Houzz Tour: From Tired 1980s Décor to an Elegant Family Home
Intending to renovate and move on, a growing family unexpectedly found their dream home in the suburbs – and it was too good to let go
Have you ever heard the saying, ‘There’s a cup for every saucer’? Well this was definitely the case for Krissy Brown and her husband, Pete Whitehead, when they bought their home in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. To their surprise, they were the only potential buyers when the house, which they had planned to renovate and sell on, went up for sale at auction. But 12 years later, they’re still living there and loving their family home.
Whitehead originally found the house listed online in 2004. With a growing family, the couple wanted to upsize from their small inner-city home, so they began to look further afield. Despite Brown’s initial protestations of ‘Yuck!’ at the sight of the house, Whitehead decided to drop into a midweek viewing of the property on his way to a meeting.
He immediately saw its potential and dragged Brown along to the next open house day. She quickly became just as smitten. After scraping together their savings and bidding at a very quiet auction, the property was theirs.
Thinking of hiring an interior designer? Here are 10 questions to ask them first
He immediately saw its potential and dragged Brown along to the next open house day. She quickly became just as smitten. After scraping together their savings and bidding at a very quiet auction, the property was theirs.
Thinking of hiring an interior designer? Here are 10 questions to ask them first
The beautiful exterior of the property was very appealing to the couple, and despite the ugly 1980s interior, the bones of the house were in great shape. As no major structural changes were needed, the renovation was purely a matter of replacing the old with new.
The couple had already bought and sold three homes prior to purchasing this one, so the original intention was to renovate and sell this one on as well, but once they’d settled in, the house had them under its spell.
Take a look around a family home with a large, light-filled extension
The couple had already bought and sold three homes prior to purchasing this one, so the original intention was to renovate and sell this one on as well, but once they’d settled in, the house had them under its spell.
Take a look around a family home with a large, light-filled extension
Brown says every room needed work. ‘At the time of moving in, I was three months pregnant as well as already having a 14-month-old son,’ she says, ‘so in my mind, I had six months to finish the renovation!’ She shudders at the memory.
‘We’d renovated a few houses prior to this one, so the harsh reality of the cost was something we were accustomed to,’ she continues. ‘We learned from previous renovations that you get what you pay for in terms of workmen and finishes. Having said that, there’s definitely merit in getting two or three quotes, but a good reputation and workmanship is worth paying a little extra for.’
Off the main hallway at the front of the house are the children’s rooms, followed by the bathroom, office, and main bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe and en suite. Next is a chill-out lounge area, followed by the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area.
‘We’d renovated a few houses prior to this one, so the harsh reality of the cost was something we were accustomed to,’ she continues. ‘We learned from previous renovations that you get what you pay for in terms of workmen and finishes. Having said that, there’s definitely merit in getting two or three quotes, but a good reputation and workmanship is worth paying a little extra for.’
Off the main hallway at the front of the house are the children’s rooms, followed by the bathroom, office, and main bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe and en suite. Next is a chill-out lounge area, followed by the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area.
Brown bought the beautiful Hans J Wegner Wishbone dining chairs as a gift to herself, after she successfully finished her interior design business to concentrate on her new retail endeavour. ‘I’d admired them for such a long time, but I didn’t buy them when the kids were younger as they would have just ruined them,’ she says. ‘They’ve made a huge difference.’
Brown’s design aesthetic is simple, clean and light.
A crisp palette of white and timber tones, combined with natural textures, gives the home a calm, open and relaxed feel.
Glass sliding doors stretching the full length of one wall were added to the back of the house, enabling plenty of indoor-outdoor living during the warmer months. Teamed with a large picture window in the dining area, the space makes the most of the natural light all year round.
‘Luckily, Pete shares the same style as me, so decorating was never an issue or a clash of ideas,’ says Brown of their love of clean, open spaces. The Camerich sofas from Meizai were a splurge buy to suit their large new living space.
‘Our budget was small in relation to the work we had to do, so I contracted all the work myself and project managed the demolition, design and installation of the two bathrooms and kitchen,’ says Brown.
Kitchen stools, Green Cathedral.
Planning a white kitchen? Check out these cool, contemporary schemes
Kitchen stools, Green Cathedral.
Planning a white kitchen? Check out these cool, contemporary schemes
The kitchen was a mess before the couple moved in. Brown recalls opening one of the cupboards and having the door come away in her hand. ‘The dishwasher also made noises like a backfiring car,’ she says.
