Houzz Tour: Colourful Converted Shed in Byron Bay
An interior designer creatively combines loft style with laid-back country living in a unique family abode
Tamara Armstrong
8 December 2016
Houzz Australia Contributor. Lifestyle Photographer and Visual Artist based in the beautiful surrounds of the Gold Coast hinterland in sunny Queensland.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Lifestyle Photographer and Visual Artist based in the... More
For interior designer and fashion stylist Kit Bettison and her husband, Odie, moving to this quiet patch of green just outside of Bangalow in the northern NSW hinterland meant they could lead the laid-back life they both desired. The pair share a love of colour, collected treasures and a desire to re-purpose old and new materials whenever possible. With Kit’s designer mind and Odie’s carpentry know-how, they’ve combined their creative talents to build a home ideal for them and their two young sons.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kit and Odie Bettison, and sons Artie Cosmo, 3, and August Mars, 8 months
Location: Byron Bay hinterland, NSW
Size: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
In 2011, the Bettisons, who were living in Sydney at the time, left to enjoy a coastal lifestyle in Byron Bay, but after a while they found themselves wanting to slow down even more and escape the growing crowds of Byron. They found the perfect piece of land just outside of the quaint township of Bangalow, which was still not too far from the beach, and proceeded to plan and build the house that would eventually see them welcome their two children, host their wedding and pursue their individual passions.
At the time the couple found the land, Kit was 24 and Odie was 27, so when they started building, they only had a very small budget between them. “The most sensible option for us was to build a shed,” Kit laughs. They ordered a large Ranbuild shed which Odie and Kit’s father decked out, adding walls, bathrooms and the works.
Who lives here: Kit and Odie Bettison, and sons Artie Cosmo, 3, and August Mars, 8 months
Location: Byron Bay hinterland, NSW
Size: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
In 2011, the Bettisons, who were living in Sydney at the time, left to enjoy a coastal lifestyle in Byron Bay, but after a while they found themselves wanting to slow down even more and escape the growing crowds of Byron. They found the perfect piece of land just outside of the quaint township of Bangalow, which was still not too far from the beach, and proceeded to plan and build the house that would eventually see them welcome their two children, host their wedding and pursue their individual passions.
At the time the couple found the land, Kit was 24 and Odie was 27, so when they started building, they only had a very small budget between them. “The most sensible option for us was to build a shed,” Kit laughs. They ordered a large Ranbuild shed which Odie and Kit’s father decked out, adding walls, bathrooms and the works.
The shed structure resembles a humble farm shed, and the vast open space it provided inspired them to aim for a New York loft vibe.
“We both loved big, open-plan living, so it worked out perfectly. We built the bedrooms and bathrooms down one side of the house so we still had privacy, and on the other side of the house we added sliding glass doors the whole way down the house to take in the stunning valley views,” says Kit.
“We both loved big, open-plan living, so it worked out perfectly. We built the bedrooms and bathrooms down one side of the house so we still had privacy, and on the other side of the house we added sliding glass doors the whole way down the house to take in the stunning valley views,” says Kit.
When asked what most inspires her, Kit is quick to answer: “Colour! I love colour everywhere and it’s a very fine line between the right amount of colour and tacky. Perhaps I’m pushing it, but that’s okay because we believe a home should feel warm and happy. I think we’ve achieved this.”
If she had to pick a favourite era in terms of design inspiration, Kit says it’d have to be the ‘70s, especially when it comes to the textile department. This love for vibrant colour and beautiful textures is seen throughout the home and Kit certainly has an eye for teaming them in an aesthetically pleasing way. She’s masterfully created a bold contrast in the master bedroom by deciding to paint the walls black.
Creating this unique home was also made somewhat easier due to the fact that Kit had some pretty handy contacts. “I’m very lucky my husband is a carpenter, not to mention the fact my mother and I are interior designers,” says Kit.
Bringing this home to life was definitely a family affair. “Odie and I would stay up late at night dreaming up and designing ideas, and my mother and I would have lots of fun sourcing building supplies and furniture on the weekends,” recalls Kit.
The clever mother and daughter duo would browse local timber yards and demo sites for amazing second-hand building materials for Odie to customise. Kit and her mother Margaret also offer their design skills and vision to others through their joint interior design business Alida & Miller.
Bringing this home to life was definitely a family affair. “Odie and I would stay up late at night dreaming up and designing ideas, and my mother and I would have lots of fun sourcing building supplies and furniture on the weekends,” recalls Kit.
The clever mother and daughter duo would browse local timber yards and demo sites for amazing second-hand building materials for Odie to customise. Kit and her mother Margaret also offer their design skills and vision to others through their joint interior design business Alida & Miller.
When it comes to the kitchen, Kit says she feels somewhat proud of their efforts: “We achieved something pretty special with a small budget, and we had to get very creative. Building a chef-style kitchen on a small budget ain’t easy, but you just have to be savvy.”
They also purchased all of their major appliances one and a half years before they moved in, as they happened to stumble across a worthwhile sale and decided to jump at the opportunity.
They also purchased all of their major appliances one and a half years before they moved in, as they happened to stumble across a worthwhile sale and decided to jump at the opportunity.
The rustic pre-loved feel of this kitchen is warm and welcoming and very generous in space. The kitchen benches are made from two Indian timber dining room buffets that they fashioned together to create an ‘L’ shaped kitchen.
