Before & After: In Australia, a Tumbledown Midcentury Is Leveled Up With a Sculptural Stair

It’s not always easy to spot a hidden gem in real estate, but builder Cameron Keen could see past the superficial flaws of this midcentury home in Adelaide, Australia, when he and wife, Georgy, stumbled across it in 2016. Hiding beneath its asbestos roof and shabby interior was a solid, double-brick shell and loads of potential.

"It was a lucky one—we weren’t really looking in the area," Cameron says. "It was full of asbestos and termites but we thought, well, the termites can’t get into the hardwood—and they can’t get into double bricks! It had really good bones and a really good vibe about it as an original midcentury house."

Before: Dining Area

After: Dining Area

Cameron and Georgy initially planned to "just tidy it up," but as their family grew (they’re now parents to three young children) and the home’s beachside location began to explode in popularity, they realized it made sense to give the house a full overhaul.

"It became viable to spend a bit more money on it," Cameron explains. "There was no real budget per se—it was more just, ‘hey, let’s build a cool house we like and see how we go.’"

Set on a hillside block, the home had fantastic coastal and city views and pretty good passive design: it captured sunlight through large windows to warm the living space in winter. Cameron, who’s passionate about sustainable design, wanted to double down on these elements with the remodel.

Before: Living Room