Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Clever DIY Tricks Add Value to a Rented Cottage in WA
Homely charm and authenticity up the stakes in this worker's cottage in Guildford, Perth
Nestled in the heritage-listed country suburb of Guildford, 20 kilometres north-east of Perth’s CBD, lies this rustic worker’s cottage – the perfect set up for Nelly Reffet from Twinkle & Whistle and her partner to rent while they started a family. When they moved out and into their first Aussie home recently (both are from France) – leaving behind a very happy landlord – the rent had increased by 20 per cent, proving that however temporary a home stay is, you can always make it feel like your home.
Here’s how Reffet broke the boundaries of a traditional rental property without falling out with her landlord.
Cottage at a Glance
Who lived there: Nelly Reffet and her partner with their baby girl and their 2 rescued cats
Location: Guilford, Perth, WA
Size: 3 large bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 small bathroom and 1 kitchen
Here’s how Reffet broke the boundaries of a traditional rental property without falling out with her landlord.
Cottage at a Glance
Who lived there: Nelly Reffet and her partner with their baby girl and their 2 rescued cats
Location: Guilford, Perth, WA
Size: 3 large bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 small bathroom and 1 kitchen
“Guildford’s a truly charming and lovely place to live in – think character homes, large blocks, and lots of established trees,” remembers Reffet. “The house was a typical worker’s cottage from the turn of the century which tucked into its surroundings perfectly.”
Renters’ rule 1: If you don’t ask, you don’t get
As a condition to the lease, Reffet and her partner convinced the landlord to replace the kitchen flooring. Tired vinyl flooring on the kitchen side and a worn Berber carpet on the dining side were exchanged for laminate floors. The couple laid out the laminate floors themselves and the landlord covered the costs of the materials (about $750).
As a condition to the lease, Reffet and her partner convinced the landlord to replace the kitchen flooring. Tired vinyl flooring on the kitchen side and a worn Berber carpet on the dining side were exchanged for laminate floors. The couple laid out the laminate floors themselves and the landlord covered the costs of the materials (about $750).
Reffet loves the Metters wood stove in the kitchen which she finds “very, very cute!”. In fact, it’s these rustic and authentic features that showcase the history throughout the cottage.
Renters’ rule 2: Think about the future
Reffet wanted a home that felt lived in and suited her family’s style and needs, but because this property was a rental (and would continue to be) she had to think ahead. “I wanted something that was neutral and timeless enough for most people to like it and that would not look outdated in two years time,” she explains. “It was important that the design stayed true to the character of the home, so I opted for simple materials and shapes, in line with the style of a small rural retreat.”
Reffet wanted a home that felt lived in and suited her family’s style and needs, but because this property was a rental (and would continue to be) she had to think ahead. “I wanted something that was neutral and timeless enough for most people to like it and that would not look outdated in two years time,” she explains. “It was important that the design stayed true to the character of the home, so I opted for simple materials and shapes, in line with the style of a small rural retreat.”
“The large rustic floorboards are definitely one of my favourite features,” says Reffet. “Uneven, with lots of dents and scratches, they always looked like they could have told us many fascinating stories had they been able to talk. I also adored the super-high ceilings that made the rooms look and feel much bigger than they actually were.”
Renters’ rule 3: Accessories are your new best friend
As an interior designer, Reffet knew all the tricks to add temporary personality to the space without causing any permanent damage. She fell in love with accessories that accentuated her personal design style and could be updated with the seasons. In the sun-soaked living room, colourful cushions liven up the sofa and a vintage print adds interest to white walls.
As an interior designer, Reffet knew all the tricks to add temporary personality to the space without causing any permanent damage. She fell in love with accessories that accentuated her personal design style and could be updated with the seasons. In the sun-soaked living room, colourful cushions liven up the sofa and a vintage print adds interest to white walls.
Vintage accessories and collectibles draw attention to treasured home features such as the original living room fireplace.
Tropical brights provide a modern twist for the traditional white cane outdoor furniture that’s nestled within big agaves and bougainvillea. And the geometric rug brings the indoors out to the verandah.
“I loved the peace and quiet of this house and the fact that we had awesome neighbours. Our street had a ‘community’ feel which is so rare these days in suburbia,” says Reffet. “We regularly had deliveries on the front verandah of homemade chutneys and jams, and felt connected to the land and to other people in a way that I didn’t think was possible in a large city. Precious!”
