Tuesday 24 February 2009

On The Inside...

Finally! The inside story...
Where do I begin?
Well, as you can see the inside of my old house was in need of much TLC - she hadn't had an update for 25 years or so and it really showed. The kitchen was a mess as was the brown and orange colour scheme, the bathroom wasn't functioning well as three cubicles (shower, toilet and bath all separate) and all the rooms were very tired looking. More than that though, the house had a terrible feeling to it. It almost felt like it was choking - lacking air and good energy.... To be honest I felt a certain degree of trepidation when we bought this house - there was no question that it had great potential and was in a beautiful spot but I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to erase that terrible feeling without having to resort to an exorcism!!! And how a house feels is just as important as how it looks. There was much work to be done!





The first thing to go was the old, battered carpeting. Almost every room had a different carpet - brown, cream, fuchsia and aqua swirls. Underneath were the original floors which were in reasonable condition but in good need of a scrub and a sand. We left the boards in the original timber tone - just oiling them for protection. The walls, which were painted in a multitude of different colours - mint, teal and baby blue - were given a freshen up with Dulux 'White On White' - my favourite white of all.





The kitchen was in a rather funny position in the house, squashed in between the lounge and the dining rooms - but separated by walls and half benches. Originally it was built in a u-shape - and was completely cut off from the other living areas. We decided to create an opening in the walls between the kitchen and lounge and to punch out the half bench between the kitchen and dining room - instead creating a galley style kitchen that connected all three rooms. We didn't go 'all out' in the construction - sticking to a Laminex ice blue for the drawers (the kitchen is made up of nearly all drawers, no cupboards), a Laminex white bench top and an IKEA enamel sink. The splurge was on the appliances - Miele oven and dishwasher and Highland stovetop.





Other than punching through a wall from the kitchen to the lounge room, exposing the carpet and giving the lounge room a coat of white paint - very little changes have been made to this space. The beauty of it, is all in the decoration!







The bathroom was originally divided into three little cubicles - shower in one, toilet in another and the bathroom in the third. Neither space was particularly roomy and each certainly needed some love. I decided the best way to deal with this space was to knock out the dividing rooms - creating one large bathroom. I kept the scheme simple, with marble mosaic tiles for the floor and very affordable white, brick shaped tiles for the walls. The bath came from the paddock and was sprayed in white. And the little vanity was custom built from white Laminex with a marble top.

I've always believed that you can create a beautiful home without breaking the bank. Of course, some special pieces and finishes do make a difference - however, if you choose wisely and keep your palette simple, then less expensive choices can be just as effective. I am over the moon with the way that these spaces have turned out. The simple changes have made a difference to the look and the feel of the house. Punching through the wall from the kitchen to the lounge room, literally allowed the house to breathe again - and made room for loads of good energy to circulate throughout. We all love living here. It's exactly as we want 'home' to be....

36 comments:

Barb Fisher - Hopscotch said...

Thanks so much for sharing your story Shannon, I love that you have made your home so beautiful within the realistic constraints of a budget - like the majority of us have to. So inspiring! And thanks for letting me know your favourite white....!

One question, I am looking to do a budget conscious update of my kitchen this year and love the look of yours. Which white laminate did you choose, and is that a timber edging detail?

Lee said...

With your style and know-how you have certainly turned your house into a home! It's simply gorgeous.

Michelle said...

What a transformation Shannon! You have a truly amazing talent to visualize the hidden potential of your now beautiful home. I love it!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous stuff! You clever thing

Anonymous said...

I love the couch. It looks luxurious and comfy. Did you find any way to re-cycle the louvered cupboard doors from the old bathroom?

Maison Fleur said...

Shannon,

I love seeing images where a house has been transferred into a home... My man and I are in the process of finding our first house... He is a carpenter and I am studying interior design and we cannon wait to do a transformation. Thank you so much for sharing this, both Ryan and I love your home, I have stuck the article from Inside Out on our inspiration board, and every day we notice something more we love... I can't wait to see more!

Lauren

Paint Me White said...

Shannon thanks for sharing those pic of your gorgeous home. What a transformation,its amazing what a little imagination can do without breaking the bank. Look forward to seeing the rest of your home oneday. Sandy x

Brabourne Farm said...

I grew up near Byron Bay and it's absolutely wonderful to see this old farm house become beautiful again. It's such a special place and lovely to know that people like you treasure living there as much as my grandparents did a long time ago.

The House That A-M Built said...

What an inspiration your beautiful home is. I think I have found the white paint hue that I have been looking for! A-M xx

Amanda said...

You are such an inspiration Shannon! You've created a beautiful home for your family, thanks for sharing.

Amanda xx

I bought a copy of your Colour book a few years ago and have been reading it again lately. It's such an inspiration for me. I just wanted to tell you that.

Viv said...

Looks beautiful and very inspiring. Now we need a floor plan!

Anonymous said...

