THE RUNDOWN

With splashes of blue all around, an impossibly cool children’s room and a heavy-duty laundry, this home in western Sydney might just be the making of a modern family. Painter Troy, 46, entered House Rules in the hope that a more welcoming home would convince girlfriend Bec, 39, and her two children to move in. From the moment the divorced father-of-one bought the dilapidated 1960s weatherboard home in 2000, it could best be described as an accident waiting to happen. The front stairs were a trip hazard, the toilet didn’t flush and the oven and cooktop didn’t work. “We used a camp barbecue, which wasn’t ideal, not to mention dangerous,” says Troy. At the time, the house suited Troy’s single lifestyle – and, having already looked for two years, he was prepared to tread carefully around the building’s pitfalls in order to lap up such a tranquil setting. “It was a massive block and so quiet and peaceful,” he says. “I just fell in love with it.” Post-renovation, Troy’s love of his home has gone to the next level. “It helps with Bec,” he says. “And I’m now house-proud when people come over.” Taking in the high ceilings, and imagining themselves parked around the breakfast bench in the brand new kitchen, Bec and the children now share Troy’s affinity for this charming suburban residence.