Houzz Tour: A Bright and Airy Renovation With a Touch of Scandi Style
A drab and lifeless home has been transformed into a relaxing sanctuary with plenty of whites, wood and natural materials
As an industrial designer for the likes of Cult with years of experience in antiques restoration and reproduction, Frag Woodall has a keen eye for aesthetic detail. So when he and his wife, Naomi, bought a threadbare 1930s brick house three years ago, it wasn’t long before Frag set about transforming the interior into a soothing, relaxed home reminiscent of a Swedish summer house, which makes the most of the light and views over leafy Centennial Park.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Industrial designer Frag Woodall and his wife, Naomi
Location Sydney, Australia
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
That’s interesting Swedish stationery and giftware chain Kikki K used the apartment as the filming location for its latest TV ad. About 25 actors, directors, lighting and camera crew crammed into the space for the two-day shoot.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Industrial designer Frag Woodall and his wife, Naomi
Location Sydney, Australia
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
That’s interesting Swedish stationery and giftware chain Kikki K used the apartment as the filming location for its latest TV ad. About 25 actors, directors, lighting and camera crew crammed into the space for the two-day shoot.
Frag removed the apartment’s lino and carpets and painted the floorboards underneath white. He also painted the walls and ceilings white, but added warmth with recycled wooden beams that had come off an old bridge. The beams were oiled before installation. As well as adding warmth to the all-white colour scheme, Frag says he wanted the beams to give a sense of rhythm and continuity to the home, while still allowing each space to have its own voice and distinctiveness to avoid them blurring into nothing.
‘There is such a thing as too open plan – everything gets lost and you’re asking the furniture to hang everything together; sometimes that’s a big ask.’ In the kitchen, big old slabs of French oak make up the worktops.
Lighting, Sokol.
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‘There is such a thing as too open plan – everything gets lost and you’re asking the furniture to hang everything together; sometimes that’s a big ask.’ In the kitchen, big old slabs of French oak make up the worktops.
Lighting, Sokol.
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While the beams bring in a warm aesthetic, Frag warmed the interiors still further with baltic pine panelling on the walls. ‘That warmth and texture coming in through those details meant I could go completely white on the walls and floor,’ he says. ‘Otherwise, it would look lost and empty and ungrounded and it would lack a bit of soul.’
Although some people baulk at painting floorboards white, Frag says they look ‘just as gorgeous’ three years on. ‘I used Berger paving paint – it’s absolutely bulletproof,’ he says. ‘We have a no-shoe policy, so that helps, but we haven’t been precious with the floor by any stretch of the imagination; it’s tough as nails and holds its brightness.’
Coat hooks, The Dots from Muuto.
Although some people baulk at painting floorboards white, Frag says they look ‘just as gorgeous’ three years on. ‘I used Berger paving paint – it’s absolutely bulletproof,’ he says. ‘We have a no-shoe policy, so that helps, but we haven’t been precious with the floor by any stretch of the imagination; it’s tough as nails and holds its brightness.’
Coat hooks, The Dots from Muuto.
The flat’s entryway before the renovation. What a difference!
The 1980s-style flat had been a ‘long, long-term rental’ before Frag and his wife moved in.
The main bedroom and sunroom were nothing to shout about before the renovation, but had plenty of natural light and a leafy outlook.
AFTER: The renovated main bedroom is fresh and inviting. Frag opted for true white paint with no tint of any kind on the walls, ceiling and floors. Although flat paint is usually only used on the ceiling, he decided to also use it on the walls. Matt paint is three per cent gloss, but flat paint contains no gloss at all and is not recommended for walls because it marks easily. But Frag loves the effect of using flat paint on walls.
‘The walls look like they go off to infinity because you’re not getting any reflection back; there’s a silky, silky softness to them.’
And if the walls do get marked? ‘You just wipe off the marks or throw some more paint on – it’s so forgiving; it’s pretty carefree.’
The industrial vintage pendant came out of the original Sebel furniture factory when the company was still making toys.
‘The walls look like they go off to infinity because you’re not getting any reflection back; there’s a silky, silky softness to them.’
And if the walls do get marked? ‘You just wipe off the marks or throw some more paint on – it’s so forgiving; it’s pretty carefree.’
The industrial vintage pendant came out of the original Sebel furniture factory when the company was still making toys.
The carpeted sunroom reminded Frag of a concrete box before its transformation.
AFTER: The light and airy sunroom now serves as a dining area. Frag designed and made the table to suit the narrow space.
