As an architect, Nick Sweetland has long dreamed of designing his own home.

That opportunity finally came to fruition this year, when Nick purchased an apartment in a mid-rise brick Ivanhoe East building brimming with potential.

‘In every sharehouse I’ve lived in, I found myself mentally redesigning the space,’ says Nick. ‘Being able to finally realise something that feels both deeply personal and contextually grounded has been incredibly fulfilling.’

The apartment — which was in entirely original condition at the time of purchasing — was completely transformed by Nick on a four month timeline and $65,000 budget, thanks to his industry experience, and a whole lot of DIY.

Nick reveals what he learned along the way, and the all-important budget breakdown.

The bones and vision

Nick purchased his particular Ivanhoe East apartment for its location, proportions, and two balconies.

‘What drew me in were the bones: two balconies — one facing north and one south — with great potential for natural light and cross ventilation,’ he says.

‘I decided to renovate because I wanted to live here and because I strongly believe in reuse over new buildings. After months of searching, I fell for the generosity of older brick apartments. They’re solid, well-proportioned, and built to last in a way that many contemporary developments aren’t.’

Nick’s goal was to honour the ‘mid-century language’ of the 1960s apartment, and reflect the architectural character of Ivanhoe East.

‘I kept materials, colours, and furniture true to that lineage,’ he explains. ‘But more than a stylistic reference, my approach was rooted in the concept of adaptive reuse — rethinking and transforming existing buildings in a way that celebrates their original character while enhancing liveability.’

Scope of works

The all-original apartment required significant renovations — both structural and cosmetic — to achieve Nick’s vision.

‘There was a lot of charm, but it was definitely showing its age… Almost everything was stripped back to bare bones and rebuilt,’ he says.

‘The kitchen joinery was solid hardwood (which made it hard to let go of!), but it wasn’t practical, and a wall between the kitchen and living area completely disrupted the spatial flow.’

Removing this central wall became the biggest element of the renovation, working to open up the apartment, maximise natural light, and outdoor connections.

Nick says, ‘Opening up the living areas wasn’t just about aesthetics, it dramatically improved the environmental performance of the apartment.

‘In cooler months, the open plan allows for deeper solar penetration and passive heating. In summer, opening both balconies encourages natural cross ventilation, while deep eaves help reduce solar gain…

‘It required a fair amount of work: new ceilings, new structural support and rethinking how the spaces would flow together.’

Nick also reconfigured the bathroom before its cosmetic overhaul. ‘Originally, the washing machine sat awkwardly in the centre of the room. I sourced a slimline washer and tucked it under the vanity, which freed up space and made the room feel more resolved,’ he says.

The overall scope of works also included:

Removing all original joinery in the kitchen, bathroom, and living area
Replacing the cast iron bathtub with a walk-in shower
Removing and replacing all lighting
Replacing old carpet and vinyl flooring with engineered oak floorboards
Removing all skirting boards and installing new profiles
Replacing the terrazzo bathroom tiles
Painting the entire apartment
Installing a new custom bathroom vanity

DIY and a tight deadline

Nick gave himself an initial budget of $60,000 (which blew out slightly to $65,000) and a timeline of just four months to renovate the apartment around his full-time job.

To make it happen, Nick leaned on his industry experience, including previous work as a builder’s labourer.

‘That mix of site experience and design training made a huge difference when it came to my own renovation. I tackled everything from demolition and plastering to skirting boards, painting, and installing shelving and benchtops.’

Nick also project managed the build, and engaged builder Tom Duffy among other trades for the bigger tasks such as plumbing, tiling, electrical, flooring, and cabinetry.

Nick says he couldn’t have done it without his handy parents, Kim and Mike, who helped make the tight deadline possible.

‘Doing most of the work myself brought the cost down significantly, but I absolutely underestimated the time commitment. With full-time work, the only time to chip away at it was before work, after work, and weekends.

‘It took a lot mentally and physically to finish everything within four months. And prep work, like chasing brickwork or painting properly, always took longer than expected,’ says Nick.

‘Doing so much DIY was physically exhausting, but it also gave me a deeper connection to the space.’

Project wins and lessons learned

Nick kept costs down by searching for secondhand materials where possible, including Fibonacci terrazzo bathroom tiles found on Facebook Marketplace.

‘Someone had leftovers from their own reno, and I managed to scoop them up!’ says Nick. ‘Paying full price would have completely blown the budget, so that find saved me a heap and aligned perfectly with the project’s ethos of reuse.’

Some of his favourite features of the apartment are handmade, adding a layer of sentimentality to the project.

‘The floating stainless steel kitchen shelves are probably my favourite design element — they’re simple, functional, and feel very resolved. They play beautifully against the timber joinery and handmade tiles,’ says Nick. ‘It was a big win being able to design and install them myself.’

Budget breakdown

Trades
Cabinetry (kitchen & bathroom): $12,500
Timber flooring (including installation): $8500
Plumber: $8450
Electrician: $4850
Builder: $4770
Tiling (kitchen & bathroom): $3800
Caulking: $600
Total: $43,470

DIY
Building materials/tools: $6650
Paint (whole house): $1500
Skirting boards: $360
Total: $8510

Kitchen
Integrated appliances (rangehood, dishwasher, fridge, cooktop, oven, microwave): $3200
Stainless steel benchtop + integrated sink: $3000
Stainless steel overhead shelving: $1950
Splashback tiles: $375
Tapware: $320
Handles: $180
Total: $9025

Bathroom
Shower tiles: $1000
Toilet: $630
Granite benchtop + splashback: $500
Washing machine: $500
Shower tapware: $485
Terrazzo floor tiles: $280
Sink: $275
Vanity tapware: $185
Hooks/rack: $140
Total: $3995

Renovation total: $65,000