Total transformation
Lisa Kay and husband Rob thought long and hard about whether to renovate their home.
They’d already endured one renovation when they bought their Hillarys house four years ago, knocking out walls to create an open-plan area, replacing the kitchen, installing new lighting and updating the previous owner’s yellow-coloured walls with a fresh white paint scheme.
“We had no toilet for a week when I was eight months pregnant, which was interesting!” Ms Kay said.
On the floor, the couple opted for lime-washed engineered oak timber that was not without its dramas. “We actually ordered a hardwood to start with but it was warped when it arrived,” Ms Kay said.
With less than a week up her sleeve, Ms Kay scrambled to find a replacement floor — and flooring company — and is very happy with the product that was eventually installed by Solomons Flooring.
The couple thought it would be a case of renovate now and move to something larger in a few years. But after a couple of years, they looked at what was for sale and realised they’d be better off extending rather than moving.
So, they started planning another reno. “It was a lot more involved than the first,” Ms Kay said. “We were owner-builders and I was here every day with a young child so it was a big project to take on.
“Thankfully, it was worth it in the end.”
After 10 months of work, which took one year to plan, the original part of the home still houses the main bedroom with the second and third bedrooms making way for a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.
A section of the front wall was pushed out so a bay window could be installed in the main bedroom — something Ms Kay had always wanted.
On the wall sits a striking wall hanging Ms Kay purchased a few years ago. “It’s actually a tapestry of a painting called Flaming June— by Englishman Sir Frederic Leighton—,” she said.
The old garage made way for daughter Evie’s new playroom, with French doors added for easy access to the new outdoor area.
On the windows throughout, plantation shutters add to the Cape Cod vibe. “They were something I worked into the budget early on,” Ms Kay said.
No work was required to the kitchen, which had already been transformed with white subway tiles, Caesarstone benchtops, glass pendant lights and all new Hamptons-esque cabinetry.
A perfectly worn dining table and bentwood chairs, treasured pieces that belonged to Ms Kay’s late parents, share the space.
“My mum sanded back the chairs herself,” Ms Kay said.
The back wall of the kitchen is where old meets new, the couple knocking out a larger opening to connect the 1972-built home to its new addition.
With a travertine floor laid in a random-effect French pattern, the open-plan room has given the family all the space it needs without having to move.
“This used to be a dodgy paved area that was on a bit of a lean, with a rusting old patio and an unsightly pool fence running through it — strangely without a pool,” Ms Kay said.
Now it’s a light-filled space that comfortably fits two large sofas, custom made by The Lounge Gallery, and a 10-seater jarrah dining table, a beautiful gift made by Mr Kay’s father.
A sleek black fireplace with a large mantle also shines in the new space.
Another favourite feature of Ms Kay’s is the power points installed in the floor. “It means I can have my table lamps next to the sofas without having cords running everywhere,” she said.
The new hallway leads to three bedrooms and a second bathroom. On the other side of the extension, bi-fold doors open up to a decked alfresco area, an outdoor kitchen and a solar-heated plunge pool.
A pond, next to a grassed area, keeps Mr Kay happy. “All my husband wanted was a garage and a pond for his koi,” Ms Kay laughed. “He stands out there a lot just looking at his fish!”
Get the look
Lisa Kay, who has her own interior design business, Holiday at Home Interior Styling and Decorating, in the pipeline, shares her tips for a Hamptons-style abode:
1. Start with a classic colour palette with crisp white trims. “Add personality with a mix of antique and new pieces that reflect your personality — buy what you love and it will always work!” she said.
2. “Mix timber, rattan and contrasting dark timber with white painted finishes, and team with navy, white and natural linen,” she said. “Use a mix of textiles with cushions, upholstery and rugs.”
3. Lighting is important. “Think wall sconces, table lamps and pendants for a softer feel and avoid too many down lights,” she said.
Style file
Architect: Fiona Robson, 9388 3734
Landscaping: BGH Landscapes, 0438 340 383, bghlandscapes.com.au
Lighting: Lightscene, Duncraig, 9243 3671; capecoddesigns.com.au
Tiles: M2 Tiles, Claremont, 9384 7777, m2tiles.com.au
Fireplace: Subiaco Restoration, Osborne Park, 9444 9900, subirest.com.au
Pool: Buccaneer Pools, various locations, 9300 1744, buccaneerpools.com.au
