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An 1800s Victorian Gets a New Addition With a Tiara-Like Facade

ByMyProperty Life

In the heart of Melbourne’s inner north, an 1800s Victorian house has undergone a transformation by FMD Architects. The architects, who took inspiration from the historic Edinburgh Gardens the home overlooks, embraced sentimentality and sustainability when it came time to design the new addition. The double-story, north-facing Tiara House goes beyond mere functionality, embracing amenity and livability as its core ethos.

partial front facade of Victorian house in Melbourne

Falling into the category of house mullet (when the front and back facades don’t match), Tiara House’s ornamental frontage keeps its Victorian roots, but has been updated with a neutral palette. The original iron lacework, corbels, and decorative plaster are preserved, creating a contrast to the home’s new modern addition in the back.

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angled view of modern Victorian room with blue walls and glass ball chandelier

The original front interior features shades of blue, along with a wide arched hallway, a formal front room, and an original wood staircase that have been carefully preserved.

hallway view looking down into modern extension of home

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angled view of modern kitchen with grained black and white marble countertops and wood slatted cabinets

The challenge of a southern orientation led FMD Architects to establish connections to the landscape from every angle. The new addition, replacing the 70s lean-to, boasts lofty, light-filled spaces adorned with fluted wood linings, white rendered brick, and bespoke concrete aggregate floors. The kitchen and living areas are bathed in natural light from an eastern lightwell, while the rear garden unfolds to the west, providing a framed view of the landscape.

closeup shot of view of wood and marbled countertop in modern kitchen

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view of modern kitchen with grained black and white marble countertops and wood slatted cabinets

interior view through open dining room into living space

partial view of dining room

partial view of open living room and dining room in modern home

view of modern living room with sofa with rounded back wall window looking to garden

The rear elevation is graced with a floating screen of vertical wood slats on the upper level, forming a tiara-like structure that provides privacy from the neighboring homes. This embellishment adds a new type of adornment to the typical blank Victorian facades seen near the Tiara House.

angled view of dark blue tiled bathroom

A second bedroom has been transformed into a shared bathroom, featuring curved forms, ink blue tiles, speckled terrazzo, granite, and reeded glass, resulting in a moody feel.

angled view of dark blue tiled bathroom

angled view of modern bedroom looking out to floor to ceiling sliding doors

Just off the new upstairs bedroom, is a landscaped deck hidden behind the tiara-like screen. The bedroom boasts a calm palette of soft blues and whites, while the ensuite bathroom goes bolder with chartreuse and green veined stone. The original bedrooms have been restored with the wood floors stripped and lime washed.

angled view of modern bathroom in green hues

angled view of modern bathroom in green hues

side view of upper level terrace off bedroom

Photography by Dianna Snape.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

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