Bec and Paul's place: The stunning renovation of a rundown 1920s Bungalow
- Jordan Pinto
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Buy the worst house on the best street.
We’ve all heard that old saying when it comes to real estate.
Buy the worst house you have ever seen on the best street without stepping foot inside, and then renovate it while working full-time and raising three young kids.
Haven’t heard that one?
Don’t worry, until we came across Bec and Paul’s place – a renovation of 1920s Bungalow in Millswood - we hadn’t either.
And, frankly, we don’t want to hear it again.
This was a project only a few would think about doing.
A project even less would actually start.
And only two who could finish it with jaw-dropping results and then put it on the market.
But how?
“He doesn’t sleep,” Bec laughs.
She’s smiling, but she’s not really joking.
“We always have posties, delivery drivers, neighbours and dog walkers stopping to compliment the house and comment how hard Paul works,” Bec continues.
“They say they have never seen anything like it.”
With Bec running her business and, as they both agree, “doing most of the parenting” at the same time, neither have we.
Swipe across to see what their place looked like before
In fact, in the beginning, neither had they.
The couple had recently renovated their first family home together, but this was something else.
“It was totally unlivable…totally rundown, full of rubbish, pizza boxes, car motors and everything in between,” Bec recalls.
“There was an issue with tenants at the time so there were no open inspections and no one could privately view the property.
“We had done a heap of slow drivebys and knew how bad it looked from the outside, so could only imagine what the back and inside would be like.
“But we, mainly Paul, could see the value, had no fear whatsoever and we made an offer, negotiated once or twice and then finally agreed.
“Then it was ours and we did our first walk through.
“There was no key, no official handover, there was hardly a front door.”
Now, there’s hardly anything this place doesn’t have.
Pool. Pilates room. Home cinema. Sauna. Resort-worthy ensuite. Wineroom. Bespoke kitchen.
We could go on.
For a while, though, it was all tears, trestle tables and airfryers.
For 18 months of the three-year project, the family moved back in, living without a kitchen for a year.
With three kids.
Three.
This wasn't a get-someone-else-in-to-do-the-job project, either.
Paul - who also has a day job - built the entire thing with a bit of help from other family members, while Bec led the charge when it came to interior selections and finishes.
“We’ll leave so much sweat, lots of tears and most likely some blood here,” Bec tells Place Journal.
“Renovating a home to this level where every single inch of the property was replaced and renovated has been huge.
“All while working full time, part-time, running a business and raising a family.
“Now the end is here, we’ve had our pinch me moment with what we have achieved.”
With the help of Rocky Violi from ThreeSixFive studio, they drew up a plan that would match their grand vision.
Sure, the clean-up and restoration process was extensive, but most of the original dwelling remains.
And, importantly, so does the character.
Character at the front, party at the back, if you will.
I mean, modern.
“Being able to host so many functions because of the size of our living area and the full-height doors that open all the way up, creating a huge indoor outdoor space.
“We had Christmas day with over 40 people inside, new year’s eve, birthdays.
“Sitting in and enjoying our hard work and laughing, eating and drinking with our family and friends has been magic.”
But it’s also been about creating something more.
Not just raising the ceiling height to three metres, but raising their family.
“If you are doing it alongside your family, kids in particular, expect it to take longer, but enjoy that.
“Don’t rush through it, show them how to use the tools, how to climb the ladder.
“Create the memories, the experiences, the resilience - not just the house.”
Now there’s a saying we’d like to hear again.
And we might.
Planning for the next project started well before this one was snapped up within a week of hitting the market.
“There’s already a Pinterest folder in the making,” Bec laughs.
“We have the addiction to do the next one, to see what we can produce,” Paul adds.
We're excited to see what Rosa Projects does next, too.
But please just get some sleep first, Paul.
Photography: artdepartmentcreative
Words: Jordan Pinto
BEC AND PAUL'S PLACE
Built: 1925
Land: 891m2
Bed: 4
Bath: 2
WHAT THEIR PLACE TAUGHT THEM
Take risk.
Choosing something risky but doing it with confidence will pay off. Anyone can choose a white kitchen - take the risk. Then shut your eyes and pray.
Expect it to take longer, expect it to be challenging.
If you are doing it alongside your family, kids in particular, expect it to take longer. But enjoy that, don’t rush through it, don’t sweat the small stuff. Show them how to use the tool, how to climb the ladder. Create the memories, the experiences, the resilience, not just the house.
Swipe across to see how their place came together
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