Jesse and Mel’s Reno Story: Bringing an 1863 Home Back to Life

When Jesse and Mel Raeburn bought their circa 1863 home, it had been sitting vacant for around five years. Gardens were growing inside, ceilings had collapsed, windows were smashed and holes in the roof had left the house exposed to the weather.

The couple are no strangers to a big renovation, having competed on The Block in 2019, where they took on one of the show’s biggest builds at the Oslo in St Kilda. That experience came in handy with this project, which quickly became much more than a renovation. Jesse and Mel rebuilt almost the entire house while keeping its original period facade.

For the couple, bringing an old house back to life was a big part of the appeal. They bought the property with one child and welcomed two more children before the project was finished. Their plans included creating a home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a fully self contained studio above the garage for friends and family to stay.

That extra studio also brought one of the biggest delays. Jesse and Mel needed to return to council for an updated permit, adding around four months to the process. Combined with the amount of work they completed themselves, the entire build took close to 15 months.

Choosing materials made to last

From the start, Jesse and Mel wanted to create a home that would stand the test of time. They focused on natural materials and finishes that felt right for the original home while still working for the way they live today.

Concrete, brick, timber and brass became the foundation of their material palette.

Jesse took the lead on the interiors, working through a number of design decisions to ensure the home had a sense of cohesion from room to room. He found this one of the most challenging parts of the project, particularly because they wanted to achieve a high level of finish throughout the entire home.

Why Antique Brass became a key finish

Jesse and Mel knew before buying the house that they wanted Antique Brass tapware. They had seen the finish online and loved it, so they ordered a sample before making their selections.

From there, Antique Brass became one of the key details throughout the home. They carried the finish from their tapware through to door handles, hinges and glass hardware, creating consistency from room to room.

For Jesse and Mel, being able to use the same finish throughout the home was also one of the reasons they chose Yabby. Matching brass finishes across different suppliers can be difficult, so having tapware and hardware available in the same Antique Brass made their selections much simpler.

“The continuity with the Antique Brass tapware meant that every metal finish in our home was the same, something that is really difficult to achieve.” Jesse says.

Taking on plenty of the work themselves

With help from friends and family, Jesse and Mel completed a large amount of the build themselves, including the concrete slab, timber frame, window installation, block walls, tiling, cladding and landscaping. They brought qualified trades in for electrical, plumbing, roofing and plastering.

Taking on so much of the work themselves meant the project took longer than they originally hoped. During the build, Mel was at home with their children, while Jesse worked in real estate for the first 12 months before later moving into building.

Bringing the natural palette into the bathrooms

In the ensuite and guest bathroom, Jesse and Mel paired TileCloud’s Kirribilli Travertine Look Tiles with Antique Brass tapware, continuing the natural material palette used throughout the home.

The Kirribilli Travertine Look Tiles gave Jesse and Mel the natural stone look they wanted, with the practicality of porcelain for a busy family home. Unlike natural travertine, porcelain does not require sealing, making it a lower maintenance option for everyday spaces. Jesse, who previously worked as a tiler, was particularly impressed by how closely they replicated the look of real stone.

The Antique Brass tapware worked naturally alongside the warm tones and variation of the travertine look tiles, while connecting the bathrooms back to the metal finishes used throughout the rest of the home.

Jesse and Mel’s advice for first time renovators

After almost 15 months of building, council delays and plenty of work completed with their own hands, Jesse and Mel have one clear piece of advice for anyone starting their first renovation: finalise your plans and product selections before work begins.

Renovating already comes with plenty of decisions. Knowing what materials, products and finishes you are using before work starts gives you a much clearer plan to follow once trades are on site.

Samples were an important part of that process for Jesse and Mel. They ordered tile samples as well as sample discs of the different finishes for their tapware before making their selections.

It’s a practical lesson from a project that involved rebuilding almost an entire home. Plan early, make your selections and know how you want everything to work together before work begins.

Follow Jesse and Mel’s projects on Instagram at @jesseandmelblock.