In the picturesque suburb of Paddington in Brisbane, a new home was being carefully designed and meticulously thought out. With the help of our tradesmen, Shaun and I wanted to build a modern Queenslander with a luxury Hamptons aesthetic that was both a family home and an inviting entertaining space.
"I enjoy building homes that are built with integrity and quality products; cutting corners is not how I build." Shaun Kilmister Builder
KNOCKDOWN OR RENOVATE?
Our home was in an ideal location in Paddington QLD. The decision to renovate the existing house after buying the spot was one of the options we researched and tried to achieve but the existing house was not a character home, it wasn't an original Queenslander, and it was full of asbestos and rotten timber.
Besides not being taken care of or maintained properly, the house had also been rented for the last decade and was extensively damaged. The attempt to save it was not worth it, so a knockdown rebuild was decided.
DESIGN ELEMENTS
We wanted to incorporate design elements into this build that give the modern family plenty of space to move, good storage, and a great outdoor area.
As well, we wanted to maintain the look of a Queenslander, which we achieved by using the classic tin roof, external cladding on the exterior to mimic weatherboards, and large expansive verandahs.
OPEN PLAN
Extending the ceiling height will give the downstairs living area a sense of grandeur and style in addition to making the kitchen the focal point of the living area. It was important for the home to have both indoor and outdoor living areas with them blending together nicely, and we achieved this through the floor plan design and choosing the right interior design elements.
KITCHEN LAYOUT
The custom kitchen is the heart of a home, so we wanted it to be a space where everyone can gather, share food, and create wonderful memories. The style and functional aspects of the kitchen were significant, and the beautiful Caesarstone Bianco drift stone benchtops were perfectly complemented by the modern shaker profile in a soft white. An extra-large bench on the island and drawers with soft-close custom cabinetry over cupboards are what made this kitchen so beautiful.
“The kitchen was the most time-consuming space to design but we really wanted to get it right, I wanted the new owner to feel like being in the kitchen was functional and easy to navigate so the layout and cabinetry were carefully considered to ensure its functionality.” Hayley Kilmister.
COLOUR PALETTE
For the interior, we chose hardwood floors for their durability as well as their beautiful colour. Dulux Natural white on the walls for its arm undertone which complimented the floor perfectly. We chose the all-white exterior, which is also painted in Dulux warm white with Colourbond in surfmist for the fascia and gutter because we wanted the timber elements and the architectural design of the house to pop. The timber ceiling in the entranceway was one of those design elements.
FLOORING
We love the look and feel of hardwood floors, we spared no expense in choosing beautiful spotted gum hardwood flooring. These run the entire lower level except for the laundry and bathroom and really make the home what it is, it is a good solid foundation and anchors the entire house. This understated design statement is continued on the floating stairs and balustrade in the home.
WINDOWS
Double-hung timber windows were installed throughout the entire home and an absolute must for us. They definitely added authenticity to the space we had them custom-made to the dimensions we needed and our painter painted the window frames in the accent colour at the factory prior to the double glazed glass being installed! Between the indoor and outdoor dining stunning bi-fold doors were installed allowing lots of natural light into the home.
I wanted to share with you several design elements that we think you should consider when building a modern Queensland home, and as a business that provides construction and design services, we put a great deal of emphasis on both the quality of the materials we use and the quality of the work of the tradespeople we use. Careful planning and thoughtful design are at the foundation of how we build and renovate any space. You can see how beautifully it came together!
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