Selling Houses Australia: Season 16, Brunswick West

From concrete eyesore to beautifully restored Victorian gem

For the last ten years, Sam and Rosie have been renting out a home in Brunswick West which—for over seventy years— was owned by Sam’s family. It was first purchased by Sam’s parents, who emigrated from Italy in the 1950s. 

Sadly, the years had not been kind to this Victorian-era home. Most of its original features had been replaced, and it was looking drab, run-down, and uninviting. Most of the garden had been replaced by concrete, and the once-pretty façade was now grey and bleak.   

So, when the time came for Sam and Rosie to sell the property to fund their retirement, it simply didn’t lure any buyers—even after 6 months on the market.  

There was another significant problem for the home other than its state of disrepair: its location. Despite being in a sought-after Melbourne suburb and close to lots of great facilities, the home was on the corner of a busy and noisy intersection. 

With Sam’s health declining, the couple needed to secure a sale for their home, and called the team at Selling Houses Australia to help. 

Restoring the façade to add street appeal

Perhaps the biggest problem for this home, other than its location, was its frontage. The once attractive exterior had been eroded over the years —with the addition of concrete and aluminium windows, and a general lack of maintenance.  

The first task for the team was therefore to completely transform this façade. The unattractive aluminium windows were replaced with solid, double-glazed timber sash windows, and a new, Victorian-era bullnose veranda was installed to add some heritage charm. 

The home was painted in a fresh white colour – and a row of camelias were planted to ensure privacy and an element of sophistication to the front garden.   

The back garden was also given a new lease of life, with a run-down shed and un-used garden beds removed, and new turf and plants giving the space some family-friendly appeal.     

Bringing the interior back to life

While this home had delivered many happy memories for Sam’s family over the generations, the inside of this home now lacked personality. Despite some original features, there were cracks in the walls and a bland kitchen and bathroom that were calling out for an update. 

Despite its small overall footprint, the home had a generously-sized living space and bedrooms, which Wendy was eager to bring back to life.

New floors were added throughout, and the walls painted in dark, moody tones to add an element of sophistication.  

With most of the budget going to restoring the exterior of the home, Wendy retained most of the existing kitchen and bathroom—making some smart updates to bring the cabinetry and tiles into the modern era.  

Controlling light with new window coverings

Luxaflex window coverings were chosen for this home to enable Wendy to add a stylish aesthetic, as well as provide the level of privacy which this corner home so desperately needed. 

Luxaflex® Duette® shades were added in the kitchen, living space and bedrooms. With their unique honeycomb structure, these shades can both block the view to the exterior, while also trapping air to provide thermal control—keeping the spaces warmer in winter and cooler in summer. 

Luxaflex window coverings were chosen for this home to enable Wendy to add a stylish aesthetic, as well as provide the level of privacy which this corner home so desperately needed. 

Luxaflex® Duette® shades were added in the kitchen, living space and bedrooms. With their unique honeycomb structure, these shades can both block the view to the exterior, while also trapping air to provide thermal control—keeping the spaces warmer in winter and cooler in summer.