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Would YOU live in a converted church?

By Guest Poster •

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Vivienne Winborne shares the highs and lows of living in a converted church home with her fiancé Andrew and kids Violet and Amos. But would YOU live in a converted church?

Living in a church sounds heavenly, right? All those high ceilings, open spaces and stain glass windows. We bought a 1926 converted church in Newcastle last year. It is an amazing space with tonnes of potential but when you need scaffolding to change a lightbulb, you realise there may have been a few things you didn’t consider. So, what are the pros and cons?

converted church house dining room
The old church hall, now dining room

Character
Some people love shiny, new modern houses. We are all about character. Our church house has original stain glass in the façade, and the original light fittings in the main living space. We loved the metal trusses, the interesting ceiling line where the organ was built in and the stone plaques out the front. When my father-in-law pointed out how wonky the floor was, neither of us blinked an eye.

Quirks
How many people can say they have a crying room? We are planning to use the 2 x 2 metre room with a window through to the main lounge room as a bike storage area.

Location
Most churches were traditionally built in fairly central locations in the village, so chances are if you live in a church, you will be near cafes, shops and a school. We got really lucky and found a church that is centrally located but not on a main road.

Space!
Our church house was previously a church which connected to a large hall via a lobby. It has been converted into a 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom house with two enormous living spaces. When we first moved in we would despair every time we accidently left something at one end of the house and had to go back for it. Our 2.5-year-old rides his bike around, drives his big red car and plays cricket in the lounge room (although I think that has a very limited lifespan!!). It does mean that normal furniture looks like dolls house furniture.

Daughter Violet’s room
Son Amos’s room

You need scaffolding for EVERYTHING
Light bulb has gone out? Scaffold. Painting the interior? Scaffold. Painting the exterior? Scaffold. Want to take down the disco ball which isn’t really working with the 1926 style? Scaffold. Replacing the ceiling fans? You get the idea.

Maintenance
Like any older house, our lovely church needs a bit of TLC. While I am dreaming of a shiny new kitchen and tracking down a beautiful 1920s wooden door, our money is being redirected towards a new roof. And don’t even get me started on the cost of stain glass restoration…

Stain glass restoration doesn’t come cheap!

The graveyard issue
We inspected a charming 2-bedroom stone church in Hinton. But apart from being a bit small, there was a graveyard out the back. Now I wasn’t worried about things that go bump in the night. But we did have a dog who was a bit of a Houdini. And he just loved bones. We kept looking.

Heating and cooling
I heard recently that tide is slowly turning with the open plan living trend. Big open spaces have a lovely feel, let in more light and work really well for entertaining. They also make it easy to cook dinner and keep an eye on the kids at the same time. But they make heating and cooling really tricky. We have installed extra insulation, two giant air-conditioning units and invested in a good quality gas heater.

Overall verdict? Pricey, but worth every penny!

Vivienne, Andrew, Violet and Amos

— Vivienne is a freelance writer, blogger, brand manager and mother of two. See more of her church home at www.homesweetchurchhome.com.

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February 21, 2018

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Block kitchen week is always a goodie and we got 5 Block kitchen week is always a goodie and we got 5 very different looks last night which was great!

One question that kept coming up was just how important is the butler's pantry? Love to hear your thoughts. Do you have one? And which was your favourite last night? Please share in the comments.

Head to the blog via link in bio to find out who won and what the judges said. 

#theblock #theblockshop #blockshopper #theblockroomreveals #kitchenweek #kitchenpalette #kitchencabinetry #kitchenstyles
Located in Melbourne’s Elsternwick, this stylis Located in Melbourne’s Elsternwick, this stylish home was renovated recently with @keenarchitecture and @studio_esar at the helm. Brimming with fun, functionality and colour, the home is shared by ex MasterChef contestant Peter Kritikides, his wife Erica and their two children. 

Occupied by the family since 2015, the renovation brief called for a sympathetic yet modern upgrade to the heritage listed original home as well as the demolition and rebuild of the back of the residence.

Want to see the kitchen? Head to the blog via link in bio.

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GET THE LOOK. All the finer details of Sunday's Bl GET THE LOOK. All the finer details of Sunday's Block master bedroom walk ins on the blog now.

Which was your fave?

Via latest posts link in bio now.

#walkincloset #walkinwardrobe #walkinrobe #wardrobes #wardrobe #wardrobe #bedroomstorage #masterbedroomdesign #mastersuite #theblockroomreveals #theblock #theblock2023 #kinsman #kinsmankitchens #kinsmanwardrobes #dressingroom #dressingtable
A home that got all its extra special details AFTE A home that got all its extra special details AFTER handover with stunning results!

