When British ex-pat Keeley Menz purchased her home an hour south of Perth last year, she loved everything about it except for the kitchen. “It is a beautiful home, but the original kitchen just wasn’t my style as it was too dark and brown. My first instinct was to paint the walls but I felt that if I lifted the kitchen it would make the whole space feel brighter and lighter.”
She set about transforming the space with chalk paint, stick-on stone tiles and new handles. Incredibly, the circa-2008 kitchen has been transformed into a breezy, coastal-inspired space and the whole makeover only set Keeley back $500!
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Having just spent over $10,000 on moving to Western Australia from the eastern states, Keeley was looking for a cost-effective solution to update the kitchen cupboards, when she came upon Frenchic Paint. “I’ve done a lot of DIY and makeovers in my time, and I’ve painted a kitchen before, but this product was amazing. It didn’t drip at all, and the paint’s self-levelling aspect really works,” says Keeley who, incredibly, worked on the kitchen during the day (with her two-year-old son running around) and at night when light conditions weren’t the best.
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“Obviously, it would have been better to have done all the painting under natural light, but it wasn’t always possible. I remember being amazed when I woke in the morning because I was sure I’d have to go over the cupboards again but there were no drips or streaks,” says Keeley, who cleaned and lightly sanded the cupboard fronts before applying around three coats of Frenchic’s Dazzle Me. “I did a lot of coats because the cupboards were so dark and I wanted to make sure they were completely white. I’d describe the finish as matte and easy to keep clean,” says Keeley.
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Paint aside, Keeley used self-adhesive, heat-resistant, waterproof stone tiles from Tic Tac Tiles to update the kitchen’s functional yet dated glass splash back. The real stone tiles have adhesive backing and are easy to install on any clean surface.
The kitchen was put through its paces recently when Keeley’s family arrived from the UK for a long holiday over Christmas; with a full house for six weeks, Keeley says the kitchen withstood the onslaught. “I had my mum, dad, sister, husband and then three toddlers smashing into the cupboards with their toys, but the wear and tear was fine!”
Chalk and mineral paint Frenchic was founded in the UK in 2014, fast gaining a loyal fanbase and a Facebook group of more than half a million DIYers sharing their projects. It has been available in Australia since 2021, through independent stockists and online.
Another fabulous ‘before and after’ by interior designer Kathryn Trentini, this 90’s-era Port Macquarie brick and tile home was given a modern makeover recently with excellent results. The initial project brief was simply to renovate the family bathroom alongside the ensuite and refresh the other areas with paint. However, once the work started, the brief soon expanded to include the living spaces, primary bedroom and other soft furnishings throughout such as window treatments, paint throughout and furniture too.
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“I didn’t reconfigure any of the spaces. The modernisation of the property really came through an update of the home’s finishes which was done room by room over a 12-month period,” says Kathryn, who eventually assisted with furniture procurement too.
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BEFORE main bathroom
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The main bedroom was overhauled with new carpet, a new upholstered bedhead and a fresh fit-out in the walk-in-robe. The nearby ensuite and main bathroom received the makeover treatment too; dated tiles and tapware were replaced with neutral, modern selections. “The owner couldn’t stand the bathrooms and wanted them changed before even moving in. The renovation gathered momentum from there,” says Kathryn.
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The home’s various lounge and sitting rooms were refreshed also – primarily with wallpaper, paint and fabulous new furniture. “The owners were struggling with what to do with some of the rooms, including the one that I turned into a tech-free sitting room at the front of the house,” says Kathryn.
BEFORE sitting roomAFTER sitting room. Kathryn persuaded the home’s owners to make this a tech-free space.
After Kathryn thought she had wrapped everything up, she was asked to work on the kitchen as the final piece of the puzzle. “I thought the project was complete, but I was eventually asked to do a part renovation of the kitchen because the owners loved how everything else had turned out,” says Kathryn who worked alongside a cabinet maker to come up with a unique design solution that retained the existing granite benchtops.
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“The central point of the kitchen renovation was to save the granite benchtop as the owners liked it, it would have been expensive to install originally, and we weren’t making layout changes. I came up with a colour scheme that allowed the bench top to sing, rather than look horrid,” says Kathryn. The designer noticed a pink vein in the granite and decided to complement it with bronze handles and a terracotta feature tile. The dark cupboard fronts really helped to modernise the space too.
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Kathryn also modified some aspects of the joinery to improve functionality whilst only refreshing those parts that were still in good condition. “Whether existing or new, all cabinets received new fronts, new kick and the new splash really did reinvigorate the existing bench,” says Kathryn.
BEFORE loungeAFTER lounge. A Jardan sofa complements a set of Coco Flip coffee tables in this newly tranquil space.
“It’s a lovely property now. The owners are absolutely stoked with the changes and the outcome so it’s just brilliant. They are so proud of the home – you can really tell.”
When interior designer Kathryn Trentini bought this 1980’s Port Macquarie villa she saw a lot of potential and was particularly inspired by its original archway design. “I loved that the arch was still there, and it really represents that era. I feel like they were trying to be a bit fancy with that arch!” So Kathryn instead focused on this one feature and sought to infuse a modern interpretation of the 80’s aesthetic throughout the renovation.
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One of a row of four red brick villas, Kathryn originally intended to renovate the property and find a long-term tenant but changed her mind when a friend suggested she list it on Airbnb. “It is my first foray into the short-term rental space, and I think we’ve managed to celebrate the best of the original spaces while enhancing the home’s features through contemporary material choices and design ideas,” says Kathryn who has named the home Arthouse Villa in a nod to the beautiful original artworks dotted throughout.
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There was significant space planning involved, especially in the bathroom and kitchen which were both reconfigured to make much better use of the home’s footprint. “The kitchen was u-shaped and had a tiny ledge on one wall that was completely useless. Even though the room was massive, the kitchen was really lacking,” says Kathryn. It’s certainly true that, compared to the 1980’s, we ask so much more of our kitchens these days and that is reflected in the redesign.
