconic mid-century furniture from the ’50s and ’60s to realise that’s simply not true. Be brave, but be considered.
• You can be assured that if a piece designed 60 years ago is still fashionable today then it’s not going to date anytime soon. When sourcing furniture and lighting, consider vintage designs that have already stood the test of time.
• Look for details that impart a sense of heritage character. For instance, rustic Moroccan or encaustic tiles offer a robust flooring solution that lends a sense of history to a space.
• Forget trends and look for materials, colours and unusual items that will make your space stand out from the crowd.