My Houzz: A Retro Family Home in Tassie
A family embrace their love of the '50s and transport their home back in time
Although this family’s home may not have been in their preferred suburb, Nicole and Kevin Hastings couldn’t resist the charm of this three-bedroom, one-bathroom abode in Perth, Tasmania. Embracing their love of ’50s design, the home is decorated with all the best of this era. From checkered flooring in the kitchen, to timber-panelled walls in the living room, the couple stuck with the style throughout the home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Nicole and Kevin Hastings and their three children Jude, age 13, Peyton, age 11, and Heath, age 5.
Location: Perth, Tasmania
Size: 160 square metres; 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Nicole and Kevin Hastings and their three children Jude, age 13, Peyton, age 11, and Heath, age 5.
Location: Perth, Tasmania
Size: 160 square metres; 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
I have to be honest, I didn’t want to like the house at all. It wasn’t located in the suburb I wanted and we had been looking for so long. We had a couple of houses fall through, so we were ready to give up. My husband looked first as I was not keen at all. He said, “I think you would like it, but it’s in a bit of a mess.”
When I finally had a look, he wasn’t wrong – it was in bad shape, but I could see past the dirt and grime to the retro-style house I was after. Our reason for moving was a need for bigger rooms and more storage for our growing family. I was instantly surprised at the size of all the rooms, and the original features including beautiful big mantlepieces, the recessed ceiling in the living room, the laundry chute from the hallway and bathroom, and all the cupboards.
When I finally had a look, he wasn’t wrong – it was in bad shape, but I could see past the dirt and grime to the retro-style house I was after. Our reason for moving was a need for bigger rooms and more storage for our growing family. I was instantly surprised at the size of all the rooms, and the original features including beautiful big mantlepieces, the recessed ceiling in the living room, the laundry chute from the hallway and bathroom, and all the cupboards.
What is your favourite room in the house and why?
My favourite room in the house is the kitchen. It’s the one room that we have renovated so far. I tried to love the original kitchen, as I’m a big believer in preserving what you can in a home, but it was broken, with years of bad renovation and dishwashers blocking cupboards – it had to go. I decided to bring the ’50s back, even though it’s not the era of the home, I just loved the look.
So I started looking at flatpack kitchens to see if I could do something with a timber look, but it was proving to be expensive and we only had a budget of $5,000. So we started searching Gumtree for secondhand kitchens. I came across the red-doored kitchen and thought, ‘That could work’. We went to have a look at the kitchen before it was removed from the sellers’ house, measured it up and worked out it would be a perfect fit.
My favourite room in the house is the kitchen. It’s the one room that we have renovated so far. I tried to love the original kitchen, as I’m a big believer in preserving what you can in a home, but it was broken, with years of bad renovation and dishwashers blocking cupboards – it had to go. I decided to bring the ’50s back, even though it’s not the era of the home, I just loved the look.
So I started looking at flatpack kitchens to see if I could do something with a timber look, but it was proving to be expensive and we only had a budget of $5,000. So we started searching Gumtree for secondhand kitchens. I came across the red-doored kitchen and thought, ‘That could work’. We went to have a look at the kitchen before it was removed from the sellers’ house, measured it up and worked out it would be a perfect fit.
We got everything – appliances, tapware, electrical outlets, lights, all for under $2,000. My husband installed it himself over a weekend. When the sun shines in on a morning, it is so warm and makes me happy to be in.
What’s your favourite item in the house?
My old rocking horse – it was mine as a baby and has been passed around a few families and then I got it back for my kids. I’m very sentimental about it.
My old rocking horse – it was mine as a baby and has been passed around a few families and then I got it back for my kids. I’m very sentimental about it.
How would you describe your decorating style?
Mid-century – I just love the character of the furniture and bright colours here and there. I didn’t have a style for a long time, I’m only just realising now what I love as I get a bit older.
Mid-century – I just love the character of the furniture and bright colours here and there. I didn’t have a style for a long time, I’m only just realising now what I love as I get a bit older.
What’s your hot design tip?
Buy things you really love. For me it might mean stalking the auction sites or Gumtree for that perfect piece, and being patient until you find it.
Buy things you really love. For me it might mean stalking the auction sites or Gumtree for that perfect piece, and being patient until you find it.
What renovating or decorating lesson have you learned in your experience?
