• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australia’s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      We’re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
      • Get Your Free Ebook

        This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesn’t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • 0P9A8598AFTER_Before & after: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Greystanes NSW)
    • DINING-6-AFTER-0P9A4023Before & After: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Clermont QLD)
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other people’s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether you’re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-26 at 6.58.44 pmAmazing $2k balcony transformation using Kmart stone tiles
    • AFTERLush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at home
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? We’re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • MargueriteNew Sage x Clare range + creative director’s top picks!
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-08 at 9.49.47 amKmart partners with Wiradjuri artist Judith Young on home range
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • Lauren RoeInside I Love Linen’s Queensland hinterland home
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • IMG_9786Foodie Friday: Allergy-free hot choc buns
    • ES22-January-LS0076-1Early Settler’s new homewares could be your ticket to wanderlust
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

Gemma Peanut shows us around her new Sydney home

By Jen Bishop • Leave a Comment

FacebookPinEmailTweet

Today’s tour is the first home of actress-turned-photographer Gemma Peanut and her husband Matt. Like many young Sydney couples, they missed out on several apartments before securing this one, on the lower north shore. “Searching for any home is a path paved with excitement and heartbreak,” the former Neighbours actress says. “We missed out on a few places we loved but were big believers that the home you end up with was always meant to be!

“I definitely didn’t fall for it instantly; my eyes widened at the opportunity and potential to convert it into something wonderful. I think the reason we were able to secure it was because it was so poorly presented for sale that many people were turned off. It would’ve looked like a lot of work to most but to me it looked like one hell-of-a fun project to sink my teeth into.” Smart buying indeed!

Gemma Peanut

The 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, top floor apartment is in a small block of 11. On getting the keys, aside from feeling “like my bank account had been brutally violated,” Gemma felt overwhelmed with excitement. “Getting on the property ladder started to feel like an impossible dream in Sydney. We were elated when we finally signed the papers to our new baby. I don’t know if this is a common reaction, but a few weeks after the excitement of being home owners wore off, the reality of the huge job ahead of us started to sink in and nerves and anxiety about our renovations started to kick in.”

New bathrooms

The renovations took 4.5 months, during which time, the couple lived with her parents. “We gutted the entire apartment and started over. We removed all the bathroom tiles, built in wardrobes, carpet, the works. We also removed one wall to open up the kitchen into an open plan living room and kitchen. Most 1960s building have kitchens hidden away in a tiny room and I’m a sucker for lots of light and open space. That was never going to work for me. Plus, when I entertain friends, I like to be in the kitchen prepping a meal and still be able to hang out with everyone.”

The couple wisely ensured they’d be able to remove the wall before signing on the line to buy the place as it was a potential deal breaker. Then Gemma got to work with a very clear vision in mind, with Matt giving her free rein on all design decisions, provided she stayed within their agreed budget. “The greatest challenge was sticking to the budget but I enjoyed this challenge. It forced me to be resourceful and really sniff out those deals. There were certain things we splashed out on and then found ways to save. It’s all about striking that balance of affordable mixed in with fancy.”

Removing that kitchen wall undoubtedly made the biggest impact, allowing much more light in. “I’m a light junkie,” says Gemma. “I work from home and need to be flooded with light constantly for my own mental health. So that wall removal was the ultimate game changer.”

BEFORE: The former, closed off kitchen
BEFORE: The old, cluttered dining room

PROGRESS: Kitchen wall down!

Now it’s finished and furnished, Gemma describes the space as calming, modern and homely. “Many friends have come over and said it feels soothing and relaxing. I would say my interior style is clean and modern with a sprinkle of bohemian. Matt self-nominated to have zero say in the interior styling of our apartment but he surprisingly dug his heels in on one topic: carpet. That was the only time he piped up. I wanted to go for a light grey/oat coloured carpet and he passionately disagreed. He wanted a dark grey. And seeing as I didn’t have many battles to fight, I let him win the carpet battle. And since moving in, I have to take my hat off to him. The darker carpet is much more practical and contrasts nicely with our bright white walls and bed linen.”

First time homeowners Gemma and Matt

Being that she works from home, creating the perfect space was even more important to Gemma, who has carved out an impressive career as a photographer over the last few years, also running a popular online photography course. “I have a desk but I tend to move locations throughout the day. I’m fidgety so I’ll hop from working at my desk to my dining table to the kitchen island and then tend to end the day working on the couch. I’m sure all this shifting is terrible for my back but I’m incapable of sitting still and staring at the same wall for hours on end.”