When Emma Fuller built her family home five years ago, she went with the ‘basic’ package with a view to elevating the spaces in a more budget-friendly manner down the line. Knowing that she couldn’t afford her entire wish list upfront, she made allowances within the plans so that she could add all the special details later.

“Although the builder could have incorporated every detail we asked for, we knew it would have blown our budget, but that didn’t mean I was going to let the dream go,” says @hamptonsinhighfields 

Patience and hard work have definitely paid off and today on the blog we are showing you how she did it from adding a fireplace, bench seat, wallpaper, french doors, a mudroom, built in bookcases, fretwork, kitchen island trim, IKEA wardrobes and more!

Via link in bio now.

#newbuild #hamptonsaustralia #hamptonsnewbuild #fretwork #benchseat #benchseating #fireplace🔥 #fireplacedecor #ikeahacks #diymudroom #mudroom #kidsroomwallpaper #frenchdoors #frenchdoor #hallwaydoors #frenchdoorpantry #butlerspantrydesign #newbuildupgrades
Flatpack definitely doesn't have to be basic or bo Flatpack definitely doesn't have to be basic or boring!

The latest @kaboodlekitchen trends release, in collaboration with stylist @jono.fleming, are anything but. These are just 4 of 6 new colours for the brand, sold in Bunnings.

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the others (hint: one of them might be pink! 🩷). You'll also find out how to get a free copy of the latest Kaboodle edit magazine sent to you, chock full of inspiring real projects like my navy laundry!

Which of these is your pick? Would you venture outside of a white kitchen? What colour is yours?

#kaboodlekitchen #kaboodlelaundry #kaboodle #flatpackfurniture #flatpackkitchen #bunningskitchen #flatpackcabinets #budgetkitchen #ontrendkitchens #colourfulkitchen #colouredcabinets #kitchencolourtrends2023 #colourtrends2023 #boldkitchen #jonofleming #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #bunningsdiy #heartyourhome #realreno #realrenovations #kitchenbeforeandafter #kitchenonabudget #colourfullaundry #flatpacklaundry
Block judge @darrenpalmerofficial launched his own Block judge @darrenpalmerofficial launched his own rug range this week and they're a bit gorgeous! 😍 These are the kind of beautiful, neutral, textured, natural, ethically and sustainably produced rugs that will stand the test of time.

Pop over to the blog via link in bio to read our chat with him.

“I believe in the democratisation of good design,” says Darren, who wanted the rugs to be affordable. “It was very important to me that they were ethically made, and they are all Good Weave certified ensuring that no child labour is involved in their creation."

#darrenpalmer #darrenpalmerofficial #darrenpalmerinteriors #theblock #rugshopping #rugdesign #ruggoals #rugmaking #naturalrugs #sustainablerugs #ethicalrugs #jute #juterug #juterugs #handcarved #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #goodweave
Steph and Gian's master WING won them an almost pe Steph and Gian's master WING won them an almost perfect score on the Block last night.

Even if their bedsides weren't exactly generous, they were bigger than most last night. What was going on there?!

As ever, love to know your thoughts. See more, read the judges' comments and shop the looks via link in bio now.

#theblockroomreveals
#theblock #theblock2023 #blockshopper #masterbedroomdecor #masterbedroomdesign #mastersuite #mastersuites #walkincloset #walkinwardrobe #walkinrobe #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #realreno
The latest pieces from @mockaaustralia are designe The latest pieces from @mockaaustralia are designed to give your home an endless summer feel ☀️

The Dilllon rattan bedhead is $399, the Blair buffet (swipe) is $469 and (swipe again) the rattan Canyon cabinet is $259.

See more on the homepage now via link in bio.

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My home is not always photoshoot ready, guys! Bu My home is not always photoshoot ready, guys! 

But check out my navy laundry looking perfect in the new issue of @kaboodlekitchen's edit magazine (and the reality!).

Two years on, we're still loving this room!

You'll also see the entertainment unit we created with the same Berry Blue Kaboodle.

Get a free hard copy sent to you (it features many other gorgeous projects using Kaboodle flatpack) or download the digital version via link in my bio now. Enjoy!

#kaboodlekitchen #kaboodle #kaboodlelaundry #flatpack #bunnings #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #barndoor #laundryroomdecor
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarRuss Lindenbach says

    April 12, 2020 at 5:45 am

    My wife doesn’t share my facination with the size(3000 sq. ft.) or the price($99,000) of a former church built in the 1960’s and carrying a mid century modern vibe that keeps me awake at night. The building sits on a full basement with 9′ clearance and the main sanctuary peaks at 24′ built with laminated beams and roofed with tongue and grove 6″ lumber. The exterior is brick with a metal skinned roof AND it sits on a 125′ x 125′ lot. The community is only 700 but only half an hour from a city of 235,000.

    The building meets all wiring and plumbing code but I can’t get her on board. : ( Ideas?

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