Run-down 1950’s house renovated with stylish farmhouse vibe

When Sydney interior designer Sarah Yarrow decided to renovate and sell her own home, she was committed to making sure that it stood out from the crowd. Tired of seeing the same cookie-cutter renovations, Sarah imbued the home with a chic farmhouse vibe that would appeal to a large demographic while still brimming with personality.

“We wanted to emotionally connect to future buyers by doing something that was different to the usual flip and sell. People are much more likely to connect with something that feels warm and friendly and that doesn’t feel like the home up the street, or the one that their friend has just bought. And once they connect, they usually pay more,” says Sarah Yarrow who believes that people usually crave a homely feel in a home, but don’t know how to create it themselves.

Located in Sydney’s southern suburbs, Sarah and her builder husband Tim bought the home in 2014 from a family who had held the property for over 50 years. They rented it out before moving in in 2018 and renovating the property over a four-year period, working every single weekend and holiday period to finish the job. “It was a labour of love! But we were determined to pay homage to the era of the building rather than trying to make it something it’s not – a contemporary new build,” says Sarah.

Sarah reconfigured the home’s entire layout to maximise the living and kitchen space – removing the original laundry made way for a larger kitchen and clever space planning meant the designer was able to add a fourth bedroom too.

Sarah also used the home as a vehicle to explore a few different suppliers and ultimately showcase them to her clients. “For instance, the Di Lorenzo feature tiles are quite colourful and patterned. When a client sees one tile, they usually think it’s too much but when they see the tile in a room as the hero, they get it,” says Sarah of the statement tile used in the home’s bathroom and kitchen.

Dulux Warm White was painted throughout the home to retain a cottage-type feel and appeal to potential buyers too. “I like living in a house with a warm colour palette. But I also knew that people coming though as potential buyers would get a nice warm feeling, rather than feeling stark and cold,” says Sarah who layered an array of soft furnishings and artwork on top before putting the home on the market this year.

AFTER bedroom — The renovated master bedroom features v-groove panels painted in Dulux Herbalist. The bedhead fabric was sourced from Utopia Fabrics.

“We bought this house to lovingly restore and sell so another family can enjoy it. We wanted to bring it back to life and ensure it worked for contemporary living while paying homage to its post-war era roots.”