This was an interesting project for me as the home was bought and being developed for sale. When the clients engaged me they had already received council approval and I was working from architects plans to design the interiors and exterior finishes.
Whenever you are renovating or extending for sale it’s a slightly different process. Mainly around the choice of finishes and overall design decisions when it comes to function. It’s important to look at the suburb and work out what is expected in terms of level of finish. And then to talk to an agent to see what sort of buyer this home will appeal to, downsizers, young families, professionals etc.
In this instance given this area of Mosman we were looking at higher end finishes. The joinery, flooring, fixtures and appliances were going to be important to get right. Also, overall layout when it comes to the kitchen and pantry providing more storage where possible, and a generous main bedroom suite was important. This home was going to appeal to a good size family being a 5 bedroom home. The new first floor extension was adding in another 2 bedrooms and the back extension would create a wonderful open plan living space with a new patio and pool. The garage at the back of the property was also developed as parking in this area comes at a premium.
The kitchen and pantry needed to be neutral enough to appeal to a wide audience but also provide a wow factor. We used a super white engineered stone on the island and backsplash in the kitchen and a natural marble feature tile in the pantry to create that feature. That natural marble was carried through into the powder room and ensuite bathroom on the first floor.
The exterior got a glow up too. Retaining the character of the front of the property was important, it’s an attractive home. So we rendered and made the most of the porch area.
A gorgeous feature at the centre of the home that the architect designed and I overlayed finishes was the new floating stairs. Allowing you to see through to the back of the new extension but also a feature with these vertical timbers spanning from ground right up to the top of that first floor. It’s a lovely space to be welcomed into.
This was such an exciting project to work on, and to walk through the open home when it was on the market was a treat. Getting to hear potential buyers’ reactions as we walked through and the excitement from the agent at all of the attention the property was getting was very rewarding for me.
If you’re thinking of renovating, extending or building why not get in touch for a chat to see how I can help you bring your renovation to life, you can contact me on [email protected].
Credit: Photography by Simon Whitbread