• 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
    • 1-AFTER-SHA15-ROSELANDS-0P9A4910Before & after: this week’s Selling Houses recap: Roselands, NSW
    • Will's favourite room in the homeBefore & after: rundown boarding house to beautiful heritage home
  • 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
    • Birdblack Design (49 Wollongong Street, Shellharour)Stunning curved ledge and Venetian plaster create spa like feel
    • IMG_3188Art Deco apartment makeover to create New York Paris vibe
  • 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
    • designer-rugs-gavin-harris-polaris-lo-wr1Gavin Harris still excited seeing sketches become real life rugs
    • Affordable-Art-2022-426The Affordable Art Fair returns to Sydney next month
  • 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
    • Screen Shot 2023-05-30 at 9.39.11 amKey fabric & furniture trends from Italy, by Marco Meneguzzi
  • 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
    • Screen Shot 2023-05-03 at 5.28.36 pmFoodie Friday: Organic fig & nut chocolate crack
    • Airbnb-Rooms-Bangkok-Bedroom-2023-Summer-ReleaseAirbnb launches Airbnb Rooms, going back to its affordable roots
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

Real reno: beautiful reno done on a tight $25,000 budget

By Jodie Bowker • Leave a Comment

FacebookPinEmailTweet

Renovating can be hard work, let alone when you add wedding preparations, working full-time and medical school into the mix. But that was exactly what Christie Papageorgiou and her now-husband Matthew, did.

-XmQDD67gymwte4BnEreEMMX0W5DCaic4z02l_OyPIk
Before
mCF_EinJqlBonFZyUBBbDf5CQlVEEzQJUJYl0hZtzj8
After

“This was our first reno and I’m hoping it wont be our last,” says Christie “Although it definitely was full on! At the same time we were planning our wedding, I was working full-time as an interior designer and Matthew had exams.”

G0Tgnkgc3_uk3My_FTkh_arF8YlBrRo0FUdhLEE-SvA
Before
yDDVYyBBnxfFoH3kotwBA-WNputrjXmOqiM5ku5dHDY
After

Taking three months to complete, the couple did most of the work themselves, as a result spending just $25,000. Predominantly a superficial renovation, they gutted the whole home right down to its core, knocked down the kitchen/living room wall and added a small nib wall at the entry.

“Floors, fixtures and wall finishes were all removed, creating a blank canvas. Then we had all new plumbing and electrical work throughout the whole home, as well as a completely new bathroom, kitchen and laundry. The floorplan pretty much stayed the same – though we did swap the dining and lounge areas as the new openings and wall allowed us to do so.”

ntAUoutZGakDaw_C38Dbbqypzf-80jXkb6i_-gVCr_g
Before
f93ISiaoqLlgukIi0DsFlU5FIkB90mOyW3A4ft7lyzI
After

Having had minimal work prior to the renovation, the two-bedroom South Australian property was as Christie called it, “stuck in the 80s!” With brown bathroom tiles accompanied by brown glazing to the shower and an indescribable smell, the couple were still able to look past the home’s failings and sees its potential. “Our initial thoughts were that it was quite a dated home – but it did have a really strong core we could work from. However, we did originally buy the unit as an investment property with no plans to renovate. My husband ideally wanted a larger home – but I couldn’t get past the potential of this small space.”

OfEuzq9QQDe7Zlntrd0kHFO0HSzAnlTcce5ybnu0Q5s
Before
kyfDjxgEr21PGnrd4nDxrhb7hV0IVJsaozrpXKzNHHM
Before
nFInTcg03gEEZB4a0ku1rQL1y3T8gMpirsTljPJ2zlg
After

While the home had had a couple of upgrades prior to them moving in, demolishing became a bit of a headache thanks to three layers of tiling on the kitchen splashback! “Under the kitchen tiles was a thick layer of awesome bright orange patterned vinyl – a reminder of the 80s. On the plus side, I now know how to use a jack hammer!”

dstd2qWuDFrBjLb5OAliz_81t9fFl5sxWnBpOPa89PU
Before
N-0X2J_hiS_dFPM1GCl2WKL57i5tQHToy8ihk3uZlew
After

