Tag: rachael turner

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DIY Expert Tips Furniture Interviews

Built-in TV unit DIY using flatpack kitchen cabinets

Rachael Turner custom tv unit

Made entirely out of Kaboodle flat pack furniture, Brisbane builder Rachael Turner, of Front Porch Properties, created a very impressive looking custom built-in TV unit recently that we just had to share. “I’d rather a built-in than a standalone piece of furniture as it looks much sleeker and more custom,” says Rachael and we couldn’t agree more.

Rachael Turner custom tv unit
It’s hard to believe that built-in was created out of flat-packs!

1. Buy Kaboodle flat packs from Bunnings (and assemble them)
First up was purchasing the flat packs and Rachael selected overhead kitchen cupboards from Kaboodle due to their shallow depth. “Because the fireplace is 600mm deep we wanted the cabinetry to be set back a bit,” says Rachael who used 300mm deep cupboards to create the custom piece.

Cupboard installation

2. Build a plinth
“We made a plinth out of framing timber and put it under the cupboards, so they had something to sit on. This was covered with a kick panel after the timber floor went in,” says Rachael.

3. Install the bench tops
When it came to the bench top, Rachael pre-ordered a 400mm deep Kaboodle one (in ‘Hazelnut’ which is a rustic oak shade) from Bunnings and it took about a month to arrive. “If you give Bunnings the measurements, they will cut it to size for you! They send it out pre-cut and they even did a mason’s mitre on the return,” says Rachael referring to the corner where the cabinet wraps around and meets the fireplace.

“Kaboodle also sent a bench join kit which resulted in a much nicer finish than having a standard butt join,” says Rachael.

Bench top installation

5. Install the doors
Next up was the installation of the cupboard doors which were finished off with Kaboodle black mushroom shaped knobs.

6. Timber panelling
“We finished off the wall above the cupboards with grid patterned panelling to complete the entertainment unit area and remove the blandness of a plain wall,” says Rachael who painted it in a dark charcoal shade to disguise the TV.

Timber panelling
Timber panel installation – the TV now hangs on this wall

7. Floating shelves

Sitting to the right-hand side of the stone-clad fireplace, the floating shelves really complete the entire entertainment nook and Rachael accessorised them with baskets and greenery to lift the space.

If you’d like to know more you can check out the step-by-step video guide to the project below.

For more on Rachael Turner | Budget DIY ideas: Our six most popular posts!

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Before & Afters Designers Expert Tips Interviews Kitchens Real Renos RENO ADDICT

Reno inspo: Check out this fab kitchen before & after!

Kitchen AFTER
After: The cathedral ceiling has worked wonders in the space

Carrying on from last night’s Block kitchen reveals, we have more kitchen inspo for you today!

We’ve highlighted the talents of Brisbane pianist turned builder Rachael Turner before and today we’re bringing you one of her latest renovations – a fabulous kitchen. As with her last video, today’s is full of the amazing renovating tips and tricks that we’ve come to expect from Rachael, but first let’s look at the before and after pics of the overhaul.

Kitchen AFTER
After: The new cathedral ceiling has worked wonders in the now light-filled space

The transformation of this kitchen is so profound that it’s almost difficult to believe that the ‘before’ photograph is the same room.

THE BEFORE
The dark and dingy BEFORE

It’s a big call but the most notable difference would have to be that stunning cathedral ceiling that was achieved by removing the existing trusses and roof and replacing it with exposed rafters. The addition of skylights means the hub of the home is now flooded with natural light too.

Kitchen AFTER

One of the other design details that contributes to the kitchen’s new sense of loftiness is the bulkhead that sits above the overhead cupboards. One of Rachael’s top kitchen design tips, cupboards left bare on top are not only magnets for dust but also the eye which is drawn to that harsh line which only helps to close in the space. Where possible, always finish off your kitchen cupboards with a bulkhead above.

Front Porch Properties kitchen AFTER
The gorgeous sea foam coloured tiled splash back is a soothing choice

Watch the video as Rachael takes you through what she did and why and also her top five kitchen tips:

For more | How to stay on top of your kitchen reno budget

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Expert Tips Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Renovate a rental property on a budget: a case study

The makeover of this investment rental property by Rachael Turner of Front Porch Properties is anything but basic. We absolutely love all the clever tricks, flatpack hacks and floorplan tweaks she has used to create a unique and high end look without overcapitalising. It definitely pays to have a good carpenter on your speed dial, that’s for sure!

AFTER
BEFORE

You can watch Rachael’s video below, but here we’ve highlighted what we love best about what she did in this project.

Street appeal:

Rachel added gorgeous Hamptons-esque timber balustrading to the veranda and stencilled the deck to make it look so much like tiles we can’t believe it isn’t! The original door was simply painted blue to give it a pop of colour.

First impressions:

The pokey living/dining/kitchen area was opened up and became open plan. A new IKEA kitchen is given the bespoke look with some custom panelling along the back and a custom bench top. Clever! An affordable  charcoal-painted barn door looks fantastic but is also practical.

That stencilled concrete deck has blown our minds! And the original door is transformed with a lick of blue paint!