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The new galley style kitchen features an integrated fridge, double pantry, oven with combined microwave and dishwasher and it’s also got a mini butler’s pantry where the kettle, toaster and coffee machine are stored. “That’s a great option if you can’t fit a full butler’s and it’s perfect for small apartments or for people that don’t want a whole other space to keep clean,” says Kathryn. One side of the kitchen features tall cabinetry while the other is bench height with an open shelf above. “I loved the idea of being able to display non-kitchen stuff. I see it as an opportunity to add personality,” says Kathryn.
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A standout feature, Lo & Co honed marble handles not only link back to the arch but they are super luxe too. “The kitchen finishes are very simple really, but the handles really do add a lovely luxury element that improves the entire aesthetic,” says Kathryn who used them on one wall of cabinets and used an inexpensive painted timber dowel and brass handle on the other.
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The bathroom design was transformed from a classic three-piece set up that included a shower, bath and vanity; Kathryn removed the bath and split the room in half and designed an arch to sit between the two zones. “I wanted something spectacular. Rather than having a vanity with a piece of glass like you would typically see, I was really trying to push myself as a designer. It was costly but it worked out well and the feedback has been great,” says Kathryn.
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AFTER bathroom. Kathryn sourced the vanity from Reece, wall lights from Beacon, tapware from ABI Interiors and mirror from Bunnings.
“Overall, I’ve had amazing feedback from visitors who say that they really like the unit’s sense of understated luxury. They like that it’s not precious and they feel comfortable here, but it still ticks that luxury box,” says Kathryn.
Located on the dunes at Blairgowrie in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Camillo House is one of the most unusual and beautiful holiday homes we’ve seen. “The home is more than unique, luxury accommodation. Created with sensory pleasure in mind and an incredible attention to detail, it is a backdrop to live fully,” says the home’s founder Clare Hillier who explains that the home was borne from the depths of Melbourne’s arduous COVID lockdowns.
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“The world felt smaller than it ever had in 2020 and I started dreaming of creating a true escape – in every sense of the word,” says Clare who spent hours online each day looking for the perfect property before stumbling upon this home. “I remember saying out loud ‘this is it’!” says Clare who inspected the home the day after finding it, promptly purchased it and then spent a summer camping in the house getting to know it better before commencing the renovation.
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After much contemplation, two years of hard work ensued with Clare determined to create a home that remained true to its faded 1980’s beauty, while having an identity all of its own. “Our vision for Camillo was that it would be more than luxury accommodation. Rather than playing a supporting role in our guests’ holiday tale, we wanted to create an experience in and of itself,” says Clare.
BEFORE loungeAFTER lounge. The home boasts a beautiful art collection.
In collaboration with Blair Smith Architecture, the home’s layout was reconfigured to make the most of the ocean views while every room and surface was updated. “Pine lining boards running across the walls and ceiling combined with a rabbit-warren floor plan made the space feel like a Swedish sauna,” says Clare of the original abode.
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Many details were updated – the original exposed mission brown bricks were bagged and a ply ceiling was introduced (a quieter alternative to the hectic orange pine boards) and all of the windows were replaced. The original slate floor was resurfaced to remove the 1980’s high gloss and the material formed the inspiration for the home’s entire colour scheme. “With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette,” says Clare.
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AFTER A custom travertine and spotted gum bedhead features in one of the bedrooms
“We have decorated the home almost entirely with vintage furniture that we sourced from near and far and pieces we designed and made ourselves,” says Clare who also selected all the home’s materials and interior fixtures and fittings. Incredibly, while Clare has always had an interest in interiors she isn’t formally trained!
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The kitchen features statement ‘Cosmopolitan’ quartzite which is repeated in the master ensuite shower shelf. Travertine and venetian plaster feature in the second bathroom and Verde Green marble tiles feature in the third bathroom – salvaged from Facebook Marketplace. “They were a steal from a lady who was renovating her bathroom and throwing them out,” says Clare.
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“As an antidote to the grind of modern life, we designed spaces and selected materials with sensory pleasure in mind and a devotion to attention to detail. There is something that is more playful about creating a space for people to escape to than when you are designing a home for everyday living,” says Clare.
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Just 50 barefoot steps from the beach, the home has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, four living spaces, a cook’s kitchen, four decks and an outdoor bath. The bespoke designer space also enjoys stunning ocean views while showcasing 25 original artworks from Australian and international artists.
AFTER games roomAFTER one of the home’s four decks
“Totally at one with the landscape, Camillo is a hideaway that celebrates the raw beauty of our part of the world. Whether it’s a secluded bath outdoors, watching thunderstorms roll in over the dunes while lying in bed or nightcaps and card games around the firepit, Camillo frames the rituals of time away towards a deep connection with nature and each other.”
When it comes to renovating and decorating, space is a major factor to consider, especially if you have a compact floorplan without the luxury to extend its footprint. Ex- Blockheads Brad and Lara Cranfield, recently renovated their dream Byron Bay family home, taking it from shack to shrine with an enhanced and maximised small space.
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They’ve shared their top five design elements to consider when designing your home to maximise space.
Flooring
“Living close to the beach, the interior of our home was always going to be beachy – we wanted it to be light, bright, and make the room feel spacious so that it could stand up to family living – that’s where flooring came in,” says Lara.
“We selected a beautiful light oak timber floor. Not only was this a practical decision, but it also met our budget and desired aesthetic. By selecting lighter flooring, we were able to visually open each room, particularly smaller areas such as the bedrooms and home office, making each look and feel larger.
“Installing the flooring so that it ran along the length of each room was critical in visually elongating the rooms, making them appear larger.”
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Window furnishings
“Windows play an important role in opening up a space – from letting in natural light to drawing the eye upwards or towards the outdoors – so how they are dressed needs to be carefully considered,” says Lara.
