• 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
    • DINING-6-AFTER-0P9A4023Before & After: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Clermont QLD)
    • AFTERLush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at 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
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-26 at 6.58.44 pmAmazing $2k balcony transformation using Kmart stone tiles
    • AFTERLush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at home
  • 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
    • MargueriteNew Sage x Clare range + creative director’s top picks!
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-08 at 9.49.47 amKmart partners with Wiradjuri artist Judith Young on home range
  • 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
    • Lauren RoeInside I Love Linen’s Queensland hinterland home
  • 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
    • Sashi X Cobram Shoot – 15th November_GRIFFIN SIMM_Finals 36Foodie Friday: Sashi Cheliah’s chickpea curry in a hurry
    • Capella Sydney Main Entrance – Farrer Place LRNew Sandstone Precinct hotel blends history with luxury
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

This renovated Queenslander is giving us all the feels

By Amy Collins-Walker • 7 Comments

FacebookPinEmailTweet

You know you’re looking at something special when a property has its own name. ‘Pen Y Llechwedd’ is a stately 104-year-old Queenslander, located in Ipswich, that was renovated recently resulting in a much more light-filled space that, while modern, remains sensitive to the building’s provenance. It’s a real beauty.

Queenslander front elevation
‘Pen Y Llechwedd’ is one of Ipswich’s most iconic Queenslanders

Originally commissioned by the then mayor Fredrick Goleby, the original home is the work of renowned architect George Brockwell Gill who designed an extensive array of heritage properties in the Ipswich area. “Initially the home consisted of five bedrooms with the kitchen on the verandah, however a renovation in the 1930’s saw the kitchen built in to create a breakfast room, with the gorgeous coloured glass still in place today,” says owner Nicole Cox, who completed the renovation with her husband Adam, a builder.

Before: Lounge & dining
BEFORE: Dining and lounge room
After: Lounge room
AFTER: Lounge room

Aside from the 1930’s modifications (which included the addition of several window seats and pressed metal), the home was renovated again in the 1980’s which saw the addition of a deck and additional bedrooms.

BEFORE: Master bedroom
BEFORE: Master bedroom
After: Master bedroom
AFTER: Master bedroom

When Nicole and Adam bought the property in 2014, they commenced bringing the old home back to life, reconfiguring the spaces, and adding more bedrooms for their large combined family that includes five children who are all teenagers or young adults.

Dining room after
AFTER: Dining room

“The brief was simply to create a comfortable family home to fit our large family, without impacting any of the home’s original design features and with a view to enhance as many as possible. To do this we needed to add two bedrooms, a bathroom and completely renovate the original part of the home,” says Nicole of the property that now boasts five bedrooms, a library, formal lounge, formal dining, sitting room and three bathrooms all set on a landscaped 1200 square metre block that even has its own stream!

AFTER: Kitchen
AFTER: Kitchen

With high ceilings, timber floors, VJ walls and expansive verandahs there’s a reason the Queenslander is so loved. “Queenslanders have such a romance to them, with their iconic style of wide hallways, decorative fretwork and large verandahs, perfectly built to capture the summer breeze. Queenslanders are easy homes for families to live in as they’re strong and hardy, have stood the test of time, and will survive your family well,” says Nicole.

AFTER: Lounge room
AFTER: Lounge room

“As the home itself is a little bit of a mixed bag when it comes to design periods, we were careful to maximise its original character while bringing our own classical touch. Traditional Queenslanders can be quite dark with raw timbers and heavy drapes so we intentionally brought in elements to ensure a lit though warm feeling home, maximising the natural light wherever possible.”

AFTER: Lounge room

As for Nicole’s favourite part of the transformation, she is rather taken with her new ensuite. “A blend of classic style, it references the time in which the home was built but with all the modern conveniences. This room is a dream to use daily,” says Nicole.

Before: Ensuite
BEFORE: Ensuite
After: Ensuite
AFTER: Ensuite
After: Ensuite
AFTER: Ensuite

“I also love the library as it’s a stunning example of a modern working office integrated with a formal library space. This room was to echo the smoking rooms or parlours of the time, but still needed to be practical and functional,” says Nicole.