Gemma recently launched a print shop too, selling some of her favourite photos as high quality art. “I’ve always followed my heart. I was that girl who knew her mind and my parents didn’t stand a chance in hell of guiding me towards a sensible and risk-free career. I’ve always been a believer that you will spend a giant chunk of your life working so you may as well love what you do. And I’ve been fortunate enough to explore all my creative passions and work within them with ease (although never void of a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears). Transitioning to a business owner required a mammoth mental shift. I had to learn blind confidence and really back myself and belief that I could do it. There were a lot of growing pains along the way but I wouldn’t change a thing!”

Gemma loves art on her own walls too. “Art is where your can really express yourself and overtly share your personality. I like to make a statement, which is why my print shop offers large size prints with frames. I like people to solidly commit to my photography and go for something that takes up a lot of real estate and becomes a statement piece that can’t be ignored.

“My favourite is called Wild Love. It’s a picture of a maternal monkey breastfeeding her young. It brings such a grounding and earthy energy to my home. You can also walk straight into my apartment and completely understand my undying love for our natural environment. I love bringing the outside world inside. Hence all the indoor plant babies.”

With her renovating adventure now at an end, Gemma’s best advice from the experience is to pick a builder you like and trust. “You will spend a lot of time communicating and negotiating with them, so it’s important that you get on well and trust that they share your vision.

“My next big tip would be to stick with neutral tones when it comes to your kitchen and bathroom. You can express your love of colour through soft furnishings. Interior colours and styles move in waves and trends. It’s much easier to replace a pink cushion than it is to replace pink bathroom tiles.

“My last tip would be to plan lighting way ahead of time. This is something I wish I’d done sooner. The infrastructure needs to be set right at the start and isn’t something you can easily add in later. I wish I pre-empted that I might like a pendant light in my bathroom. Suddenly the bathroom was done and it was too late and too costly to add one.”

More about Gemma

More house tours

FacebookPinEmailTweet

August 23, 2017

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Amazing $2k balcony transformation using Kmart stone tiles
  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail
  • Before & After: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Clermont QLD)
  • Before & after: Classic, contemporary Adelaide bathroom reno
  • The Whiskey Room Be inspired to go bold by the Dulux Colour Awards 2023 finalists

Follow us on Instagram

Swipe for after! What a fab, yet sympathetic, mak Swipe for after!

What a fab, yet sympathetic, makeover of this untouched (but not in a good way!) 50s house by @sellinghousesaus See all the rooms on the blog now via link in bio.

Great use of small space and working with the retro feel of the home while still modernising it.

Bravo @wendymooreedit 👏

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #50shouse #50shome #beforeandafterbathroom #retrorenovation #lifestylechannel #foxtel #smallbathroomdesign #showeroverbath

@andrewtwinter
There's nothing like ticking off little jobs! We f There's nothing like ticking off little jobs! We finally knocked out our 60s brown tile back step and replaced it with a smaller grey one made from @trexcompany Island Mist decking to match our deck (that went in 4.5 years ago) and now painted brick exterior. Making the step smaller allowed us to add in an additional manhole under the back door too to allow easier access under the house at the back. And we made a cover for that too (final slide) using Trex. I say "we" but I really mean our handyman 😉 One plank was enough for both jobs. Why we didn't do this ages ago I do not know but it's done now! 😁 Installed with @trexrainescape to ensure it stays dry and lasts!

Disclosure: Plank of Trex decking was gifted. I paid for the handyman.

#backstep #doorstep #deck #decking #deckdesign #deckideas #compositedecking #trex #trexdecking #greydecking

Mat from @doormatau
Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I fir Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I first came to Australia in my 20s, it's where I headed to buy everything I needed for my first apartment at an incredible price! And I've loved watching the range get more and more impressive over the years as my knowledge of furniture has increased. I had no idea how extensive their Aussie Made sofa range was though. I'd love you to check out the options via link in bio as I think you'll be impressed! I think we have a renewed appreciation for Aussie Made and supporting local manufacturing and jobs and this is a great success story. We love a bit of high low decorating, and turns out Fantastic Furniture is a great place to find your family lounge, a special accent chair, an extra ottoman for occasional seating and so much more. 

