Heritage Haven: Modern renovation of a century-old home

The homeowners sense of style is classic and simple so when they bought a century-old home in Brisbane they set about redecorating it to pay homage to its past. Mixing the old and new, homeowners kept the original front entrance of the century-old home which was revitalised with Dulux Linseed on the panelled walls and black gloss paint on the front door.

The breakfast room came about as the family wanted somewhere to sit and read the papers in the morning or enjoy a cooked breakfast on a Sunday. When the jacaranda is in full bloom, the view through the big window is especially beautiful. The room was furnished with vintage pieces from Blake & Taylor and banquet seating, with built-in storage, by OB Carpentry. Skylights in the ceiling let in natural light and a glimpse of the lilac-hued blossoms in the jacaranda tree’s canopy.

Though the revamped kitchen is almost all white, the splashback and grout behind the cooktop is purposefully black to hide the grease. Recycled oak benchtops and antique-style hardware add warmth to the 2-pac bespoke cabinetry by 1 Fix Unique Doors. Avoiding gloss and asking for a matt finish helped the kitchen to maintain its warm, rustic appeal instead of becoming too contemporary. Smart storage abounds, including hanging space above the cooktop. The benchtops were originally countertops that were salvaged from a library.

While the kitchen maintained the essential colour scheme of the house, soft white, ecru, black and Wedgwood blue, the kitchen introduced fun, baby-pink canisters to add some colour and as extra storage.

The living room is a chic vision of linen and blue, with a cushion in Unique Fabrics lace-like ‘Chantilly’ in Delft. 

The guest room is part of the new lower level, but it needed to feel the same as upstairs. Solid blackbutt floorboards from Bretts Timber & Hardware was used as it’s soft, warmed and quieter than a floating floor. The quintessential Queenslander tongue-and-groove wall panels also echo the upper level, while a patchwork throw by Bianca Lorenne adds homespun appeal.

With 3.5-metre ceilings, a loft was built into their daughter’s room. A pink closet door adds a pretty punch, along with subtle floral bedding and the antique-style ‘Hastings’ bed, both from Laura Ashley. 

To keep costs down, the ensuite was furnished with a simple vanity sourced from Schots Home Emporium. The freestanding chest of drawers and vintage mirror (both sourced from Blake & Taylor) were painted white to create a cohesive and calming all-white palette.