19 March 2021:
The wonderfully named Valma, a tiny block of 3 flats, making such a bold statement with very fat curved #balcony fronts, deepset windows behind, reminding me of #tropicalArtDeco tropical, keeping the sun well off (but the top one has air con anyway). #WHMerritt, 1936.
Seems when it was done up the stair window and top floor windows replaced in black aluminium, a pity.
Photos August 2017:
These photos winter 2017 :
August 2025
And a sale ad from 2016 shows no 2 had original varnished timber, open fireplace, bathroom, and even the dinette in the kitchen too.
And a story – I saw a short film in the 90s ? 80s ? starring Rachel Berger, with her living here in the first floor, and sometimes having conversations from the balcony, and I thought, ‘how European’, then had a little jolt when I actually saw it in real life years later. I can see why they chose it. Plus I now know she spent some childhood years in St Kilda.
Storey of Melbourne 