Don’t overspend on renovations – you might not get the return you were after. We made money on our first home, but we also spent more than we should have. Our second home eight years later saw the market drop and we lost money on the resale. This time around, I just want to fix the neglected things and enjoy our home without changing the bones of it.
Scroll through the rest of this home’s gallery, and share your own home by using #meetmyhouzz, and your abode might be featured in our next story!
Don’t overspend on renovations – you might not get the return you were after. We made money on our first home, but we also spent more than we should have. Our second home eight years later saw the market drop and we lost money on the resale. This time around, I just want to fix the neglected things and enjoy our home without changing the bones of it.
Scroll through the rest of this home’s gallery, and share your own home by using #meetmyhouzz, and your abode might be featured in our next story!
To complete the retro look in the kitchen, these colourful cannisters, vintage tin cans and scales are displayed on the shelf.
The kitchen also hosts a small home office with a vintage desk the couple found on Gumtree.
In the living room, many of the knickknacks have been collected over time. Vintage toys add colour and are in keeping with the retro style of the room.
This fun retro telephone is the family’s landline and sits next to a globe – another secondhand find.
Nicole displays her vintage camera collection in the living room as well. She found them at local auctions and collectibles shops. One of them is actually her mother’s pocket Instamatic, which Nicole says has taken many of their own family shots.
In the couple’s bedroom, the style is consistent with the retro theme of the house. Nicole bought the ‘Orangina’ poster from Harvey Norman and the bedlinen is from Kmart.
A TV in the main bedroom sits on a secondhand Danish-style cabinet. The artwork is actually wrapping paper that Nicole bought from Pictures Plus in Launceston, and decided it was pretty enough to hang. The typewriter was purchased for $4 at a local op-shop.
This vanity where Nicole gets ready in the mornings was built into the corner of the bedroom and was even fitted with fluorescent lighting. The chair was found at a garage sale for $5.
The bathroom is located off the hallway and is used by the whole family.
Jude and Heath share a bedroom, and Nicole says that she doesn’t interfere too much with how they like it decorated. They love their posters and have them hanging on the walls as well as the ceiling. Nicole found the secondhand chest of drawers while holidaying on Phillip Island. “I had been on the lookout for ages, I wasn’t sure we could fit them in the ute to bring home but we did!” she says.
The couple got the side table and lamp as a giveaway when they bought a couch from an ad on Gumtree.
The couple got the side table and lamp as a giveaway when they bought a couch from an ad on Gumtree.
Nicole says her boys love Lego and so displaying their Lego toys around the room is a must. Her youngest son, Heath, also loves Ninja Turtles and Hot Wheels cars, and these toys are a little bit big to fit in the toy box, so they are displayed as well.
Peyton has her own bedroom. She sleeps on Nicole’s childhood bed and the furniture placement is organised according to the nearest power point (only one in each room). The doll’s house also once belonged to Nicole.
Peyton hung her posters and displayed her knickknacks around the room. She is very proud of her collections of rocks, shells and books. What she likes best about the space is the fact that it gets lots of sun – Nicole says her last room didn’t get much of it.
Peyton hung her posters and displayed her knickknacks around the room. She is very proud of her collections of rocks, shells and books. What she likes best about the space is the fact that it gets lots of sun – Nicole says her last room didn’t get much of it.
The wall displays are from Kmart and host some of Peyton’s favourite toys.
Nicole printed these artworks from a free printable link she found on Pinterest.
Meet My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and New Zealand, and interview the people who inhabit them. If you would like to submit your own home for a tour, simply take a photograph and post it on Instagram hashtagging #meetmyhouzz.
MORE
Meet My Houzz: Lisa Burdus From Rooms by Design
Meet My Houzz: The Coys
Meet My Houzz: The Phangs
Meet My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and New Zealand, and interview the people who inhabit them. If you would like to submit your own home for a tour, simply take a photograph and post it on Instagram hashtagging #meetmyhouzz.
MORE
Meet My Houzz: Lisa Burdus From Rooms by Design
Meet My Houzz: The Coys
Meet My Houzz: The Phangs
We spoke to Nicole to find out more about her home.
How did you come across your home?
We had been looking for a house in a different suburb but nothing was eventuating there. This house had been on the market for some time, but was the next suburb over from where we wanted. However, one day we noticed it had changed agents and had some better photos on the listing. One of the reasons we had previously discounted it as an option was due to the really bad photos. That would be the photographer in me!