First-time renovator Ivy Huang has turned a run-down Edwardian-era home into an urban haven for entertainers.
Interior Design Ivy Huang / Photography Dylan James / Styling The Real Estate Stylist
Building Design Karl Degering & Associates / Words Nichola Davies
It’s fair to say that when Ivy Huang, a professional project manager in business, purchased what she thought would be her forever family home, it was in need of modernising.
Before Ivy’s purchase, the Edwardian cottage was last sold half a century ago. Her vision was to design a home for her growing family and create an “urban oasis” that has the feeling of being on holidays.
“I wanted there to be relaxed, private retreats for resting, with open shared spaces for living, and many indoor/outdoor moments,” says Ivy.
Because she didn’t have a design background, Ivy invested a huge amount of time in researching every aspect of the house design, from heights and dimensions of every piece of joinery to what feelings different colours invoke.
As well as studying the technicalities of the job ahead, Ivy spent a lot of time developing an understanding of the heritage of the home and why homes were built in this certain way back then.
“I didn’t simply want to ‘pay homage’ to it, I wanted to bring those key architectural elements through the entire home for an absolutely effortless transition between new and old, inside and out,” says Ivy.
The build ended up taking eight months from demolition to moving in after a year of deign, planning and permits. Originally she planned to do it over a number of years, but was swept away in the project.
The main inspiration of the renovation was the existing Edwardian cottage with its lofty proportions of 3.5-metre-high ceilings (a feature Ivy learned was typical in architecture of this period).
In keeping with its heritage, Ivy reinstated leadlight windows with Edwardian motifs, restored two cast iron fireplaces to working order and lavishly complemented these with new marble hearths.
While the home is objectively stunning, for a beginner renovator Ivy says there were some challenges.
“To be honest, most of it was difficult!” she laughs. “The most challenging part of every business or project always comes down to people. I came across some dishonest people (one actual conman!), and I found some people to be condescending because of my age and gender, or lack of experience.”
But, the process appealed to her entrepreneurial spirit and Ivy says she loved that the experience combined technical, financial and creative skill sets. So much so that she realised that she wanted it to be more than just a one-off thing, or even a side hustle.
“I always grew up believing I was not a creative type,” Ivy says. “‘I have the creativity of a brick!’ I would tell people. Through this project I came to the realisation that I had a lot of self-limiting beliefs that I see a lot among women, including myself.”
But that’s in the past for Ivy as after this project, she’s turning renovating into a full-time gig.
