Selling Houses Australia S15 Ep 10 – Roselands, NSW

Mary and Tom were finally able to buy their dream two-storey home just eight years ago.  Sadly, Mary has since received a medical diagnosis that necessitates her moving to a smaller, single level home where she will be able to move around more easily.  The couple is also hoping to become mortgage-free, as they move into their retirement years. 

The house has already been on the market for more than a year and was passed in at auction with no bids.  While Mary and Tom cannot understand why their well-built house has attracted no interest, the agent believes the property requires some updating – as well as some beautification of the completely concreted backyard! 

The house does have some good features, but these are being masked by some seriously dated styling and unattractive tiled floors.  The home’s colour scheme was busy and uninspiring, while the kitchen lacked warmth and personality.  The layout of the home was also confusing and jumbled, with some of the rooms devoid of purpose and functionality.  There was also a need for an uninterrupted flow from the entrance to the back door. 

The kitchen and bathrooms were all dated.  However, the bathrooms were still clean, in good repair and functional – and the budget didn’t stretch to doing any major overhaul of any of them.  So Wendy focused on the kitchen – it’s the heart of the home after all and was in need of some TLC.  Cues were taken from the existing interior architecture that had a sense of European style.  The existing kitchen cabinetry was sprayed a dark charcoal hue, while the benchtops were resurfaced with white granite.  The bench was extended slightly, to create a breakfast bar and new sink, cabinet handles and tapware were added, all in keeping with the European theme. 

The entire interior colour scheme was rethought and simplified – around a palette of white, grey and black.  All walls in the kitchen, dining, lounge, rumpus room and bedroom were finished in Wattyl I.D. Advanced low sheen in Sprit Grey, a soft dove grey.  Feature walls in each of these rooms were painted in the bold, rich charcoal hue of Wattyl Noir.  The latter was a brave move but totally paid off, adding dimension, warmth and character to the spaces.  In the main bedroom, a timber graphic pattern was attached to the wall and painted in the same Wattyl Noir.  While adding visual interest, it also accentuated the width of the room, making it feel larger and more balanced – with the added bonus of diffusing the harsh rays of the setting sun.  

All ceilings were painted pure white, in Wattyl I.D. Advanced Ceiling Flat, while trims, skirtings and doors were finished in Wattyl Aqua Trim Satin, in White. 

One bedroom broke with the overall theme, creating a beautiful contrast with its walls in the rich, rusty terracotta of Wattyl Terracotta Tone.