A lot of work went into transforming the property at 39 Downing Street, Hove into the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home that graces the beachside today, but Andrew and Morgan Tomlin were up for the challenge.

The couple fell in love with the location and the lifestyle that comes with living by the beach, and finding that the home had a lovely flow to it, Andrew and Morgan chose to strip the house back and renovate it rather than knocking it down and starting from scratch.

“When we bought it, it was an old, tired home that needed all the work done that you now see,” Morgan says.

“We kept the bones of the house and changed everything else to freshen it up.”

The couple did extensive work on the property, rendering the exterior walls, replacing the roof, adding new fencing, landscaping the garden and completely renovating the interior.

“My husband and I own a property development company called Tomlin Projects,” Morgan says. “We work a lot with houses, so I am pretty comfortable and confident with my own style.

“I would say we have gone for a modern, coastal theme with some Mediterranean villa and Palm Springs influences.”

With a love of entertaining and spending time outside, the couple put much of their efforts into perfecting the outdoor living areas and creating a space for their family and friends to enjoy.

“We had our family here over Christmases and it is nice having people in the pool, out on the lawn playing lawn games and sitting on the bench seat around the firepit together,” Morgan says.

“We added those double-sliding glass doors so we can open up from the living space right to the outdoor entertaining space and flow seamlessly through the areas.”

Lush, tropical plants encase the yard in a raised garden bed that also acts as a bench surrounding the lawn and fire pit. Textural details such as sandstone feature walls and timber eaves bring warmth and personality to the space.

“It just feels really calm out here and we have got such a big view of the sky and you can see such beautiful sunsets sitting out here,” says Morgan.

The pool has a built-in spa that is sheltered by the alfresco area so it can be used during rain or shine.

“Andrew really wanted the spa and the wall behind it has a TV hooked up to it so he can watch the footy or the cricket while relaxing in the spa,” Morgan says.

With three sons, Andrew and Morgan found Hove to be the perfect location to raise their young family.

“Part of why we love the house is that we have so much space front and back, and we are right near the beach and plenty of parks,” Morgan says.

With their passion for building and design, Andrew and Morgan couldn’t say no to a new opportunity that has popped up in Hove.

“We are staying in the area because we love it so much and we have got a new project that we are moving on to,” Morgan says.

“We have another old 70s home that we are really excited to get into renovating.”

The sale is being handled by Rod Smitheram and Christopher Jenman of Ray White Real Estate.