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A few years ago, one of the oldest houses in Norwood faced a bleak future. The owners had spent little to nothing on maintenance over the years, rubbish was piling up and services had been disconnected. Developers began circling hoping to acquire the property for a bargain price. Illegal demolition appeared to be the most likely outcome at this stage.
Thankfully, representatives of the Norwood Orchards Residents Association (NORA) heard about the situation and decided to take action. They facilitated the sale of the property to a sensitive buyer who took urgent steps to halt the decline of the property. Layers of rubbish were cleared, electricity and water services were reconnected and waterproofing maintenance was carried out. Miraculously, many of the property's heritage features had survived the years of neglect.
As soon as the condition of the house had been stabilised, it was sold to Brendan Lombard who carried out a spectacular restoration. He was assisted by a sensitive contractor who was able to restore large sections of the original flooring, many of the ceilings and all of the fireplaces (click here for contact details). Below are a few before and after photographs that reveal an inspired vision.
The front of the house before restoration (Brendan Lombard)
The front of the house after restoration (The Heritage Portal)
The front left of the house before restoration (Brendan Lombard)
A zoomed out shot showing the front left of the house after restoration (Brendan Lombard)
A before shot of the room that would become the dining room (Brendan Lombard)
The dining room after restoration (Brendan Lombard)
The fireplace in the room that would become the dining room (Brendan Lombard)
The fireplace after restoration (The Heritage Portal)
A view through the entrance passage towards the dining room (The Heritage Portal)
The kitchen before restoration (Brendan Lombard)
The new kitchen (The Heritage Portal)
Another shot of the new kitchen (Brendan Lombard)
Looking towards the old bathroom (Brendan Lombard)
The new bathroom (The Heritage Portal)
Another shot of the new bathroom (Brendan Lombard)
The rear of the house before restoration (Brendan Lombard)
The rear of the house after restoration. A new pool has been installed on the left (The Heritage Portal)
The new pool (The Heritage Portal)
An old photo of 52 Nellie Road
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