Alongside the kitchen transformation, Christie marks the biggest change to the home coming as a result of knocking down the kitchen/living room wall and opening up the space. “There was a lack of natural light, hence why we made the decision to create an opening between the kitchen and living space. The feeling of creating something fresh and airy was important to us. We feel our home now has such a peaceful feeling about it, and is definitely a nice place to relax.

fR0uDU4fOfo-anJIxe-HKu4EhStzjHd1lG1knt1Xsw8
Before
After
After

Having lived in the property for three months, since the completion of the renovation in December, the couple have no plans to sell. Though when they do though, they’ll have a tidy profit to collect. “We have an estimate of approximately a $50,000-to-$80,000 increase in value to the home.”

FacebookPinEmailTweet

March 10, 2015

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Before & after: this week’s Selling Houses recap: Roselands, NSW
  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail
  • Art Deco apartment makeover to create New York Paris vibe
  • Why render is the unsung hero of garden design
  • Palette Cam 15 apps to help you build your dream home

Follow us on Instagram

SALE ALERT! Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my fav SALE ALERT!

Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my favourite home stores @shack.furniture.homewares are having their annual warehouse sale this week, from Thursday until Saturday.

HUGE savings on furniture, homewares and decor with 30 to 80% off. Wowsers!

I'm a big fan of SHACK and can never leave one of their stores without a few styling goodies for my place! It's just too tempting!

While you're at the sale, mention Interiors Addict for an extra 10% off!

Unit 16a, 1801 Botany Rd, Banksmeadow NSW 2019

Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd June 2023, 9am to 4pm. Not online.

#sydneyshopping #sydneysale #sydneysales #sydneyfurniture #shackfurniture #shackfurniturehomewares #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #comeshoppingwithme
A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in th A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in this bathroom is one of the cleverest designs we've seen in a while!

This mega ledge, made of Corian, even incorporates a sink, seamlessly.

Combined with venetian plaster on the walls, it's no wonder this Illawarra bathroom by @birdblackdesign feels like a day spa!

Come check it out via link bio.

Lead designer Stuart Gibson says: "One smooth curve, right around the room, from either side of the door opening. As it moves around, it creates a ledge for the bath: for bath oils, lotions, a book and a champagne glass. The ledge continues around and becomes the vanity, widening out to create a custom seamless basin."

#bathroomhappiness #bathroomdetails #bathroomshelves #bathroomshelf #venetianplastering #coriandesign #coriansolidsurface #spalikebathroom #spabathroom #sustainablebathroom
Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the before and afters for you on the blog now, via link in bio (and swipe for a taster).

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #foxtel #lifestylechannel #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterlivingroom #beforeandafterrenovation #realitytv #housetours #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
😍 Not sure what's better: the custom mirror abo 😍 Not sure what's better: the custom mirror above the fireplace in this Art Deco one-bedder or the wallpaper in the kitchen (swipe)?!

It's been a while since we featured an apartment makeover on IA. Would you like to see more apartment interiors? Head to the blog now to see more of this one. Via link in bio.

#artdecoapartment #artdecointerior
#artdecomirror #artdecofireplace #artdecomelbourne #artdecofurniture #artdecobuilding #artdecointeriors #apartmentrenovation #apartmentinterior #smallspaceliving #melbourneapartments #melbourneairbnb #kitchenwallpaper #wallpaperaustralia
Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sh Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sheets and soap and powder!). We have a great roundup of the best options on the blog today. 

A whole host of brands are offering eco-friendly, low tox alternatives to the more chemical-laden ones. Not only that, they often smell amazing, look good on your shelf and come in recycled or recyclable (or even better, both) packaging. 

Good for your skin, your clothes and the planet: what’s not to like?

Do you use any of these?

COMPARE THEM ALL VIA LINK IN BIO NOW.

