Restoring 1950s Belmont time capsule saved vendor’s sanity during Covid

You could be mistaken for thinking you’ve been transported back decades at this mid-century house where a recent refresh strives for authenticity.

The owner of this retro 1950s throwback in Belmont credits the house with saving him during Covid lockdowns.

He, in turn, has repaid the favour by restoring its mid-century features, ensuring they live to see another day.

The three-bedroom house at 71 James St, Belmont, was billed as ripe for renovation when Ben bought it from the original owners back in 2019.

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The original timber cabinetry has stood the test of time.

The vendor had plans for the outside but is handing the baton onto someone else.

But he had other ideas and slowly set about bringing its timber cabinetry and vintage kitchen back to life.

“I’ve always been a fan of retro and the Atomic ranch style and I didn’t think I’d find one in Geelong,” Ben said.

“The big windows, the flat roof, the wooden features – there was a lot of things like shaggy blue carpet that a lot of people would have looked past so I was lucky to be able to get it and during lockdown I had a lot of time not being able to do much so that allowed me to work on it.

“I always say to people I didn’t renovate, I restored it.”

He pulled up the carpets to reveal timber floors, repaired the individual architraves in each room and refreshed the bathroom, still retaining the original curved vanity.

Modern comforts like split system heating and cooling have been installed, alongside sympathetic mid-century light fitting.

The vendor is a keep op shopper who is always on the lookout for interior pieces.

He even kept the separate shower room, rather than turning it into an ensuite.

“It had potential to knock out this middle wall and make the kitchen, dining and lounge room one big space, I thought it could fit but not with what the architect had designed for the place originally,” Ben said.

After completing the work inside, he has listed the 650sq m property for sale through Ray White, Highton agent George Politis with $699,000 to $749,000 price hopes.

Mr Politis said it had proved a hit with first-home buyers who were drawn to the classic mid-century style, with an appearance on the Retro Houses for Sale Facebook page resulting in a fresh spike in inquiry.

The curved vanity has been retained, although the colour has been toned back in the bathroom.

The back yard is a blank canvas, with space for creating an outdoor entertainment area.

Ben said while he hoped to find an owner who appreciated its original vibe, there was still scope for someone to put their own stamp on the back yard, which has 12 productive fruit trees.

“It’s a nice little community down there with Winter Reserve, being able to walk the dog,” he said of the neighbourhood.

Originally published as Restoring 1950s Belmont time capsule saved vendor’s sanity during Covid