“I loved the peace and quiet of this house and the fact that we had awesome neighbours. Our street had a ‘community’ feel which is so rare these days in suburbia,” says Reffet. “We regularly had deliveries on the front verandah of homemade chutneys and jams, and felt connected to the land and to other people in a way that I didn’t think was possible in a large city. Precious!”
Renters’ rule 4: Work with what you have
One of the biggest challenges for Reffet was the lack of natural light – a common challenge for residents of worker’s cottages, but she put this to her advantage. “The house was fairly dark and by 4pm, even in summer, we had to turn the lights on. I decided to keep the back rooms (living areas) in an off-white colour to maximise the little natural light they got,” she explains. “The front rooms (bedrooms) were even darker but I decided to embrace their darkness and make them cosy and moody with a colour palette of grey and green on the walls.”
Reffet painted the top tiers of the walls in a white to match the ceiling, to add to the sense of height and space. A high headboard aided the visual balance between floor and ceiling.
Headboard: IKEA
One of the biggest challenges for Reffet was the lack of natural light – a common challenge for residents of worker’s cottages, but she put this to her advantage. “The house was fairly dark and by 4pm, even in summer, we had to turn the lights on. I decided to keep the back rooms (living areas) in an off-white colour to maximise the little natural light they got,” she explains. “The front rooms (bedrooms) were even darker but I decided to embrace their darkness and make them cosy and moody with a colour palette of grey and green on the walls.”
Reffet painted the top tiers of the walls in a white to match the ceiling, to add to the sense of height and space. A high headboard aided the visual balance between floor and ceiling.
Headboard: IKEA
Once the walls had been repainted in moody hues, the couple used brighter colours in decorative items and soft furnishings to provide contrast and cheerfulness.
Paint: Dulux ‘Timeless Grey’
Paint: Dulux ‘Timeless Grey’
In the baby girl’s bedroom, Reffet lightened the dark wooden floorboards and grey-green walls with white soft furnishings – such as the sofa and rug – and painting the decorative mouldings and mantlepiece white. The back of the fireplace was painted pink and acts as a nifty cubby for storing toys.
Paint: Dulux ‘Still’
“I wanted the room to feel cosy and soothing (which was not that easy due to its size), in line with the style of the rest of the house, and I didn’t want it to look too baby-ish,” says Reffet.
Renters’ Rule 5: Make it easy for the landlord
The couple also managed to convince the landlord to fund the renovation of the old bathroom. “The layout was awkward – an old laminate vanity had had some water damage, the shower enclosure was no longer waterproof and, on a more selfish note, I wanted a bathtub because we had a baby girl who was growing and who no longer fitted in the kitchen sink!” Reffet describes.
The couple also managed to convince the landlord to fund the renovation of the old bathroom. “The layout was awkward – an old laminate vanity had had some water damage, the shower enclosure was no longer waterproof and, on a more selfish note, I wanted a bathtub because we had a baby girl who was growing and who no longer fitted in the kitchen sink!” Reffet describes.
Reffet decided to prepare a moodboard, source products (using her expert design knowledge) and source quotes from tradies before taking the plan to the landlord – doing all the hard work for him.
They got rid of all floor and wall tiles, the shower cubicle, old toilet suite and old vanity; prepared and waterproofed all surfaces for tiling and/or painting; moved some pipes around in order to fit a bathtub; tiled the floor and walls above bathtub; installed a bath, toilet and new vanity; repaired the ceiling; painted the walls and repaired the broken sliding door. Not bad for just $5,000.
They got rid of all floor and wall tiles, the shower cubicle, old toilet suite and old vanity; prepared and waterproofed all surfaces for tiling and/or painting; moved some pipes around in order to fit a bathtub; tiled the floor and walls above bathtub; installed a bath, toilet and new vanity; repaired the ceiling; painted the walls and repaired the broken sliding door. Not bad for just $5,000.
The compact backyard also fits a laundry and an outdoor dunny that’s covered in a beautiful orange trumpet creeper, the flowers of which fall to the ground to create a burnt orange carpet in winter.
TELL US
How have you made a rental property your own? Attach your high-resolution photos in the comments section below and we may feature your project on our homepage.
TELL US
How have you made a rental property your own? Attach your high-resolution photos in the comments section below and we may feature your project on our homepage.