Into the blue

Built in the Victorian gold rush era, Belinda and Patrick Hall’s home is in one of Melbourne’s oldest tree-lined suburbs while its heritage as a former dairy gives it much character. ‘When we first viewed it, I loved the traditional brickwork, stately front rooms and original floorboards,’ says Belinda. ‘There was an extension at the back with a modern kitchen, living room and bathroom, which offered a lovely feeling of light and space, too.’ While the neighbourhood norm was to retain the elegant front rooms and erect a ‘white box’ rear extension, the Halls felt that more structural changes weren’t