The Perth renovation that turned street’s worst house into its best

It’s the classic tale of the worst house on the best street, as a young couple took a 1970s red-brick beachside house and spent five years on a spectacular renovation.

Liz and Mark Ahearn are selling their Perth home at 55 High St, Sorrento.

It’s the classic tale of the worst house on the best street.

Mark and Liz Ahearn had just completed their first home renovation together when they began looking for their next project near the ocean in Perth.

“My bread and butter was always looking for that thing that everyone looks past because then you get it at a good price point,” said Mark, a builder by trade.

“We’ve basically built our way out from lower suburbs trying to break into better and better and better suburbs.”

Liz and Mark Ahearn.

They settled on a 1970s red brick home in the beachside suburb of Sorrento, in the city’s north. Describing the three-bedroom property as a “rabbit warren” with walls and corridors everywhere, Liz wanted to maximise the natural light and make it more open.

“It’s this coastal Palm Springs desert vibe,” she said.

“I don’t know if that was always our original goal. Being close to the ocean, obviously, coastal was going to play a part, but I think it’s developed over time.

“We looked ahead to what was coming on trend but considered not choosing anything that was going to date and keeping things quite neutral.”

It wasn’t easy; over the five-year renovation, they had to contend with a pandemic, welcoming their first child, opening several new hospitality businesses and managing another project in New Zealand that featured on the local version of Grand Designs.

The property is decorated with a very neutral palette throughout.

But once complete, you would be hard pressed to find much resemblance to the property they purchased.

“Being able to transform an old house into something like what it is now, to the point where most people wouldn’t know that it is a renovation, that’s a highlight,” Mark said.

The now open-plan, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home is decorated in a palate of whites and creams.

An array of textures and natural materials were used throughout in a thoughtful and considered way. The concrete floor was hand pressed to create a unique colour and shading effect, while white concrete was used to craft the stairs, oversized kitchen island and plinth in the living room.

The parents can retreat upstairs to the mezzanine master suite, but that’s not Liz’s favourite part of their new home.

“We’ve got this mud room off to the side of the house which, as a mum and a wife of a tradie, it’s so bloody handy having this zone so I can keep mess away from the rest of the living space,” she said.

That holiday feeling is carried outside. The home is surrounded by reclaimed limestone rocks and dragon trees, birds of paradise and date palms, which complement the custom-built cabana. The circular concrete pool is the newest addition but is already a hit with the young family.

The circular pool is a hit.

It’s almost like being in your own private villa in Bali, the couple agreed.

“Whilst we live in suburbia, it’s quite secluded at the same time,” Liz said.

“We’ve surrounded the property with fences and greenery, so you do feel quite private even though it’s just over a 700 sqm block.”

Even though the renovation has only just been completed, the itch to begin a new project has already taken hold.

The property on High St, Sorrento is on the market with Ben Keevers and Emma ­Guthrie of Ray White Keevers Group and it has a price guide of $2m.

The Ahearns are moving south towards the holiday town of Busselton. Not ready to take a break, they have secured a rundown, 12-bedroom and bathroom bed and breakfast, which they are looking to convert into a home.