#lowtoxliving #lowtoxlife #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxhome #lowtoxlaundry #lowtoxswaps #naturallaundry #naturallaundrydetergent #naturallaundrysoap #ecolaundry #lowtoxcleaning #ecofriendlyhome #ecofriendlyhouse #laundryliquid #laundrypowder #laundrysoap #naturalcleaning #chemicalfreecleaning #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Play room goals!👌🏻 This is just one room fr Play room goals!👌🏻

This is just one room from today's real house tour which I really love because in employing interior designer @issyandhcreative the owners weren't looking for a complete rip out and re-do but rather to work with what they had in their new suburban home (including a dated kitchen) and give it a largely cosmetic glow up with styling and new furniture (some of which was upcycled). 

The brief was to create a family friendly home. "They weren't looking for perfection but rather a warm and relaxing retreat for their busy young family." This playroom though? Pretty close to perfect! And the mum did the colour coded books herself. Love that😁

Head over to the blog now via link in bio to see the rest of this home.

#playroomideas #playroomgoals #playroomdecor #familyhomes #kidfriendlyhome #kidfriendlyinteriors #familyhomedecor #sustainabledecor #affordablerenovations #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #beanbagchair #beanbags #colourcodedbooks #colourcoded #toyroom #kidsroomdesign 

Pix by @tealily
All the heart eyes for this little setup 😍 Hea All the heart eyes for this little setup 😍

Head to the blog to shop this and two other gorgeous styled images from @greenhouseinteriors 

The stunning @mrsniceart artwork has already sold but the good news is, you can still get prints of it!

Styling by Aisha Chaudhry for Greenhouse Interiors, assisted by Nikki McGar, Kylie Harris, Rachael Blake and Max Green. Photography by Stephanie Rooney. 

#poolart #sideboardstyling #buffetstyling #consolestyling #vignettes #greenhouseinteriors #barcartstyling #shopthelook #bluehomedecor #poolumbrella #beachumbrella
Bookworms need a cosy book nook! 📖 🐛 Seb an Bookworms need a cosy book nook! 📖 🐛

Seb and Charlie had one of those kid size couches in their playroom but frankly, they'd outgrown it! I picked this Aussie made compact 2-seater Ruby sofa from @fantasticfurniture 

I'd usually go for grey to keep it neutral but as it's in a kid's room I went for this heather blue fabric to make it a little more fun while still classic. There's more than 50 fabric choices for Fantastic's Aussie made range so good luck choosing 😂 

I left the legs off to keep it below the windowsill. I'm super happy with the quality. It looks a lot more expensive than its $699 pricetag 👌🏻

Books, natural light and a cosy couch = happy boys! And let's not pretend they won't be watching the odd movie on there too 🍿 because #keepingitreal

#FantasticFurniture #FantasticFamily #booknook #booknookstagram #booknook #bookwormsofinstagram #littlereader #littlebookworm #cosycorner #cosycorner #playroomideas #toyroom #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #aussiemade #aussiemadefurniture #twoseater #kidssofa #kidscouch #bluesofa #loveofreading
Last week we interviewed chalk paint pioneer Annie Last week we interviewed chalk paint pioneer Annie Sloan from her UK base about colour and Aussies' relationship with it. (And how's this for a before & after kitchen?! 😍)

Annie’s latest green hue, Coolabah Green, is inspired by the Eucalyptus trees of her childhood (did you know she was born in Sydney?). “I made it in tribute to Australia and I’m thrilled to say that’s been really popular both here in the UK and in Australia. It’s a kind of smoky, silvery sage green that’s very easy to work with and would complement accents of Amsterdam Green deliciously.”

Sales stats show Aussies are all about greens while elsewhere in the world greys and blues are more popular from her range. So tell me, are you a green lover?

Head to the blog to read Annie's thoughts on upcycling furniture and more. Via link in bio.

#chalkpaint #chalkpainted #chalkpainting #chalkpaintfurniture #chalkpaintlove #chalkpaintmakeover #anniesloanchalkpaint #anniesloanhome #anniesloanpaint #paintedkitchencabinets #paintedkitchen #paintedkitchens #upcycler #upcyclers #upcyclersofinstagram #upcycledfurniture #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #anniesloan #greenkitchencabinets #greenkitchens #greenpaint #coolabahgreen #coolabah
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.

