Terrace Houses: 2-4 Collett Street, Kensington. Melbourne, Victoria

This little pair of Italianate terraces attempts a sense of grandeur with its richly decorative parapet which is at once distinguishing each house and having a composition which gives it the appearance of a single larger home.

The rendered parapet above each house features a central shell motif in a semicircular arch which is crowned and flanked by detailed finials sitting on decorated piers. There is an unexpected relationship of scrolls on either side sitting atop a balustrade. At either end, there is a pineapple finial. There is a frieze of festoons above a heavy cornice which has clusters of twin brakets and helps to visually divide the heavy top with the verandah below.

The verandah extends to the property line and is a half hipped roof of corrugated iron supported by cast iron corinthian columns and decorated with iron lacework which also wraps around the sides. A nice touch is the small frieze on the eaves. The lacework consists of fringe and brackets with pendants marking the mid points between each bay. The doorways are framed by columns with a condensed iron lacework. The two doorways and hallways are arranged side by side adding interest to the facade with the cast iron ornament gravitating to the centre of the row in contrast to the parapet decorations which are central to each house.

There is a three part double hung window providing light to the living space. It has a leadlight window, however this is presumably a latter addition. There is a skylight above the Victorian door. These terraces were probably originally largely unpainted, however a consistent paint scheme gives uniformity to the row.

The houses retain their original picket fences which separate the houses from the street.

Given the style, it is likely that they were built in 1887 and 1888.

These terraces are within City of Melbourne heritage overlay HO952.