Now, it’s a contemporary space that’s ideal for a busy young family, with up-to-date appliances and a breakfast bar for speedy meals.
Now, it’s a contemporary space that’s ideal for a busy young family, with up-to-date appliances and a breakfast bar for speedy meals.
Brown also decorates with pieces found on her online store, including these chic timber and marble chopping boards.
A separate chill-out room, designed with the kids in mind, has an old but comfortable sofa, with a TV and an Xbox to keep the children entertained. Brown had the large flag framed by a local framer – it adds a fun touch while fitting in with the rest of the décor.
This informal living space also doubles as a music room, with the kids able to practise the guitar in here without disturbing the rest of the house.
The master bedroom is a bright, zen-like space, with beautiful natural linen bedding and a simple, calming colour palette.
Buying some new bed linen? Here’s how to make the perfect choice
Buying some new bed linen? Here’s how to make the perfect choice
Bed linen and cushions, White & Co.
‘Everyone thought I was crazy installing permanent bedside lights,’ says Brown of the glass and timber lamps from French company Un Esprit En Plus. ‘But these are so beautiful and unobtrusive, and will never date.’
Like the kitchen, the bathrooms were fitted out simply and on a fairly small budget. ‘As we weren’t initially intending to stay in the house for long, it was more about making a clean aesthetic change,’ says Brown. ‘But the rooms are practical and, with a bit of styling, still look beautiful.’
Knotty Turkish towels; white belly basket, all White & Co.
Knotty Turkish towels; white belly basket, all White & Co.
Zoe’s room is light and bright, with little feminine touches such as the bird artwork and musk pink bed linen from Country Road Home. Fairy lights strung up in the room offer a pretty glow at night-time.
Like all sports-mad 10-year-olds, Will’s room pays homage to his love of cricket, basketball and especially football, with touches of the family’s favourite team, the Kangaroos, featuring throughout.
Bed linen, Country Road Home.
Bed linen, Country Road Home.
Bedside lamp, Milk & Sugar.
Brown turned one of the rooms off the hall into her office, where she ran her decorating business for several years before following her passion for homeware and clothing. She now runs her new online store from here. ‘I have so many people come to the house and comment on my style, so the site is really to make that style accessible to everyone,’ she says.
‘I wake up in the morning and I’m so excited about what I’m doing with White & Co,’ Brown says of her new venture. ‘It really is what I’m absolutely passionate about.’
‘I wake up in the morning and I’m so excited about what I’m doing with White & Co,’ Brown says of her new venture. ‘It really is what I’m absolutely passionate about.’
The family love spending time outdoors, and the garden has been designed to make it a comfortable place to entertain and enjoy the fresh air. ‘We now spend most of our time outside, either in or around the pool, and we also spend a lot more time together as a family,’ says Brown.
A timber-decked pool was added almost three years ago and according to Brown, it’s one of the best decisions they made. ‘The process of adding the pool was really enjoyable as we had a great pool builder, Andrew Moffat from The Pool Group,’ she says. ‘He helped us design it as well as the landscape surrounding it. We gave him a fairly specific brief and he helped to make it a reality just in time for summer!’
A shed already sat adjacent to the pool area, so the couple decided to splash out and install an outdoor shower here, along with a toilet and basin in the shed. ‘The kids can swim all day, have dinner and a shower out by the pool, put their pyjamas on, and then fall into bed,’ says Brown of their much-loved summer lifestyle.
The large garden was a huge draw for Whitehead, who grew up in the country. Even after installing the pool, there’s still plenty of room for a game of cricket with Will.
TELL US…
What do you like about this naturally chic home? Let us know in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you like about this naturally chic home? Let us know in the Comments below.
Who lives here Former interior designer, now owner of online store White & Co, Krissy Brown, her husband, Pete Whitehead, and their children, Will, 10, and Zoe, 8
Location Suburbs of Melbourne, Australia
Size 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Location Glen Iris, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia
The property’s original décor was in true 1980s style – apricot carpet, pink walls and green trims. ‘We repainted the walls inside and out, re-carpeted the bedrooms, ripped up and relaid new timber floors and then decorated,’ says Brown. ‘It was epic, and we lived through the whole renovation with me being pregnant and having an active toddler. I don’t think a day went by when there wasn’t a workman in the house.’
E27 pendant lights, Muuto.