“For our large sliding doors on each end of the house, we opted for Veri Shades, installing them from floor to ceiling to help emphasise our high ceilings. Unlike many shade track systems that can be bulky and distract the eye, Veri Shades feature simple and sleek tracks helping them look elegant and sophisticated.”
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Lighting and colour palette
“If budget allows, adding a skylight or larger windows that sit from floor to ceiling will help make any space feel and look larger. Ensuring your home has enough access to natural light is essential in helping it feel spacious, bright, and open,” says Lara.
“Using light coloured paint on the walls and ceiling will also help maximise the space and work alongside the natural light to brighten your home. If you opt for a darker paint, less natural light will be reflected within the home and artificial light will be muted.”
Open living plan
“To maximise space, we knocked down all adjoining walls to create a large, open plan living area. As some of the walls were load bearing, we had to add ceiling beams. Eliminating these walls has changed the way that we live – I can now see where the family is and what they’re up to, which is great when you have young children,” says Lara.
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Scale and storage
“Make sure that you select the right scale furniture for a space – and that doesn’t always mean including small items for small rooms! Large furnishings can still be put into a small room. And remember, less is more, so if a room is cluttered make sure you declutter and take any unnecessary items out.
“You also want your room to be functional – you may create a beautiful room on paper, however in reality it doesn’t always work. Built in furniture, like a banquette with storage or a coffee table that works as a box, allows you to enjoy the room and your home free of unnecessary clutter.”
Located in the NSW Southern Highlands, this Burradoo manor home was purchased by a couple keen to use it as a weekend retreat and as the grandparent’s retirement home. Dana Tosolini of Concepts Interior Design transformed the home into a modern, elegant and functional abode that draws on the surrounding countryside for inspiration.
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The owners wanted someone fresher and more inviting, and for it to feel more congruent with living in the Southern Highlands while servicing several generations. “Sara and Danny wanted an alternative home in the country that would suit theirs and the grandparents’ tastes. There also needed to be extra room for the kids to roam and a spare room for when guests stay over,” says Dana.
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The kitchen went from a tired cream affair with dated flourishes to a much cleaner, more sophisticated space. “The existing kitchen colours, finishes and lighting were dated and the flow of the kitchen did not suit a homeowner who loves cooking,” says Dana who enlarged the island bench in response to the owner’s culinary predilections. “We doubled the bench size in width and created a comfy seating area to the side for coffee and conversation,” says Dana.
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Nearby, the dining room features an antique style pendant light alongside Iksel’s beautiful ‘Italian Panoramic’ wallpaper mural. “It is dramatic yet classic and really suits the Southern Highlands area. It really sets the tone of the room,” says Dana, who came recommended by a friend who’d worked with her after finding her on Houzz.com.au.
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What makes this project quite remarkable is that because it commenced shortly after lockdown restrictions set in, it was managed entirely online through the Houzz Pro tool. Dana was able to meet the homeowners safely and build rapport from a distance using a set of remote communication and online collaboration tools. For the entire length of the project, in person consultations were replaced with video meetings over Zoom. Incredibly, Dana didn’t even step foot in the house until delivery day!
A dark and drab apartment in the heart of Redfern, has been transformed into a calm and contemporary oasis for a retiring couple by interior stylist Jessi Eve. Faced with the challenge of merging two completely different briefs from each client, Jessi found a balance that honoured both. One of the clients preferred an all-white, cool-toned, clean and fresh look while her partner requested a slightly more masculine vibe. Jessi delivered a cohesive interior, bringing life and light to this much-loved home.
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“The greatest challenge was merging the two polar-opposite design briefs. It’s not unusual for couples to have completely different design preferences and there is an art to finding a balance between two extremes to ensure a cohesive result. A skilled eye will be able to identify and extract the similarities to form the basis of the scheme,” says Jessi Eve.
A key objective was to incorporate a contemporary and timeless interior to the dated apartment. Jessi achieved this with beautiful new cabinetry in the kitchen and entry, replacing the chocolate brown cabinetry with white fronts. “We did a mini kitchen reno in the sense that we kept the original stone splashback, stone benchtop and internal cabinetry and just refreshed the overall style by swapping out the heavy brown cabinetry and island benchtop,” says Jessi.
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The main living, dining, entry and kitchen areas of the home feature a black, white, grey and navy palette with hints of tan leather. To appease both clients, a minimal and clean aesthetic was chosen with touches of masculinity connecting the spaces together. A navy blue Molmic sofa is paired with a Trit House leather armchair and textured braided rug from Rug Culture.
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Existing bedroom joinery was removed to allow for more movement and flow while a coat of paint, new window treatments and new Hycraft carpet further elevated the spaces. The two bedrooms became the perfect space for Jessi to bring the polar opposite client briefs to life.
In bedroom one, a white-on-white palette is featured against a cool grey backdrop of curtains and carpet. The client’s existing Lone Swimmer artwork by Aquabumps was a sentimental piece incorporated into the space and Jessi drew inspiration from the minty hues of this artwork to add accent styling in the room.
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And although the two briefs are contrasting in aesthetic, Jessi created synergy between them by selecting another Aquabumps artwork in moody tones for the more masculine bedroom. Create Estate custom bedheads were created for both spaces – for the masculine room, a bedhead fabric was matched to the custom sofa in the living room to create a subtle link between the spaces.
Patterned Cultiver linen is featured in the masculine room alongside black rattan Globewest bedside tables.
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The result of this design transformation is a home that blends the best of both worlds for the lucky owners, who can ease into retirement with a space that brings joy and relaxation.
Proving the transformative power of colour yet again, the latest Dulux makeover is a bright, bold confection designed to showcase this summer’s hottest paint trends. A predominantly white lounge room and tween bedroom were overhauled using the Revive palette – one of three palettes from the Dulux Colour Forecast 2023.
