{"id":599310,"date":"2026-02-24T13:00:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T18:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/?p=599310"},"modified":"2026-02-24T13:41:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T18:41:35","slug":"this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/","title":{"rendered":"This Melbourne Home Is a Case Study in Respectful Reinvention"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In Melbourne\u2019s leafy south-eastern suburbs, where wide streets and established gardens frame a lineage of early 20th-century homes, a grand 1912 Federation residence has found a second life. Designed by architect Augustus Fritsch\u2014known for his historic Catholic churches across the city\u2014the house carries all the hallmarks of its era: soaring ceiling heights, articulated plaster cornices, stained glass windows, ornate architraves, and rooms generous in both proportion and presence.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-01\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599313\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599313\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-01-810x540.jpg\" alt=\"Modern living room with large shuttered windows, gray walls, contemporary furniture, a marble fireplace, abstract sculptures, and geometric light fixture.\" width=\"810\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-01-810x540.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-01-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-01.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-02\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599314\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599314\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-02-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern living room with a mint green chair, marble fireplace, geometric mirror, stacked firewood, hanging bulb light, and minimalist decor.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-02-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-02-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-02-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-02-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-02.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But while the bones were magnificent, the question facing interior designer <strong>Swee Lim<\/strong> of <a href=\"https:\/\/sweedesign.com.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Swee Design<\/strong><\/a> was one much of the industry must contend with: how do you honor history without becoming beholden to it? The answer, in this case, was not restraint, but joy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-03\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599315\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599315\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-03-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern living room with a marble fireplace, geometric mirror, contemporary chandelier, green armchair, textured sofa, coffee table, and shuttered windows.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-03-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-03-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-03-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-03-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-03.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The home unfolds across three levels, split between two architectural expressions: the original heritage facade and formal rooms at the front, and a contemporary rear extension that opens into a light-filled kitchen and living zone connected to the garden. A basement level\u2013\u2013complete with games room, bar, and an inner courtyard\u2014adds a layer of unexpected drama.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-04\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599316\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599316\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-04-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A minimalist living room with a textured grey sofa, small round side table, abstract pink sculptures, and a shelf with a framed artwork and two stained glass windows.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-04-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-04-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-04-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-04-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-04.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>For designers and homeowners navigating similar renovations, the first lesson lies here: identify the natural fault lines between old and new. Rather than attempting to blur them into homogeneity, this project celebrates their contrast. The formal heritage rooms remain composed and dignified; the extension becomes expressive and fluid.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-05\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599317\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599317\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-05-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern living space with a blue kitchen island, brass range hood, marble backsplash, and decorative pillows on a curved sofa; hallway with wooden floors and a window with white shutters.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-05-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-05-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-05-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-05-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-05.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe interplay between old and new became the foundation for the interior direction,\u201d Lim notes. This is modernization not as erasure, but as dialogue.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-06\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599318\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599318\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-06-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern living and dining area with white cabinetry, marble table, two purple chairs, pendant lights, and a vase with flowers on the table. Neutral tones and minimalist decor.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-06-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-06-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-06-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-06-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-06.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Home to a family of five, with three young adult children, the brief was layered. The house needed to function as an everyday residence, elegant enough for adult entertaining yet relaxed enough to evolve as children return with partners and friends.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-07\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599319\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599319\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-07-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern patio with a curved lounge chair and blue-accented cushions, set beside glass doors leading to a dining area and a spiral staircase, with green leaves in the foreground.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-07-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-07-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-07-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-07-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-07.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Crucially, the clients were not interested in a safe, neutral interior. They were creative, adventurous with color, and open to living with bold art and sculptural furniture. That openness transformed the project from renovation to curation.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-09\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599321\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599321\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-09-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern living room and dining area with a gray sectional sofa, textured cushions, a blue-patterned rug, minimalist pendant lights, and large windows with sheer curtains.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-09-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-09-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-09-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-09-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-09.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Herein lies the second lesson: modernization succeeds when it reflects the inhabitants\u2019 personalities beyond contemporary trends. A historic shell can hold an entirely new narrative, provided the architecture is respected.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-10\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599322\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599322\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-10-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A modern living room with sheer curtains, a teal lounge chair, a marble coffee table with books and decor, and a large woven wall hanging above a fireplace.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-10-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-10-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-10-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-10-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-10.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-11\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599323\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599323\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-11-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern living room with a blue lounge chair, round side table, blue rug, wall hanging textile art, open shelving, and a coffee table with flowers and books.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-11-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-11-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-11-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-11-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-11.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Rather than applying a single palette throughout, Lim choreographed color as a progression. In the original Federation rooms, an elegant warm grey forms a quietly luxurious backdrop respectful of the home\u2019s heritage proportions and formal use. It allows the plasterwork and stained glass to remain legible while creating a calm base for art.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-12\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599324\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599324\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-12-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A modern dining room with a round black table, six blue chairs, a vase of pink flowers, a white fireplace, stained glass windows, and a contemporary pendant light.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-12-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-12-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-12-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-12-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-12.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-13\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599325\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599325\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-13-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A modern living room with abstract art on the wall, a decorative gold sculpture, books, and a white console table; a tall sculptural piece stands on the right.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-13-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-13-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-13-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-13-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-13.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Move into the contemporary wing and the mood shifts. Oceanic blues appear in lacquered joinery, deepened by velvet furnishings and punctuated with pink, burgundy, and bronze accents. Color functions as much more than decorative flourish linking artwork, materiality, and mood across space. Restraint offsets rooms with heavy ornamentation. New, contemporary zones celebrate saturation. And bold choices are anchored to materials and art rather than aesthetics and trends.