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Real reno: the $9,000 budget transformation by one very determined woman

June 25, 2015 Leave a Comment

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Making a net profit of $20,000 in just six weeks is no mean feat, but it isย one thatย Kylie Nolan achieved when she undertook her first renovation for profit.

Before - Kitchen
Before – Kitchen
After - Kitchen
After – Kitchen

Buying her two bed, one bath Queensland duplex for $215,000 in May 2014 (and selling that September for $265,000), she took the two month settlement period to get her plans in order, buyย all theย fittings and fixtures and organise trades. And while she admits she was raringย to go, her detailed prep time saw Kylieย manage to spend justย $9,000!

Before - Living Room
Before – Living Room
After - Living Room
After – Living Room

“I was on a tight budget so I was careful to keep existing fixtures that were okayย like the carpet, the wall tiles in the bathroom and the shower cubicle,” explains Kylie. “However, the kitchen had to go and was replaced with a new IKEA white gloss design forย $1200.ย I then bought a packaged appliance special at ALDI for $1000 which included the oven, cook top, dishwasher and range hood. I had to line up at ALDI before they opened to get one before they sold out!” Other ways Kylie saved money wasย by doing a lot of the work herself — such as painting the whole home, grouting the tiles and evenย laying the floors — as well as getting the help of a bargain handyman.

Before - Kitchen/Living
Before – Kitchen/Living
After - Kitchen/Living
After – Kitchen/Living

With theย previous owner having crammed belongings into every corner of the property, Kylie’s aim was to open up the cluttered space. To create aย light and brightย home, Kylieย got rid of theย kitchen island that cut the kitchen/living roomย in half and gaveย the high rake ceilings a fresh makeover; though the latter was no easy job! “The raked ceilings were an issue as I wasnโ€™t sure what to do with them; but I knew they had to be changed as they were so dark and dated. I had called painters to work out a way to paint the gloss wood, but they all said to sand it back, prime and paint, but I couldnโ€™t do that on my own, it would just take too long. I didnโ€™t have the budget to plaster them, so I just googled how to paint gloss wood and found the productย Zinsser B.I.N Primer at Bunnings.ย I’m really happy with how they turned out and Iย think they are a great feature of the duplex.”

Before - Bathroom
Before – Bathroom
After - Bathroom
After – Bathroom

Clearly not afraid to getย on the tools, Kylie’sย biggest hurdleย was surprisinglyย no DIY challenge, but rather getting people to take her seriously. “I had a few tradies and guys at some trade shops laugh at me because I was a single female with no real experience doing renovations on my own โ€“ but I guess I’ve had the last laugh! It was a massive learning experience and has given me much more confidence in my ability.”

Before - Guest Bedroom
Before – Guest Bedroom
After - Guest Bedroom
After – Guest Bedroom

Already onto her second renovation, Kylie has well and truly caughtย the renovation bug. So she is the perfect person toย goย to for advice: “When renovating for profit education is key. The saying: ‘You make your money when you buy a property,’ is really true. You just have to know which property can make you money, the renovation is the easy bit! Go to seminars on renovating by renovation experts, read books and watch the real estate market in your area. Don’t let fear stop you. You can do it!”

For more Real Renos.

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I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new @madeinaustshow in Sydney this August.

๐Ÿฆ˜๐ŸจForget every tacky association you ever had about touristy Australian made and prepare to see a showcase of the best of home, lifestyle, fashion and beauty made right here. If the pandemic has made you appreciate buying local even more, this is for you.

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Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than F Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than French onion?

I think not!

Grab the recipe on the blog this morning via link in bio.
Get to know me! I haven't done one of these in YE Get to know me!

I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

โœ”๏ธ I'm English ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008๐Ÿ˜† 

โœ”๏ธ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. ๐Ÿ› 

โœ”๏ธ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) ๐Ÿ““ 

โœ”๏ธ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London ๐Ÿš” 

โœ”๏ธI had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK โค๏ธ ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง 

โœ”๏ธ At school, my favourite subject was French ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท and I was head girl ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿค“

โœ”๏ธ I'm addicted to โ˜•๏ธ , long hot baths and๐Ÿ’„ (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

โœ”๏ธ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My favourite cuisine is Japanese ๐Ÿฃ ๐Ÿœ and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

โœ”๏ธ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

โœ”๏ธ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or๐Ÿท 

โœ”๏ธ Cheesy as it sounds, ๐Ÿ’โ€โ™€๏ธbeing a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life ๐Ÿง’๐Ÿ‘ฆ

โœ”๏ธ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view ๐Ÿ“– 

โœ”๏ธ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

โœ”๏ธ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker ๐Ÿ˜ฏ ๐Ÿ…ฟ๏ธ

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better ๐Ÿ˜˜

๐Ÿ“ธ @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ 

@nood_co coloured concrete basins is a great Aussie business success story. Although co founder Matt Di Costa first found fame as one half of Matt and Kim on The Block, he hasn't relied on this to build his brand.

โ€œWe are very honoured to have been a part ofย The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,โ€ he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

๐Ÿ™Share your favourite colour basin in the comments!

#colouredconcrete #noodco #colouredbasin #blockheads #the block #bathroomtrends2022

Pic 1 by @naibudesign_ and 2 by @twostyleinteriors
I'd love to see more colour in Aussie interiors! I'd love to see more colour in Aussie  interiors! ๐ŸŽจ 

At the end of the day though, it's a matter of personal taste. I love pops of colour but it's not for everyone. 

