Shop 2, 14-20 Gardeners Road Kingsford, NSW, 2032
Childhood sweethearts Tyson and Krissy have been living at their home in small-town Euroa, 160 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, for 10 years.
Over that time they've had two kids, and amassed a menagerie of animals - including their much-loved sheep, Carly. There’s enough room for the pet sheep, but not quite enough for a pony, so Krissy and Tyson bought a bigger block near their half acre property in Euroa. Unfortunately their modest cottage hasn’t sold in 12 months and the two mortgages are straining the family finances, not to mention their relationship with Tyson’s cousin Shane, who is also their agent.
Chrissie is working two jobs, while Tyson spends the hours he’s not at work, volunteering with the local fire brigade. He was first on the scene at the Black Saturday fires and was named firefighter of the year for his efforts.
With an asking price of $367,000 and then a reduction to $350,000, their home is reasonably priced, but it's been sitting on the market for 12 months with no offers. As the team discovers, the family bathroom is falling apart, the laundry is a mess and the backyard is a confusing mix of different zones and levels.
With a modest value at around $350,000; the budget on this makeover was very limited. The house felt tired and was very dark. Whilst the layout couldn’t be changed; Shaynna wanted to freshen the paintwork and generally brighten the house up.
For the window dressings, Luxaflex® Roman Shades were the most suitable option for this renovation, being a cost effective choice. The contemporary yet classic appearance brought both a freshness and more modern feel to the rooms, while also matching with the rest of the traditional fittings and furniture.
The sunroom was a small step down from the kitchen, so by raising the floor it would connect the room with the kitchen and minimise the rabbit warren feel. The translucent fabric of the Luxaflex® Roman Shades helped to add a light airiness to the space, keeping it naturally well-lit but cutting out the harsh glare which would flood in from the back garden.
Updating the kitchen on a strict budget meant leaving the existing cabinetry in place. New granite benchtops and a stylish splashback, as well as a bi-fold window to the outdoor entertaining area helped to update this room and made it the centrepiece of the house.
The bedrooms all underwent a transformation, with the most noticeable changes in the window coverings. The faded blue and pink drapes and timeworn roller blinds were replaced with Luxaflex® Roman Shades. To coordinate with the living areas, an identical colour was chosen for the bedrooms, exchanged with a Blockout opacity fabric to allow more control for light and privacy.
The bathroom was updated with a new shower screen and vanity and painted throughout, bringing it up to sale standards.
While the limited budget did not allow for replacing the faux brick cladding, Charlie had plenty of other problems to fix. He installed a new deck and steps to the front door, replacing the existing rotted deck.
He scraped and levelled the rutted driveway and installed a gravel surface and then turned his attention to increasing the street appeal with flowering deciduous trees (Magnolias) to draw the eye. New turf was installed and the rockery garden beds were removed, saving the roses and replanting them near the side gate.
A large clump of Agapanthus was removed and divided and planted along the boundary fence to soften it.
In the backyard, a number of different ground surfaces combined to make an unsightly entertaining space. Charlie decided to remove the small shed between the kitchen and the view, eliminating the exterior toilet and broken plumbing pipes that endowed the space with an unsavoury odour. He painted all the wooden uprights in white and laid large pavers across the space to unify it.
The eaves, fascia and gutters were all painted to give an overall fresh look and the space dressed with furniture and pots.
Despite the renovation, the property still hadn't received a single offer after another six months on the market. Andrew suggested Tyrone and Krissy's pricing to be too high, with the market being bored with their house. He suggested taking the home off the market for a few weeks and then returning it, with an asking price around the low $300,000 mark instead.
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The products in this episode were proudly supplied and installed by Luxaflex® Window Fashions Gallery dealer in Shepparton, VIC