Shannon, your home is beautiful, and the location is truly stunning. I can understand why you love living there so much. A rural lifestyle has so much to offer.
My family and I have also done the tree change, but we have built a new home from scratch. I really need to thank you. Your colour book has been my salvation. I am a devotee of white, but your book helped me to be brave enough to introduce some beautiful colour into my home, and I am very happy with the results. Thanks again.

Sara said...

fantastic - and I love how it looks so acheivable to us mortals :). Thank you for sharing with us.

mimi charmante said...

We too have an old house that was in need of some serious TLC. I adore my home, and the small property that surrounds it, but seeing your views, I am quite envious! Oh to be surrounded by all that space! I do hope that if you do gardens, you will share a bit of a tour of them as well...
xo

Unknown said...

This is so lovely--just adore the color blue you used through your house--so unusual, original and poetic. Love! Of course, I would expect nothing less from your talented mind!

Anonymous said...

It looks beautiful.

Anonymous said...

What an amazing transformation. It truly is unrecognisable from what it was! I love your philosophy of keeping it simple and letting the house speak for itself. I especially love the way you very cleverly used those gorgeous blue-tones (I love Flo Broadhurst) offset with the crisp white and warm timber floor. It all works, so casually. Unlike alot of house transformations, nothing looks manufactured or forced. Love it! love it!

From one designer to the next- your hard work and design knack really shows. And your home really speaks for itself. You should be really proud. Congratulations! Ezabelle

lily-g said...

I've been away a few days and I miss this great post, drop dead gorgeous love it all what a great transformation x

Lin said...

Thank you for sharing this beautiful transformation with us!

Anonymous said...

Shannon,
I truly love what you've done to your 'old girl'.
It feels so relaxed, so casual, like the house was always this way. I can't believe how a few simple changes can make such an amazing difference. It really is just beautiful.
Thank you so much for sharing your home with us. It's an inspiration.
Karen

Brown Button Trading said...

Shannon - I'm awe struck, you are a complete visionary! Just beautiful, peaceful, calm, 'home'. xx

My Galveston Cottage said...

I love Before and Afters. Thank you for sharing yours. A lovely home. You have such nice style. cheers, -s

custardbydesign said...

Its grat to see your before and after pictures...i cant help but think your 'before' bathroom tiles were quite funky and i'd love to see them reused somewhere...

Porchlight Interiors said...

Shannon, This is such a fantastic post. I love seeing a house being transformed, and you have done an amazing job. Your home looks so comfortable and inviting. Thankyou for sharing,
Hayley

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's amazing shannon, i love that the materials that you used were very simple - it allows your beautiful things to shine.

Anonymous said...

Love, love it. My fav is the wallpaper in the bedroom. I'm trying to convince my husband that this print in a green would be fabulous for our study. Wish me luck! Please keep the pics coming x

Millie said...

Just fab Shannon - I think the same tiler who did your 'before' bathroom, then hopped in his car in 1972 & drove immediately to Stirling in the Adelaide Hills to tile our house - snap!

Like you, our whole house reno. doesn't involve actually adding on. We are working within the space we have & in many ways I this is more challenging than just tearing down rooms & rebuilding from scratch. A truly masterful rejuventation of a lovely old house - the warmest of congratulations!
Millie ^_^

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

So much to inspire in this post! I love it that you found your bath in the paddock! Also your comment that you don't need a lot of money to make your house beautiful.
Thanks for the tip on the white house paint. I have been thinking of doing our terrace in either white or different shades of pink. I think pink is going to win somehow despite friends trying to talk me out of it!

Anonymous said...

What a great transformation I love old houses but they are bit of work. But worth the effort when you see results like these

Michelle said...

Shannon,
This is truly your style - I love it. It looks like a very beautiful and comfortable house to live in.

la la Lovely said...

Your home is gorgeous and so inviting! Thanks for inviting us in for a peek and some great inspiration!
x Trina

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on discovering your place in lifes journey and at the age of 39+ lol....
Lifes too short to chase $$$$ and not reap the rewards in ones journey in life!!

It is no news to we girls who have revinvented homes and ourselves for centuries and on a budget. Thank goodness for our savvy parents and those before them it all comes back to values and like you we hold them dearly!

I love your lounge suite the colour reminds me of my grand parents era without the pattern. Did you find this treasure in an op shop or have it made?

Thanks for sharing......

drey said...

just discovered your blog (in readiness for a blogpost of my own) so please pardon my lateness. but i loved seeing these before and after shots.

am curious, you mentioned that this place had a horrible feeling, choking feeling about it... after the reno, was there a discernible difference?

Shannon Fricke said...

HI Drey,
And welcome!
Yes, the feeling in the house disappeared - thank goodness! The rooms in the house are rather strangely configured and didn't allow for much airflow and good energy to circulate within it. However, we took out one wall - which immediately made the difference. It's like the house was finally able to breathe again!
sx

Christine said...

I love the lighting fixture in your living room, as seen in the Inside Out issue. Where is it from?

Shannon Fricke said...

Hi Christine,
These are the George Nelson Bubble Lamps - you can find them at Spence and Lyda in Sydney..
sx