Interior designer Amy Lee Moore and builder Timothy Moore have finished their fourth renovation together, transforming a 1960s Wollstonecraft apartment they described as a time-warp that had gone untouched for 60 years, and have listed it with a $1.7 million guide ahead of a November 7 auction.
The couple bought the ground-floor apartment at 3/50 Shirley Road off-market for $1,505,000 in January 2025, and carried out the work after hours and on weekends while renting back their recently sold Mosman apartment so their young family, including a baby, would not have to move during the messiest stages. They spent $140,000 on top of their own labour, with Timothy handling demolition, project management and the “grunt work”, and Amy Lee managing the interior design and documentation. They stayed on budget: “I run a pretty tight ship,” Timothy said, with Amy Lee adding, “Tim will reign me in. We are tracking it live as we do it.”
The renovation was their fourth joint project, following a one-year working partnership on a commercial site before they became a couple. Amy Lee said they are passionate about keeping older buildings alive in Sydney, where many are lost to development: “We love the idea of finding old places and giving them new lives.”
The couple honoured the apartment's 1960s character. They retained all the door handles, which Timothy said were “too cool” not to keep: “You can't buy a design like that nowadays.” The hot pink bathroom became rose with a brescia stone top, and the kitchen's lime green was muted in the splashback. They added a large archway opening the kitchen to the living room but avoided full open-plan living. “I don't love open plan. I think it's really nice to have individual spaces,” Amy Lee said. Engineered timber flooring runs throughout, with carpets in the bedrooms, and half the living room is used as a play zone for their children, who have separate bedrooms.
The couple are selling only to grow their family. “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,” Timothy said. Selling agent Stephen O'Sullivan from BresicWhitney Lower North Shore said there was little to compare the property with: “Quite frankly, there's not a lot of direct comparisons to the property.” He added, “I've been selling in this area for over a decade, and you don't see properties … tastefully renovated to this level.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The November 7 auction will test how the market values a preserved 1960s apartment on Sydney's Lower North Shore against a guide of $1.7 million.
- The renovation offers buyers a family-sized apartment that keeps original features rather than an open-plan conversion, an alternative in a suburb where such homes are increasingly rare.
- For the couple, the move is about growing their family, with their next project being a house.
Background
The Moores, aged 37 and 36, met while working together on a commercial project and have two children. The Wollstonecraft apartment was purchased off-market in January 2025, and they rented back the Mosman apartment they had just sold so the family could stay put until the dustiest work was done. This was their fourth renovation as a couple.
Key Perspectives
Amy Lee Moore and Timothy Moore: say they want to keep older buildings alive, prefer separate rooms to open-plan living, and are looking for a house as their next project.
Stephen O'Sullivan (BresicWhitney Lower North Shore): says the property has few direct comparisons and that homes renovated to this standard are rarely seen in the area.
What to Watch
- The auction result on November 7 against the $1.7 million guide.
- Whether the couple quickly finds a house as they look to expand their family.
- Buyer response to a renovation that preserves 1960s details instead of converting to open plan.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Wollstonecraft apartment is the couple’s fourth renovation together and is described as a time-warp home.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “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.”
- SupportedThe apartment has a $1.7 million guide and the renovation cost $140,000 in addition to the couple’s labour.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “In addition to their labour they spent $140,000. [...] The apartment has a guide of $1.7 million”
- SupportedThe apartment is scheduled for auction on November 7.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The apartment has a guide of $1.7 million and is scheduled for auction on November 7.”
- SupportedAmy Lee Moore said the apartment felt like a time-warp and had not been touched in 60 years.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““It was like walking into a time-warp, to be honest. It hadn’t been touched in 60 years,” Amy Lee said.”
- SupportedThe couple bought the ground-level apartment off-market for $1,505,000 in January 2025.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The couple purchased the off-market ground level apartment for $1,505,000 in January 2025.”
- SupportedThe couple rented back their recently sold Mosman apartment so their young family, including a baby, would not need to move until the messiest renovation work was complete.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “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.”
- SupportedThe couple worked on the renovation after hours and on weekends.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “They worked tirelessly after hours and on weekends.”
- SupportedTimothy said, “I run a pretty tight ship.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Timothy said, “I run a pretty tight ship.””
- SupportedAmy Lee said, “We love the idea of finding old places and giving them new lives.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““We love the idea of finding old places and giving them new lives,” she added.”
- SupportedThe couple retained all the door handles, which Timothy said were “too cool” not to keep.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “All door handles were retained. Timothy said they were “too cool” not to keep.”
- SupportedTimothy said, “You can’t buy a design like that nowadays.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““You can’t buy a design like that nowadays,” he said.”
- SupportedAgent Stephen O’Sullivan said there were not many direct comparisons for the property.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Selling agent Stephen O’Sullivan from BresicWhitney Lower North Shore said, “Quite frankly, there’s not a lot of direct comparisons to the property.””