Out with the old...
With the removal of a dated focal feature and the addition of fresh new fittings and accessories, this grand dame now boasts a stylish contemporary look.
Who lives here?
Larry and Liesel Walters with their daughter Leah (2) and their dogs, Cinnoman, Coco and Leo WHERE Paulshof, Gauteng SIZE 440m² ORIENTATION South-west
Reason for renovation
A facebrick bar with a thatch roof right inside the living room! It’s no wonder the Walters family of Paulshof in Gauteng got stuck into renovations immediately – within the first week of moving into their new home, Larry and Liesel had made short work of this eyesore.
“Larry just grabbed his goggles and hammer and didn’t stop until all the bricks were gone. This included exposing the bottom part of the beautiful spiral staircase which had been bricked up,” says Liesel.
The couple moved into their “fixer-upper” in September 2014 and although the house had a good layout, the living room and kitchen on the ground floor were in desperate need of an update. There was also some structural work to be done upstairs: the couple decided to divide the expansive loft area into two bedrooms, a small living room and a bathroom. In just over a month, they turned their home into a welcoming contemporary space. >>
Main alterations
• After breaking down the bar and opening up the staircase, the walls on the bottom floor received a fresh coat of paint, after which new furniture and décor items were added.
• A playhouse area for little Leah was created where the bar used to be – now it’s her favourite place to hang out!
• The waist-high walls on the top level were extended to the roof to enclose it completely.
• The existing downstairs bathroom was revamped with new vinyl flooring, paint and fresh accessories.
• Upstairs, partitioning was used to create a large main bedroom and a bedroom for Leah; it was also used to enclose the existing open-plan bathroom which is now an en suite for Leah. A landing serves as a small family room at the entrance to the main bedroom. All of this was done with the help of Liesel’s brother, Luke Dwyer; the family owns a furniture-making business called Woodka.
• New laminated floors, doors and light fixtures were fitted upstairs and a fresh coat of paint was applied. >>
With so much space,
what kid wouldn’t want to take their car for a spin - there’s even space to play in
the closet!