Home rennovations (2015 - 2017)

Introduction

• I renovated my house in 2015, 2016.  It was a big project for me as I had no DIY skills at all and I felt inspired to do the work myself.

Purpose and vision

• Learn new DIY skills I can use for life.
• Create a living space to raise consciousness and sooth the soul.
• A living space to inspire creativity.
• Develop my own sense of style.
• Get to feel in control of my domain, having a real physical impact.
• Cultivate a practice of mindfulness while doing DIY - giving each action full attention.
• Increase rental income, especially by also renting out the small room.
• Low maintenance if I go away.
• Not run my bank balance down more than I need to (doing work myself, low cost furniture from IKEA)

Guiding principles

• A sense of light and space (but with ability to shut out light too)
• Minimalism / Simplicity / Clutter free
• Calm / Serene
• Nature (lots of plants, photos of nature)
• Neutral (black, grey and white) with dashes of colour (especially through photos).
• Beautiful + Functional
• Comfortable
• Creative / Innovative
• Easy to clean / Durable /  Low maintenance
• Optimised for 3 people

Timing

• June 2015 - March 2017

Results

Photos of the results

Scope


HOUSEWIDE

• Painted walls, window frames and doors (white everywhere except Hogs Bristle in bedrooms)
• New floors (light grey vinyl plank) laid on 2nd and 3rd levels.
• Printed out my photos, framed and put up throughout house. 

DOWNSTAIRS

Lounge

• Removed old alarm and wiring
• New front door lock
• New ceiling light, removing fan
• New spotlights
• Blankets and pillows on sofa
• New door handles on door out to courtyard
• Coffee table
• Curtains
• Smart TV
• Modem
• Rug
• Remove mosquito door

Dining room

• New dining room chairs
• New storage unit
• Removed air conditioning unit

Downstairs toilet

• Fixed damage along bottom of wall where Mack peed

Kitchen

• New lights
• New door lock
• New door handle

Front courtyard

• Relaid paving (lifted up by roots)
• Paint paving with a sealer
• Rigorous pruning of large bushes
• Raised flower beds and planted new plants
• Created hanging garden with trellis and pots
• Removed air conditioning unit
• Removed house sign
• Oiled table and chairs
• Secure latch on courtyard door
• Magnetic latch to keep doors open
• Pressure clean paving
• Watering system

Back courtyard

• Raised flower beds and planted new plants
• Hanging garden with trellis and pots
• New clothing line
• Automatic watering system
• Fix broken paving

Stairs

• Carpets off, painted white (for now)
• Painted bannister

SECOND LEVEL

Small study on landing

• Room divider to create sense of separation and privacy
• Fixed rotted door and broken window pane.
• New desk, desk drawers and bookshelf.
• Three pots on back balcony
• Pressure clean paving
• New door handle on balcony door
• Curtains
• Rug

Small room

• King single bed and mattress
• Chest of drawers
• Lamp
• New light, removing fan
• New door handle
• New cupboard handles
• Curtains
• Rug

Shared bathroom

• Replaced vanity and taps
• Painted bath
• Painted tiles
• New bathroom light
• New vanity light
• New shower glass panel
• New bath and shower taps
• New shower head
• New mirror
• New door handles
• Fixed cracked ceiling
• New door handle
• Bathroom fan installed

Srini room

• Fixed wall and ceiling cracks
• New door handles
• New cupboard handles
• New desk
• Rug
• Two plant pots on balcony
• New shower head and taps

THIRD LEVEL

My landing

• Made white step
• Photo wall with 3 shelves
• New table on landing
• Two landing bookshelves

My room

• New desk and ergonomic chair
• Removed bed frame
• Storage unit inside cupboard
• Stand alone fan
• Remade step to balcony
• Curtains on large window
• Blind on small window
• Little bookshelf
• New light, removing fan
• New door handle
• New cupboard handles
• New small lamp
• Rug
• Plant pots to go with rug

My balcony

• Regrout paving and replace damaged ones
• Lots of succulent pot plants
• Buddha

Highlights

• Realising that with a bit of work, the small room and study could be rented out as a separate offering.
• Demolition in the bathroom, ripping out a vanity and brass fittings I've always hated.
• How the downstairs looked so much lighter when the white paint went on the walls.
• Inspiration from Chris to believe I could do it and some simple lessons on the basics.
• Doing the floors myself (cutting under door jams, removing skirting, cutting and laying tiles.)
• Getting reimbursed $2000 by the floor installation company (after a fight) for labour not done.
• Getting additional floors sourced and provided for free by the floor manufacturer. 
• The way the shimmering floor lights up the second level and creates a much greater sense of space.
• Playing with the power tools, especially the circular saw and grinder.
• Grinding the concrete floor flat, although cleaning wasn't fun afterwards.
• Creating hanging gardens and raised flower beds from scratch.
• Creating the step in my room and on the landing, from scratch.
• Installing the front door lock (after a lot of cursing!)
• Fixing a rotten door and replacing a pane of broken glass myself.
• Creating a succulent plant paradise on my balcony.
• Becoming more and more methodical and relaxed in my work, knowing where everything is.
• Help and emotional support from Srini.
• Installing the vanity and taps with Brendan.
• Finding ready made curtains and blinds for all my windows, saving costs on custom made ones.
• Erecting a storage unit in my cupboard. So much better than before.
• Deciding what photos to print, and the amazing quality of the prints when they arrived. Also deciding where they would go and hanging them.
• Showing off the house to Jo and her approval.  Also shopping with Jo at IKEA. And buying rugs with her in The Blue Mountains.
• Realising that I can be lord of my domain. 
• Having the skills to keep the house maintained on an ongoing basis.
• Lying on the balcony on my deck chair, enjoying the plants. Looking out onto them from my desk.  Getting to watch them grow and flower.