The Backstory
Seduced by city and mountain views, a Brisbane family moved into this Queenslander with one thing in mind – to renovate it and make it their own.
When the owners moved into the house in 2008, red featured heavily on the walls throughout. What they really wanted was to create an interior with a contemporary feel that reflected the typical Queenslander exterior.
Built over three levels the bottom two levels were predominantly updated early on, leaving the top living area to be completed in the final renovation. It’s taken eight years but finally their home is finished.
The Brief
The owners approached interior designer, Bella Vie Interiors to undertake the transformation of the un-renovated rooms in their home.
The design brief included the kitchen, walk in pantry, living room, master ensuite and laundry.
The clients wanted a beautiful, functional and family-friendly home with a neutral colour palette. The owners already had a builder in mind and a great sense of what they wanted, but needed help to pull it all together and make the most of the space.
The Challenges & Outcomes
The biggest challenge was the kitchen space didn’t function well for the family of four who are big entertainers. A small, impractical walk in pantry, lack of storage, a constrained cooking zone and a lack of useable bench space all contributed to the problem.
The existing bench space was used for kids’ homework, paying bills, meal preparation and keeping it tidy was a constant challenge.
The new design focused on opening up the kitchen space by removing the existing pantry and another internal wall. This allowed space for a large kitchen island and a new spacious walk in pantry to be created.
A study nook was created by removing a hall cupboard and the storage was reallocated to the powder room.
The black and white finishes in this bold contemporary kitchen are softened by the abundance of warmth from the blackbutt timber floors and cabinetry. This colour scheme continues into the study nook and powder room with a lighter palette in the ensuite and laundry which are situated on the second level of the home.
When it came to selecting furniture for the home, the clients worked collaboratively with Bella Vie Interiors to bringing pieces for final approval before purchasing. This allowed them to retain a sense of ownership on the end result.
The outcome is a home that is as amazing for everyday living as it is for entertaining.
The Contemporary Queenslander Reveal ...
Our Client's Feedback
We had been looking to renovate our kitchen, en-suite and laundry for a couple of years and I knew we needed a designer to help us. I had been hesitant to move forward as I thought a designer would push their design style and not take our budget into consideration.
When I met Lisa I knew straight away that she would listen to my thoughts and ideas. She designed a kitchen that not only suited our needs but it also matched and enhanced our house (parts of which were already renovated) and it was all within our budget.
I find renovating very stressful and talking to builders can be overwhelming when unsure about all the terminology. Lisa’s extensive experience in the building industry really became evident when she met with my builder on numerous occasions and helped me to decipher what was being discussed.
I avoided making some incorrect and costly decisions as a result of her input! I am eternally grateful for Lisa’s input in every design decision we had to make.
I LOVE my new kitchen, en-suite and laundry. The flow of the kitchen has improved dramatically and I love all of the features.
We will be renovating again in the future and I will not do it without Lisa’s services in the future.
Ready to start your dream project?
If you are building or renovating we’d love to hear from you to discuss creating a beautiful interior that fits your dream of luxury living.
We help busy families and individuals achieve their ideal version of luxury living, blending it seamlessly with practicality to suit their lifestyle perfectly.
