Making the worst house in the street an entertainer’s dream
Even a railway line and a horse racing track couldn’t sideline this exuberant project
4 min
I f you asked your architect for their opinion on a property you were thinking of buying, you would take their advice, wouldn’t you? Apparently not.
When the owner of this property in Caulfield asked director of Melbourne-based firm, EAT Architects, Albert Mo, what he thought, his verdict was clear.
“We advised him against it,” Mo says. “It was a pretty bad site, squeezed between Caulfield Racecourse and the train lines, which run along in front of the house. It was really rough in terms of the contextual relationship.”
But the owner bought it anyway, settling on the Edwardian house that Mo describes as almost derelict.
“When I walked into the house for the first time, it was in a shocking state,” he says. “The tin ceiling was in patches and the loft area looked like it had been done by a handyman.”
This slightly contrary behaviour could be attributed in part to the attractive sale price but also to the longstanding relationship the owner has enjoyed with EAT Architects.
“This is the third place we have done with him. He trusts me and there is not much constraint in terms of materials but I do feel that it needs to be better than the last one so there’s that pressure to continually impress him,” Mo says.
The same builder the client hired on two previous projects also signed up to work on this one, which speaks well of the relationship.
“He is a great client, although he was tight on the budget and we really worked hard for it,” Mo says. “But sometimes when you have constraints, you become more intuitive.”
The brief from the owner was simple. He wanted a place where he and his family could feel comfortable on a day-to-day basis, as well as creating an inviting space for entertaining.
“He loves entertaining,” Mo says. “He wanted the house back in time for (AFL) Grand Final day because it was all about the barbecue and the outdoor space.”
Despite the poor state of the original house, Mo says he was happy to have an existing structure as a starting point. However, with the train and power lines just beyond the front gate, Mo says providing a sense of comfort and sanctuary proved challenging.
“We had to provide a buffer between the train lines and the new extension,” Mo says. “If you see the exterior of the house, there’s the garden and the swimming pool before you get to the house. Then the long plain side becomes the living, kitchen and open plan area.”
The addition, which also includes the master bedroom suite and guest room, wraps around the original house in the shape of an L-shaped carpenter’s square, which has given the house its name.The new shape lends the family home a sense of structure and permanence. The original house was also restored, including the tin ceiling and brickwork.
Upstairs, the ‘handyman’s’ loft was demolished and rebuilt to create the two kids’ bedrooms, offering an unexpected opportunity.
“Sometimes you can design everything but things happen because you are on site,” says Mo. “I saw the builder shaping out the roofline and it was just there. I call it the Darth Vader window because of its shape.”
Fitted out with an upholstered seat, underseat storage and casement windows, the dormer window is now a favourite reading nook for the kids.
Because budget was a strong driver, Mo extended the expression of the materials as much as possible. Brick has been used in the addition on the internal floors, as well as the walls, in a variety of patterns, elevating it into a true design element.
In practical terms, it also creates spaces in this house that are thermally comfortable all year round, as well as providing easy-to-maintain floors ideal for entertaining and creating a sense of indoor/outdoor flow.
“We were trying to bring the outdoors in and create that sense that it was not just an interior space,” Mo says. “They are a family that likes to have parties and in a high use area in the kitchen and bathroom, you want to be able to mop the floor. They are sealed but it also hides the dirt quite well, and the visual appeal is very high because they are natural materials.”
Timber has also been used in unexpected places, with battens placed in a curved line across the ceiling, echoing the tin ceiling in the original part of the house.
“It helps acoustically when it is not in party mode and it gives the house a human scale,” Mo says.
Noise from outside has also been mitigated, as much as it can be when your neighbours are passing trains.
“We double glazed everything.”
More: eatas.com.au; mckerliebuilders.com.au
Ophora Tallawong has launched its final release of quality apartments priced under $700,000.
From bushland greens to valley reds, the country’s most awarded designers are proving that the best colour palette was never on a swatch card; it was outside the window all along.
Ophora Tallawong has launched its final release of quality apartments priced under $700,000.
3 min
Ophora Tallawong has launched its final release of apartments, positioning itself as one of the last opportunities for buyers to secure a new Sydney home below $700,000.
The project, located in one of the city’s fastest-growing corridors, is offering rare buyer protections at a time when affordability is tightening and competition for quality stock is intensifying.