“As our world opens up and we adapt to new ways of doing things, we’re looking for lightness and joy in our surroundings. This is a time for reconnecting with the ones we love, and we want guests to walk into our homes and feel a sense of happiness and celebration. At the same time, after two years of restrictions, many of us are yearning for fun, freedom and the chance to try new things,” says Andrea Lucena-Orr, Dulux colour and communications manager.
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The formerly all-white lounge room was overhauled with Dulux Paper Brown paint on the walls and Dulux Breezy Half on the ceiling. “The brown instantly added warmth and character while the soft blue ceiling really brightens up the space. “Taking the ceilng colour part-way down on the wall, as we’ve done here, is a design trick to make the ceiling feel higher,” says Dulux colour forecaster and stylist Bree Leech.
The Revive palette perfectly captures the mood with vibrant hues including a rich blue (Dulux Integra), lively green (Dulux Diorite) and a whimsical lilac (Dulux Perplexed) paired with over-scaled patterns, voluptuous furniture and bold, abstract artworks inside the renovated lounge room. “If you’ve never swayed from whites and neutrals before, using saturated colours like these can feel daunting, but there’s really nothing to fear,” says Bree.
A colourful vignette is displayed on the lounge room side board
Bree styled the room with a mash-up of futuristic and retro influences including curvy, statement seating in 80’s inspired electric blue paired with a 70’s inspired textural feature chair and foot stool in mustard. A powder blue sideboard topped with a bright green vessel completes the scene. “Design trends today are heavily influenced by the idea of ‘creating a moment,’ whether it’s the perfect Instagrammable photo or a great Zoom backdrop,” says Bree of the inspiration behind the room.
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In the nearby tween bedroom, Bree balanced calm with a sense of fun. “As a sleep space, we wanted this bedroom to feel restful, so we painted the walls in soothing and immersive Dulux Integra. For something a little unexpected, we used Dulux Diorite on the skirting boards, window trims and door, rather than traditional white.”
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Bree’s summer styling tips
Add colour in unexpected spots: The element of surprise can be a powerful decorating tool; consider adding colour to your ceiling, timber window frames, door edges or the back of shelves.
Exaggerated curves: Whether it’s a curvaceous sofa, a chubby accent chair or rounded coffee table, this look calls for curves.
Be bold with pattern: Forget the so-called rules on mixing patterns – have fun combining thick or thin stripes, geometrics, over-sized floral prints and more, all in the one space.
Keep artworks casual: Think unframed, abstracts and digital artworks casually propped, even overlapping, on a shelf or sideboard.
Textural contrast: Add depth and interest to your rooms décor by mixing different textures, such as boucle armchairs, thick woven rugs, imperfect ceramics, matte finish joinery and touches of high-shine metallics in furniture legs.
Highlight interesting furniture shapes: Having a backdrop in a contrasting colour allows pieces like curvy, statement seating to shine.
Scheming: The Dulux curated palettes are designed to be used as schemes for paint, as well as soft furnishings, artwork and décor – to ensure all colour references work cohesively.
After a stint overseas, like many Aussies, Rachel Gadiel returned to Australia in 2020 during the pandemic. Originally a Sydneysider, Rachel was deterred by the house prices in her former hometown and so looked to the beautiful NSW coastal town of Mollymook as an alternative. “I had been visiting the south coast for years and have family down here. I saw this house and thought that buying it made much more sense than buying a beachside apartment in Sydney,” says Rachel who was keen to reside near the ocean.
BEFORE front elevationAFTER The exterior of the home was painted in a textured render in Dulux Casper White
Originally built in the late 1980’s, Rachel saw plenty of potential in the home before undertaking a renovation that spanned nine months and finished in August this year. “I felt this house had incredible potential as it had amazing light, great bones and was in a fabulous location near the beach,” says Rachel who engaged an architect (Fox & Wolf Design) and builder (HDG Constructions) to turn her creative vision into reality.
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Combining a modern Mediterranean aesthetic with a Palm Springs inspired feel, the renovation is bright, breezy and fairy neutral except for some pops of pink. “The pink door and pink tiles are my favourite thing. I’m a fan of pink and think it’s a great neutral and because I’m single I wasn’t afraid to go with it. That said, every man who has seen the house think it’s quite neutral apart from the tiling,” says Rachel.
BEFORE bathroomAFTER Tile Cloud tiles and a Reece vanity feature in the bathroom.
Most of the renovation was cosmetic apart from the removal of the wall between the living and dining areas and the open plan space is Rachel’s favourite part of the home. “I love the open plan living and dining and all the natural light in the house. The way the indoor/outdoor living flows beautifully makes it a lovely place to be,” says Rachel.
BEFORE kitchenAFTER kitchenAFTER A brand new deck runs off the kitchen and connects the home with the outdoors
Not only was the whole house overhauled, the home’s lower level was also transformed from a brick and concrete storage area into a self-contained studio. Designed to provide a secondary income stream via Airbnb, the space now features a kitchenette, dining area, bed, bathroom and rear courtyard.
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“It was literally an open cement slab next to the garage. My big concern with the studio was that there wouldn’t be enough light but my architect made sure there were enough windows and sliding doors. It’s a great addition to the property.”
While interior designer and stylist Melissa Rettore’s Melbourne home is only six years old, boredom had set in. “The home is relatively new but all the colours that were in six years ago are no longer trending and I just felt like changing things up!” She overhauled both the powder room and laundry recently for just under $500! And when you consider that both rooms were completed over one week, during her daughter’s three hour daily nap times, the end result is all the more impressive!
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Melissa teaches interior decoration at Design School, and it was while researching topics for her students that she came up with the idea. “I was teaching about what was trending and DIY is certainly going off. I’d seen reels with people turning furniture into terrazzo pieces and that’s where the inspiration came from,” she says.
Melissa started by painting the tiles with Dulux Renovation paint
Starting in the powder room, Melissa used ‘Nutmilk’ paint in half strength from the Dulux Renovation range to paint over the charcoal floor tiles before adding $10 Kmart Decor and Furniture Paint Chips and a sealer.
