lover dreamers – The Interiors Addict

The team from Lover Dreamers is back but unlike their last renovation, this one is on Australian soil (Davistown on the NSW Central Coast) and is an intentionally much smaller home. “We wanted to simplify and minimalise our home life to have more time for each other and the other things in life that we love,” says Rachael Gowling, who lives in the home with her husband and two children.

“We had built large houses in the past with all the extras we thought we needed at that time, such as walk-in wardrobes, ensuites, kids’ play rooms, additional lounge rooms, butlers’ pantries, reading nooks, additional kitchenettes and bar areas. But the truth is that we really disliked having such a large house.”

Never ending upkeep aside, the family found they didn’t use all the rooms in their last, much larger, home either. “We also didn’t like that our young kids were out of sight or downstairs where we couldn’t see them,” says Rachael who set about designing this new build with these things in mind.

In many ways, building a larger home is easier – it’s only when you’ve got space constraints that you are really forced to consider exactly what you need. “With this build, we thought carefully about the spaces we actually need to live comfortably but not feel cramped. This house design was about creating as much functional space and maximising on storage solutions as possible on a small scale,” says Rachael who is so enamoured with her new smaller home that she can’t imagine ever living in a large house again.

The L-shaped living area is the centre of the home – pitched ceilings and corner stacking sliding doors disappear into the walls when the family want to open it up to the undercover alfresco area. “Again, it’s not a large space but with all of the design features combined, it feels very spacious. The indoor and outdoor area flow seamlessly. It’s the hub of our home,” says Rachael.

The family came up with the initial house design themselves before enlisting a draftsman and its cottage feel belies that it’s a new build. “We wanted to create a small home that was practical for our family to live in but we also wanted to create a home that had character and fit in with the older cottages in the area,” says Rachael.

Flooring Xtra was a major part of this project (their products feature throughout), along with their ambassador, interior designer James Treble, who came along to view the finished result.

“It’s been a great pleasure visiting Rachael and Andrew during the construction of their beautiful coastal home and following their selection journey, and the final results speak for themselves! It’s a beautiful beach home that is so welcoming, and the well-considered finishes from the flooring, right through to their colour choices, cabinetry selections and accessories has resulted in a fully realised vision of their original concepts for their new Australian coastal home,” says James.

Interior designer James Treble with Rachael and Andrew Gowling during the construction process

For more | The latest coastal home styling trends

Inspired by grand old Queenslander homes, but adapted to suit life in cooler climate New Zealand, this family home took just six months to build and came in on budget which as many of you will know is no mean feat. Inhabited by a young family of four, the build included many DIY elements to help keep costs down. From upcycling furniture to landscaping themselves, Rachael and Andrew Gowling (of Lover Dreamers) have plenty of experience in sticking to a budget, without sacrificing on style.

The home's exterior — The home’s exterior

“Our goal with the design of this beach house was to create a practical and functional space for our family, whilst maximising the beautiful ocean view. We wanted to create an environment that felt calming, relaxing and cosy. We love entertaining, so a lot of consideration went into our living areas and a big focus went into the indoor-outdoor flow of the house,” says Rachael of the home that is located just north of Auckland and was designed by the couple in collaboration with their architect and builder.

The financials
First up, Rachael recommends that you really do your homework before engaging a builder. “There can be many hidden or unknown costs with new builds. Finding a builder that will give you a fixed priced contract can save a lot of money and headaches,” who believes it’s possible to get a bespoke finish on a budget.

“It is possible to achieve an architecturally designed house within a similar budget to a group build company. It’s just a matter of finding the right builder. It may take a bit of time to find the right builder but the end result will be worth it. This gives you a lot more freedom in the design of your home to achieve a home that is going to suit your needs without paying a fee every time you want to alter a group floor plan design,” says Rachael who also recommends choosing an architect that your builder is comfortable working with to make for a smoother process.

The hanging chair was bought in Australia and carried in Rachael's hand luggage to New Zealand — The hanging chair was bought in Byron Bay and carried to New Zealand in Rachael’s hand luggage

DIY
“Once the house was complete there were many DIY jobs we enlisted ourselves to do,” says Rachael who landscaped the garden as well as upcycling furniture including a 2.5 metre dining table bought for just $70.

The dining room features a DIY upcycled table

“Undertaking the very labour intensive job of landscaping included creating a landscaping design plan, moving over 10 tonne of soil and rubbish, clearing the site, preparing garden beds, building and painting fences and our letterbox, rolling ready lawn, building a clothes line area, creating pathways, and planting 325 plants and mulching. It was extremely hard work, especially with two little kids in tow, but they loved being involved in the landscaping too,” says Rachael.

Rachael has a word of advice on the landscaping front and that is to make sure you have the right tools. “I would never again attempt to complete the landscaping without the right tools and equipment! This resulted in over 10 tonne of dirt being dug with a shovel by Andrew!” says Rachael.

Styling
“Try not to buy too many styling items before you move in. It’s always a good idea to get the large items in place first and then decide on the smaller items as this way you achieve more of a cohesive look and will find you won’t over-buy things that you figure out later on, you don’t actually need,” says Rachael.

“Styling and furnishing your family’s home doesn’t have to be expensive. There are many cheap, quick and easy ways to use furniture paint products out there now. It’s amazing what a quick coat of paint can do to an old and tired looking piece of furniture. The results can look fantastic without breaking the bank. Take our dining room as an example!” says Rachael.

“I mostly seek out a bargain. There are many furniture and homeware items in our home that I had my eye on for months and waited until they came on sale. I also love finding old furniture to upcycle and give a new lease of life to. There is nothing we own that is really high end. We have young children and I don’t want to be too precious with them about ruining expensive items. I always want our home to be homely and to be lived in,” says Rachael.

Be wary of trends
“Spend money on items that are important to you. After all, it’s your house! However, my suggestion is beware of the latest trend as trends come and go. Choose your long lasting, permanent fixtures carefully. Kitchens, bathrooms and flooring for example are very expensive items and should be chosen carefully as they need to last many years are often too expensive to change. I like to keep the tones neutral in kitchens, bathrooms and flooring and spend a little more on quality products to ensure longevity,” says Rachael.

“As trends come and go you can easily change your wall paint colours, add feature wallpaper, change your furniture and soft furnishings to add colour or to change your style or look of your house completely. That is a much more cost-effective way to update the look of your home over time,” says Rachael.

Photography: Helen Bankers (courtesy of NZ Your Home and Garden magazine)

For more | 10 tips for managing your reno budget