Victoria & Cass’ Cozy Work-In-Progress Home

published Jul 29, 2015

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Name: Victoria Mason and Cass Godden (and dog Peggy)
Location: Northcote, Victoria, Australia
Size: 120 square metres, 2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms
Years lived in: 6 years; Owned

Victoria Mason is a talented jeweler and artist, her partner Cass Godden is a pastry chef, and together they are also talented DIY-ers. Over the years, they have slowly restored, renovated, ripped out, and added to their inner Melbourne home — often with the help of Cass’ dad. The most recent additions are the new floor in the dining room and the complete bathroom overhaul, along with a new outdoor deck and garden shed. Next up on their ambitious agenda are the living room floor and the kitchen.

View from dining room across the living room through to the kitchen (Image credit: Natalie Jeffcott)

(Image credit: Natalie Jeffcott)

When you enter Victoria and Cass’ home, (like many older Victorian houses in inner Melbourne) you are greeted with a long hallway with two bedrooms off to one side—but then their home surprises with twists and turns. It has many smaller rooms that then lead off each other. The kitchen is accessed from the living room and the living room leads from the dining room. Off the living room is also the office which then leads to a second bathroom and onto the backyard and outdoor studio — where Victoria paints (her jewelry studio is located in the Nicholas Building in the city)

Victoria and Cass have filled their home with mementos from travel along with treasured artwork from friends, such as the painting and gocco prints by Melbourne artist Gemma Jones seen throughout their home. One of Victoria’s favorite artists is Vali Myers and she displays one of Myers’ prints in the dining room that she bought at her 1994 exhibition in Melbourne. In their living room is an artwork by Miso created for an exhibition with Outre Gallery and the Vali Myers Trust celebrating the life and art of Vali Myers. Victoria also created a tribute necklace for this exhibition.

(Image credit: Natalie Jeffcott)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: Eclectic style with no particular image/style in mind. We decorate with many books and plants because they are both nurturing, and also artwork made by our friends.

Inspiration: It’s a work in progress; our style has changed over the years as we’ve used the spaces differently. I enjoy having lots of artwork on the walls. I love objects that remind me of people that I love and places that we’ve been.

Favorite Element: There’s no straight path through the house, it winds around in unexpected ways giving the space lots of personality.

Biggest Challenge: Keeping an old Victorian house warm in winter.

What Friends Say: “Which way do we go?”

Biggest Embarrassment: Trampoline-like floor in the living room (sub floor is next on the list to be fixed).

Proudest DIY: Built-in shelves in the bathroom.

Biggest Indulgence: Floor tiles in the bathroom and hydronic heating.

Best Advice: If it’s not practical to fix it, learn to love it.

Dream Sources: Angelucci (Fitzroy) and Spacecraft (Fitzroy).