Set within the leafy streets of Kew in Melbourne’s inner east, Vivian is a light-filled, art-led home that reveals the latent potential of the ubiquitous suburban brick house.

Rather than pursuing a wholesale transformation, the renovation is defined by restraint. Vivian is an exercise in editing, refinement and making what already existed work harder.

“There was a lot to love about the original house,” says Cerantonio. “The double-brick construction, the north-facing courtyard and the split-level planning were all strong foundations.” At the same time, the home bore the hallmarks of its era: spaces that felt overly formal, carpet everywhere, and limited connection between inside and out.

Cera Stribley approached the project with a light but decisive touch, retaining what worked and carefully reworking what didn’t. Programmatic changes were small but meaningful. The original open-plan formal dining room has been enclosed and reimagined as a flexible rumpus space — one that can evolve into a dedicated home office as its inhabitants’ needs change. The laundry, previously squeezed alongside the main bedroom, has been relocated closer to the kitchen, freeing up space for a generous and calm master suite. A butler’s pantry and powder room have been introduced to further support everyday functionality.

Material updates bring the home firmly into the present while maintaining a sense of warmth and durability. Soft carpet has been replaced with timber floorboards, better suited to a growing family. Smooth white plasterboard walls have been finished in a subtly rough-textured paint, introducing depth and tactility. Original windows and dated fenestration have been replaced with high-performing double-glazed units, improving comfort and energy efficiency throughout the year.

At the heart of the home, large sliding doors allow the kitchen and dining space to open directly onto the secluded north-facing courtyard, reinforcing a strong connection to outdoor living and enabling the house to expand and contract with the seasons. Externally, the once dark red brick façade has been unified with a rough-cast concrete render, softening the home’s presence while lending it a more contemporary, tactile expression.

Vivian demonstrates how thoughtful, measured interventions can unlock new life in an existing home, proving that the much-maligned 1980s brick house can be quietly generous, adaptable and deeply liveable when approached with clarity and care.