When engineer Andy and his wife, Priscilla, first bought this former factory in Melbourne, their plan was to move in temporarily while figuring out how to develop it into a block of rentable apartments. Ten years later, though, the couple and their four children have transformed the warehouse into what they call a "busy, creative and at times slightly chaotic household," all hidden behind a rough, industrial façade. Because their original stay was meant to be a temporary one, most of the initial renovations were rather slapdash and DIY in their execution. "Someone donated the floorboards, the carpet came out of an old office, and we bought the kitchen on e-bay for $400," explains Priscilla. "It was the ultimate 'make do and mend' project."
Still, the end result produced a space so cozy, light, and thrift store-cool (and surprisingly trendy?) that it's even become a destination for photo-shoots and, in the highest honor a home can hope to achieve, two Beyonce music videos. Says the family, "to have so much space tucked away in here behind an unassuming exterior has been pretty special and unique."
· Melbourne Home · Andy Portokallis, Priscilla Blake and Family [The Design Files]
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