We couldn't resist featuring this Canadian house tour today. The amazing Kelly Green  hutch (swipe) was an upcycled $200 find ๐Ÿค—

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest including one of the best playrooms we've seen in ages!

Project by @in.house.design
๐Ÿ“ธ @philcrozier
Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis o Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis on light and nature.

That was the brief for the conversion of a corner shop and a warehouse bakery into a luxury family home in Sydney's Newtown. And how about the library?!

Take the tour of this very special @annacarindesign project on the blog now, via link in bio.

Pic: @justinalexanderphoto
The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ N The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ

None of us enjoy laundry (OK, there are a few of you out there who do. Weird!) but we have to do it. And often. So if your laundry bin can be as good looking, functional and space saving as this, then why wouldn't you?!

I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

โœ”๏ธ ventilation holes
โœ”๏ธ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
โœ”๏ธ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
โœ”๏ธ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
โœ”๏ธ Brabantia make things as sustainably as possible
โœ”๏ธ compact, sleek, European design
โœ”๏ธ 10 year warranty
โœ”๏ธ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

The Rolls Royce of laundry bins? I think so ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป

TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

#gifted
"Living rooms are important spaces where our publi "Living rooms are important spaces where our public and private lives intersect."

So says stylist @nataliewalton in her gorgeous new book Style, the Art of Creating a Beautiful Home.

"They are where we gather to welcome guests and entertain. But they are also where we decompress and relax at the end of the day. Increasingly, they are open-plan spaces and need to work within a greater scheme. Bringing all the elements together cohesively requires care and consideration. And, if you want a space that lives up to its true potential, make it personal and create with conviction."

Read an extract, the chapter on elevating your living room, on the blog today via link in bio.

Published by @thamesandhudsonau Pix by @chriswarnes 

#livingroomdesigns #nataliewalton #coffeetablebooks #designbooks #interiorsbooks #livingroominteriors #elevateyourspace
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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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Comments

  1. Avatarlynette says

    June 25, 2015 at 11:25 am

    Well done and great spotting a nice unit that was previously crammed with someone else’s stuff – visions fix everything. Also about the Zinsser B.I.N Primer – used it myself on similar renovation project and it is the best ever primer for covering the most tacky oil based lacquered timber and it ensures no bleeding into the white paint you put over the top of it. Like you I researched it myself.

    Reply
  2. AvatarSuzanne Commerford says

    July 3, 2015 at 1:02 pm

    I hear you Kylie.

    Using tools, tackling a tiling job with no past experience all paled in comparison with my personal challenge to get over the need to be liked and to be assertive instead.

    I thought I’d write blog posts on how to do a renovation but instead I wrote about assertiveness!

    Post the results of your second reno soon!

    Reply
  3. AvatarMelinda says

    July 4, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    I love your work Kylie! You go girl.
    Thanks for the primer paint tip -saving that in Evernote for later.
    Bunnings is our go to shop too for renovating, but you gotta know where to find the cheap solutions. I really wanted a timber bench top with waterfall edges to our island bench (this is when the bench top runs down the either side of island bench). So if you head to their kitchen range they have timber oak tops for $450sqm -way too expensive for our budget. Head to the trade section and look around I found timber sheets 2100 x600d for $60 a piece on sale. There’s more mucking around because of joning the pieces together but a good carpenter should be able to do this for you. Luckily I’m married to one.
    Can’t wait to get more idea’s from your next Reno Kylie.
    Melinda xx

    Reply
    • AvatarKylie Nolan says

      July 17, 2015 at 10:13 am

      Melinda that is such a great tip! Thankyou! I will remember that for next time for sure! xx

      Reply
  4. AvatarDamian Borger says

    July 17, 2015 at 11:07 am

    Congratulations to Kylie on a brilliant renovation. I was fortunate enough to meet Kylie in my role as the real estate agent acting for the seller of this unit. I could tell from my first inspection with Kylie that she had a clear vision for the unit and was super-organised in her plan to execute it for a quick turnaround. Amazing result for someone so new to renovating…well done!

    Reply
  5. AvatarMardi says

    July 19, 2015 at 10:05 am

    Fantastic Reno Kylie,

    Hubby and I are looking at trading in our current work to start to do renos for profit.

    I have been to a couple of seminars and now completing an online course. I was wondering if you could recommend what you found best in this area? Some seem to be very $$

    TIA

    Mardi

    Reply
    • AvatarBelinda Smith says

      July 21, 2015 at 1:31 pm

      Hi Mardi,
      It is absolutely possible to earn a living doing renovations and you have sensibly completed some education around that. Please don’t quit your jobs to begin.
      Unless you have enough cash to complete the property purchase and renovation, you will have to borrow from the bank. They will look at your ability to service the loans on what you earn, not what you think you will make when the renovation is complete, until you have done enough of them successfully, to establish a solid relationship with your lender.

      Reply
    • AvatarKylie says

      November 13, 2015 at 10:47 am

      Hi Mardi, well done on educating yourself on how to get into the renovating for profit business! There are a number of courses available and I would recommend shopping around, see what trade discounts are included in the course and if they offer continued support after the course is completed. The hardest part of the renovating for profit process is finding the right property that has the potential to make a profit. T

      Reply
  6. AvatarMegan says

    July 31, 2015 at 7:14 pm

    Hi, Could you please tell me where you bought the sofa in the living room.
    Thanks Megan

    Reply
    • AvatarKylie says

      November 13, 2015 at 10:35 am

      Hi! I bought the sofa from Ikea, it’s modular so I can add on sections later if need be. They come in a range of colours but I wanted something very neutral so I could work around it with any colour combinations when styling/ staging a house ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

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