How a savvy couple transformed a time-warp home for modern family life

Amy Lee Moore and her husband, Timothy Moore, are used to working together. It’s how they met. Interior designer Amy Lee, 37, and builder Timothy, 36, worked together for one year on a commercial project before beginning a relationship.

Fast-forward a wedding and two kids later and they have completed their fourth renovation in Wollstonecraft, bringing a bright apartment from the 1960s into the present day.

When the couple first walked into the property at 3/50 Shirley Road, it instantly inspired them.

“It was like walking into a time-warp, to be honest. It hadn’t been touched in 60 years,” Amy Lee said.

The couple purchased the off-market ground level apartment for $1,505,000 in January 2025.

It was a special feeling when they first got the keys and saw the place empty as a blank canvas.

With so many older buildings being lost to development in Sydney, Amy Lee said they were really passionate about “trying to keep these buildings alive and celebrate them”.

“We love the idea of finding old places and giving them new lives,” she added.

Amy Lee set about pinning a joint Pinterest board with their vision. Timothy set up tracking spreadsheets. And they designed their kitchen in 3D.

Fortunately, they were able to rent back the apartment they had just sold in Mosman. So they wouldn’t need to move their young family, including a baby, out until the messiest and dustiest renovation works were completed.

By day, they both work on commercial projects which run at a fast pace, so as a team they were used to running efficiently.

“We had lined up every trade, and we had obviously programmed that to be as quick as possible,” Amy Lee said. They found residential work comparatively slower and more challenging than they were used to yet overall more enjoyable.

“It’s different when you’re doing it for yourself … It’s kind of nice to be the client and control the budget … There’s a joy in it, for sure,” Timothy said.

They had planned to retain the 1960s kitchen and cabinetry – but practically, the narrow bench-tops didn’t leave room for essentials for everyday living with children, such as modern appliances or a dishwasher.

Structurally, they added a large archway, which opened the kitchen to the living room and changed the use of the space. They stressed the modernisation of the 1960s property did not mean converting it to open plan.

“I don’t love open plan. I think it’s really nice to have individual spaces,” Amy Lee said, adding, “I think you can just create more … little unique moments … it feels a bit cosier in a home.”

They honoured original colour choices but went for a softer palette. So the hot pink bathroom instead became rose with a brescia stone top. The lime green in the kitchen became a more muted shade in the splashback.

All door handles were retained. Timothy said they were “too cool” not to keep. “You can’t buy a design like that nowadays,” he said.

They love the layout. They used engineered timber flooring throughout which created a “beautiful flow” and carpets for warmth in the bedrooms. Half of the living room is used as a playzone and their children have separate bedrooms.

They worked tirelessly after hours and on weekends. Timothy handled the “grunt work”, demolition, project management and fiddly jobs such as hanging blinds and painting. Amy Lee handled all aspects of the interior design and documentation.

And unlike most renovators, they did not go over budget. Timothy said, “I run a pretty tight ship.” Amy Lee added, “Tim will reign me in. We are tracking it live as we do it.” In addition to their labour they spent $140,000.

The building has well-known established gardens and there is even a communal vegie patch which had tomatoes last summer. All residents pitch in with planting, harvesting and enjoying the produce.

“The girls love going out and picking flowers… in the garden. So it’s a lovely spot,” Timothy said.

The only reason the Moores have decided to move on is because they want to grow their family.

“If we’re lucky enough, we absolutely want more,” Timothy said.

“The next project for us is more kids, and so we obviously haven’t found the next place, but we’re definitely looking… the dream is to get into a house,” he said.

Selling agent Stephen O’Sullivan from BresicWhitney Lower North Shore said, “Quite frankly, there’s not a lot of direct comparisons to the property.”

“I’ve been selling in this area for over a decade, and you don’t see properties … tastefully renovated to this level,” he said.

The apartment has a guide of $1.7 million and is scheduled for auction on November 7.

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