Part of Kmart’s new DIY range, Melissa warns that Dulux doesn’t recommend combining the paint chips with their product; mainly because they haven’t tried and tested the process. “That said, all the people I follow on Instagram had tested the combination over many months in showers and wet areas and it had held up. I’ve also tried to scrape the tiles and, so far, they seem very durable,” says Melissa.
$10 Dulux Decor and Furniture Paint chips gave the freshly painted powder room floor a terrazzo look
Melissa used the same paint on the cupboard fronts and spray painted the cupboard handles with $5 black spray paint. She then added a Target mirror and decorative wall sconce that was inspired by the the viral Kmart wall planter hack. She repeated the paint and paint chip process that she carried out on the floor tiles, hung the wall sconce on the wall and added a remote control Puck light inside, sourced from Bunnings. “It was so great not having to get an electrician involved to create that light,” says Melissa.
Melissa’s DIY wall sconce
It was while waiting for the paint to dry in the powder room that Melissa decided to overhaul the laundry too. She repeated the process in there and added a retro door sourced for $100 from Facebook Marketplace and hung by her carpenter husband.
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Melissa is especially happy with herself for having completed the makeovers without needing a tradie. “It’s so hard to get a tradie now and they are so expensive. I love that I didn’t have to pay for new tiles or a tiler to lay them, but I’ve ended up with a whole new look!”
“This ol’ gal with her timber benchtops, exposed canopy rangehood, above bench microwave hood and glass fronted overheads was due for a facelift. She’d been the backbone of the family for many years, however it was now time for her to take a starring role again,” says interior designer Silvia Roldan, who recently transformed this kitchen for her clients without changing the layout.
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“Our client’s brief was simple: retain the layout, location of all appliances and the gloss white 2Pac joinery. Everything else was open game!”
With an elegant combination of colours and textures, Silvia set about transforming the kitchen. With natural stone benchtops, organic Moroccan tiles and antique brass finishes on the tapware and joinery handles, it was instantly updated.
“Materiality is paramount for us, so selecting the right stone for the benchtops meant the new design would have longevity and a timeless character,” said Silvia, owner of Studio Esar.
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The glass fronted overhead cupboards were given an overhaul with more contemporary 2Pac doors and the grey on grey of the overheads and natural stone benchtop in New Grey Tundra created a tonal harmony. The open wine rack underneath the island bench was concealed behind new door panels.
“To signify the end of the kitchen, we removed the hood where the microwave was housed (and relocated it to inside the pantry) and replaced this with new overhead joinery consisting of a cupboard and open shelves. This not only opened up the area but created a quaint end to the rear bench and allowed our client to display some of her collected ceramics,” said Silvia.
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“Each space we create is highly tailored and rather than following trends, our studio is led by emotion and mood as we understand the power an interior can evoke. We pride ourselves on having an eye for detail and with this precision, we create textural and colourful spaces that are contemporary and classic,” said Silvia.
When Phillip Alphonse purchased this apartment inside a circa 1910 building in Sydney’s McMahons Point, it hadn’t been renovated in over 40 years save for a cheap bathroom makeover. The home had layout issues, three different floor surfaces, exposed pipes and electrical wiring and an unusable kitchen. But Phillip could see the potential in its beautiful 3.2 metre coffered and ornate ceilings and gorgeous harbour views.
“The apartment is surrounded by gum trees so it felt like somewhat of a treehouse which I liked. I knew I had stumbled on a really special space that was just crying out for attention,” says Phillip who set about renovating the apartment with his mother Vanessa Alphonse, an interior designer.
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Formerly a corporate lawyer, Phillip has made a COVID-inspired pivot to build an interior design career with his mother – the duo have set up AlphaMade, a design and build company focussed on luxury dwellings in Sydney and surrounds.
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“Along with many people around Australia and the world, the COVID lockdown gave me some time to reflect on my life path at that point in time and made me confront the fact that the law wasn’t necessarily my true calling,” says Phillip who has always been fascinated by architecture and design. And while on the lookout for his first creative outlet, he thinks the apartment entered his life at just the right time.
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“Mum and I have always shared a love for architecture and design and much of my tastes have been influenced by her. It only made sense after I purchased this rundown apartment that we would set out to renovate it together,” says Phillip.
The duo decided they wanted to turn the abode into a grand European inspired apartment with a contemporary Australian touch. The surrounding water and gum trees informed some of the design decisions including the use of timber and shades of green and blue. “The grandeur was infused into the home with mouldings, elaborate light fittings, chevron floors, ceiling roses and marble. Overall, I think we really hit the brief as the home is modern whilst retaining character and a quintessentially Australian feel.”
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And while a lot of money was spent on new timber floors, custom joinery and marble, Phillip feels that it’s the apartment’s Intrim mouldings that provided the greatest bang for buck. “The mouldings easily get the most compliments and, in my opinion, made the most impactful difference,” says Phillip. The effect of the new mouldings can be most keenly felt in the living room where full wall mouldings complement the existing coffered ceiling.
Mouldings were also integral in creating a secret door through which the apartment’s study is accessed. “The living room contains the entrance to the study and being able to conceal the study door also helped make the living room feel like the destination space, rather than an awkward walk-through room,” says Phillip.
The study is concealed by a secret door
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“The mouldings were the most inexpensive and time-efficient feature to purchase and install. They really gave the space the much-needed character that was lacking when I purchased the property.”
Like you, we are obsessed with before and afters and today’s is quite the beauty. Located in Sydney’s inner-city Darlinghurst, this glorious terrace home was in a dilapidated state when its former owners sought DA approval and began an extensive renovation that, due to a change in circumstances, they couldn’t complete. Seeing an opportunity, the next-door neighbours swooped in and finished the home’s transformation.
