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Stone cottage renovation that’ll blow your mind!

May 11, 2020 1 Comment

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Most people would have run for the hills on seeing the rundown state of this 1880s stone cottage, but not our favourite renovator Naomi Findlay! Her years of experience and can-do attitude, meant she saw the potential to rescue and restore ‘Carrington House’ to her former glory, and she’ll be sharing the step-by-step process with us over the next few weeks and months. Over to you, Naomi…

From this…
…to this!

Carrington House is a little old house on Carrington Street in the Hunter region of NSW.ย What first attracted me to this property was not just the obvious need for it to be rescued, but the property felt like it was hurting. It felt like it had a story to tell, and no one to help tell it. And once I visited it once, regardless of how graphic and disturbing the property was, I couldn’t not have it as mine.

Step-by-step, I’m showing you everything I do, room by room, to transform this 1880s stone cottage that has been butchered and cut up over decades, and completely neglected, into a modern country, comfortable, classic, cosy cottage for me to work from.

Today I am pumped to be able to share with you the first finished room. I could go on forever about all of the things that were wrong with this room. There were rotted waling plates, destroyed bearers and joists, unstable floors, damaged multiply-lined walls, no character, water smells, mould and a dropping ceiling!

Oh gosh, the list goes on and on and on! Let alone not being weathertight, waterproof, insect-proof, or even secure. If you want to see more, you can here with behind the scenes videos of every single step in that journey.

My inspiration for room one was a strong, feminine, classic feel. 

You’ll notice that even though the walls are adorned with the most audacious floral wallpaper, it is in a very deep navy blue which gives it such strength. I’ve ensured that space medicine is integrated as the light and outdoors are brought inside with amazing French doors and side lights.ย These doors are then made super practical for the Australian environment with French security doors layered internally, meaning privacy and security as well as no flies!

To add that next level of detail, I’ve installed broad trims, bulky cornices, picture rails, chair rails and custom wainscoting. It’s like jewellery on the walls.

I totally get that many people love spray painting everything white nowadays, but for me colour can be so therapeutic and so nurturing when it’s used correctly. So I used this wallpaper as my jumping off point for all of the colours in the room. From the wallpaper, I pulled the deep blue for the door and the playful soft blue for the wainscoting, as well as a crisp but warm white on the rest of the walls and the ceiling.

So the floor that was here was in disrepair but never fear, I have renewed and recycled that and taken it to another project, it’s certainly not in the skip bin. Given this may become my office, I needed to make sure that the floor was really hardy and so I’ve actually gone for a wide plank on the floor. Wider boards were often used in years gone by and were certainly what was underneath this existing floor. Here I have chosen to go on with a very, very hard-wearing, very wide, vinyl plank, which is laid with a heavy adhesive. This means it’s waterproof, dust proof, scratch proof, you name it, I can do pretty much anything to these floors and they will tolerate it.

My biggest challenges in this space were the subfloor (it was non-existent) and the repairing of the existing gyprock. It was my choice to keep the gyprock on the walls and not strip it. But in doing that, it was a really tough job for the gyprockers to repair the walls.

My favourite part of this room varies day by day as I sit in the space. However, the door is still a winner. The finish on the door and the colour of the door blow my mind.

I hope you enjoy seeing the transformation, and if you would like to know more about any of the specs or products that you’ve seen, you can find them here.

Learn to renovate with Naomi: FREE masterclass

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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 

#interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #gemmapeanut #wedonthavetimeforthis #parentingpodcast #parentingpodcasts #holidayhousesofinstagram #cabaritabeach #airbnbstyle #airbnbstyling #colourandpattern #wallpapergoals #patternedtiles #featuretiles #poolgoals #sparkjoy #yocabacaba #boldinteriors #funinteriors #colourfulkitchen
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?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

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

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
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!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting ๐Ÿคฃ Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help โค๏ธ
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late isย marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydneyโ€™s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
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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 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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  1. AvatarJacqueline clayton says

    February 24, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    Beautiful!

    Reply

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