Few inner city homes have the luxury of space on their side and this 1960s Armadale apartment is no exception. With the homeowners hoping to convert their two-bedroom apartment into a desirable rental for years to come, they embarked on an epic DIY journey to complete the renovation without breaking the bank!
With a little helping hand from Haymes Paint, the transformation is nothing short of spectacular. The owners, Alannah and Dave gave Haymes the low down on the realities of DIY renovations and shared some brilliant tips to achieve an upgrade worthy of a magazine.
A splash of colour
The first DIY move was to paint the apartment. It hadn’t been done in years, and was desperately in need of a fresh coat. Before starting to paint, the homeowners spoke with Wendy Rennie, Haymes Colour Stylist about how to choose colours for smaller spaces. Can we just say, what a difference a fresh coat of paint makes! The Armadale apartment uses Haymes Parchment Grey in the lounge room against Haymes Greyology 1 on the detailing of the doors, windows and ceiling. The Parchment Grey has a soft grey/green undertone and is neutral enough to work with any tenant’s furnishings and style, whilst feeling fresh and contemporary.
When it comes to choosing a colour for the bedroom, Wendy says that it’ s all about making sure that you add a sense of warmth and a more personal feel to it by adding tones that feel intimate and comfortable to be in. The master bedroom was painted with Haymes Feather Grey, to create a fabulously moody sanctuary. Its slightly red undertone adds a touch of warmth, the perfect colour for a bedroom refuge. Again, it was paired with Haymes Greyology 1 for the trims.
Kitchen refresh!
The homeowners also gave their dated kitchen some loving, updating the beige lino, shiny beige doorknobs, beige curtains and old beige cabinetry – 50 shades of beige! Kitchens can be quite a costly exercise, and Alannah and Dave were conscious about costs and the time it would take. This kitchen has gone from zero to hero with the addition of living plants, a fresh coat of paint and a sprinkle of new kitchen accessories. They retained the existing cabinetry and fittings and just gave it a cosmetic makeover.
Wendy suggested Haymes Intrigue, the darkest Black Haymes has, for the kitchen cupboards, in a semi-gloss finish to give off a more contemporary look. As the kitchen wasn’t going to have a full renovation, it was important to bring in as many contemporary elements in as possible, to help contrast against the tired feel of the existing kitchen.
Originally the beige cabinetry went right up to the ceiling. A decision was made to remove the doors and bring back the original 60s shelving that was there before. Taking off the cabinets and painting the shelving white instantly lifted the space whilst opening it up more, transforming an uninspiring kitchen into a room with striking features, character and modern style. The shelving was painted in Haymes UltraTrim in a gloss finish, to highlight the shelving against the low sheen walls, and to also help with durability.
Details matter
As we all know, the final touches and finishes are often overlooked. However, these small details, while of low cost, have a big impact. Dave and Alannah paid close attention to the smaller details. The handles and door knobs in the kitchen and bedrooms were replaced. The shiny beige door handles were swapped with matte black handles, to add an instant lift and improve the overall impression of the room. The curtains in the master bedroom were also replaced with sheer white curtains, a dreamy contrast to the moodiness of the walls and helping to make the crisp white trims.
From a styling perspective, some new homewares can help make your home even more awesome. The Armadale Apartment has been beautifully styled with Hunting for George goodies to complete the look.
Photography by Martina Gemmola and Styling by Ruth Welsby.
