Home Renovations

Many hands make light work

A father, mother and son team got stuck in with paintbrush­es and tools to create a fresh palette for their dated kitchen.

- By Marian van Wyk Photograph­s Francois Oberholste­r Styling Shelly Bergh

Reason for renovation

After more than four decades and three children later, Billy and Jeanette Laubscher are as content as they were on the day they moved into this, their first home, in 1974.

“Over the years, we’ve tackled various renovation projects when our budget has allowed,” says Billy, who currently works for the non-profit organisati­on Business Against Crime (BAC) after many years of service in the police’s commercial branch.

A few months ago, the couple painted the pine ceiling in the kitchen and dining room white – which instantly lifted the space and made it seem bigger. They were so chuffed with this simple but significan­t facelift that they decided to renovate the rest of the kitchen. “But we were shocked at the potential cost of using contractor­s,” says Billy.

Luckily, the Laubschers’ son Daneel (31) was prepared to lend a hand. He’s an industrial engineer at Plantation Shutters and a keen DIY enthusiast who worked in the building industry as a student. Daneel designed a more contempora­ry style for his parents’ kitchen and suggested a lighter colour palette.

The existing colour scheme, wall tiles and melamine countertop­s were all dated. “Fortunatel­y, the workmanshi­p of the kitchen cupboards, which were built

25 years ago, was excellent. They’re made of solid oak, which today would be very expensive,” says Billy.

Billy and Daneel singlehand­edly tackled the plumbing and tiling while Jeanette painted all the cupboard doors – 44 in total! Three weeks later, they were able to admire their handiwork over a cup of coffee. And what a deep sense of satisfacti­on that gave them. The only contractor who set foot in the kitchen was the gas installer.

Main alteration­s

• All the cupboard doors were removed and sanded so Jeanette could paint them while Billy and Daneel undertook the rest of the work.

• The wall tiles were removed and the walls clad with facebrick tiles.

• The sink and mixer tap were replaced.

• The old electric hob was replaced with gas burners and a new extractor fan was then installed.

• The melamine countertop­s were removed; Daneel constructe­d and installed new meranti surfaces.

• The old cupboard door handles were all replaced.

• Daneel had rubberwood shutters made and installed them on the south-facing kitchen window.

• The wooden back door was painted in the same colour as the cupboards. >>

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tackled the kitchen makeover together, without having to change the layout. A row of cupboards still separates the kitchen from the dining room.
(left), (right) (centre)
Who lives here?
Billy and...
Jeanette her husband Billy and their son Daneel tackled the kitchen makeover together, without having to change the layout. A row of cupboards still separates the kitchen from the dining room. (left), (right) (centre) Who lives here? Billy and...
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