Selling Houses Australia: Season 16, Jannali

From rundown fibro eyesore to a charming coastal cottage

Ten years ago, Nicky and Danny bought a small fibro home in the Sydney suburb of Jannali. Having only recently returned from an overseas backpacking trip, the couple were very happy to pick up this modest 60’s home on a large block for $520,000. 

A decade and two children later, the family started to outgrow their small home—which was also calling-out for some much-needed updates. Yet with their time-consuming jobs, Nicky and Danny lacked the capacity to renovate or redecorate the home, and it remained tired and uninviting. The home was painted an unattractive shade of brown, there was no driveway, and it was missing any kind of street appeal. The inside of the home was extremely cramped and cluttered with large, mismatched furniture.   

Nicky and Danny were desperate to sell the home to buy a larger property in the same area, but were having trouble even getting close to the $1.1 - $1.2 million figure they wanted to achieve. Hoping for a transformation miracle, they called in the team at Selling Houses Australia. 

Adding appeal without over-capitalising

Dennis and Wendy recommended the couple contribute a modest budget for the renovation, and avoid wasting too much of their hard-earned savings by over-capitalising. The aim of this project was to make the home comfortable and liveable, so buyers could have the option of either doing a knock-down and rebuild, or moving into the home in its renovated state.  

Dialling up the street appeal

A major problem for this home was that it lacked any kind of street appeal. Without a defined frontage or driveway, and with its brown fibro exterior, the home certainly wasn’t luring any keen buyers. 

Dennis set to work transforming the exterior. A key priority was painting the home—from drab brown to a bright Celestial Sea aquamarine colour. The front door and gate were painted in a contrasting orange, to add some artistic and contemporary flair. 

The garden was terraced, and some mature plants were used to create a privacy screen. Perhaps the biggest functional improvement was the addition of a new, off-street parking space. 

Bringing the rear garden to life

This home’s biggest selling feature was its large, family-friendly garden. Dennis aimed to maximise this by levelling the lawn and repairing and repainting the existing deck – creating a relaxing zone that a family could use year-round. 

He and the team also installed a gazebo over the back deck, and new outdoor furniture, as well as new plants and turf. 

Creating bright, light interiors

While only small, Nicky and Danny’s cottage was flooded with natural light—a feature which Wendy wanted to capitalise on with the right window coverings. 

“The beauty of this house is that beyond all that beige and oversized furniture was a wonderful little home filled with character... and it really doesn’t cost a lot to transform it,” says Wendy.  

Luxaflex® Duette Shades were added to both the living area and the bedrooms.

Gently filtering the natural light flowing into this home, these smart blinds provide privacy, while also adding a sophisticated, contemporary aesthetic to the interior. They also trap air within their honeycomb-shaped cells – providing a layer of insulation that keeps interiors cooler in summer and warmer in winter. 

Making the old new again

As space is at a premium in this house, Wendy and the team needed to install a very clever and functional kitchen. 

To make the most of the budget, Wendy retained the existing cabinets, simply having them professionally painted and adding new handles and hinges. She also converted the existing laundry into a butler’s pantry/laundry space – adding considerable value.

It was the same approach in the bathroom, where Wendy decided to keep the existing wall tiles and spray them white, and install new modern tiles on the floor—adding a new vanity for a modern touch.