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Real reno: creating the perfect forever home for a growing family

April 13, 2015 Leave a Comment

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When Corrie C and her husband John bought their weatherboard bungalow in Victoriaโ€™s Bentleigh East, they had grand plans to renovate, but โ€“ like many of us โ€“limited funds.

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Before
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However, fast forward a year and a half and Corrie, pregnant with daughter number two, decided it was now or never; so together, they went hammer and tongs to finish the reno before the new bub arrived. โ€œWe started in April 2014 and finished August 2014,โ€ says Corrie. โ€œBeing heavily pregnant, working and juggling a toddler, there were definitely moments of regret during the renovation (usually in the middle of the night when visiting the toilet via a thin plank of wood while we had no floor!) but we’re now over the moon with the results.โ€

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Before
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After

With John being a plumber โ€“ as well as a Jack-of-all-trades โ€“ they were lucky enough to do a big chunk of the work themselves, with the help of an excellent carpenter. Renovating the main bathroom, kitchen (to include a butlerโ€™s pantry) and laundry, and then adding a bedroom, ensuite and rear deck; the home went from a three bedroom, one bathroom house to a four bedroom, two bathroom, three living area (including an indoor/outdoor living space) property.

With the kitchen and deck being their favourite spaces, they were โ€“ and remain to this day โ€“ blown away by the transformation. โ€œI love all of it but the kitchen and deck are definite favourites of both John and I. The addition of our rear deck has created a really awesome place for the kids to play, for us to entertain and a great place for my hubby to watch the football/cricket on the flat screen TV!โ€

After
After

While the home did include some bargains, including the deck’s bi-fold doors bought via eBay and the kitchen cabinetry from IKEA, Corrie admits her greatest challenge was sticking to budget. โ€œMy biggest learning would be that no matter how tightly you manage your budget there areย alwaysย blow outs! Inevitably you always end up spending more than planned on things. My advice would be to shop around and always ask for a better price onย everything! There is always room to move if someone wants your business.โ€

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Before
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With the renovation costing $100,000, the property, which was purchased for $600,000 in 2010, now has an estimated value of $900,000, not a bad effort for first time renovators! As a result, the couple has most certainly caught the reno bug. However, while they would love to do it again, they are happy to call their newly transformed house, their forever home. โ€œI’m super proud of my hubby for what he achieved withย thisย reno and the blood, sweat and tears (and long nights) he put into making it as beautiful as it is. Above everything, we’ve created a lifestyle that we love with open plan, indoor/outdoor living, space for the girls and a lovely retreat for us in the master bedroom.โ€

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While we featured a gloriously colourful home on M While we featured a gloriously colourful home on Monday, this one is a masterclass in serene neutrals! And how good is this bunk room?!

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Washable rugs, eco-friendly play mats, reversible Washable rugs, eco-friendly play mats, reversible linen, gorgeous wallpaper and the chance to win a beautiful bouclรฉ recliner chair!

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โ€œI wanted something spectacular. Rather than having a vanity with a piece of glass like you would typically see, I was really trying to push myself as a designer. It was costly but it worked out well and the feedback has been great."

Swipe for the before and follow the link in bio to see the rest of this home.

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One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavet One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavetimeforthis, turns out former Neighbours actor @gemma_peanut is even more multi-talented than we thought! Will you check out the joyful and colourful reno of her holiday home (and airbnb) @yo_caba_caba?!

Head over to the blog via link in bio to read all about why she went bold and full of pattern in this project, which is a stark contrast to her zen and neutral Northern Beaches abode.

There's also plenty of details about where things are from etc.

"Iโ€™m not an interior designer so I just chose what I liked and followed my gut. Ultimately this home has been an opportunity to explore my alter ego โ€“ it allowed me to do things that I wouldnโ€™t normally do.โ€

๐Ÿ“ท @tanikablair_photography 

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Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
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Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

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Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’— Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’—
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ˜
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
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About Olivia Shead

When she's not writing for Interiors Addict, Olivia is now a TV and radio news producer. She's a journalism graduate of UTS Sydney.

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