The kitchen island is made from reclaimed timber that was found on gumtree for just $3 per square metre. Odie made the framework and then just drilled the timber to the exterior. The pantry is an old Indian clothing cupboard that they simply added shelves to.
The kitchen island is made from reclaimed timber that was found on gumtree for just $3 per square metre. Odie made the framework and then just drilled the timber to the exterior. The pantry is an old Indian clothing cupboard that they simply added shelves to.
Kit and her father tiled the benchtops with some affordable white subway tiles. They used up the leftovers on the top of a buffet that they now use as a bar outside on their deck. “My splurge item in the kitchen is the porcelain butler’s sink, but then I teamed it with a $38 tap I got from eBay so I guess that evened it out,” laughs Kit.
One of Kit’s favourite things to do is cook and on the weekends she can be found cooking away for hours in the kitchen. Because of this, Kit says she loves the open design of their home even more: “I can be in the kitchen, yet still feel connected to the rest of the family.”
At the time the couple started building this house in 2011, they didn’t have any children, so the space was used in a very different way back then.
“It’s been nice to see the house grow and adapt to our family. I guess that’s the beauty of a shed – we have room to play,” says Kit.
They also haven’t had to do a great deal of baby-proofing outside of removing a lot of their indoor plant collection and outdoor cactus.
“It’s been nice to see the house grow and adapt to our family. I guess that’s the beauty of a shed – we have room to play,” says Kit.
They also haven’t had to do a great deal of baby-proofing outside of removing a lot of their indoor plant collection and outdoor cactus.
Kit also points out that having one very large room is also ideal when you have small children. “Being so young they can just roam the house playing with different toys and setting up activities wherever they please. No matter what part of the house they are in, I can still see them.”
When the couple originally built the home, Odie set up a beautiful home office for Kit so that she could operate her online vintage clothing boutique Alida Buffalo. This room is now the boys’ shared bedroom, but the upside-down, hand-painted door that reads ‘Alida’ from the original office remains, providing a nice reminder of what the room was once used for.
The two boys share this room and Odie made all of the shelving units himself. They fit the space perfectly, providing ample storage for the boys’ clothing. The black chalkboard painted wall boldly sets off the pine shelving without making the room feel small.
The main bathroom is located next to the children’s bedroom and is generous in space. When coming up with the layout, Odie was adamant they should include a bath for their future children. Kit wasn’t so sure, but admits now that it was such great foresight, as their boys love bath time.
Odie is a big believer in repurposing, so Kit would come up with an idea, such as repurposing a sideboard into a bathroom vanity, as seen here, and he would bring the concept to life.
“We found these amazing coloured vintage iron sinks for $40 each. Odie cut two holes in the sideboard and dropped the sinks in and now we have a fun quirky ‘his and hers’ twin basin,” says Kit. This wasn’t actually the initial intention, but Kit says they were unable to find two basins in the one colour, so the pink and blue worked as a pair.
“We found these amazing coloured vintage iron sinks for $40 each. Odie cut two holes in the sideboard and dropped the sinks in and now we have a fun quirky ‘his and hers’ twin basin,” says Kit. This wasn’t actually the initial intention, but Kit says they were unable to find two basins in the one colour, so the pink and blue worked as a pair.
This fireplace came from Kit’s parents’ home, which they removed before a renovation.
The main lounge area is located in the far left corner of the shed. Despite not being enclosed by any walls, it still feels cosy and is very much defined as a separate area.
Most of the house has a second-hand, mismatched kind of feel, which the pair say couldn’t reflect their style more.
This wall-mounted shelving is another creation by Odie and displays many of the family’s collected treasures. It also houses Odie’s beloved record collection.
Of all the spaces in the home Kit says her favourite room is their bedroom, “It’s my sanctuary! It’s big and dark and I love it. It’s the only room with air conditioning, as the house is too big to install one and it would be very un-eco friendly. So when it’s over 30 degrees and humidity is at 100 per cent, we come back from the beach and just chill and melt into the bed.
She also adores their Family Love Tree bedhead, which they’ve had for years. “It suits every room it’s ever been in,” says Kit.
She also adores their Family Love Tree bedhead, which they’ve had for years. “It suits every room it’s ever been in,” says Kit.
When space is not an issue and you enjoy cooking and entertaining as much as this duo certainly do, there’s really no restriction on how big your dining table can be. This incredibly long table is actually 200 years old and Kit sourced it from India. They had it shipped over and cut the legs down to suit a dining table height.
When not being used for entertaining, this gorgeous long table surface is yet another space that Kit can style up and display more of their fun and quirky collections.
This whole house was fitted out on a very small budget, and if Kit had any advice to those in the same boat it would be to get creative, repurpose and recycle. “We’d spend hours on eBay and Gumtree, sourcing materials and items for our home. It’s an approach that guarantees you’ll come across unique pieces for your home, without breaking the bank.”
Since having their sons, hosting house guests has been a little bit tricky, so Kit and Odie purchased this caravan which they plan to set up as a guest room so their friends and family can stay over.
And if the inside of this colourful home isn’t visually appealing enough, the family also enjoy expansive views outdoors where lush green hills and valley vistas surround the family home.
TELL US
What do you like about this Bangalow abode? Tell us in the Comments.
TELL US
What do you like about this Bangalow abode? Tell us in the Comments.
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Love the look but how on earth do you clean the benchtop with all those holes and a raised edge
Perish the thought about the dusting!!
LOVE this creative and homey abode! congrats on achieving your paradise on a budget!