A heritage house from the 1860s on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula is brought into the 21st century.

Stitching the past and present together is something that Mim Design is known for whether it’s a commercial building, an apartment or, as seen with the ‘Dawn House’ on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, a large homestead dating from the 1860s. “It came with some beautiful bones, yet it was in a dilapidated state,” says interior designer Mim Design director and interior designer Mim Fanning says, who worked closely with practice associate interior designer Lisa Random. “But I could see where it needed to be steered towards,” Mim says, pointing out the impressive views of Port Philip Bay.

The original timber and brick period home was finely restored by Mim and her team, while a new twostorey contemporary wing was added by Neil Architecture. The two portions of the house maintain their own identity, yet are ‘threaded together’ by a glazed link and a twostorey alfresco dining area. Although the two wings contrast dramatically, the brick materials tie the past and present together. “Our clients didn’t want the house to appear fussy, but a relaxed place to entertain friends and their extended family,” Mim says.

Mim Design had to take apart and restore many of the period features, including window frames, leadlight windows and ornate cornices. A new steel and glass door was inserted into a large living area, enabling views of the home’s original Edna Walling garden, while in some areas, where the proportion of a room wasn’t quite right, an entire wall was removed with two rooms becoming one. By doing this, Mim and Lisa avoided having the mismatch between smallersized rooms in the period home and large rooms in the new contemporary wing designed by Neil Architecture. The period home has been completely reworked with a library on one side of the entrance and a generous living area on the other. And where there were previously a couple of rooms dedicated to food preparation, there’s now a large kitchen and dining area with a large butler’s pantry behind. Featuring Super White Dolomite marble benchtops and splashback by Apex Stone, the kitchen includes a wall of bespoke joinery for the display of objet d’art as well as simple finds such as shells discovered on the nearby beach.

The new wing, with an alfresco area, features a threestorey high brick wall with an integrated fireplace – approached in a contemporary manner to coincide with the reworked marble adorned fireplaces in the original home. And to enjoy the view of the sky, a threemetrewide skylight was inserted into the concrete ceiling above, with the ability to close it during the warmer or wetter parts of the year. A curvaceous steel staircase leads to the main bedroom, dressing area and ensuite where an Agape Lariana bathtub, Super White Dolomite marble and weathered brass organic tapware by Brodware are used. A protected walkway leads to a separate gymnasium also located on this level.

“Our clients came to us because they loved our planning, making spaces easy to use and feel comfortable to be in whether it be night or day,” Mim says, who was conscious from the outset that the spaces, including two lounges, had to feel at one with the outdoors, including a swimming pool at eye level and a spa just a few steps below and closer to the beach. As with the design, the furniture has been considered in every room, from a design to display a chess set designed by the artist Mirka Mora for the front lounge, or combining a 1950s rattanseated chair by Gio Ponti with simple armchairs covered with dusters to create a relaxed and informal ambience. “It’s certainly not a precious house. All the spaces were conceived to be used and enjoyed,” Mim adds.

Published and produced by Miffy Coady | estliving.com
Filmed and edited by Dan Preston for est living
Film assistant: Jack Seedsman | estliving.com
Film project manager: Lidia Boniwell | estliving.com
Editor: Sophie Lewis | estliving.com
Words by Stephen Crafti
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Architecture by Neil Architecture
Interior Design by Mim Design
Styling by Amelia Wainwright
Landscape by Ben Scott Landscape Architect
Planting by Greener Vision
Build by Warwick Constructions

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