In 2011, Alex McCabe fell in love with a daggy, draughty cottage in Melbourne’s inner city, St Kilda.
The mother of two had just started Kip & Co, a housewares company, and had big dreams of turning the dilapidated hovel into a beautiful retreat.
But the place needed so much work. In 2016, when she finally saved the money for major renovations, her friends warned her.
The extensions would cost $49,000, according to the prosecutor’s office that passed in September of that year.
Her friends thought she was crazy and told her to wind down the intense project: this made her more determined to make four years of dreams come true.
From the street, this quaint little cottage resembles thousands of others in Melbourne’s St Kilda
But inside it is larger than life and drenched in light
The pink kitchen has become one of the most famous on Pinterest
‘I’ve worked in beautiful houses all this time. I dreamed of the day when I could have something like that too; it just took me so long to save the money and to have the idea of what I wanted firmly in my head,” she told Domain.
And from her descriptions of the old house, it’s easy to see why.
“It was super hot inside in the summer and so cold in the winter I could see my breath,” she said.
There were daggy brown tiles and wood paneling in the living areas – the real highlights were the location and the communal garden next to it.
But it wasn’t long before the mother-of-two and businesswoman’s dream came true — and she had “the most pinned kitchen on Pinterest.”
In June, ‘the same’ two-bedroom white wooden cottage sold for $1.62 million, well above the market average for comparable homes in St Kilda and double what she bought it for.
When it hit the market in early June, the charming house was not described as run down, a renovator’s dream or a quaint house with lots of potential.
Alex McCabe transformed the house – despite warnings from friends, her dreams for the place were too big
Now every room is drenched in sunshine and bursting with color – echoing the style of the Kip & Co founder’s interior empire
The before photos are much less glamorous
The house felt dull and cold
It was marketed as an inner-city retreat, quiet, restful and beautiful – a paradise hiding behind an unassuming exterior in a sleepy cul-de-sac in one of Melbourne’s most desirable suburbs.
FEMAIL got an inside look before it hit the market – and it’s anything but cold and damp.
Alex’s signature bright and sparkling style, which can be seen in her Kip & Co collection, is reflected in every part of the house.
From the pink and copper, Pintrest-famous kitchen, to the fun bedrooms and open living spaces that extend to the back of the house.
Alex was overjoyed when she found someone willing to bring her dreams to life.
The house now continues from the front where the bedrooms are to the backyard
The pink kitchen replaced a sad brown panel kitchen that was quite outdated
The renovations combined old-world charm with modern architectural elements that provide more light
She explained that she didn’t want the same “cookie knife” white cottage she saw everywhere.
And wanted a light and warm space to reflect her personality.
Her architect Michael McManus was on board and helped her flood the cottage with natural light and push the boundaries.
She also enlisted the help of her then-boyfriend, Bobby Babb, who later became her husband and father to her children Quincy, 5, and Pearl, 3.
The mother wanted every room to have its own moment – not just the spectacular kitchen.
Alex didn’t want to have one ‘it room’ in the house, so made sure the bedrooms had just as much personality when she was renovating
According to a DA, the structural renovations cost just $49,000
Although it remains her favorite part of the house – and she prides herself on the fact that the stunning features have not aged the house in the years since it was installed.
The family left the quaint cottage when Covid hit – and moved to the Mornington Peninsula, where they’ve decided to stay.
They put the property on the market after renting it out to two separate tenants who were happy to pay $850-$900 a week for the little piece of paradise.
Alex dressed the house in her Kip & Co stuff to make it ready for sale.
She told FEMAIL she “hoped it would help.”
“I really wanted to bring the property to life so that the lucky buyers could see their future selves in the house. I think styling the house beautifully also showcases the property’s incredible architectural features, which was important,” she said.
She added that most of the styling was similar to when they lived at home, which made it easier to style.
‘We recently moved to the Mornington Peninsula, but this is very true to life of how we set up the place ourselves and we’ve already put our own favorite pieces in the house. The only real difference was putting a queen bed in the guest bedroom instead of the mess of the girls’ room.”
She added that there are some non-structural changes people can make to give their space a facelift.
‘Large rugs anchor a home, I think they’re really essential. Good bold wall colors form the basis. And great bedding of course – it’s the easiest way to give your bedroom a complete makeover without having to spend a remodel.’
She said that while color is important to her, people should choose what feels livable to them before embarking on a renovation.
“Start with the bones: choose colors and textures for the walls and floors,” she said.
“I think really successful styling makes you feel something — so I fill my house with moments that remind me of good times and are conversation starters.” And finish with beautiful furniture that is comfortable and gives you a feeling of rejuvenation and expression.’
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