Former milk bar-cum-renovated Prahran residence to go under the hammer

A former milk bar-cum-renovated three-bedroom gem on the border of Prahran and Windsor will go under the hammer this Saturday with a price guide of $940,000 to $1.05 million.

Located on Lewisham Road, interior designer Phillip Chester purchased the property in 2001 and transformed the property into a livable residence over the next decade with inspiration drawn from Europe.

The home, that features French doors to a north-facing courtyard, archways and rustic tiling, is scheduled for May 4 auction.

“The home has fantastic finishes, he’s really finished it brilliantly,” says agent Andrew James of Hocking Stuart Real Estate Armadale.

The 186-square-metre property also includes a self-contained home office with a kitchenette and ensuites.

James says there has been a great deal of interest in the property due to its unique offering of car access.

“I overheard one of the agents saying this property is owned by an interior designer, and wow can you sense it!" says Peter Sinclair of James Buyers Advocates.

Influenced by many designers including David Hicks and American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Chester, after studying in Perth and working in the Northern Territory, moved to Melbourne to join Riddell Marly, one of Australia’s most distguished interior design practices. It was in 1976 when Riddell Interiors and Marly Interiors had merged to become Riddell Marly.

The duo's clientele read like a list of who's who in Australia - including Susan Sangster's famous Point Piper Sydney house, Toison d'or, the homes of three Lord Mayors of Melbourne and the Lodge in Canberra for a Prime Minister.