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My Houzz: An Upcycled Home for Two on a Budget
A young creative couple have used their wits and talents to turn this rented house into a home for next to nothing
Matt Walters his partner Liz Hamer have spent the last two years collecting pieces that are both practical and unique for their home in Melbourne. Walters uses the rented house as an office and creative workspace, running a business that brings live music into people’s homes across Melbourne; he also produces his own music here.
Meanwhile, Hamer – who is an up-and-coming architect – has put her design skills to the test making her own furniture, including the couple’s bed frame and bedside tables. Here, the two have come together to create a space that looks (and sounds) like a happy home.
Meanwhile, Hamer – who is an up-and-coming architect – has put her design skills to the test making her own furniture, including the couple’s bed frame and bedside tables. Here, the two have come together to create a space that looks (and sounds) like a happy home.
The couple came across their home after several months of travelling around Europe and the US. “We were looking at apartments, as they were all we could afford, and then this place popped up,” says Walters. “We loved the street immediately – it’s a dead end, so it’s super-quiet, and everyone knows each other. Also, it’s only a minute’s walk from the high street.”
Walters also loves that the couple across the road have chickens that roam the street and scratch in their front garden.
Walters also loves that the couple across the road have chickens that roam the street and scratch in their front garden.
“The house itself is pretty humble. It’s small and quite run-down, but it has everything we need really, and has the important bits, such as good light and large, operable windows,” says Walters. “We walked in at the inspection and it was the first place we’d seen that we thought felt like home.’
Green velvet sofas, eBay.
Green velvet sofas, eBay.
A musical theme resonates throughout the home, thanks to Walter’s production background. The reel-to-reel tape recorder, which was once usable, now sits here as a purely decorative feature.
Walters’ favourite room in the house is his study/music room, which he says has a very peaceful vibe. In here, he produces music and runs the back end of Parlour Gigs.
Hamer loves their outdoor room, where they installed a bath in the light well. “There’s a fig tree and our other plants and you can stare at the stars from a hot bath,” she says. “On an indulgent day, you can pick figs and eat them in the tub.”
When it comes to a hot design tip to pass on, Walters insists that having a green outlook can make a world of difference to a space.“It can make a small room feel open and spacious. We’ve found that hanging plants, pots and creepers are great if you don’t have the space for a big garden,” he says.
The couple are very resourceful and Hamer regularly makes things for the home. They both agree their style is born out of necessity. “It’s pretty random – we salvage and collect lots of bits and pieces,” says Walters.
What they both love about decorating in this style is that it transforms the house from something relatively pedestrian into something unexpected and beautiful.
Bedside tables and bed frame, designed by Hamer.
What they both love about decorating in this style is that it transforms the house from something relatively pedestrian into something unexpected and beautiful.
Bedside tables and bed frame, designed by Hamer.
Both Walters’ and Hamer’s favourite piece in the house is their bed. “It might be the most comfortable bed in the world!” says Walters. The timber frame was the first thing Hamer designed and built as a fledgling architect. It used to be raised as a mezzanine level in the house she lived in when the couple first met, and has been along for the journey with them ever since.
Check out 10 creative ways to personalise a rented bedroom
Check out 10 creative ways to personalise a rented bedroom
Clothing racks, designed by Hamer.
The single-level terrace has the necessary foundational elements to make it a great home. These are also what Walters notes as being the most important aspects of the place. “The bones of the house are the most important thing,” he says. “You need good light, good ventilation and good flow. Once you have those things, you can play all you like.”
The bathroom is simple, with added greenery from the pot plants and a green outlook from the window.
The pair did replace the kitchen door in an attempt to bring in more natural light and open the space to the outdoors. “We open the house windows and we can listen to music and have long chats with whomever is cooking in the kitchen. It’s like our own bit of luxury,” says Walters.
Browse compact kitchen ideas
Browse compact kitchen ideas
Walters and Hamer have tried to transform their concrete garden into something more warm and inviting by incorporating pot plants and small garden beds. They also used some bamboo coverings on the back fence for privacy and to soften the wire fence.
Walters and Hamer agree that even though their home is small, the outside areas make it feel more spacious.
Walters and Hamer agree that even though their home is small, the outside areas make it feel more spacious.
The pot-plant collection started as a few gifts from Hamer’s mum and continued to grow in abundance, creating an ideal outdoor space for the couple to spend their afternoons.
TELL US…
What do you like about this rented home? Let us know in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you like about this rented home? Let us know in the Comments below.
Who lives here Matt Walters of Parlour Gigs and his partner, Liz Hamer
Location Melbourne, Australia
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Upon returning from months of overseas travel, Matt Walters and Liz Hamer needed a home in a hurry and settled on this little gem, a rented property in Melbourne’s suburbs. With an aim to ‘do it on the cheap’, the couple looked for only the necessities, and used them to optimise their minimal space.
They’ve found a lot of their furniture on eBay and what they couldn’t find, they’ve made themselves.