53 Little Smith Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065

Elida De Felice Architect’s own family home was designed to expose the raw industrial beauty of the original brick and concrete warehouse and enhance it with a contemporary architectural renovation and mansard roof extension. The roof extension houses an additional third floor level and the enlarged ground floor living area with its exposed steel beam construction, compliments the industrial feel of the warehouse. Full height steel framed glazing, a solid steel plate balcony, warm tallow wood timber tones throughout and high end finishes, all work to create a luxurious and comfortable home with an industrial edge.

The features include:

• Original 2-storey solid brick warehouse and steel windows with a contemporary architectural renovation and extension
• Street artwork on the garage door by owner, industrial designer Tim Collins of Cloud Studio Melbourne
• Imported lighting throughout from Euroluce with feature lighting from Davide Groppi and Flos dining pendants.
• Ducted vacuum system throughout
• Alarm system

Ground floor

• Exposed original concrete ceiling with square formwork pattern & folded ribbon design staircase, clad in black sheet metal
• Large open plan kitchen/dining/living area includes an 8.6m wide x 3.5m high wall of stacking sliding glazed doors that seamlessly connects the lush rear garden terrace with the interior space.
• 3000 litre storm water tank under rear bluestone terrace paving
• Mains gas line connection to the outdoor BBQ
• Living area has a Cheminee Philippe fireplace & built in black metal sheet clad joinery for integrated TV & hifi systems
• Concealed coat cupboard with storage shelving above off the entrance
• Kitchen has a 3m high x 8.5m long wall of textured 2 pack painted joinery which includes a walk in pantry, integrated Fisher and Paykel side by side fridge and freezer pair (appliances included in the sale,) fully integrated Asko dishwasher, 760mm wide Fisher and Paykel pyrolitic oven, Siemens 900mm wide 5 burner gas hob, Qasair twin motor integrated rangehood and a concealed study nook with open shelving and drawers.
• Italian stone kitchen benchtops and concrete island bench with cupboards to both sides of the island.
• Oversized single garage with a 3 phase Tesla/universal EV car charger, solid timber work bench & plywood storage cupboards with integrated LED lighting.
• Gas-fired hydronic heating in the ground floor slab

First floor

• Retains the warehouse features with the exposed brickwork walls and steel windows throughout. Street facing windows are double glazed with a full secondary window internally.
• Timber ceilings throughout
• Master bedroom with walk in robe, second built in robe, ensuite & full height glazing opening onto a generous private balcony constructed from 10mm thick solid steel plate
• Beds 2 and 3 have generous glazing and 2.8m high built in robes
• Main bathroom with a Rogerseller steel bath underslung beneath the Italian Luminosa marble hob.
• Ensuite and bathroom walls are clad in Italian ceramic sheet, basalt wall tiles and the bench and shower bases feature solid timber battens above concealed stainless steel trays.
• Parisi Italian underslung basins and WCs, and Paco Jaanson imported tapware throughout
• Linen cupboard off hallway
• Laundry with space for under bench washer and dryer plus overhead cupboards and clothes line
• Powder room is clad in full Italian marble slabs, ceramic sheet wall cladding, wall hung Parisi WC and 100mm thick carved granite hand basin with a second granite basin hung from above to create a unique feature. The powder room also has a double height skylight void lined in mirror to reflect natural light from above and to provide natural ventilation via a motorised awning window with rain sensor. The room also has concealed storage cupboards above and beneath the basins.
• Gas fired hydronic wall panels
• Ducted heating & refrigerated air conditioning system

Second floor:

• Oversized multipurpose rumpus room/retreat has walls and a ceiling lined in solid tallowwood boards and features a 7.5m long solid timber bookshelf and storage including an integrated TV cupboard along the southern wall.
• The full height and width glazed sliding doors open onto a generous north facing deck that looks out across the canopy of the adjoining mature tree.
• City views from the western highlight window.
• Generous attic storage accessed from the concealed panels in the east wall.
• Ducted heating & refrigerated air conditioning system

Roof:

• Solar panel system on the roof
• Roof mounted plant platform houses the air conditioning system condensers and the hydronic condenser boiler.
• Artwork to the plant platform enclosure by owner Tim Collins of Cloud Studio Melbourne

Dining table

• The home also features a custom made dining table designed and hand crafted by the owner, industrial designer Tim Collins. Made especially for the home, it is constructed using the solid tallowwood boards from the wall cladding and the kitchen benchtop stone for the central turntable. The table is available for separate purchase.

A note from the owners:

There’s something truly special about the home we created for our young family at 53 Little Smith Fitzroy. The architectural renovation retains and enhances the character and soul of the original warehouse, something that cannot be replicated in a new building.

You can feel and see the history in the original rough brick walls and the poured concrete slab of the first floor ceiling with all its rugged, rustic marks made by the builders more than 100 years ago, the coarse board marked concrete beams with exposed rock aggregate, the crusty remnants where walls and the stair once stood. We really loved looking up at that amazing ceiling and pondering the many incarnations of the building.

We will miss how you could be in the hustle and bustle of the inner city one minute and then moments later relaxing in the restful, luxurious sanctuary of home, looking out at our lush green garden. Nestled in the heart of Fitzroy, it’s just a short walk or bike ride to many of the best parts of Melbourne; the CBD for work, dining or shopping, the MCG, the great restaurants, pubs, cafes and artisan produce stores along Smith and Gertrude streets, and the beautiful landscapes and tranquillity of the nearby Fitzroy and Carlton Gardens.

We never took for granted how lucky we were to have it all on our doorstep and we will miss it.

We’re now excited for someone new to experience the same sense of connection, comfort and calm, in our unique creative home.