Shop 2, 14-20 Gardeners Road Kingsford, NSW, 2032
For the last twenty years, south-east Sydney locals, Gary and Michelle, have had a solid plan for funding their retirement: an investment property in the popular suburb of Chifley, near Botany Bay.
Gary and Michelle have always had strong ties to this area, and five generations of Michelle's family have lived in the suburbs of Malabar and Chifley. While the couple had sentimental grounds for holding on to their local investment, they had a more pressing reason to sell it. Michelle had already retired and Gary hoped to also - but to do so, the couple desperately needed access to the superannuation that was tied up in their investment property.
With the Sydney market at an all-time high, it was a great time for the couple to sell. However, their somewhat unusual property was turning potential buyers away.
Gary and Michelle's property was actually a duplex, with a relatively new, tidy home at the front, and a very derelict, original 1940s home at the rear. As a dual residence with both homes on the one title, the new owner would be required to fork out for both.
To add to the challenge, the residence at the back of the property was very much in "original condition", having housed long-term tenants who simply hadn't done any care and maintenance. It was dark and mouldy, with a leaking shower, a dirty kitchen with peeling paint, and a lack of ventilation. While it had nice "bones", a large living area, and flowed out onto an outdoor space, these positive features were overshadowed by the very derelict state of the interiors.
It was clear that the amount of work involved in updating the second property was scaring buyers away, and Gary and Michelle endured two failed auction campaigns. Wanting to ensure the hammer to definitely fell at auction number three, they approached the Selling Houses Australia team.
One of the most significant changes in this home was in the bedrooms - previously very drab, poorly ventilated and in need of attention.
The team gave these bedrooms a much-needed facelift, with new carpet, paint and furnishings.
On the windows in each room, they chose Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Bamboo fabric and in Peppercorn colour.
As well as adding a touch of style and sophistication to the interiors, these shades also have a unique and very innovative honeycomb structure which captures air - helping regulate the temperature in the room, year round.
These shades also use the Luxaflex® LiteRise operating system, which features a unique spring mechanism that allows them to be easily raised or lowered to any position. Importantly, this also means the shades also cordless, which makes them a safer and more child-friendly option for bedrooms.
For a small home, the living space was actually quite generously proportioned, and the team wanted to highlight this as much as possible.
The room was given a complete facelift - with new floorboards, furnishings, paint and lighting. The old fireplace was given a new lease of life, and the windows on either side were also highlighted with Luxaflex® Duette® Shades, overlaid with Luxaflex® Curtains.
To create a consistent look throughout the home, these shades were made from the same fabric and in the same colour as those in the bedrooms. The curtains were custom-made with Sheer fabric and in Arlette Shadow colour. By layering the shades and the curtains, the team gave the room extra depth and a sense of sophistication and luxury.
The area of this home that received the most structural change was the kitchen and dining. Previously, there was a wall dividing the kitchen and the living area, which prevented the flow of light and made the space feel quite closed in. The team made the decision to remove this wall, and to install a new kitchen around the perimeter of the space - making it feel much brighter, larger and more inviting.
The new, modern cabinetry was complemented by new appliances, flooring and pendant lighting.
On the windows, Luxaflex® Duette® Shades - also in Bamboo fabric and in Peppercorn colour - were added to create a sense of style and sophistication. As the kitchen is the sunniest part of the home, these shades also play an important role in regulating the interior temperature of the overall home throughout the year.
To create a sense of consistency between the two homes on this title, the team painted the exterior of both in modern, charcoal tones.
The outdoor space at the rear was also completely transformed - from a dark and under-utilised back yard, to a highly functional area with two parking bays, and separate garden areas for each home on the title.
Dark wooden fencing was cleverly used to segment the area and create all-important privacy, and new plants - including a vertical garden - gave the new space a very warm and welcoming feel. A Luxaflex® Nordic Folding Arm Awning was also installed over the courtyard - in Dickson fabric, and with a Black and White striped pattern - to add a sense of completeness and refinement to the space. This motorised awning is very easy to operate and can be retracted quickly and easily.
Once the renovation was complete, Gary and Michelle once again took their property to action - this time, with a completely different result. While previously it had passed in at $1.75 million, they now sold for an impressive $1.82 million - which meant they were able to move comfortably on to the next chapter of their lives.
Interested in finding more about Luxaflex custom window coverings?
The products in this episode were proudly supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery Dealer, A Style Of Shade in Double Bay.