Before: Library
BEFORE: Library
After: Library
AFTER: Library and combined study

An experienced renovator, Nicole works alongside her husband in their family business. “We spent seven years working in residential construction, mostly focusing on Queenslander renovations, steadily growing before downsizing last year back to a simplified business model that works for our family,” says Nicole who started a blog called The Builder’s Wife to document the renovation.

After: Entry
AFTER: Entry

“My blog came about from an interest in our home and I have enjoyed sharing our renovation with our readers, however it grew into the perfect platform to engage with other women within the construction industry. Working in a traditionally male field comes with its own set of challenges. My blog has given me the opportunity to support and educate women in all aspects of the construction industry and those looking to build or renovate their own homes,” says Nicole.

AFTER: Verandah
AFTER: Verandah

Sadly, Nicole and Adam are selling the home because they’ve outgrown it. “The home is regrettably being sold to take our extended family back to acreage living. With a house full of busy teenagers, acreage gives space for the lifestyle our children enjoy.”

AFTER: Entry

AFTER: Entry

Photographer: Hannah Puechmarin | Stylist: Rachael Honner

Nicole’s blog | A bright Queenslander

FacebookPinEmailTweet

April 4, 2018

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Amazing $2k balcony transformation using Kmart stone tiles
  • Before & After: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Clermont QLD)
  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail
  • Before & after: Classic, contemporary Adelaide bathroom reno
  • Breathtaking new Hamptons style home in Melbourne’s south east

Follow us on Instagram

Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I fir Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I first came to Australia in my 20s, it's where I headed to buy everything I needed for my first apartment at an incredible price! And I've loved watching the range get more and more impressive over the years as my knowledge of furniture has increased. I had no idea how extensive their Aussie Made sofa range was though. I'd love you to check out the options via link in bio as I think you'll be impressed! I think we have a renewed appreciation for Aussie Made and supporting local manufacturing and jobs and this is a great success story. We love a bit of high low decorating, and turns out Fantastic Furniture is a great place to find your family lounge, a special accent chair, an extra ottoman for occasional seating and so much more. 

#fantasticfurniture #aussiemade #australianfurniture #FindyourFantastic #FantasticFamily #affordablehomewares #affordablefurniture #custommadesofa #custommadelounges #australianhomes #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsdaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Please don't show my boys this room or they'll wan Please don't show my boys this room or they'll want one like it!

How gorgeous is this Brisbane kids' bedroom?! 

@brittwhitestudio worked closely with the boys (aged 7 and 9) to understand their needs with a bespoke bunk bed solution crafted by BRC Cabinets, featuring ample storage as well as an under-stair hidey-hole, a useful reading nook for books and a built-in charger for electronics. Local craftsmen Emmett’s Ropes designed and hand-tied the ropework on the top bunk and the supporting pillar beneath.

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see and read more!

#bunkroom #bunkbed #bunkbedsforkids #bunkbeds #bespokebunkbeds #custommadebunkbeds #sharedbedroom #sharedbedroomforkids #boysroominspo #boysroomdecor #junglebedroom #kidsroomstyle #kidsroomstyling #childrensrooms #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #brittwhitestudio #highriseliving #apartmentlifestyle #penthouses #apartmentlivingwithkids #newsteadbrisbane 

Pix by @joebrosnan.photo
Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3? Just 3 of the kitch Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3?

Just 3 of the kitchens in the @duluxaus Colour Awards 2023 shortlist which will give you some serious inspiration!

Loads more gorgeous residential rooms to see on the blog this morning via link in bio.

Projects by @studio__bright @kaiko_design and Georgie Shepherd Interior Design. Pix by @arorygardiner @fiona_susanto and @christophermorrisphoto 

#duluxcolour #duluxpaint #duluxaus #duluxcolourawards #duluxcolourawards2023 #moodykitchen #allwhitekitchen #designerkitchen #sagekitchen #boldkitchen #colourfulkitchen #colouredkitchen #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount
We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony m We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony makeover using @kmartaus stone tiles!

Nineties townhouse in Lennox Head or villa in Greece? You decide! All up it cost $2000 including all materials and she did the work herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

Love your work @twin_palms_lennox

#kmartaustralia #kmartdiy #kmarthack #kmarthome #modernmediterranean #balconymakeover #balconyideas #diybalcony #budgetdiy #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Wallpaper in every single room! What do you recko Wallpaper in every single room!