More from Before & Afters

Before & after: this week’s Selling Houses recap: Roselands, NSW

Will's favourite room in the home

Before & after: rundown boarding house to beautiful heritage home

A massive en suite gets style to match its size!

New bathroom & laundry layout brings beauty and functionality

AFTER lounge

Before & after: This week’s Selling Houses recap, Ipswich QLD

Before & after: This week’s Selling Houses recap, Maroubra

1890s Victorian house gets a new, modern and luxurious extension

A playful and exciting revamp for a mundane dining room

Before & after: This week’s Selling Houses recap, Elanora QLD

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarSally Hart says

    March 10, 2015 at 4:46 pm

    This is a very nice makeover. They have obviously considered storage, particularly in the kitchen and laundry, quite carefully.

    Reply
    • AvatarChristie P says

      April 19, 2015 at 11:20 am

      Thank you 🙂 yes – storage was important to us, we tried to utilize every surface, without over doing it.

      Reply
  2. AvatarSuzanne says

    March 10, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    great to see a more realistic and achievable reno budget! Makes things easier to keep it mostly cosmetic. Moving some non structural walls to let in the light will pay dividends.

    Reply
    • AvatarChristie P says

      April 19, 2015 at 11:21 am

      Thanks for your feedback. Creating an opening in that wall has made a world of difference, nothing beats natural light!

      Reply
  3. AvatarWAM Home Decor says

    March 13, 2015 at 9:41 am

    Beautiful renovation, and great to see it done on a budget. This couple did well with their choices of furniture, fixtures and fittings, right down to the beautiful soft furnishings, cushions and pillows on the couches and bed. Well done.

    Reply
    • AvatarChristie P says

      April 19, 2015 at 11:22 am

      Thank you very much 🙂

      Reply
  4. AvatarKaren Carter says

    March 13, 2015 at 9:43 am

    Fantastic reno guys! It really pays to be hands on as the labour cost is where a big chunk of the budget can go. The styling is lovely!

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      March 15, 2015 at 11:06 pm

      Thanks for your comment. We agree it is a great DIY example!

      Reply
      • AvatarChristie P says

        April 19, 2015 at 11:19 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    • AvatarChristie P says

      April 19, 2015 at 11:24 am

      Thank you – It really is worth putting in the hard yards yourself, to save some $$! We were lucky to have lots of helping hands on board 🙂

      Reply
  5. AvatarStacey says

    March 22, 2015 at 5:40 pm

    Gorgeous renovation – very ‘Block’ (I mean this in the nicest possible way!)
    We are looking at doing up our 2 bed unit soon as well as definitely don’t have unlimited funds. Can I ask the owners – did they use mostly off the shelf cabinetry ( eg IKEA, Bunnings) for the kitchen and bathroom and if so, where from?

    Reply
    • AvatarChristie P says

      April 19, 2015 at 11:32 am

      Thank you very much. I guess we were inspired by some of the latest trends and really wanted the space to reflect who we are.
      All the joinery is custom – we actually shopped around for a joiner that could provide us what we wanted in our budget. He was really cost-effective and tweaked the design to be cheaper where possible. All the joinery is laminex laminate – I originally wanted timber veneer but it literally doubled the cost!! So going for the timber look laminate was a way of doing it cheaper. With the bathroom i actually had the bench top made from recycled Oregon for around $300 – and the joinery created the black laminate base and assembled it on site.
      I highly recommend shopping around and getting a few quotes before getting started – it’s amazing how much prices can fluctuate between joiners – so do your homework and work with them to achieve your ideal look within your budget 🙂

      Hope that helps – and good luck!!

      Reply
  6. AvatarRenata says

    April 20, 2015 at 6:50 pm

    I love the curtains you’ve used throughout they are beautiful. May I ask where they are from. Thanks

    Reply
    • AvatarChristie P says

      April 24, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      Thank you – all fabrics were from James Dunlop Textiles. The quality is just beautiful! We opted for texture rather than pattern – in the bedroom we selected a light grey linen look, and the main living space a crisp white linen with faint vertical patterning. Extending the curtains right up to the cornice also created the impression that the room was larger than it actually was!

      Reply

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!