Photography: Louise Roche
This “ugly, ’80s, dark and dingy brick house” was not high on Nicola’s wishlist when she and her husband Nick were looking for a home to buy in Brisbane. But at Nick’s insistence, she went along to the open inspection and was instantly enamoured with the property’s views over the Brisbane River.
The house itself left a lot to be desired. “The original owner built it as two houses in one for his extended family, with two kitchens, two sets of stairs, two TV rooms, et cetera,” says Nicola. “It sounds great, but in reality there were tiny rooms everywhere and it was a rabbit warren. I didn’t think there was anything to salvage and, in short, it was just easier to start again.”
Planning progress
This wasn’t Nicola and Nick’s first foray into building, so they made sure that they took their time – five years – to live in the home and get to know its light patterns and vantage points. They shared the space with their three children, Isabella, now 17, Ara, 15, and Ed, 12. “As the kids were getting older, we really wanted them to have their own space and for us to have ours,” says Nicola.
Unfortunately, errors from early contractors set them back, but Aled Buckley from Creative Space Custom Joinery & Furniture got them on track. “He had to start again with his shop drawings and we worked together to design most of the house,” says Nicola. “We had a bit of experience from past houses, but managing the project ourselves did mean the build took an extra six months to complete.”
Behind the design
Having lived in Sydney, the couple took inspiration from the terraces that line the streets of its inner-city suburbs. “We knew a replica would look out of place in Queensland so we modernised it while trying to keep the essence of a terrace house,” says Nicola.
Items on the wish list were a pool, steel doors, high ceilings and concrete slabs between each level. “My ears were so tired of hearing the boom, boom, boom on the floors from the kids and their friends running around the old house, so I couldn’t wait to have concrete slabs to reduce the noise,” says Nicola.
She opted for a more unconventional layout. “I really wanted to have it flow well but not be an obvious way, so you wouldn’t walk in the house and guess where everything was from the front door,” says Nicola.
Special features
Despite the setbacks, Nicola and Nick are thrilled with the finished product. “Our favourite room is the kitchen,” says Nicola. “We have two island benches so we can make a mess at one while cooking without having to clean up, and use the other one to dine at.”
“Everyone advised us against putting the kitchen on the top floor, but we are so happy that we did,” Nicola.
The teenagers tend to occupy the middle floor with the rumpus, kitchenette and pool, while Nicola and Nick have their own sitting room upstairs with a fireplace and TV. A showstopping circular staircase connects all three levels, while the stylish ground-floor lobby entry “is the one space that remains tidy” Nicola shares.
“We wake up each morning so grateful and happy with our choices and where we live. It makes me happy everywhere I look!”
“We love to watch the rowers row past in the morning and see the sun glisten off the water,” Nicola.
Budget breakdown
Due to delays with finding reliable consultants, timeframe extensions and big-ticket inclusions, Nicola says the final spend was almost double
the budget. “Many extra expenses came from having higher ceilings,” she says. “To keep things in proportion it meant higher glass doors, internal doors and larger windows, which added to the cost significantly.”
The concrete roof and slabs needed more costly lighting and Wi-Fi and air conditioning systems. The budget breakdown estimate is: Demolition 1%, Consultants 5%, Building 45%, Interiors 25%, Joinery (including stone) 20%, Landscaping 4%.
Lessons learnt
“The biggest lesson we learnt was that no-one is going to care as much about this project as you,” says Nicola, who found the task of project managing the build “all-consuming but so worth it in the end!” Having built and renovated before, she and Nick understood the importance of living with the home before embarking on a complete transformation.
They were also happy to splurge on more luxurious finishes given their plans to stay in this home long term, and designed a floor plan that, albeit unconventional, suited their family’s needs perfectly. “We have everything we could have dreamed of in this house,” says Nicola.
Source book
Joinery Creative Space Custom Joinery & Furniture, @creativespacecustomjoinery
Landscaping Shelby Landscaping, 0438 656 347
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