The arched windows were there, but prior to renovation had mottled glass up top that you couldn’t see out of and the windows couldn’t be opened.
Frag reglazed the windows and machined curved architraves around the windows and sills.
Post-renovation, he and Naomi love living here. ‘We just enjoy it so much; the space is beautiful,’ Frag says. ‘It looks so great when the sun is beaming in in the morning, but also looks incredible when it’s pouring down with rain outside and we light the candles – it can look wonderful and cosy, but also fresh and bright.’
Frag and Naomi have both spent time in Scandinavia and experienced the ability of Swedish summer houses to capture light in the summer months and also make a very ‘hygge’ atmosphere during the long winter.
‘Hygge is a Danish word that has a number of meanings,’ Frag explains. ‘It can mean cosy, as in the warm glow of candlelight, and also spending time with friends and family. It is this atmosphere we have wanted to capture with the Kensington renovation.’
The arched windows were there, but prior to renovation had mottled glass up top that you couldn’t see out of and the windows couldn’t be opened.
Frag reglazed the windows and machined curved architraves around the windows and sills.
Post-renovation, he and Naomi love living here. ‘We just enjoy it so much; the space is beautiful,’ Frag says. ‘It looks so great when the sun is beaming in in the morning, but also looks incredible when it’s pouring down with rain outside and we light the candles – it can look wonderful and cosy, but also fresh and bright.’
Frag and Naomi have both spent time in Scandinavia and experienced the ability of Swedish summer houses to capture light in the summer months and also make a very ‘hygge’ atmosphere during the long winter.
‘Hygge is a Danish word that has a number of meanings,’ Frag explains. ‘It can mean cosy, as in the warm glow of candlelight, and also spending time with friends and family. It is this atmosphere we have wanted to capture with the Kensington renovation.’
In the second bedroom, Parisian-style shutters that wouldn’t look out of place in a 19th-century manor add character. Frag added edging detail with this in mind, putting to use the knowledge he gained during the years he spent restoring and reproducing antique furniture.
The pendant light is also a Mr Frag creation – he painted an old light and made the timber fitting from which it hangs.
Tarva Bed, Ikea.
The pendant light is also a Mr Frag creation – he painted an old light and made the timber fitting from which it hangs.
Tarva Bed, Ikea.
The bathroom was perhaps the least inviting room of the house before Frag set to work on it.
AFTER: An old barn door from the south of France is an unexpected focal point, its soft patina and character needing no enhancement. The handle is from Italy and the hardware on the top of the door is from the US.
Although Frag also used baltic pine panelling in the bathroom, he dyed it black. He designed the vanity unit and used the same metro tiles as on the kitchen splashback. There’s further harmony with the basin – it’s a similar shape to the Belfast sink in the kitchen.
The bathroom tapware is black, but Frag had to go to some effort to finally end up with designs he liked.
‘I couldn’t find really nice tapware that wasn’t screaming contemporary,’ he says. He custom-made the tapware and shower rose by stripping back chrome components, joining them together and powder coating them black. As an industrial designer, Frag has created everything from lighting and furniture designs to eyewear (one of his latest furniture designs is the Cloud Table).
‘I couldn’t find really nice tapware that wasn’t screaming contemporary,’ he says. He custom-made the tapware and shower rose by stripping back chrome components, joining them together and powder coating them black. As an industrial designer, Frag has created everything from lighting and furniture designs to eyewear (one of his latest furniture designs is the Cloud Table).
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What do you think of this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
What do you think of this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
On opening the front door, however, he could immediately see the unrenovated apartment’s potential. One key feature stood out: it has a circular layout, so there are no hallways and no dead space. ‘No matter where you stand, you have an aspect to other rooms – you never feel as though you’re walking into a dead end or trapped,’ says Frag.
The apartment also overlooked Centennial Park and had plenty of natural light flooding in. ‘My intention was to buy what I couldn’t change – the light and the aspect,’ he says.
Swedish summer houses are typically calm and relaxed, with plenty of natural light. A reduced colour and material palette helped Frag create a similar look and feel here. Not chopping and changing colours and materials too much between rooms also means the apartment feels much bigger than its 80 sq m. ‘You’re not getting a new story every few steps,’ Frag explains. ‘The furnishings are simple and pared back, and not screaming for attention; that creates a calmness and you’re letting the light do a lot of the work.’
Sideboard, Mr Frag. Rocking chair, Eames.
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