Extending a Turramurra, NSW home in a Selling Houses Australia first
Selling Houses Australia takes on a home extension on Sydney’s leafy lower north shore
Photography Melissa Heath/Selling Houses Australia
Stepping into this house in Turramurra, Sydney on Selling Houses Australia was such a confusing experience! At first glance, it was a damn sight better than what we normally have, which made me nervous. For good reason because as it turned out, the layout was basically backwards, and the living areas non-existent or just impractically placed, like an odd playroom-meets-dining room.
It’s actually really hard to describe just how strange it was, and the before and after photos are very challenging to put together because we had to move pretty much everything downstairs to make it work. The house was nice, but the problems felt insurmountable, which meant we needed a big budget (200K) to even hope to address them.
“The floorplan was so strange - dining room at the front, kitchen at the back and a living area in a corridor. It just didn’t make sense! ” ~ Wendy Moore
A contemporary kitchen worthy of the home
The owners of this home admitted that they renovated it for the stage of life they were at, which was one that didn’t last particularly long. The kitchen was situated to keep an eye on the kids outside, but it ended up sitting in some pretty prime real estate and obliterating any sense of indoor-outdoor flow.
We needed to create a kitchen in the right spot, that buyers would fall in love with, with a traditional vibe that suited the character of the home and the area, too. Buyers in Turramurra and on the North Shore in Sydney expect a kitchen with all the mod cons, as well as space and functionality. To achieve this, we had to move the kitchen into the zone that was previously the master bedroom.
Now, with a deep navy base and a soft grey/coffee coloured cabinetry, this kitchen has a real sense of luxury and feels like the heart of the house. The benchtops are from SNB Stone @snbstone in Namibian White Granite, which features subtle veining on a soft grey canvas. We paired it with a splashback in New England Wavy white matt ceramic wall tiles from Tile Factory Outlet and a Sublime sink and tap from Blanco.
For the cabinetry, I chose Polytec @polytec doors in a couple of different colours for the upper and lower cabinets, to keep the look interesting. The light coloured ones are Amaro, the neutral is Ravine and the statement deep blue is Oxford. Solid brass handles from Kethy bringing some traditional wow.
One of my favourite details was a Colour Boutique Deluxe 110cm Induction Range Cooker in Midnight Blue with matching Canopy rangehood, both from Belling. It’s a fabulous way to introduce a dramatic hue into a kitchen, or to carry through a bold theme. I went with the 1100mm because it has four different cooking cavities, with a five-zone induction cooktop. It’s just perfect for an entertainer’s kitchen.
A dining nook fit for this clever kitchen
I brought a bar and breakfast area into the new kitchen, where the old kitchen was originally. It extends off the zone and includes a really great bar nook, which will make entertaining a breeze for the new owners. To make it practical, we installed a Baumatic Beverage Centre. You can also see in this area the new nib wall to screen the existing powder room from the dining area, giving guests a bit of much-needed privacy!
And the final touch is Luxaflex translucent Duette blinds in Indigo Mood. They filter light beautifully and enhance the sophisticated colour scheme.
Sophisticated master bedroom vibes
The old dining room-meets-playroom was transformed into a new master bedroom complete with an ensuite. The new area is lovely and relaxing, with a double aspect bathed in natural light. The feature wall is painted in dramatic Deep Navy from Wattyl, with the other walls in soothing Cotton Grey. The Quick-Step Amato flooring in Cliff Grey Oak is from Flooring Xtra, underpinning the modern traditional vibe.
New wardrobes were essential for storage. Polytec’s Ascot profile was perfect with its Shaker vibe, in the colour ‘Blossom’.
We chose a mixture of blinds and curtains for added privacy, all from Luxaflex - the curtains measure to the floor and are Kori Sapphire with blockout lining.
A selection of navy and white printed cushions from Rapee and a Winton White quilt cover set from Linen Emporium are timeless choices, while either side of the bed, a pair of Thomas O'Brien ‘Bryant’ wall sconces bring the right dose of traditional-meets-contemporary (find them at Bloomingdales).
This now feels like a sophisticated and thoughtful parents area and fits beautifully within the home’s style vibe.
Pretty, practical brand-new ensuite
I had to steal some space from an adjoining wardrobe but we were able to squeeze in a double ensuite into the floorplan. Some of my favourite details include the gorgeous marble mosaics (Carrara 48mm Hexagon Marble Mosaic 7552) paired with classic subway tiles in a brick pattern (these ones are New England Wavy White Matt Ceramic Wall Tile 4292). Both are from Tile Factory Outlet,
The Windsor Collection double vanity is from Timberline, with a a Turner Hastings Mayer Pivot mirror in Chrome from The Blue Space. Above, a new Velux skylight allows in natural light.
New casual living space
And what about this brand new living space! It was crucial to deliver the extra square metrage the home really needed, as it was desperately short of functional living areas. Now, a serene zone kitted out in Quick-Step Amato flooring in Cliff Grey Oak sets the scene for laidback living. We added rugs in Allure Sky and Allure Indigo (both Flooring Xtra and added some Luxaflex Kori Sapphire curtains and blinds from to enhance privacy and light.
The sales history of the Selling Houses Turramurra
The previous owners of this home had lived there for 40 years, and they never wanted to leave. So when the owners purchased the home in 2009 for $710K, they renovated it to suit their lifestyle, which changed faster than they realised it would after having children.
At the time of filming, there were 30 per cent fewer properties on the market than usual but huge demand in the suburb. It was one of the only properties not selling. The value estimated by the agent was around $2.2 million, but it needed major changes. They had received an offer, but it just wasn’t enough for them to make a move to a bigger property.
Did Selling Houses Australia Turramurra sell?
Selling Houses Australia Turramurra did sell, and it was an amazing result! Initially expectations were around $2.2 million. The couple invested $200K in the renovation - a huge amount of money - and the sales result reflects what they put in. The final sale was $2.73 million.
Who pays for the renovations on Selling Houses Australia?
In this example, the homeowners supplied $200K, which was the biggest budget we’ve ever worked with on Selling Houses Australia and enabled us to complete an extension and completely change the floorplan. The Selling Houses team contributed labour and products from our suppliers.
