How Josh and Charlotte restored the splendour of an 1880s terrace

When Josh Terrett and Charlotte Ekas walked into a rundown North Sydney terrace, the former reality TV contestants instantly fell in love.

The property at 23 West Street was built around 1883 and hadn’t been touched in decades. But the couple who appeared on season 10 of The Block, could see its beauty.

The Block airs on Nine, owner of this masthead.

“It already had this really warm, exciting feeling, and we wanted to keep that but … modernise it,” said Ekas, 36.

“Straight away we fell in love with the facade and the opportunity … it was a dark rabbit warren of little rooms, and it definitely needed a lot of work.”

“It was very rundown,” said Terrett, 37, a third generation builder and founder of JT Construct, who has experience with heritage terrace restoration.

“So that was another reason why we jumped into this one, because I just love the craftsmanship side,” he said.

In 2024, Ekas and Terrett purchased “Colchester” for $3.1 million and started planning its transformation. Ekas managed all the creative and interior design aspects, while Terrett handled everything to do with the build and the budget. As a couple, this would be their third renovation together.

“We are a great team when it comes to creating a home,” said Ekas, who has left her job teaching primary school and is now focused on their building company.

While Ekas has always been creative, she said the couple’s experience on The Block may have ignited her passion for architecture and design.

As for Terrett, he was a carpenter on the show and became a builder afterwards.

“When we were on The Block, we were so naive, and I think we were just so young and inexperienced that we were just there to give it a go and just try our best,” Ekas said, adding they were both aged 24, in a new city and didn’t know anybody at that time.

“Whereas now, we’re experienced in this industry, and we have an amazing set of trades and suppliers that we lean on and work together with.”

Together, the couple restored the splendour to the staircase, mantelpieces, lacework, stained-glass windows, bifold windows, original cedar doors and fireplaces. Five smaller rooms were merged to create an open-plan living area with openings for natural light to flow through.

During the demolition phase the property, which shares a common wall with the neighbour, was propped up extensively with a floating floor.

Privacy was important and was achieved through greenery and strategically placed fluted glass. An extra bedroom and bathroom was added to the upper level, and an EV charger to the double lock-up garage.

Terrett was passionate about installing a wine cellar, and nominated the empty space under the stairs as the perfect spot.

Now that the project is completed, the couple are proud of its timeless elegance and styling.

Ekas is particularly fond of the grand entrance, with its black and white chequered tumbled marble tiles, “cloud tree” and chandelier, while Terrett loves details like the ceiling beams which create a visual flow from indoors to outdoors.

While every decision was made with their family in mind, the couple have three children under the age of six, and want to stay on the northern beaches.

The property is now listed for auction on August 22 with Peter Chauncy from McGrath Crows Nest. It has a guide of $6 million.

Chauncy said he was surprised over 200 people inspected the property over a two-week period.

“The North Sydney market for houses and terraces is incredibly tightly held … so there are very few that come on the market,” he said.

“So these sorts of terraces might come up once or twice a year, but that’s probably why this is getting quite a lot of interest.”

The latest series of The Block, the 22nd season, starts airing on August 2. This time, the properties are located in Mount Eliza, Melbourne.

Another property connected to The Block is also on the market – an apartment in Bondi Beach renovated by Paul and Kylie Ingram, who were on the first season.

Selling agent Conrad Panebianco from PPD Real Estate said there were people who liked the association with “something that’s exciting like one of The Block properties.”

“They essentially brought the building back to a shell and redid it all over again,” he said.