Photographer: Derek Swalwell | Styling: Jo McComiskey
Minou is curled up in a ball in front of a crackling log fire. Every day, the ginger feline heads out to explore his misty country Victorian surrounds, then every afternoon, without fail, he is drawn back to this very same nook within the warm home he shares with his owner, Annie. Minou is not alone in his sense of contentment; this renovated cottage has that effect on a two-legged inhabitants too.
Years ago, Annie, a florist, followed a gut feeling that led her 45 minutes out of Melbourne to this 1905 country abode. She was, until then, a city girl with aspirations to do up an urban period house and studio and to grow her own organic flowers in a pretty English garden. However, Annie’s renovation wishlist seemed to exceed her budget. “I was on the internet one day and switched the search from Richmond to country Victoria,” she recalls. “This house came up. It was everything I wanted at a price that was too good to be true.”
The florist already had a connection with the area; five generations of her family had lived in the town and Annie’s parents own a farm weekender nearby. On the day Annie spotted the house online, her parents were at the farm so she asked them to swing by and take a look. “They called me straight away and said, ‘We’re standing under the most beautiful pin oak in the front garden of your new house.” Inspired by their evocative description, Annie made an offer that day, sight unseen. “That was it,” she says. “I had to have it.”
Who lives here?
Annie, a florist and her cat Minou.
Can you describe your style? Annie: “I’m into simple things and neutral colours. I love mixing whites, beiges, creams and coffee colours.”
Most satisfying DIY moment? “The original timber panelled ceilings were beautiful but in poor condition. I had to fill in between each one with Selleys No More Gaps. It was painstaking but so worth it.”
Tell us about the renovation “It was three years of weekend and evening projects and, as a first homeowner, I had a lot to learn. My mum and dad, who have renovated and built from scratch, were also a big help.”
With a magical combination of palpable history and exciting possibilities, the house had cast a spell that glossed over the serious work required. Then reality set in. “I couldn’t sleep for the first few weeks,” Annie recalls. “It was so cold and there was so much to do. I thought, ‘What have I gotten myself into?'” Bedroom windows were jammed open, there were gaping holes and a dated kitchen and bathroom – not to mention a kaleidoscopic palette – to contend with.
Still, Annie had a clear vision of the cottage’s potential. “I knew if I peeled back the layers and simplified things there would be something very homely here,” she says. She threw herself into the restoration with the zeal of a DIY convert, seeking advice from all sources as she ripped out old cabinets, sealed holes with cement sheet and Selleys No More Gaps and gave every surface several coats of paint.
The furniture in the home also speaks to Annie’s resourcefulness. Many pieces are family heirlooms that she has polished up and reupholstered. Other pieces are finds from internet auctions, country markets or Ikea gems that have been tweaked. She even tracked down her 150-kilogram cast-iron bath on eBay and enlisted a friend to help wrangle it in and out of her car. “I had a real need to play around with paint and do things up – to own my space,” she says.
Living room
Annie kept the original hardwood floors and doors in their original, roughed up state, and painted the walls Dulux Antique White USA. Once completely concealed by an old cooker, the fireplace is now the heart of the home, topped by a new mentle created using corbels from Schots Home Emporium and timber stained to match the floors. “I have the fire going whenever I’m at home,” Annie says. “I need to have the chimney cleared every year but I love it.”
Annie houses her television in a timber chest she found at a market. “That way the fireplace is the focal point of the room,” she says.
Kitchen
Proving her worth as a DIY queen, Annie redid her whole kitchen; the original wood stove is the only remnant of the old space. The backs of the old cabinets were exposed to the outdoors so she patched up the holes with cement sheet. She then painted everything in Dulux Antique White USA and put in Ikea cabinets.
Thoughtful flourishes, such as the splashback in pressed metal left over from the hallway, complete the room’s quirky yet timeless appeal.
Living and dining room
With loose white linen covers and lots of padding, the ‘Ektorp’ sofa from Ikea looks and feels incredible comfortable. “The covers come off and can go in the washing machine, which is good,” remarks Annie.
Ever the bargain hunter, Annie found her dining table at a second hand store. “It had a ridiculously cheap ticket on it,” says Annie. “It was a big effort to get it home but I managed.” The dining chairs belonged to a friend’s grandfather and the lamp is from Ikea, a s are all the pendants in the home.
Studio
Welcome to Annie’s floristry studio. The dramatic black and white scheme immediately transports her into work mode. Annie added comfort to the space by including a daybed, originally her childhood bed.
She sourced a piece of carpet from a wholesaler and hand sewed the edges to create an affordable rug. An old cabinet and desk – a Salvos find – were both painted in black enamel and lifted with new handles.
Bathroom
Annie used Dulux Super Enamel in Antique White USA to paint the floor. “No one was prepared to say I could use it on the floor but it’s the hardest-wearing paint I could find.” Annie’s cast-iron bath was an eBay purchase. “A friend helped me collect it and us girls wrestled it into the car.” She had the bath refinished and painted the outside Dulux Light Rice.
Job done, Annie curls up on her plush sofa next to a purring Minou. Adventures have been had and now she is home.