According to JLL’s Q2 2025 Apartment Market Overview, Sydney’s median apartment price has already climbed to $795,000, setting a record.
With interest rates now on a downward trend and supply still heavily constrained, experts warn that today’s price brackets may not exist next year.
Ronnie Rahme, Development Manager at KDMC, said buyers were responding to the combination of quality and value.
“You simply don’t see this level of finish at these price points anymore,” Rahme said. “That’s why demand has been so strong for this final release.”
Dr Andrew Wilson, Chief Economist at My Housing Market, says the economic drivers are clear. “High rents and higher prices continue to provide clear incentives for first-home buyers and investors chasing solid investment returns,” he told Kanebridge News.
“New government initiatives to support first-home buyers will also act to place upward pressure on prices.”
The bigger picture
JLL’s research reinforces that point. While over 15,700 apartments are expected to be delivered nationally this year, a 40% uplift on 2024, Sydney remains undersupplied, with demand continuing to outpace completions.
The report also notes that reductions in the RBA cash rate are expected to further fuel buyer activity, with constrained supply continuing to push prices higher into 2026.
With construction costs soaring, Government contributions climbing, and interest rates remaining high, projects are harder than ever to bring to market, putting upward pressure on newly completed apartments.
The pipeline of new supply is shrinking as developers delay or abandon projects that no longer stack up financially.
According to JLL’s overview, only 2,554 completions are forecast for Sydney this year – against annual demand exceeding 30,000 dwellings.
At the same time, population growth, rental demand, and first-home buyer incentives are intensifying competition for limited stock. The imbalance between constrained supply and resilient demand is leaving new apartments scarcer and more expensive across Sydney.
Ophora: Last Chance In Sydney’s northwest
Developed by KDMC and designed by Architex, the $50 million project has launched its final release, with limited availability of 81 brand-new residences from just $545,000 for a one-bedroom, or $695,000 for a two-bedroom, which is far below Sydney’s median and significantly cheaper than nearby competition.
The five-storey development at 37 Reis St, Tallawong, combines affordability with premium inclusions more often seen in luxury builds: ducted air-conditioning, timber floors, premium finishes, fridge cavities with water plumbing, video intercom systems, fibre internet, EV charging, landscaped gardens and a rooftop terrace with sweeping views.
It also comes with something almost unheard of at this price point, a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) policy. Typically reserved for multimillion-dollar projects, LDI guarantees structural integrity for a decade and is only awarded to developers with a strong building track record.
SHC Insurance Brokers founder Stefan Hicks acknowledged the rarity of obtaining LDI, particularly for entry-level residential apartment complexes like Ophora.
“Gaining LDI is no mean feat. It’s offered selectively to developers and builders with a quality building history, and it requires both parties to employ an independent inspection service throughout construction,” he said.
“While this insurance is well-established around the world in about 40 countries, in Australia, we’re typically seeing high-end buildings covet LDI. The fact that Ophora has joined this exclusive list of quality-assured builds is a coup for entry-level home buyers.”
Raising the standard for affordable luxury
Rahme says the KDMC team wanted to set a new benchmark.
“Our mission with Ophora has always been clear: to raise the standard of what buyers should expect, regardless of budget,” he said.
“We’ve delivered a collection of apartments with finishes and features you’d usually only find in luxury projects, and we’ve backed it with one of the most stringent insurances available in the market. That gives buyers peace of mind that their investment is protected for the long term.
“People are walking through and realising you simply don’t see this level of quality at these price points anymore, as it’s effectively replacement cost in 2025.
“With rates coming down and limited competition, buyers and investors are moving quickly because they know the window won’t stay open. Investors, who have recently purchased at Ophora, have reported a strong rental demand, with minimum rental yields exceeding five per cent.”
Developments like Ophora, move-in ready, competitively priced and backed by rare structural protections (LDI), may represent the last chance for buyers to secure a sub-$700,000 apartment in Sydney.
View Ophora on cpmrealty.com.au
To arrange a private viewing or request more information, contact Sam Elbanna from CPM Realty: 0411 222 260
From elevated skincare to handcrafted home pieces, this year’s most thoughtful gifts go beyond the expected.
Limited to 630 units, Lamborghini’s latest Urus Capsule pushes personalisation further than ever, blending hybrid performance with over 70 bespoke design combinations.
