Timeless beauty: Why we can't get enough of Melbourne's terrace homes

On paper, it can be difficult to say just why Melbourne’s cheek by jowl terrace homes remain so popular among modern-day buyers.

Practically speaking, the city’s original connected terraces offer minimal natural light, are relatively compact, and contain little space for the outdoor amenities expected of the million-dollar plus homes of today; and yet, we can’t get enough.

Architectural historian professor Miles Lewis has spent much of his life researching Melbourne terraces, especially the earliest examples in Fitzroy that date back to before the gold rush.

According to Lewis, the basis of terrace appeal can be attributed to three main factors – their period charm, clever use of space on compact sites, and quality thermal performance.

“The greater part of the walls are party walls … so you’re not losing any heat or getting in heat in summer,” Lewis says.

“You can get through ventilation from front to back.”

An original terrace simply cannot be recreated, with faux iron lacework or unsympathetic window frames able to be spotted a mile away. The inclusion of these now elusive design features is another reason why this once stock standard typology has become so coveted.

Agents admit replica terrace homes are less appreciated by prospective buyers than their original counterparts (although this can sometimes be overcome if the property is in a particularly great location).

The few downfalls of terraces in today’s market are lifestyle related, as they are difficult to adapt to car parking and rubbish collection.

“Councils used to collect rubbish from the back, and now they get it from the front. So people now have their bin on their front verandah permanently and in the street perhaps for half the week, which is most unpleasant,” Lewis says.

“You may have parking at the back, but it’s not ideal.”

Because of this, corner-site terraces and those homes on slightly larger blocks that allow for on-site parking are particularly hot property.

Another attractive element of terraces is their conduciveness to renovation – a fact that sees many, if not all terraces, being updated internally.

“They adapt very well … One of the reasons is that they have high ceilings, which makes it much easier to fit in modern services,” Lewis says.

“It’s unusual to find a completely untouched terrace nowadays, and if it was, I would nearly always recommend rethinking the floor plan,” says Isabelle Toland, director at Aileen Sage architects.

Given the difficulty of recreating their period features in the current day where specialty tradesmen scarcely exist, almost all extensions added to terraces are in a contrasting, contemporary form.

Many architecture firms market themselves on renovating terrace homes to be more suited to modern living.

“They often have great bones and I think architects over the last 20 to 30 years have really done quite amazing things to transform them into great spaces for contemporary living,” says director of Aileen Sage, Amelia Holliday.

Of course, perhaps the most appealing factor of terraces in the competitive Melbourne property market is their inner-city location.

Almost all examples are located within a five to 10-kilometre radius of the central business district, and are in blue-chip suburbs such as Albert Park, South Melbourne, East Melbourne and Carlton.

Director of Marshall White, Adrian Wood, says up and coming suburbs with increasingly sought-after terrace stock include Yarraville, Newport and Footscray.

“Perhaps some of the most stunning examples are to be found in Albert Park,” says director of Nelson Alexander, Arch Staver.

374 Montague Street, Albert Park

 

$2 million +

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

Once a compact single-storey terrace, this property has been transformed internally via an extension on the ground floor and addition of an upper level.

The period design features of the original home, including open fireplaces in the two front bedrooms, high ceilings and the arched hallway, have been carefully maintained.

Separating the old and new areas of the home is a central bathroom with an outlook to a small courtyard for added light.

The ground floor extension comprises an open-plan kitchen, living and meals area, connected by glass doors to an outdoor deck.

Upstairs is host to the new main bedroom adjoined by a marble en suite and north-facing terrace.

The property offers keyless entry and alternative access via Little O’Grady Street.

Auction: 1pm, April 8
Agent: Marshall White, Adrian Wood 0404861508