Before & after: From tired 1980’s to monochrome magic

Backing onto national park and located at Peregian beach, just south of Noosa, this home was originally built in 1982 and, while well-maintained, was in dire need of a refresh when renovation specialist Maria Baron from Black and White Projects bought it recently.

“When we purchased Parakeet Cottage, it was well loved and well looked after with incredible potential. The aspect means that the home has 180 degree western elevated views of Noosa national park. This is a view that will never be built out and location is everything,” says Maria of the home that is enviably located just a short stroll from the beach also.

Specialising in fast-paced renovations, this one took just five weeks to complete from demolition to styling and Maria describes the end aesthetic as having a modern coastal tribal vibe. “The vision was to refresh this property as a holiday home and give it a real personality. We wanted something bold and timeless so the modern coastal tribal vibe was the perfect direction. It reflects the beach location and has that relaxed feel that people seek when holidaying,” says Maria.

The home is fairly monochromatic with colour pops throughout. “Monochrome is our signature. It is timeless and versatile and can be easily updated from Modern French to Hamptons in the future,” says Maria. The black and white kitchen is one of the home’s standout spaces. “The 40mm Carrara marble look stone really sets the kitchen apart. We selected some lower matte black cabinetry to ground the kitchen and white upper cabinets. To smooth the transition between upper and lower cabinets we chose a classic white subway splashback with black grout. This kitchen is timeless and also really easy to update with coloured accessories,” says Maria.

The bedrooms feature bird prints and one feature wall each – a nod to the local wildlife that includes kookaburras, black cockatoos, lorikeets and parakeets. “The master bedroom features a black cockatoo next to painted panelling (Taubmans Matt Black) for a high end feel, bedroom two features a parakeet and Taubmans Malted Mint teal-coloured paint. Finally the dusty pink paint (Taubmans Kangaroo Paw) enhances the galah print,” says Maria.

Fond of upcycling, Maria incorporated some old pieces into this project too. “Hunting pre-owned items and upcycling old furniture is something we love doing. We used an antique console for the main bathroom in this project. It was a great find and this was the key statement piece for our main bathroom,” says Maria.

The wood accent continues in the master bedroom ensuite – a custom floating timber bench is the hero of the space. “We love adding custom made items as they give uniqueness and warmth. For this project we added a custom floating timber bench in the ensuite. It’s solid Australian hardwood and fits in with the monochromatic bathroom theme. It was a raw rough timber slab which we prepped, cut and finished ourselves,” says Maria. Both bathrooms feature matte black tapware from Reece.

Photography: Rikki Lancaster

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