Credits
From Lisa Alward
Seduced by city and mountain views, a Brisbane family moved into this Queenslander with one thing in mind – to renovate it and make it their own.
When they moved into the house in 2008, red featured heavily on the walls throughout. What they really wanted was to create an interior with a contemporary feel that reflected the typical Queenslander exterior. Built over three levels the bottom two levels were predominantly updated early on, leaving the top living area to be completed in the final renovation. It’s taken eight years but finally their home is finished.
They approached interior designer, Lisa Alward of Bella Vie Interiors to undertake the transformation of the unrenovated rooms in their home. The design brief included the kitchen, walk in pantry, living room, master ensuite and laundry. “The clients’ wanted a beautiful, functional and family-friendly home with a neutral colour palette” says Lisa. “They already had a builder in mind and a great sense of what they wanted, but needed help to pull it all together and make the most of the space.”
The biggest challenge was the kitchen space didn’t function well for the family of four who are big entertainers. A small, impractical walk in pantry, lack of storage, a constrained cooking zone and a lack of useable bench space all contributed to the problem. The existing bench space was used for kids’ homework, paying bills, meal preparation and keeping it tidy was a constant challenge.
The new design focused on opening up the kitchen space by removing the existing pantry and another internal wall. This allowed space for a large kitchen island and a new spacious walk in pantry to be created.
A study nook was created by removing a hall cupboard and the storage was reallocated to the powder room.
The black and white finishes in this bold contemporary kitchen are softened by the abundance of warmth from the timber floors and cabinetry. This colour scheme continues into the study nook and powder room with a lighter palette in the ensuite and laundry which are situated on the second level of the home.
When it came to selecting furniture for the home, the clients worked collaboratively with Bella Vie Interiors to bringing pieces for final approval before purchasing. This allowed them to retain a sense of ownership on the end result.
The outcome is a home that is as amazing for everyday living as it is for entertaining.