Renovation to an Inner City Queenslander

Over the last decade or so, I've witnessed a lot of change here in West End. The number of houses on blocks over 400 m2 have become few and far between. Many of the larger blocks ended up in the hands of developers whom sub-divided and filled in the vacant land with more dwellings. So, so sad....

This is an example of a worker's cottage on a double block:

I would kill to have this much land only 2kms from the Brisbane CBD. This house has been a rental property for many years and when it recently sold, I suspected that it too would end up being sub-divided with a house or units built at the rear (which, unfortunately, is exactly what's happened to other homes in this street.)

But to my surprise, this property was purchased by a young family who have kept it intact. They too have enlisted the team from Owen and Vokes to design the alterations and additions to this original Queenslander house. As with many of their projects, the dwelling has not been raised or visibly altered from the street.

Here is a picture I took only a few weeks ago. (It still looks a lot like a construction site - they are currently working on the hardscape landscaping features, such as masonry walls and fencing.) The exterior looks much the same, however it has had a new lick of paint, including all those hopscotch windows - poor painter...

And here is a glimpse of the new front steps leading up to the entrance. The rickety old timber stairs have been replaced by a new masonry set, which I think really grounds the house. They will look fabulous once they're all cleaned up.

As you can guess by now, the owners have adopted O+V's signature black and white exterior. But  wait until you see inside - there are some lovely splashes of colour in the bathrooms and sleepouts. And no - it doesn't look like a "licorice allsort."

I can't wait to show you inside!!!!

Kitchen Taps

With so much out there to choose from, I've found this a particularly hard exercise - in fact I still haven't really made a decision.

My first thought was to find a wall mounted tap - not just because I like the look of them, but I figured it would be easier to keep the benchtop around the tap nice and clean (you know, there's no scrubbing around the base of the spout where there always seems to be a build-up of, well, stuff.) So I found this one:

Enware LEVA

But having had kitchen taps with pull-out shower sprays, which I personally find really useful, I thought I'd look a little further.

Perrin & Rowe have recently released their new Contemporary Collection of kitchen taps. Unfortunately I can't find a wall mounted version, but I certainly do like the look of these ones:

Orbiq round spout with spray rinse

Lo bridge-style tap with round spout, levers and spray rinse

They are a traditional-style tap with a contemporary edge, and I think they would work well in our kitchen - plus the spray rinse is a bonus. They also happen to be available in both chrome and pewter finishes. Anyone want to offer any advice on this particular brand, or indeed make another recommedation?

Renovating a Worker's Cottage with Mokum

This image is from a Clare Cousins project, where they have used grooved MDF instead of the usual plasterboard lining on the walls. It provides a nice textural element to the space, and the colour is kind of neat too! Perhaps I could do something like this down the hallway near the kids' rooms. This product is available in the same profile as the existingVJs (which make up the entire front part of the house), so it would be a nice reference to the original cottage.

The banquette seating we have planned in the same hallway, which includes storage space underneath, will be topped with upholstered seat cushions. I rather like this fabric "Firewheel" from Mokum, which would work well with this paint colour.

It comes in a variety of colours, and I was actually thinking of using the black version in the sitting room.

Here's a another job by Owen & Vokes where they have used Mokum's "Mimosa" in ebony. This particular material happens to be suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications, so it's a great choice of fabric to use on a verandah. And look at the verandah floor! It's the same shade of green as the bathroom tiles I was looking at here. What a lovely little spot to sit and relax!

More design inspiration...

I mentioned in a previous post that I prefer neutral palettes when it comes to home decor. I think this next house pretty much sums me up:

This house (a collaboration between Pleysier Perkins and MIM Design) appears in the current edition of Houses K+B and I imagine it caught the editor's eye as well, because it just happens to feature on the front cover.

I love everything about it including the soft, chalky white hues, the timber lining boards and those Caravaggio pendants in the kitchen! And this just happens to be my kind of kitchen - not an overhead cupboard in sight. The hidden walk-in-pantry houses the fridge and other appliances leaving the main part of the kitchen free of clutter.

And look at this cool idea for the kids' rooms - a relatively shallow display cabinet which is perfect for storing their books.

All images:  MIM Design

It's kind of a mix between Scandinavian style and contemporary Australian beach house. I just wish I had a coastal retreat like this one.

My baby...

No, I'm not about to break out into that old Cold Chisel classic..... (however, now that I mention it, I can't seem to get that tune out of my head.)

Oscar has just turned 8 months old - I can't believe how fast this time has passed. Knowing that he will be my last one, makes me want him to stay little forever. He is the cutest little baby in the world!

Hopefully we'll get to celebrate his 2nd Birthday at our new house...