This five-bed 1970s house in Mount Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula had all the space its family needed in a floorpan that worked, but was in desperate need of a facelift.
Interior designer Katherine Charlton explained the brief was to update the entire house, to repair wear and tear and bring it up to a standard for modern family living.
“As it is near the beach and has amazing views, it was about lightening the interior, adding new tactile finishes, adding storage throughout and improving the flow of the space. The views are breathtaking, and now the new interior enhances the views and adds to the overall feel of the house. It’s a lovely place to be!”
The house still had the original dark timber ceilings and dark areas of brick throughout the interior which made the house feel ‘closed in’. “These surfaces absorbed a lot of the natural light. The bathrooms and kitchen also had dark feel to them, and they all felt undersized for the size of the house,” Katherine says.
All the interior brick walls were bagged with a white render. The dark timber ceilings were painted white, except for the beams which were painted in Dulux Monument to tie in with the other Monument elements throughout the house such as the new windows and doors. The kitchen, bathrooms and laundry were all made larger and completely replaced.
The staircase was refurbished and the bedrooms got new wardrobes. The existing timber floors were re-sanded rather than replaced, and new lighting went in throughout. “Basically, it’s a new house on the inside.”
Katherine says the interior painting and new joinery made the biggest difference, as well as replacing every window with new aluminium ones. She likes the new bathrooms best because they feel spacious and light with high end finishes. “The clients love to entertain and having the new kitchen so close to the entertaining deck and view works so well.”
Suppliers and trades: LNX Constructions. Dulux Natural White, Dulux Monument, Neolith benches.
Photography: Mike Baker
For more information on Katherine Charlton Design
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