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Timber mouldings totally transform small 70s apartment

By Amy Collins-Walker •

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Sponsored by: Intrim Mouldings

Located inside a 1970’s apartment building in Sydney’s inner-west, this petite abode underwent an incredible makeover recently and its success can be largely attributed to the very clever use of Intrim mouldings. “I was going for a feminine Hamptons-style luxe vibe. The key elements were wainscotting and lots of white, so those two things were high on my list,” says Sam McDonald of The Curated Life who designed the renovation herself drawing on Pinterest and Three Birds Renovations for inspiration.

BEFORE front door
BEFORE front door
AFTER front door
AFTER front door

“I had been a follower of the Three Birds Renovations YouTube show for a long time before we purchased our apartment and it was actually on their show that I first heard of Intrim. Bonnie was talking about how selecting the right skirting boards can transform your room and that you don’t need to settle for the run-of-the-mill, boring skirtings,” says Sam who clearly followed Bonnie’s advice.

But before the mouldings could be installed, Sam made a couple of significant changes; namely the installation of a false ceiling and down lights together with new flooring throughout. “When we purchased the apartment, there were only three really dull, old ceiling light fans that threw next to no light. This combined with dark grey and navy carpet and grey walls made the space really dark and feel quite small. So the ceiling, new electrical and flooring were the first things we did,” says Sam.

BEFORE dining room
BEFORE dining room
AFTER dining room
AFTER dining room

As for the new mouldings, 185mm skirting boards were installed throughout the whole apartment, a chair rail was installed in the living and dining spaces and a combination of half and full wainscoting rounded out the mix. New cornices and architraves were installed throughout the whole apartment too with Jason at Living Walls Joinery working on the job.

The renovation also included a floor to ceiling custom bookshelf with cupboards at the bottom that was built by Jason early on in the project and rather paradoxically, the lowered ceiling and extra cabinetry haven’t made the space feel smaller. “Despite the statement bookcase and mantle taking floor space and the false ceiling reducing head height, it’s actually made the space feel much bigger and brighter. It’s a complete optical illusion but it’s exactly what I was hoping for!” says Sam.

BEFORE Hallway and balcony
BEFORE Hallway and balcony

AFTER Hallway and balcony

The lounge room is also sporting a new custom-made fireplace. “I was browsing home decor stores and spotted an electric fireplace mantle and almost fell over a lounge in front of me trying to get over to it for a better look! I knew instantly that I wanted one and asked Jason to make it,” says Sam.

AFTER New custom cabinetry
AFTER New custom cabinetry

As for the dining area, it was a formerly unused square nook at the end of the living area but Sam had better plans for it. “I knew it would fit our round dining table perfectly. It was also quite a dark space so I knew I wanted to brighten it up and make it a space that had the wow-factor,” says Sam of the room the that now features floor to ceiling wainscoting and a pendant light.

AFTER Cabinetry detail
AFTER Cabinetry detail

And while Sam is very much enjoying her new home she believes the renovation was a sound financial decision too. “These changes have significantly increased the value of our property, well beyond the cost of materials and installation. It’s given the space new life and transformed it into something warm, inviting, charming and exciting. The reaction when people walk in is ‘WOW’ and when a space has that kind of impact on people, it’s definitely worth the cost. I’m still wowed every time I come home!”

Well done Sam on this amazing makeover!

For more on Intrim Mouldings | Intrim offer top tips for quickly adding value to your home with mouldings

For more on Sam McDonald

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July 25, 2019

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Brand new furniture in an 1877 house and IT WORKS! Brand new furniture in an 1877 house and IT WORKS!

@castleryau have named the talented stylist @stevecordony as their first Australian brand ambassador and he's curated a capsule of their furniture which he styled to perfection at his stunning country house @rosedale_farm 

I was lucky enough to see the pieces in situ last week and I honestly couldn't believe how well it all worked! They were going for accessible luxury and well, he delivered, and then some!

Head to the blog via link in bio to read more about the partnership.

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If you pick your restaurants for the interior as m If you pick your restaurants for the interior as much as the food, you might want to add @pinosalmare  by @nicgrahamandassociates to your date night list! 😍

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SPA VIBES was the brief for this bathroom and @jas SPA VIBES was the brief for this bathroom and @jasminemcclellanddesign delivered. And then some!

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Is it a yay or a nay for you?

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📸 @jonathantabensky
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Comment 'enter' and we'll DM you the link to enter for your chance to win this top of the range $1499 robot from @ecovacs_anz, the DEEBOT T50 PRO OMNI.

Good luck!

#robotvacuumcleaner #robotvaccum #robotvacuummop #robotmop #smarthome #houseworkhacks
>>>Swipe for the transformation! 😮 From cold t >>>Swipe for the transformation! 😮

From cold to cosy!

This primary ensuite for a successful career woman working in luxury cosmetics and homewares is sexy, strong, girly, but sophisticated. We love its warmth and personality.

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Comment the season you THINK you are below (spring, summer, autumn or winter) and I'll send you the link to the quiz so you can double check!

Fun!

This quiz from @templeandwebster jumps on the colour analysis trend for fashion and applies it to interiors!

#seasonaldecorating #seasonaldecor #colouranalysis
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Tag a friend who'll be coveting the TM7! It's available from next week!

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Awards are always a great place to get inspo. Chec Awards are always a great place to get inspo. Check out the kitchen and bathroom of the year winners in this month's @hia_au @csrdwelling Housing Awards. There's more winning homes and rooms to check out in our blog post on the homepage, via link in bio or stories now. 

Kitchen by @build.theory Bathroom by @birdblackdesign and @aspire_constructions 

#hiaawards #hiaawards2025 #awardwinninghomes #australianinteriordesign
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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/

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