Laundry -
Our laundry, like many old homes, was outdated and not functional. It had 4 doors leading into it (lounge, external, bathroom and a seperate toilet). This lead to a large bit of floor space not being effectively used.
Reconfiguring this area was key to unlocking our floor plan. We reduced the number of doors to two, reduced the circulation space to a walkway only and put in as much storage as possible, including cabinetry with a large bench top, overhead cupboards, stacked washer dryer, broom cupboard and a linen cupboard.
As to further maximise the layout of our house, we also made this a multipurpose space. The entrance is now off the kitchen behind a concealed pivot door, which means we can use it as both a laundry and a butlers pantry.
Although we ultimately made the total size of the laundry smaller, we enhanced its usability 10 fold. We also repurposed the unused floor space to increase the size of the bathroom, the kitchen and the lounge room. It was a true game changer and we love it!
Every inch of this old girl needed some love. Nothing like a new fence to give the front a face lift. As always the kids were keen to lend a hand, (and yes that is a garbage bag smock, I got caught without their reno clothes handy).
Although renovating with little kids can be tricky (and let’s be honest, almost impossible without good family support or the ability to have time without the kids to get things done), we have loved sharing this journey with them.
It has given them opportunities to learn, participate and feel a sense of accomplishment as we progress through each stage or task.
By far I have loved being able to share so many fun times and smiles as a family along the way. How often do you get to have a digger in your very own back yard!
Heritage plaster details 💙
The corbels on our hallway arch have finally been reinstated. Which means we are officially finished plastering! And it looks incredible.
We have kept and restored all of the heritage features to the front half of the house. Then kept the rear extension crisp with clean lines.
Painting is well underway. We have opted for a subtle warm white, which really lets the details sing.
I love looking at this photo…
It captures the the hard work and craftsmanship of all our trades, and of those who came before us.
This arched cavity slider was no easy task, but it has turned out spectacularly. It was a true team effort between our architect, builder and cabinet maker.
It’s all in the detail….
I think restoring any house comes with lots of responsibility. It is fun to update and add new elements, but just as important to balance this by keeping and restoring original features where possible.
It is these features that tell the story of a house, and keep its history alive. It gives feeling to a home and makes it uniquely yours. I can’t wait to see the ceiling roses back in place.
I can’t help myself but admire this view every time I am on site. Loving the decision to go for a skylight in our bathroom instead of a highlight window.
I love:
- the view of the clouds it provides
- the light it lets in and how it travels across the room depending on the time of day
- the massive void we were able to create which give such volume to the space
- the fact we could put it in the inner side of the duel pitched roof, as not to impact the heritage aesthetic of the house (the local council planning department were also a big fan of this - win) The only think I don’t love, is the thought that I now have to paint all the way up there 😬
Insulation was on our must have list when designing this house. We wanted to create a warm, quiet and cozy feeling for our family to enjoy. Although you won’t see it (or all of the hard work that went into the instillation), insulation was fundamental for us to be able to achieve the overall design vision we have for this home.
Customer Showcase 📸🌟 Project: @Addition_edition
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Justin (@obioffice ) and Ashlea have been working hard on renovating their beautiful 1890’s minor cottage 🏡 in Golden Point (Ballarat), Victoria.
Ballarat is an inland city full of charming heritage architecture from days gone by, but many of its dwellings require significant upgrades from an insulation standpoint. Since the cottage had almost no existing insulation, retrofitting quality insulation was a high priority. Justin and Ashlea also have two small kids and a dog 🐕 that like to make some noise 🔊, so finding a product that would give them both excellent thermal AND acoustic performance was important.
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Our team at Pricewise Insulation recommended they use the following products: 🎉
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• Earthwool Insulation Sound-Shield R2.5HD (Internal and External walls)
• Earthwool Ceiling Insulation R5.0
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Earthwool Sound-Shield insulation is designed to provide both a high thermal rating (R-value) and acoustic rating (kg/m3) which prevents noise travelling between rooms, perfect for when their kids are playing ⚽ 📺. Additionally, given the heights of their traditional ceilings in the front of the house, Earthwool Ceiling R5.0 batts with its high R-value is a perfect choice for this space to prevent heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer.
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Quote from Ashlea 👩 “When you embark on restoring a heritage property it can be easy to focus on the superficial elements, the things in plain sight. But for us, this house needed to be a multi-sensory experience that matched its past. We invested in the insulation because we wanted this place to be full of warmth and love for our young family. Our refuge.”
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We look forward to seeing your cottage complete and your family moving in 📦 🚚!
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Family Photo Credit: Nikki McCrone
We have had our builder and architect
@obioffice on site early this week going over plans.
Clear and regular communication helps the job run smoothly. It gives everyone the opportunity to clarify specific details, helps avoid unnecessary mistakes and sets clear objectives for each week. It also keeps us out of the way so the builders can get stuck in things with minimal interruptions, keeping the project moving forward at a good a good pace.
So lucky to have such a good team on board.
#reno #renovation #builder #architecture #client #ballarathouses #ballarathomes #plans #drawings #teamwork #communication #onsite #progress
Getting all of your heights, levels and boundaries established early is critical to ensuring you are able to design to the exact specifications of your block and existing house.
You also never know, especially in areas with very old houses, if your fence is actually in the right spot 🤭
#renovating #building #surveyor #ballarathouse #ballarathouses #ballarathomes #extension
