Dangerous curves in Tallebudgera, Gold Coast on Selling Houses Australia
Curves should feel welcoming and soften a space, but this one on Selling Houses Australia did the opposite!
Photography Melissa Heath/Selling Houses Australia
Tallebudgera is such a special suburb on the Gold Coast, with a laidback lifestyle, gorgeous natural beauty and a fun, family vibe. But that wasn’t the case for Dee, who was struggling to juggle a full-time job with single parenthood and some health challenges. Dee found it close to impossible to maintain her four-bedroom home and its surprisingly large block of land (complete with secret soccer pitch!). Purchased for a bargain of $785,000 in 2019, the property had become a burden. Her dream was to sell and move closer to her boys' school, but to do that, she needed to achieve $1.4 million. Her house was a fixer-upper, and so that’s just what we did, with some clever interior design and landscaping solutions! Read on to get all the details.
A confusing entry in Tallebudgera, Qld
Curves usually feel soft and welcoming, but that simply wasn’t the case in this home! As you stepped into the home you were greeted by a bulbous wall, decorated with wobbly pictures that couldn’t sit flat against the curve. It just felt all wrong and didn’t match the modern country style of the rest of the home. To bring it into the now, we squared it off, making a nice clean line clad with VJ joinery and painted in a rich, welcoming green, Misty Moore by Dulux, This look was echoed on the other side in the living room, which you can see further below.
Selling Houses Tallebudgera’s budget renovation kitchen
The original kitchen was spacious but dated and lacked modern appeal. I decided to refresh the kitchen by resurfacing the cabinetry with a fresh coat of paint and updating the benchtop and splashback to create a sleek, waterfall effect. The benchtop colour is White Sands from Resurfacing Australia, with the upper kitchen cabinets in Tranquil Green and the lower in Vivid White. This low-cost update was designed to give the kitchen a brand-new feel without the expense of a full renovation. New die-cast zinc handles and pulls from Kethy were added to complete the transformation.
A suite of new Bosch appliances made this a functional and beautiful space, with a new double oven worthy of the home’s size. Blanco sinks and taps were a nice touch, too, along with a pair of Alfred 1 Light Pendant in Oil Rubbed Bronze with Ribbed Clear Glass from Beacon Lighting.
“Resurfacing a kitchen is a fantastic budget option to give a tired kitchen a whole new lease on life. It just feels and looks new again”~ Interior designer Wendy Moore, Selling Houses Australia
A new dining room that flows on Selling Houses Australia
The dining area was previously a bottleneck for access to the outdoors, limiting the home's potential for entertaining. To address this, we installed new bi-fold doors to open up the entire space, creating a seamless connection between the indoors and the outdoor entertaining area. This change not only enhanced the flow of the home but also highlighted the property's potential for the classic Southeast Queensland lifestyle, making it more attractive to family buyers. To decorate, we underpinned the whole link with a wool blend rug in Huxley Natural from Flooring Xtra, and added matching pendants to the kitchen: the Alfred 3 Light Bar Pendant in Oil Rubbed Bronze from Beacon Lighting. A fresh dining set from Eureka Furniture completes the scene.
Tallebudgera Selling Houses curvaceous living room
The living room was dominated by a senseless curved wall that disrupted the space and made it difficult to furnish. To solve this, I boxed in the curved wall to give it crisp, straight edges and reoriented the room with custom VJ joinery that provided a new home for the TV. This clever solution transformed the room into a warm and inviting space, perfect for family life. Now, this space is just lovely to be in, with Lake Malawi Creek Bend carpet from Flooring Xtra a family friendly choice. The furniture throughout is from Eureka Furniture.
The addition of a feature wall with lush green tones celebrated the home's beautiful hinterland setting, creating a calming and stylish atmosphere. To echo the opposite side (scroll back to see the entry), I painted it in striking Dulux Misty Moore.
A simple interior design solve for the bedrooms no pics)
While the budget didn't allow for a complete overhaul of the bedrooms, I used furniture from Eureka Furniture and styling to give these rooms a fresh, modern country feel. Inspired by the lush surroundings, I incorporated rich greens and natural fibres in bedlinen from Legend Linen and cushions from Rapee to create a calm and beautifully styled environment. A coat of paint and new carpet from Flooring Xtra completed the transformation, making the bedrooms inviting and appealing to potential buyers.
Dennis Scott updates the outdoors on Selling Houses Tallebudgera
The outdoor areas were overgrown and uninviting. Dennis focussed on transforming the pool area into a stunning outdoor entertaining zone, perfect for the Queensland lifestyle. The pool was cleaned, and a new gable pergola was installed to provide shade and a comfortable space for relaxation. Compliant pool fencing was added for safety, and the surrounding vegetation was trimmed back to open up the space. The front of the property was also cleared of overgrown plants, dramatically improving its curb appeal and making the home more inviting from the street.
Selling Houses Tallebudgera: did it sell?
Tallebudgera is a sought-after suburb with a strong community feel, offering excellent schools, shops, and transport links. Dee's home, a large four-bedroom property on an acre block, was initially listed at $1.2 million but failed to attract buyers due to its dated features and overgrown exterior. After our renovation, the house was revalued and successfully sold for $1.45 million, allowing Dee to move on to a more manageable home closer to her boys' school. A great result for Dee, and we wish her all the best!
Who pays for the renovations on Selling Houses Australia?
Dee contributed $60,000 towards the renovation, a significant investment that ultimately paid off. The transformation not only increased the home's value but also made it a desirable property for families looking to settle in Tallebudgera.