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“The current owners recognised the potential of the house and wanted to help finish what their neighbour had started. With development approval already in place, this meant they could commence work almost straight away. Living next door also meant they could stay close to the renovation and ensure it came together,” says BresicWhitney real estate agent Darren Pearce, who is managing the current sale of the home.
On the wider side for a terrace, the home has house-style proportions with two living spaces on the ground floor, as well as a substantial kitchen that flows into a private entertainer’s courtyard. Upstairs, the home features the clever use of skylights and large bespoke bedroom windows to maximise light while the home’s luxe materials palette includes travertine, Blackbutt timber flooring and natural stone.
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“Their vision from the start was for a home that would stand out in both form and function. While they wanted wow factor, they were adamant to do it subtly through design details and quality materials. I genuinely think it’s one of the best Sydney terrace renovations we’ve seen in a while,” says Darren.
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Interestingly, when the home was previously on the market, partially renovated, it didn’t deter potential buyers. Essentially a construction site, Darren took one group or individual through at a time and couldn’t access every part of the home through the sales period. But despite its half-finished status there were plenty of developers, investors and families all looking for an inner-city pad that they could personalise without doing the groundwork and building that a brand-new home requires.
“The biggest hurdle at times is helping inspire buyers who may be financially able but are lacking the passion and vision for such a large project. This emotional investment and desire to bring a home back to life is important,” says Darren who explains that the current owners, being familiar with the home before they bought it, were invested in helping finish what had been started.
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“We continue to find that these types of homes, especially terraces, have strong appeal because they provide the opportunity for reinvention, transformation, and personalisation. This is a trend that’s only grown stronger since the pandemic too, as we now have a deeper appreciation for what ‘home’ means and living somewhere that we truly love and connect with.”
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This home goes to auction on Saturday 12 November, 12.45pm and has a $2.4 million price guide.
Home to a couple who have downsized from a large, traditional Queenslander, this ninth floor Brisbane penthouse apartment was given a contemporary overhaul by interior designer Erin O’Neill, director of Ascendant Property. Originally built in 2002, the entire home has been updated with new finishes, joinery and furniture and we think you will agree that the transformation is pretty amazing.
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“After sending me some initial images from Pinterest, we created a mood board and from there we landed on a contemporary chic vibe,” says Erin of the brief behind the overhaul. Finishes aside, the owners started afresh with the furniture (except from a few older pieces that they brought in from their former home) and purchased new artworks and soft furnishings to freshen up the spaces.
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Arguably the star of the renovation, Erin completely redesigned the kitchen replacing what was a galley style space with something that really maximises the view. “Originally, you couldn’t see the glorious view out the kitchen windows due to a wall that we took down which completely opened up the space,” says Erin who explains that the kitchen window views can now be appreciated from all corners of the living room including the dining and lounge areas.
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AFTER kitchen
The kitchen joinery is finished in matte Polytec Belgian Oak paired with Lussostone porcelain bench tops and splash in Calacatta Luxury – they complement the apartment’s brand-new oak timber flooring. “The flooring was a splurge but it’s beautiful,” says Erin who explains that the couple initially wanted polished concrete flooring, but it wasn’t viable due to the apartment’s age and acoustic issues.
AFTER kitchen
The dated master bedroom has been updated with a stylish mix of furniture and homewares and now sports wallpaper too. An embossed woven vinyl, made to look like seagrass, the wallpaper from Natty and Polly (Tobago weave in light grey) acts as a background texture for the room. A Clu Living Bijou wool rug completes the space alongside a Sarah Ellison Chair, mustard toned bed linen and an artwork by Lisa Perruzza. “The master bedroom is a very relaxed haven that is timeless and chic but with a contemporary twist,” says Erin.
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The ensuite was renovated with new vanities and tapware from ABI Interiors as well as feature kitkat tiles from Earp Bros and terrazzo look tiles from Tile Cloud. A Caesarstone benchtop in Airy Concrete completes the scene.
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The powder room is another notable space – what was once quite basic is now a statement area of the home courtesy of navy hued grass cloth ‘Calistoga’ wallpaper from Natty and Polly. “I love the saturation of colour. I’m a big advocate for bringing life into a space. And whilst some spaces warrant pure white, in a closed, small room with no windows I think it’s really exciting to saturate a space with colour,” says Erin.
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“Overall, I’m proud of the way that we maximised the spaces and transformed the apartment into something that looks like it was built in the last five years, as opposed to 20 years ago.”
Last updated in the 90’s, this grand Edwardian-era Melbourne home has just been renovated again with interior designer Jessica Viscarde, of Eclectic Creative, at the helm. “The home had undergone an extension in the late 90’s and the existing conditions of the kitchen, living and dining, as well as the laundry room, did not fit the style of the home, nor meet the needs of the family,” says Jessica, who set about updating the circa 1914 abode with clever space planning, lovely new design features and a neutral yet textured materials palette.
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While Jessica updated the entire living, dining and kitchen, perhaps the most striking aspect of overhaul is the integrated meals table that is nestled into the kitchen island bench. “We proposed this layout as our ‘wild card’ option and were thrilled our clients chose it as their favourite. Our clients preferred the ability to sit down comfortably in chairs rather than having an oversized, and perhaps under-utilised, island bench with bar stools.” says Jessica of the unique design that is a natural gathering space in the room.
AFTER kitchen. The integrated meals area is a unique feature.
The kitchen’s beautiful original window area is now complemented by a ceramic double farmhouse sink, Brodware mixer and integrated dishwasher and bins. The cabinetry was extended to frame the original windows and Spanish hand-cut tiles imbue the space with gorgeous texture. Nearby, the fridge was repositioned to free up space that now houses a substantial oven, cooktop and upper cabinetry. As for materials, the kitchen combines natural stone, porcelain and timber with VJ panelling and slimline shaker cabinet profiles.
