The transformation of this home in Brisbane is unbelievable. The before and after photos of this project by construction couple, Christal and Chris Fysentzou left me completely speechless! However, designing a property for oneself or a client is one thing, but renovating for unknown potential buyers requires a whole new approach, as Christal and Chris discovered when flipping a spacious family home in Mansfield, Brisbane.
The 1960’s detached property is part of an up and coming coastal area that is proving popular with many of the city’s young families due to its local schools and quiet, residential atmosphere. This heavily influenced the design says Christal: “This look was about that dream of living a modern-day Australian family life. We had to bring it to life while giving visitors the ability to make it their own.”
This mix of styling and restraint required a specific balance Christal continues: “The Aesthetic relied heavily on quality finishes and detailed textures to provide a rich backdrop. It’s important to keep the must-haves neutral and refined and then use furnishings to add colour and drama for viewings.
Cushions and beds, you can change, not so much the windows and doors. 'This pared back aesthetic can be seen through the home’s white colour palette, which is accented with natural woods and brass finishes to create a beachy, open plan feel. Here, Stegbar’s Aluminium windows with white frames extend the appearance of the walls and remove distractions to the outdoors.
“Black and metallic window frames can really draw the eye out, while creating structure and emphasis on linear shapes, which looks great in contemporary layouts. However, in this house we wanted something more passive to complement the light and breezy nature of the design,” says Christal.
The use of glass doors and windows also adds light and airflow upstairs with the expansion of wall openings in the upper living area and master bedroom. “Stegbar created these fantastic, made-to-measure windows and stacking doors that allowed us to transform the top floor. Most people don’t want to live in the dark, so this is a great example of ensuring the home felt liveable without adding too much of our personal style.”
The master bedroom in particular underscores the importance of using quality finishes and functional design to inspire potential buyers. The use of a rich Notaio Walnut finish on the Stegbar, Galleria wardrobes provides a more intimate setting adds Christal: “The lower level is all about rattan and soft wood tones to keep the atmosphere light and airy, nothing really ties it down. Upstairs we wanted more luxury and refinement, which the walnut finish and subtle lighting creates. It makes the space feel like a calming cocoon, while the functionality of the cabinetry makes getting dressed a unique experience.” adds Christal.
The floor to ceiling wardrobes feature some of Stegbar’s latest innovations in wardrobe design. Here, a Bluetooth controlled speaker system and ambient lighting offer the ability to create task lighting, zoning and different musical moods. They also hide simple storage solutions such as a pull-out mirror, which can be extended on an arm or tucked into the body of the cabinetry. “Clever little touches like the addition of music and smart functionality really help to get people thinking about how they would live in this space, from imagining their morning playlist, to pulling out a mirror to see every angle of their outfit,” adds Christal.
From the walk-in, the eye is drawn to the en suite thanks to a perfectly placed oval back-lit mirror adds Christal: “This space could be a bit dark and we didn’t want to create one glaring light source, so it was important to use lots of small options including the backlit mirror.
The shape also reflects the curved edges around the home such as the kitchen island and even the garden paving. More organic shapes make the whole house feel more relaxed.”
Another material that features throughout is brass, from the kitchen sink and taps, to light fittings and edging on niches in bathrooms that act as shelving.
This was incorporated into the frameless Stegbar shower screens to add a bit of luxury Christal continues: “I like to use frameless shower screens in homes I design as they don’t distract from the other material choices.
However, the addition of brass hardware ties them to the house.
It all comes back to the idea of refinement that allows a new owner to take what you’ve started and create their own dream home,” concludes Christal.
Till next time...
hope you enjoyed this home tour!
For more information on Stegbar’s range of windows and doors, mirrors, shower screens and wardrobes, visit www.stegbar.com.au