Shop 2, 14-20 Gardeners Road Kingsford, NSW, 2032
When Steve and Serena Blakey first saw the breathtaking views of a beach shack on the headland of Dolphin Point, they knew there was no turning back. They had to buy it. They’ve had many happy years raising four beautiful blonde surf-mad children who quite possibly spend more time in the ocean than on land! But 5 years ago, their world was rocked when youngest son Liam contracted encephalitis (inflammation on the brain). He was placed in an induced coma for three months and had to re-learn how to walk, talk and surf. His parents tried conventional medicine to try and stop the seizures but it didn’t seem to help. In desperation they turned to medical cannabis. Liam is one of the first children in New South Wales to be part of a legal trial and the results so far are promising. Problem is, the treatment is very expensive, and is sending the family broke. They need to sell their home to keep Liam’s treatment going and are even considering taking him to Canada where it’s more readily available and a third of the price.
After 12 months on the market, the 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom property still hadn’t sold. Originally, listed at $1.3 million, the family dropped the price to $1.18 million after getting no bites. They’ve had several open houses where nobody showed up, and a dozen inspections but no serious offers. Now they’re at the point where they just want a sale and will take anything around the million-dollar mark. Charlie and Shaynna need to update the house and gardens, prepping the house for buyers who want to simply move in and head to the beach on the weekend. Can the team get a new buyer over the line?
Shaynna’s main mission was to fix up the confusing floor plan of the house, which had been added on over the years and had a rabbit warren feel about it. Her first task was to turn an ensuite size bathroom into something fit for a family. So she demolished a wall into an adjoining bedroom and made that one big bathroom.
Being a coastal location, the sea air had to be considered when choosing the window coverings. Shaynna picked out Luxaflex® PolySatin Shutters for the majority of the house, especially in the bathroom, kitchen, and ocean-facing front living room where it mattered the most. PolySatin Shutters are made with a highly durable and long-lasting polyresin compound, making them impervious to moisture and consequently insusceptible towards warping, peeling or fading. Particularly in bathrooms, laundries or kitchens with high humidity levels, PolySatin Shutters are the best choice where there will be contact with water or moisture.
Shaynna talks through why she loves PolySatin Shutters and her reasons for selecting these window coverings for this renovation - take a look at her video!
Enlarging the cramped kitchen also took some creativity. Shaynna added walls to one of the temporary bedrooms in the middle of the house, and put in a proper door giving access to the new bathroom wing. The extra wall then gave the kitchen more space to add more cabinetry and help open it up. Speaking of walls, she also added one to the ensuite off the master, to give the toilet much needed privacy.
The four bedrooms were decked out in Luxaflex® Roller Blinds, with Shaynna selecting a range of different Blockout fabrics to give each room their own distinctive vibe.
A grand house needs all the mod cons, so Shaynna added the same stylish PolySatin Shutters to the living room and front entry, complimenting the wide sea views to really wow buyers. The Shutters highlighted the airy coastal feel, modernising the entire room with a timeless look. The closed louvres helped to shut out a share of the cold sea air whilst giving much improved light control capabilities – a not only pretty, but highly practical upgrade. Shaynna also updated the weathered timber floor boards with more modern engineered timber in the main living areas. Pop art was an interesting addition for styling, replacing a more Balinese inspired décor.
Budget constraints meant Shaynna had to shut the door on the granny flat out the back which is in desperate need of an update. For buyers, it’s still an added bonus.
First impressions are everything so the first thing Charlie did was replacing the old cracked discoloured driveway with a fancy new one to match next door. To further draw buyers into the property, Charlie added a stepping stone path leading to the front door. Fortunately the Blakey’s had built a nice deck at the front, so all Charlie had to do was add some nice big pots for interest. Charlie kept many plants out the front but cut back to show off more of the house. The front façade felt boxy as it was coloured differently to the rest of the house. Charlie ditched the off white and ended up going grey all over for a more modern look that appeals to a broader audience.
Fortunately the backyard was tucked away – so he could focus the rest of his efforts on the courtyard visible in most of the living areas of the house. It looked very tired and a red block wall feature with Balinese masks on it wasn’t helping. Noticing a plentiful supply of fire wood, Charlie decided to make his own feature – a fancy outdoor fireplace with wooden slats on the side for privacy and stone cladding surrounding it. All natural materials which complement the surrounds.
Limestone pavers and groovy hanging pots helped brighten up the space and give it a cool coastal feel.
Despite their agent suggesting an auction campaign, Serena and Steve were delighted to recieve multiple offers, finally settling on a sale price of $1.2 million before their second open home. Steve described the result as "life-changing" - and felt so grateful for everything the team had done to achieve a sale.
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The products in this episode were proudly supplied by Luxaflex® Window Fashions Gallery dealer Bayview Blinds & Awnings in Nowra, NSW.