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“We decided to zone designated areas within the expansive open space to incorporate both living and dining, whilst creating an additional sitting area encased by those lovely bay windows,” says Jessica. The living area features custom joinery that was designed to complement the kitchen and neatly store tech away. Powder-coated perforated metal allows for the use of remotes and open timber shelves are the perfect spot to house personal touches.
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“A custom sofa was designed especially for the space and made locally in Melbourne. It’s paired with a stunning green wool area rug to add a soft layer and zone the living area in the open space,” says Jessica.
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The bay window area off the kitchen now houses a lovely reading and relaxing zone to take in the established gardens and sun. UV-friendly fabric was specified for the armchairs and a hand-knotted custom rug from Hali Rugs completes the scene. A David Trubridge pendant light complements another version of the light in the dining area, while working to link the two spaces.
We’re so in love with this Hamptons style transformation which owner Michelle was keen to share to show you don’t need a huge home or budget to achieve your dream sanctuary. And gosh, we love the story behind Bloom Cottage almost as much as the renovation itself!
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Police officer Michelle says: “I’ve been a single working parent for 12 years and was saving and working on my career to be able to buy my first home for my daughter and I.”
12 months ago, that dream came true when she bought a cabin in the forest in the Gold Coast Hinterland she has always called home. Fast forward a year and her first home (and first reno!) has been completely transformed thanks to a modest $60,000 budget, a lot of personal hard work and help from family and friends.
BEFOREAFTER The back exterior
“It has always been my dream to have a home in my hometown; a home that my daughter could always call home, and one that would someday be hers. Fortunately, this was owned by a dear family friend who appreciated my dream and sold it to me while it was off market, because he knew it would be as sentimental to me, as it was to him, and that covid was pushing prices up to an unachievable amount.”
Once it became Michelle’s, the hard work really began and it was a team effort! “My family, friends and partner Luke banded together to help me renovate the house. Uncle Bill is very handy on the tools and he dedicated a couple of months to conquer the big jobs with my father and Luke.
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“My parents Lou (73) and Lynda (68) who are retired country folk, worked on the house almost every day, my mother and sister Kristal never without a paintbrush in their hand. My partner Luke and I live apart, however he worked tirelessly in his spare time, every day by my side, teaching himself to demolish and build and turn the house into a special home for my daughter Emerald and I.”
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The one-bedroom home also has a double-sided loft, which has been turned into a bedroom for 12-year-old Emerald, with a separate area she uses as a dressing room and study. “She adores the new home and her upstairs private loft living quarters!”
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AFTER loft (one side bedroom and one side dressing room for daughter Emerald
The only tradespeople were the kitchen installers, a local electrician for the kitchen electrics and a family friend who completed the tiling.
Collectively they tore out the kitchen and laundry, replaced the toilet and vanity, painted the floor tiles, changed all the tapware, replaced all the external and internal doors, sanded the stained orange pine floor boards, painted every inch of the interior, remodelled the staircase balustrades, laid hybrid flooring upstairs in the loft, installed VJ wall panelling in the loft and down the stairwell, built a new front entrance, erected a roof over the existing side deck, refurbished the old rusted fireplace, extended a kitchen wall, removed old curtains, installed window blinds and painted the timber staircase white. Phew!
A kitchen company installed new cabinetry in the kitchen and laundry with new appliances, new wall tiling in the kitchen, laundry and bathroom. They painted the existing floor tiles in the bathroom and laundry, put in new Colorbond fencing, painted the existing blue water tanks black, and painted the exterior of the house and its guttering white. They painted and stained decks and added some exterior window trims.
Outside, there was also some new plumbing, old fencing removed, and the carport and shed repainted. “The land also needed to be partly cleared because it had a lot of old tree stumps, logs and overgrown forest,” Michelle explains. “A friend, Guy, owned some excavation machinery and helped with that.”
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Michelle refurbished mostly secondhand furniture for inside and her father, a retired landscaper, has been busy landscaping.
It’s fair to say an awful lot was achieved for the money thanks to the generosity of friends and family, for which she is forever grateful. “I budgeted $50,000 and spent more like $60,000. The biggest expense aside from the kitchen, was paying Uncle Bill to work eight hours a day on the big projects, which required skill. My family and friends practically worked for free. I shopped around for the lowest prices, purchasing from companies that supply to tradespeople, including discount warehouses and Bunnings.”
She came a cross a few challenges along the way but never gave up, finding solutions for everything. “Unfortunately it wasn’t plausible to tile over the existing bathroom and laundry tiles and I could not afford a complete new bathroom. The cheapest option was to repaint the floor tiles, which was a challenging task in itself. I initially tried a popular brand of floor tile paint, which was poor quality and peeled quickly when exposed to foot traffic and water. I then tried to rectify the issues by repainting with water-based enamel paint, then oil-based enamel paint, before having to remove all the silicon edging, sand the peeling paint and finally finding a better finish using the same paint I’d used on the exterior, Taubmans Ultimate enamel gloss.”
The things she feels were absolutely worth spending a bit extra on were installing hybrid flooring in the loft and lining the walls with VJ board (making it look less like a storage area and more like a living space), as well as creating the new front entrance and doorway. “It made the house look less like a cabin and more like a cottage home.”
And while juggling this all with working as a full-time police officer and a volunteer first responder for the ambulance service was a big task, Michelle says it was more than worth it. “We moved in March and it immediately felt like home. There is nothing more satisfying then leaving the hustle and bustle of the busy Gold Coast and driving back to a quiet mountain home where I can sit on the veranda and have the birds fly up and sit right next to me. It’s a dream come true to be able to purchase a home on a single income and renovate it to make it feel like our own.”
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Michelle saved money painting the bathroom and laundry floors when she eventually found the right paint!
Due to rising property prices, she already has some equity in the home but it means nothing to Michelle as she never intends to sell. “It’s important to leave a piece of land for my daughter and generations to come, so they will always have somewhere to return to, if life gets tough.” She learned the importance of home from her parents, who bought 10 acres of land in the area around 50 years ago, starting with a caravan and gradually building a house where they raised her and her four siblings. “At different stages in life, we’ve always been able to return home to the family property, where they still live today, a few kilometres from my new home.”
