A historic villa at 210 Young Street was likely destined for the bulldozer before it was brought back to life through a painstaking renovation by Kass and Edna Nagi.

“My wife and I have renovated a few properties and we like to find hidden gems that need some love and care,” says Kass.

“We saw the corner allotment with the side-by-side garaging and we thought it would be an interesting property to tackle and restore it to its original beauty. So, we saw it as a challenge.”

“I could see the grandness of how it would look with the extension and how appealing it would be from the street. That spoke heavily to us.”

Kass says that when they purchased the house it had demolition approval, but when they started to look closer, they uncovered unique original features and realised it was too good to knock down.

“My wife studied architecture and interior design, and as we started looking at the home, she realised the bungalow didn’t fit the original character of the home,” he says.

“We started unpacking everything, and found that the original villa was actually hidden behind the façade of the bungalow.

“So, once we purchased it and got our hands on it, we thought, no, this is too good to knock down. We’ve got to save this one. And that’s what we did.”

The extensive renovations to the house were designed by D’Andrea Architects, with interior design selections by Edna.

“Once we had a floor plan that we wanted in place, that was quite functional and we just stuck to it,” says Kass.

“Because it’s a north-facing rear and you get a lot of sunlight, we wanted to have a lot of glass in the back extension area to make it feel like you’re inside and outside, surrounded by gardens, greenery and the pool.”

Even from the outside, this historic house has a contemporary feel. The minimalist fence and garden draw your attention to the fully restored facade, with crisp repointed stone and stunning leadlight windows.

Stepping inside, you are greeted by the soaring hallway with polished oak floors and the rose-adorned ceilings that were discovered during the restoration.

The ceilings are one of Kass’ favourite features.

In this historic part of the dwelling, you will find the house’s four bedrooms, three of which have gorgeous fireplaces.

The master bedroom, with a walk-in-robe and ensuite, looks onto tree-lined Young Street.

Entering the back half of the house to the gleaming modern extension, you will find the striking open-plan white kitchen and living space, which looks onto an outdoor kitchen, pool and entertaining area.

A special feature of the indoor kitchen is the mitre-edged stone island, which complements the statement Belling stove.

But it’s now time for Kass and Edna to move on. Although they have loved living at 210 Young Street, they are now looking to pass the keys to someone new.

“You know, life changes. Our children are settled in their schools … We [also] want to be closer to family. So, we decided to move it on. It’s ready for someone else to enjoy,” says Kass.

He says he will miss the rear living area, with its high ceilings that replicate the tall archway at the front of the house.

“When you’re out there, you don’t feel enclosed, yet you still feel safe and homely,” he says.

“I think that’s one of the main things I love about it, particularly when the sun’s out. I also love it when it’s raining and warm and cosy on the inside, even though you feel like you’re part of the elements. That’s one of the main things we’ll miss.”

The sale is being handled by Jonathon Kiritsis of Williams Real Estate and will be auctioned on Saturday 16, December.