7 Before + After Transformations That Wowed Us This Year
Interiors
Photo – Bri Hammond. Styling – Jess Sisto.
The newly-renovated kitchen in Dot and Nick’s Torrensville, Adelaide home. See SpaceCraft Joinery’s website for individual product details. Photo – Bri Hammond. Styling – Jess Sisto.
The bathroom underwent a comprehensive renovation to form a relaxing retreat for Nick and Dot. Photo – Bri Hammond. Styling – Jess Sisto.
The all-white bathroom, kitchen and laundry prior to the renovation.
A Cost-Effective Kitchen, Laundry + Bathroom Makeover
SpaceCraft Joinery have carved a reputation for designing kitchens with colour and character, so when looking to upgrade their Adelaide home with personality, homeowners Dot and Nick knew who to turn to.
This home’s existing stock standard all-white kitchen, bathroom, and barely functioning laundry (see before images at the bottom of this post) are now more practical than ever, achieved through a heap of clever space-saving solutions, and a thoughtful use of materials.
These updates were designed, built, and installed within nine months on an approximate $90,000 budget.
Spacecraft Joinery designer Jessie Stevens shares how each space came to life.
Nick on his apartment balcony. Photo – Amelia Stanwix. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Artwork ‘Watching the night’s watch’ by Angus White. Restored Narvik Daybed by Fler. Flip Top coffee table by Danish Deluxe. Emilio Toffee Rug by Weave. Allure Side Table by HK Living. Lamp by IKEA. Photo – Amelia Stanwix. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Minokoyo 69 x 69mm tiles from Academy Tiles. Custom 3mm solid stainless steel benchtop manufactured by Alltrade Aluminium. Laminex Spotted Gum Truescale AbsoluteGrain joinery. Vases by Jan Moran. La Mouche Carafe by Maison Balzac. Kitchen joinery by Eaglewood Kitchens. Photo – Amelia Stanwix. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Vintage 64 dining chairs by Fler. Painting by Hannah Nowlan. Kitchen joinery by Eaglewood Kitchens. Photo – Amelia Stanwix. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
The apartment pre-renovation!
An Original 1960s Melbourne Apartment, Transformed For $65,000
Architect Nick Sweetland believes in the generosity and potential of older brick apartments, so he purchased an original two-bedroom apartment in a solid 1960s Ivanhoe East building, with a $65,000 budget to make his own upgrades.
What followed was a remarkable transformation over just four months, including a rebuild of the kitchen and bathroom, and removal of a central wall, to create a more comfortable and all-round beautiful space to inhabit.
Nick shares how he did it, and reveals the final budget breakdown.
The rear wall features Venetian plaster and a bronze rangehood. Photo –Twinewood Studio.
Inspired by the yellow sands and red earth of the Australian outback, GIA Renovations selected a butter yellow and terracotta for this Elwood kitchen renovation. Photo –Twinewood Studio.
New cabinetry provides space for the microwave, air fryer, and blender to all live out of sight. Photo –Twinewood Studio.
A Terracotta + Yellow Kitchen Transformation
Carmel Wylie, senior designer at GIA Renovations, looks to colours in nature when designing interiors, knowing if a colour combination is working outside, it will definitely work inside.
Inspired by the yellow sands and red earth of the Australian outback, she selected a butter yellow and terracotta palette for this Elwood kitchen renovation, transforming a kitchen with a ‘standard white laminate vibe’ into a space brimming with personality.
The elegant facade of the Paddington terrace. Photo – Milly Mead.
Limestone Kesi tiles by GatherCo. Bode Wall Light by Lighterior. Neu England tapware by Brodware. Bath by Studio Bagno. Candle by Trudon. Photo – Milly Mead.
The parlour backs onto the courtyard garden. Print by Allie Webb. Painting by Dan Kyle. Throw by Jardan. Photo – Milly Mead.
The kitchen into the parlour room. Frosty Carrina benchtop by Caesarstone. Almond knobs by Lo & Co. Coffee machine by La Pavoni. Cabochon tiles from Gather Co. Photo – Milly Mead.
This Artist’s Sydney Terrace Feels Like A Fancy Hotel
Sydney-based artist Annalisa Ferraris and Smokebush Studio landscape designer Nathan White felt like they’d ‘struck gold’ when they came across a dated, but light-filled, 1880s terrace in Paddington.
The creative couple has since put their own spin on the Victorian home, drawing inspiration from old-world hotels in Europe to create dreamy personal details — from a blue bar designed for serving martinis, to the kitchen that feels like it’s straight out of a French bistro!
Photo – Caitlin Mills.
The updated laundry. Glass light pendant made by Minnow Glass. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
Mutina Mattonelle Margherita Star tiles from Urban Edge Ceramics. Joinery and cabinet by Trouthouse. Timber sourced from Ceres Fair Wood. Basin from Robert Gordon Interiors. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
The compact spaces before the renovation.
A Playful Bathroom + Laundry Transformed For $25k
Renovating is never easy, even less so when you have a baby on the way.
But when Almo Troup and Tild Simpson — behind design studio Trouthouse — found themselves expecting, it was the motivation they needed to finally transform the impractical bathroom and laundry in their Melbourne home.
See how they managed the renovation in less than two weeks, on a $25,000 budget!
Photo – Twinewood Studio.
The designer spotted the Bisazza Primule 2 floral mosaic tiles at Perini years ago and has been ‘trying to use them ever since’. Photo – Twinewood Studio.
The new vanity combined walnut laminate with a quartzite benchtop. Photo – Twinewood Studio.
A Floral Mosaic Inspired This Bathroom’s Bold Retro Revival
The owners of a 1970s apartment in Melbourne had a few requests for the renovation of their bathroom: there was to be no white, grey, or chrome in sight, and mosaic tiles were a must.
GIA Renovations turned what was a monochromatic ’90s bathroom into a masterful retro revival, designed around sunshine yellow tiles and a floral mosaic reminiscent of a lush meadow!
Utensils holder and pepper mill by Le Creuset. Walls painted Dulux Natural White. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli
Wave bowls by Debbie Weinmann Ceramics. Il Conico Kettle by Alessi. Lucy Tolan Woven Embers Candle from Jardan. Wrap knot by SkLO. Artwork: ‘Heirloom’ by Ariella Weinmann. Potplant holder by Simon Pearce. Utensils holder and pepper mill by Le Creuset. Laminex Otway Flint on joinery. Walls painted Dulux Natural White. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli
Custom ‘Nankin’ paint by Porters Paints. Pez Cacao tiles from Perini. Voda Tumbled Brass Tapware by Sussex. Basin by United Products. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli
The apartment is unrecognisable before the renovation!
This Apartment Is Unrecognisable After A DIY-Driven Makeover
Before renovating his dated 101-square-metre Melbourne apartment, Simon Nankin had never really worked with power tools.
But when an initial quote to knock down some walls came in at $100,000 — the same figure Simon had budgeted for the entire renovation — he resorted to tackling most of the project himself, DIY-style.
Here, he reveals the many lessons behind the impressive 20-month transformation, and exactly how much he spent!