Michelle and daughter Emerald love their new home
She adds: “One day, I’d love to be able to afford to put a new bathroom in, add on another room and finish things like fencing, landscaping and air conditioning which I couldn’t afford to do. Balancing shift work, parenting and renovating is hard work, but it is achievable.”
What an inspiring story about the importance of home and what can be achieved with hard work and the help of friends and family!
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Nestled inside a mid-century Melbourne apartment block, this home was given a sensitive restoration recently with architect Bonnie Mills at the helm. Home to Bonnie, her partner Ashley Raggett, toddler Sonny Raggett and the family dog Teddy, the home combines natural stone, terrazzo and walnut timber in a nod to the apartment’s heritage.
“The whole aesthetic is a link back to the mid-century origins of the apartment – certainly the walnut timber, terrazzo and the square tiles in the kitchen,” says Bonnie, who has furnished the home with a mix of modern and vintage furniture finds as well as mid-century inspired lighting.
BEFORE Lounge and diningAFTER Lounge, dining and kitchen
Completed over a two-year period, (while Bonnie was pregnant and nursing a newborn no less!) the process started in the bathroom where there was originally a freestanding washing machine sitting beside the vanity. Conveniently, Bonnie’s partner Ashley is a plumber (The Peoples’ Plumber) and thus was able to undertake this work himself. “Ashley did all the plumbing work and we now have a European laundry inside the bathroom space,” says Bonnie of the bathroom that features square tiles from Artedomus as well as terrazzo sourced from Signorino. A highlight of the home, a skylight completes the sanctuary-like space.
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“We were priced into an apartment and don’t have a garden, so we wanted to bring the outside in in any way possible and to make it feel as house-like as possible. The skylight creates a space for solitary bliss. I like to look up at the stars and have that quiet space in the home,” says Bonnie.
Bathroom skylight
The kitchen renovation began after the bathroom was finished, with the removal of a wall requiring engineering and building permits. “It was worth it though as the old kitchen was completely cut off and there was a lot of disconnect between the spaces,” says Bonnie. Zellige-style tiles from Tiento Tiles as well as natural stone from Signorino are paired with walnut timber accents in the kitchen. “The stone is Venato Forte and it reminds me of the dappled light and reflection on the wall that we get through the kitchen window,” says Bonnie.
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Nearby, the dining room features corner bench seating which is full to the brim with Sonny’s toys. “The bench seating was one of the best buys as it helps to conceal all of his things,” says Bonnie. It’s also a lovely, light-filled spot to enjoy breakfast in the mornings.
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AFTER The dining room bench seat provides much needed storage in the apartment
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AFTER bedroom. Bonnie sourced the mid-century bed from Facebook Marketplace.
Bonnie’s top tips for renovating
If you can help it, don’t live in the home while renovating. “In hindsight I should have waited for everything to be done before moving in. There are efficiencies in doing it all at once rather than calling trades back several times,” says Bonnie.
Find good quality trades. “When we went cheap, we paid twice as you end up getting people back to fix things if they aren’t done properly the first time,” says Bonnie.
Spend as much time as possible in the planning phase so that you have fewer decisions to make on site.
Try to renovate to a building’s context or architecture rather than to what you have seen online. “Design to the context. This creates something timeless with purpose rather than just following trends,” says Bonnie who warns against getting stuck in a Pinterest loop during the design phase.
When it comes to materials, think about sustainability and the lifespan of a product. “Products like natural stone and terrazzo are often overlooked due to cost. But a lot of the time they are a more efficient choice in the long run. For example, if you chip or burn natural stone you can sand it back and reseal it, so it’s got a much longer life expectancy,” says Bonnie.
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“Except for the outside we’ve basically got a brand new home,” says Erica Serena of the Perth abode that she shares with her partner Nia Hale. Originally built in 1994, Erica purchased the house in 2008 but had wanted to overhaul it for a long time. “It was a long overdue renovation and a dream I had had for a long time,” says Erica who engaged interior designer Steph Versaico of SV Designs to help bring her vision to life.
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Completed in just 10 weeks, the renovation encompassed the entire inside of the home but it’s the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry where the most incredible transformations took place. “Overall, I really wanted a space that felt calm and relaxing but that incorporated black as we love black,” says Erica who had all the walls painted in Dulux Lexicon Quarter – the bright white shade was chosen to help bounce light around the home. And because the entire home was renovated at once, Erica really worked to give the home a sense of cohesion.
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A standout part of the renovation, the kitchen features simple black cupboards and a statement porcelain bench top. “We were originally going to go with stone, but it seemed high maintenance and I didn’t like the colour choices. I love the smooth, matte feel of the Cosentino Dekton benchtop in Portum and the waterfall edge is my favourite part of the kitchen,” says Erica who explains that the material has become the hero of the space.
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During the design process, it became obvious that the home’s beige windows were going to have to be replaced – a potentially expensive process. “I ended up getting them painted which was so much cheaper,” says Erica. The process involved sanding down the home’s aluminium window frames before coating them with primer and two coats of marine grade paint. “They look like brand new windows. The process wasn’t cheap, but it was cheaper than replacing them,” says Erica.
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AFTER kitchen
The home’s new ensuite is another highlight and while diminutive, it more than makes up for its size with personality. “It’s such a compact space and while I would love a more luxurious sized ensuite we decided to make is as beautiful as possible. It’s a joy to be in there,” says Erica whose love of pink is reflected in the elongated hexagon, honed marble tiles that cover one wall.
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AFTER. The ensuite features tapware by ABI Interiors.
“I am most proud of having a home that I’m not embarrassed about anymore. It feels happy and bright yet calm and beautiful. There’s not a space that I don’t love and to finally have a beautiful, grown-up home feels so good.”
Photography: Erica Serena
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