What do you reckon? You'd think it would be overkill but it isn't because so many of the designs are subtle yet still impactful.

Head over to the blog to see how @grafico_walls transformed this blank canvas Melbourne townhouse with their products, which you've probably seen on The Block over the years. And read how Damian Corney has grown this Melbourne business with wife Adele and a growing team. There's also a look inside the very cool Motley Hotel which has used a whopping 4km of their wallpaper throughout!

You can also watch a video tour with Bec Douros as the house featured on Open Homes Australia over the weekend.

Via link in bio now.

#wallpapergoals #wallpaperdesign #australianwallart #australianwallpaper #wallmurals #wallpapermural #wallpapermurals #wallpapereddoor #digitalwallpaper #digitallyprintedwallpaper #customwallpaper #wallpaperaesthetic #wallpapertrends #wallpaperaustralia #grafico #graficowallcoverings #melbournebusiness #melbournesmallbusiness #openhomesaustralia #theblock #becdouros
Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! 

Braved the rain second morning in a row to feed the animals at @edenfarmescape because life's too short to worry about a bit of mud and drizzle!

Feeling relaxed 🥰
Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before 😂

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION? How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION?!

Our friends at @mintdesignau have done it again!

Homeowner Briony Marsh says: It’s totally changed our home lifestyle now we can sit outside on the lounge in the sun or shade, be in the pool, spa, sauna or cooking pizzas and hanging out with friends. It sounds cliched but it really feels like we are on holiday at home!”

Head over to the blog to see the finer details, including a sauna and a seriously good looking copper pizza oven. There's a lot packed into this space!

#backyards #smallpools #smallpool #homesauna #pizzaovens #outdoorpizzaoven #landscapedesigner #mintdesign #holidayathome #resortstylehomes #landscapeartist #backyard #exteriorinspiration #exteriormakeover #exteriordesigns #pergoladesign #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno. L Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno.

Located inside a 1912 sandstone villa in Adelaide’s Kensington, this bathroom makeover combines classic and contemporary elements that complement the home’s original, period features. 

Designed by the home’s owner @designby_Tahirih, who is a property stylist too, the renovation came sooner than expected after water ingress made the makeover of their only bathroom an urgent necessity!

The whole project cost an impressive $20k, project managed herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

#realrenovations #realhomes #realreno #heartyourhome #renoaddict #freestandingbath #classicbathroom #classiccontemporary #classiccontemporaryinteriors #theinteriorsaddict  #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #homestaging #laundrymakeover #bathroomrenovations #bathroomremodels
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.
Amy Collins-Walker

About Amy Collins-Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

More from RENO ADDICT

Amazing $2k balcony transformation using Kmart stone tiles

AFTER

Lush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at home

Before & after: Classic, contemporary Adelaide bathroom reno

Kitchen

Lilac kitchen stars in luxury London apartment reno

Luxe, textured materials star in modern classic Sydney home reno

Adore Home’s latest reno: Contemporary meets mid-century

Lime wash blonde brick house makeover for just $50! Really!

New online course about everything vegan interior design

Victoria + Albert baths

Australian bathroom trends: Coloured baths, basins & more!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarLaura Fox says

    April 5, 2018 at 6:44 am

    That master bedroom is just divine! So dreamy!

    Reply
  2. AvatarDebra says

    April 8, 2018 at 8:08 pm

    I would dream relax and inspire that ensuite(hide and seek)I will just hide. It’s adoring.
    Stop it like I think I am dribbling.

    Reply
  3. AvatarEoghan McHugh says

    April 16, 2018 at 3:03 am

    Fantastic piece on the restoration of a beautiful property. The before and after photos are great to compare – particularly around the modernisation of the ensuite and kitchen. Thanks so much for sharing

    Reply
  4. Avatarlisa carson says

    May 25, 2018 at 12:33 pm

    My dream home. Love it!

    Reply
  5. AvatarNorma Farrant says

    January 19, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    What greys are featured and some other interior colours? I love them. I am trying to choose colours for an old home we have purchased, situated on 1200 acres.

    Reply
  6. AvatarMaria José Ramos Peccenini says

    February 7, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    The colours grey and white and the green from the plants, brought light and modern to this house without losing its old feature. Congratulations! I loved it!

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 8, 2021 at 7:30 am

      Glad you enjoyed it!

      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!