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-14\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599326\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599326\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-14-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A wooden chair sits below a framed artwork with a pink architectural scene and palm shadows in a minimalist room with white walls and light wood flooring.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-14-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-14-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-14-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-14-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-14.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Each room, Lim says, has its own personality. Together, they form a cohesive narrative rather than a matching set.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-15\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599327\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599327\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-15-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern hallway with large window, geometric chandelier, abstract wall art, a textured rug, sculptural console table, and a view of greenery outside.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-15-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-15-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-15-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-15-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-15.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-16\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599328\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599328\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-16-810x540.jpg\" alt=\"A multicolored, fan-shaped rug with overlapping arcs sits on a wooden floor next to a white console table with decorative objects.\" width=\"810\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-16-810x540.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-16-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-16.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Artworks were sourced across Australia and internationally, including a large-scale textile commission from Mexican studio Caralarga. Custom lighting, hand-built ceramic totems, and bespoke furniture from local makers reinforce a sense of collaboration.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-17\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599329\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599329\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-17-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A white geometric table with pink glass blocks, a black sphere, a clear sphere, a white cylinder, and a pink wall-mounted abstract floral sculpture above it.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-17-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-17-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-17-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-17-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-17.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-18\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599330\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599330\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-18-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Three colorful, abstract sculptural columns stand beneath a modern white staircase with wooden steps and a curved handrail in a minimalist interior.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-18-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-18-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-18-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-18-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-18.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One of the project\u2019s most dramatic moments lies below ground: a 100-kilogram bronze sculpture craned into the basement courtyard, now serving as a focal point in the light-filled inner garden. It is a literal example of commitment to creative vision\u2014in this case, modernization required structural choreography.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-19\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599331\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599331\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-19-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern office with dark wood shelves, decorative vases, sculptures, books, and a tan leather chair; partial view of an abstract black sculpture in the foreground.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-19-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-19-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-19-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-19-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-19.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-20\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599332\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599332\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-20-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A modern bar area with dark wood paneling, glass decanters, a white decorative figure, and two brown bar stools.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-20-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-20-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-20-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-20-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-20.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But the grandeur of Federation architecture can easily tip into stiffness. The antidote here is texture. Dolomite and pink marble introduce luminous solidity. Cast bronze and brass accents add weight and patina. Light timber and lacquered joinery soften transitions. Velvets, linens, leather, quilted fabrics, and hand-woven tapestries bring tactility and soul. These choices modulate scale. High ceilings demand pieces with presence like large-scale artworks, sculptural furniture, and custom lighting. The architecture allows it, nay, encourages it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-21\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599333\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599333\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-21-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A polished, elongated metallic sculpture of a human face is displayed on a stone base inside a glass-walled room with black pebbles and small plants.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-21-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-21-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-21-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-21-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-21.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Heritage homes often intimidate owners into preservation without participation. Here, history provides scale and structure; contemporary art and color provide vitality. If there is a defining idea behind the project\u2014aptly titled Kaleidoscope\u2014it is that the contemporary home functions as a curated, living gallery when designed well. Yet nothing is treated as untouchable. This is a full-time home, designed to be used and lived in\u2014sculptural furniture included.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-22\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599334\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599334\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-22-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern dining area with a white table, blue chairs, abstract sculptures, a black chandelier, large window with greenery, and a curved white staircase in the background.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-22-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-22-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-22-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-22-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-22.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-23\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599335\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599335\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-23-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A modern interior with a curved white staircase, marble steps, black handrail, large window, wooden floor, blue abstract sculpture, and navy chairs around a round table.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-23-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-23-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-23-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-23-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-23.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the end, this 1912 Federation home does not feel frozen in time. Nor does it feel stripped of its past. Instead, it stands as proof that heritage architecture can hold contemporary energy\u2014so long as the intervention is thoughtful, personal, and unafraid of color.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-24\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599336\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599336\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-24-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A modern bedroom with a blue bed, purple pillows, bedside table with a lamp, grey curtains, white shutters, and a stained glass window above.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-24-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-24-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-24-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-24-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-24.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-25\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599337\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599337\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-25-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"A neatly made bed with purple and blue linens sits beside a small round nightstand, under a decorative stained glass window in a softly lit bedroom.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-25-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-25-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-25-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-25-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-25.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/this-melbourne-home-is-a-case-study-in-respectful-reinvention\/melbourne-home-swee-design-long-contracting-26\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-599338\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-599338\" src=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-26-810x1215.jpg\" alt=\"Modern bathroom with a round brass-framed mirror, wall-mounted lights, marble countertop, vessel sink, and a vase with branches on the right.\" width=\"810\" height=\"1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-26-810x1215.jpg 810w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-26-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-26-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-26-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design-milk.com\/images\/2026\/02\/Melbourne-Home-Swee-Design-Long-Contracting-26.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>To learn more about the collaborators behind the project, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/sweedesign.com.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sweedesign.com.au<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.longcontracting.com.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ongcontracting.com.au<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Photography by <a href=\"https:\/\/shannonmcgrath.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shannon McGrath<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Swee Design transforms a grand Federation home into a vibrant living gallery, proving that historic architecture can embrace contemporary color, collaboration, and personality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":599312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[195,1],"tags":[5256,11423,47780,14437,34270,9029,8044,47779,12753,9305,9911,44705,47778,47777],"internal_flag":[],"class_list":["post-599310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interior-design","category-main","tag-architecture-2","tag-australia","tag-historic-home","tag-home","tag-home-renovation","tag-house","tag-interior-design-2","tag-long-contracting","tag-melbourne","tag-renovation","tag-residence","tag-residential-architecture","tag-swee-design","tag-swee-lim"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>This Melbourne Home Is a Case Study in Respectful Reinvention<\/title>\n<meta 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