Bedrooms and bathrooms:

The spare bedroom becomes the new master bedroom with the addition of an ensuite, making it a two-bedroom home. IKEA wardrobes have been ‘built-in’ for a more expensive look on a budget. One wall of feature blue tiles and a marble-topped vanity in the en suite take it from basic to luxe without spending too much. In the main bathroom, the doorway was moved across so a better layout could be created. The original master became the second bedroom. Money was saved by keeping the original built-ins but adding trim and new handles and painting them, as well as adding a bit of custom carpentry in the way of a window seat in the bay window.

A basic IKEA laundry and a store cupboard with shelves behind the kitchen make great use of the remaining space which was previously a “weird and creepy” shower!

And find out how she stencilled that concrete deck here:

Rachael’s great IKEA hack kitchen.

See Jen’s flatpack kitchen.

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Expert Tips Kitchens RENO ADDICT

IKEA kitchen hack: be inspired by this before & after!

Grab yourself a cuppa, as we’re sharing a fantastic IKEA kitchen hack by Front Porch Properties in these videos today!

AFTER: Clever carpentry has made this flatpack kitchen look more custom

These videos are absolutely loaded with tips and tricks for little things you can do to make a flatpack kitchen look more expensive and unique. As a flatpack kitchen owner myself (take the tour), I always love seeing how other people personalise and give character to theirs!

If you ever thought an IKEA kitchen wouldn’t suit an older home, you really need to check this out for inspiration! I particularly love all the clever uses of space and the way they’ve used the old kitchen cabinetry in the new laundry.

THE BEFORE
Rachael Turner of Front Porch Properties
This clever ‘island’, at the same height as the surrounding  benches, doubles as a dining table because the house doesn’t have a dining room

Now watch the videos as Rachael takes you through what she did and why:

PART ONE

PART TWO (almost finished!)

We hope you’re feeling inspired for your next reno!

Our interview with Front Porch Properties’ Rachael Turner on being a woman in the male-dominated construction industry.

More Kitchens & Bathrooms | More on Renovating

 

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Before & Afters House Tours Real Renos RENO ADDICT

Real renos: the real life version of The Block

With a renovation project so intense it could rival The Block, Rachael Turner gave herself just 12 weeks to transform a dilapidated and unlivable Brisbane house into an enviable family home! And she pulled it off. Big time!

Front4b

“It was completely derelict,” explains Rachael. “No one had lived there for two years. In fact it was so unlivable that when we won the house at auction and went to get money off the bank they wouldn’t give us any. The house was too far gone and they wouldn’t lend against it!”

Study1

However, luckily the bank lent her money against the land and Rachael was able to get the plans drawn up and trades organised, all before settlement. With a huge scope of work to complete, day one saw the jobs begin, starting with the re-stuming and leveling of the house, asbestos removal, replacement of the roof and all-new electrics and plumbing. And that wasn’t even half of it! “We definitely gave ourselves a tough challenge by having a 12-week deadline. But we had to stick to budget and obviously the longer you hold a house the more holding costs you’ll have, and we had only factored in the 12 weeks. We had to stick to it.”

Lounge2

What came next was removing walls, adding structural beams, redoing the kitchen, adding a bathroom (there wasn’t even one before, I’m not joking!), knocking out the back part of the house to put in a deck, and adding a study, laundry, front verandah, footbridge, driveway, carport and garden. So basically, she did a lot!

Bathroom2f

With three bedrooms and now one bathroom, Rachael was aiming to spend only 15 percent of the property’s purchase price on the transformation. Unfortunately, that slipped to 25 percent, but for worthwhile reasons. Rachael deciding to spend on some big-ticket items that promised a good return. “Originally, we weren’t going to add a deck out the back or build the front footbridge, but we realised we would get a good return for these items so we decided to spend the extra.”

Backdeck2c

Owning the house for less than six months (from late 2012 to early 2013), Rachael put the property on sale as soon as the last piece of turf was laid. Selling after just a couple of days on the market, she made a profit of just under 40 percent, which after renovation and sale costs, came in at just under 20 percent.

Rachael puts her success down to including some special points of difference, believing that you should spend money on the significant areas of your home that get the most use. “In the kitchen for example, we included high-end fittings and fixtures like soft close and full extension joinery. Then in the bathroom we had a dual shower head, heated towel rails and mirrored cabinets. All those little things actually don’t cost too much more, but from a sales perspective they are really worth it.”

Kitchen3
Kitchen2

While she’s a big fan of those two rooms, her favourite part of the house would have to be the front portico and footbridge, and while the former was a nightmare to do (she had to get a development application approved) it made for great visual appeal. “I think for resale, they were the best things we did. It made the house accessible and gave it great street presence. The portico is really only four posts and a bit of tin – it’s nothing – but the value it added to the house was immediate.”

Backyard2b

Here’s a closer look at the end result:

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CarvilleSt0026

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Obsessed with renovating and building, Rachael runs project management business Front Porch Properties. Doing both new builds and renovations, she helps clients in all departments from the initial design, to the construction and landscaping.