Undeniable ‘kookiness and charm’ — among other things — drew interior designer Will Kelly to this 1960s apartment six years ago.

‘The initial draw was its location on a hill — rather unique in Melbourne — and the design of the building,’ he explains. ‘Built in the late 60s, it was a real modern departure from typical apartment buildings at the time. With east-facing balconies, external entries and central courtyards, there is a great ease to living here.’

The Northcote unit hit all of Will’s wishlist: a sense of character, liveable proportions, great light, and a sense of solidity. But its cramped, charcoal-and-white interior left much to be desired.

Not deterred by cosmetic details, he purchased the home and within two years had completely gutted and rebuilt the 40-square-metre apartment — reconfiguring the walls and installing new kitchen joinery, including a wall-mounted counter (lighter and more space-saving than a traditional island).

These changes not only opened up space for both a dining and living area, but also allowed Will to increase functionality with clever storage solutions, like the tall cupboard that conceals the front door-facing oven (deliberately out of sight from the living area), and the mirrored cupboard that allows the fridge to disappear into the wall.

‘I enjoy how the mirrored door can be left open at different angles to reflect the trees and view over the balcony, or capture northern light coming through the kitchen window,’ says Will.

He also completely transformed the apartment’s bathroom with sophisticated olive-green tiles, reconfigured fittings and an integrated laundry.

In place of the old carpet, grey Forbo Marmoleum flooring now provides a unifying base to the whole apartment with a ‘warmer and softer — physically and acoustically — liveability than polished concrete,’ explains Will.

New 2-Pac grey-blue kitchen cabinetry and the olive-green bathroom introduce layers of colour, accented by the original shiny green front door. Together with the rendered walls, stainless steel bench and range hood, and mirrored door, the apartment feels bright and calming, yet would never be described as ‘beige’.

Beyond the apartment’s obvious aesthetic appeal, Will says the ability to ‘pop in and out of the city; access Westgarth village shops, bars, cafes and cinema; and slip to the Merri-Creek trail and Yarra Bend parklands within minutes,’ makes it a great place to live.

He’s off to work his design magic on a new project now, leaving his beloved Northcote apartment in the hands of new owners to enjoy its many perks.

10/62 Cunningham Street, Northcote, VIC, is listed for sale with Alicia Cannizzaro and David Sanguinedo from Jellis Craig.