Project 13 – A Rat Infested House Becomes a Beachside Family Home

This beachside home had progressively become a dirty, dark fortress over the twenty years that the previous owner had lived there.

So, our first jobs upon taking ownership of the property were to rid ourselves of vermin, let some light into the house, and let the neighbours know that their long years of suffering were over!

We removed approximately 50m2 of dark slate floor tiles inside.

We installed some clear roof sheets on the patio to let light through from the outside.

And we removed superfluous exterior structures that were closing in on the house.

Next, we ripped out the filthy kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, as well as removing a strange fireplace that took up a lot of space in the living area.

Finally, we felt like we could breathe again.

Once we’d cleared our heads of the inherited mess, we were able to visualise how we wanted the home to look.

We also needed to solve the problem of how to make the tiniest ensuite feel like it was more spacious…
As always, our budget was tight, so extending the ensuite’s floor area wasn’t an option.

Our solution was to remove the low, eave-height ceiling, then install a new ceiling that followed the raking roofline.

The extra height upon entering the room made a huge difference!

The ensuite renovation included choosing light, neutral tiles, and creating a hobless shower for a free-flowing floor area.

This combination helped us to achieve a lovely feeling of space without breaking the bank.

The kitchen, the heart of the home, overlooked the patio.

So we created an outdoor haven by installing feature pendant lights and furnishing the space with multiple alfresco living zones which flowed effortlessly from the kitchen.

We wanted the indoor living areas to feel part of the casual living space too.

So we installed coastal-themed furniture adjoining the clean, modern kitchen, to demonstrate how easily a family could make lasting memories in this home.

The bedrooms were finished with plush carpet, sleek downlights and soft sheer curtains on the windows.

They were then styled with luxury bed linen to connect with the buyers’ senses, and to help them fall in love with the home.

The backyard was intentionally retained as a clean, blank slate, to demonstrate the abundance of space, and to leave buyers with the opportunity to stamp their own mark on the property.

I’m happy to report that the house sold quickly, to a young family who fell in love at first sight and are eager to start making new memories here.