After almost 30 years in the leafy eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Jutta made the move to a townhouse in Fitzroy. Whilst she loved the suburb, the townhouse on Young Street was not quite right and it was through her son, Jeremy, that Jutta was introduced to Milieu.

My son, Jeremy, sent me marketing material for Bedford by Milieu and we decided to purchase an apartment for him in that development. In conversations with Patrick for the Bedford purchase I mentioned that I was unhappy in Young Street but wanted to stay in Fitzroy and I was searching for an apartment with a view. 231 Napier Street was in the final stages of selling and the serendipitous timing of this conversation led me to the west facing penthouse that takes in city views. The orientation, views and size of the dual level penthouse were perfect for my forever home, however I did want to make changes to future proof the home for myself. Working with my friend Barbara Remmen of Inside & Co, we reworked the floorplan to include an internal lift, personalised the interior design and made the view the focal point on the upper level. I have always enjoyed adding colour to an interior through artwork and soft furnishings so we paired back the joinery finishes palette to allow me to add artwork to every available piece of wall space.

I was a little nervous about buying off the plan, having only ever purchased existing property in the past. However with Barbara’s help I was walked through the plans and gained a good understanding of the space and how we could manipulate and redesign the space to work for me. The final product turned out beyond my expectations and I am so happy with my custom apartment.

After my initial reservations about buying off the plan I found the whole process quite straight forward. Patrick Cooney was always took my calls, was open to answering and happy to talk me through any queries that arose.
Spending that kind of money on something not yet built was a little anxiety inducing, especially as I didn’t know if I would like the completed project, however together with Barbara we worked closely with Milieu and the builders to deliver my custom apartment which I love.

Safety and security was a major consideration for me when purchasing at 231 Napier Street. I also like having neighbours close by and as we are all owner occupiers who moved in at the same time we have formed a lovely community within the building. Low maintenance apartment living was a conscious decision for me so I can lock up and leave when I need.

As I had lived close by in Fitzroy for the previous 2 years this wasn’t a huge lifestyle change. I knew that I liked the area and the suburb however I was pleasantly surprised that, despite Napier Street being in the middle of the ‘action’, my apartment feels very private and secluded; it’s like a little haven for me.

Art, books and mementos from my travels make this space my home. I have artwork installed in every available space, even the laundry! I’m not someone who can live with artwork leaning up against a wall; rather it is always something that needs to be installed as soon as I move into a new space. It makes me feel instantly at home.