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Imposing your style on a home can be a challenge – particularly without a necessary renovation as an excuse to redesign. It's a challenge Ange Sibley of Ever So Homely has tackled with her own home – an almost-new build purchased two years ago.
Buying this home was a snap decision, made when the family had to move out of their rental while Ange was pregnant. “The house ticked most of the boxes, except for a few feature colours and areas,” she says. “The front of the house and entry had a disconnect to the rest of the house, as we had already done some work to the other areas. This area really needed a facelift so it flowed through.” The focus of Ange's energies has been on cosmetic tweaks and clever styling – without blowing the budget on big changes – but the result reflects Ange's own style and creates a warm and welcoming space.
The deep, almost-black paint shade, Baltica by Dulux, features throughout the home, so Ange looked no further when she decided to paint the front door and frame, which were previously a rather orange shade of timber. A cute doormat and a sculptural cactus complete the newly inviting picture.
With room to play with in the foyer, Ange wanted to add a table or shelf. The aim was to create a drop zone to manage clutter and to create a sense of welcome. “When you walk into someone's home, you immediately want to know, ‘Where do I put my bag?' Here, they can sit down and take off their shoes, put their keys down if they want to,” she says. The shelf was a weekend D.I.Y. project and is the perfect spot for keys and coins. Planters with mother-in-law's tongue, peace lily and philodendron add a fresh touch of greenery.
Ange wanted to add texture and a bit of black to the recesses to echo the dark accents elsewhere. She achieved this with a timber frame – simply straight-cut pine, screwed into place and painted in Dulux Baltica. Rhipsalis in hanging planters finished the look. “I wanted the plants to look like they were hanging in midair,” she says. Suspending the planters also solves the problem of the narrow shelf, which is too thin to hold a pot.
Now you know our simple tips on how to create a welcomed entrance in your home, head into your local Bunnings store to pick up everything you need.
Photo credit: Sue Stubbs
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