#fantasticfurniture #aussiemade #australianfurniture #FindyourFantastic #FantasticFamily #affordablehomewares #affordablefurniture #custommadesofa #custommadelounges #australianhomes #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsdaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Please don't show my boys this room or they'll wan Please don't show my boys this room or they'll want one like it!

How gorgeous is this Brisbane kids' bedroom?! 

@brittwhitestudio worked closely with the boys (aged 7 and 9) to understand their needs with a bespoke bunk bed solution crafted by BRC Cabinets, featuring ample storage as well as an under-stair hidey-hole, a useful reading nook for books and a built-in charger for electronics. Local craftsmen Emmett’s Ropes designed and hand-tied the ropework on the top bunk and the supporting pillar beneath.

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see and read more!

#bunkroom #bunkbed #bunkbedsforkids #bunkbeds #bespokebunkbeds #custommadebunkbeds #sharedbedroom #sharedbedroomforkids #boysroominspo #boysroomdecor #junglebedroom #kidsroomstyle #kidsroomstyling #childrensrooms #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #brittwhitestudio #highriseliving #apartmentlifestyle #penthouses #apartmentlivingwithkids #newsteadbrisbane 

Pix by @joebrosnan.photo
Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3? Just 3 of the kitch Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3?

Just 3 of the kitchens in the @duluxaus Colour Awards 2023 shortlist which will give you some serious inspiration!

Loads more gorgeous residential rooms to see on the blog this morning via link in bio.

Projects by @studio__bright @kaiko_design and Georgie Shepherd Interior Design. Pix by @arorygardiner @fiona_susanto and @christophermorrisphoto 

#duluxcolour #duluxpaint #duluxaus #duluxcolourawards #duluxcolourawards2023 #moodykitchen #allwhitekitchen #designerkitchen #sagekitchen #boldkitchen #colourfulkitchen #colouredkitchen #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount
We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony m We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony makeover using @kmartaus stone tiles!

Nineties townhouse in Lennox Head or villa in Greece? You decide! All up it cost $2000 including all materials and she did the work herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

Love your work @twin_palms_lennox

#kmartaustralia #kmartdiy #kmarthack #kmarthome #modernmediterranean #balconymakeover #balconyideas #diybalcony #budgetdiy #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Wallpaper in every single room! What do you recko Wallpaper in every single room!

What do you reckon? You'd think it would be overkill but it isn't because so many of the designs are subtle yet still impactful.

Head over to the blog to see how @grafico_walls transformed this blank canvas Melbourne townhouse with their products, which you've probably seen on The Block over the years. And read how Damian Corney has grown this Melbourne business with wife Adele and a growing team. There's also a look inside the very cool Motley Hotel which has used a whopping 4km of their wallpaper throughout!

You can also watch a video tour with Bec Douros as the house featured on Open Homes Australia over the weekend.

Via link in bio now.

#wallpapergoals #wallpaperdesign #australianwallart #australianwallpaper #wallmurals #wallpapermural #wallpapermurals #wallpapereddoor #digitalwallpaper #digitallyprintedwallpaper #customwallpaper #wallpaperaesthetic #wallpapertrends #wallpaperaustralia #grafico #graficowallcoverings #melbournebusiness #melbournesmallbusiness #openhomesaustralia #theblock #becdouros
Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! 

Braved the rain second morning in a row to feed the animals at @edenfarmescape because life's too short to worry about a bit of mud and drizzle!

Feeling relaxed 🥰
Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before 😂

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: What Made The Biggest Impact in Jen's Own Reno.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Avatar

About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 10 years. She is mum to two young boys and lives in Sydney.

More from House Tours

Lauren Roe

Inside I Love Linen’s Queensland hinterland home

Interior designer’s farmhouse inspired by the coast of Portugal

Inside Neale Whitaker’s stunning new modern country guesthouse

Before & After: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Clermont QLD)

Kitchen

Lilac kitchen stars in luxury London apartment reno

Luxe, textured materials star in modern classic Sydney home reno

Adore Home’s latest reno: Contemporary meets mid-century

Step inside and be inspired by Australia’s best sustainable homes

Small space living: Three houses on one petite Melbourne block

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2023 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!