Brilliant in Berwick

Featured Renovations: Berwick

Rosemount literally brought my dream to reality. From the beginning to end, they were all committed to delivering a great outcome. They were honest, accommodating and responsive.

Julie Cairns, Berwick

Julie Cairns used to feel her home was becoming tired and dated, but the way she feels today couldn’t be more different.

“It’s like living in a display home,” she says. “Before the renovation there were a lot of things about the house that frustrated me, but now it’s just a really nice space to be in.”

Julie and husband Shayne initially considered project managing the renovation of their kitchen, main bathroom, ensuite, laundry and powder room.

But they’re relieved they chose to bring in the experts from Rosemount Kitchens.

“I don’t think we realised quite what was involved in a project like this,” she says. “There were days when it seemed like there was a cast of thousands in the house; plumbers, electricians, tilers. Just the level of organisation and co-ordination required - there’s no way we could have done that ourselves.”

Why Take On Such A Big Renovation?

Julie and Shayne knew their house in Berwick - built in the 90s - was in need of a facelift. The bathrooms were worn out and signs of water damage had started appearing on skirting boards.

The couple took the big decision to also renovate the kitchen and laundry at the same time.

“We thought, ‘well, if we're going to do this, we might as well do the whole lot at once and have the disruption over and done with,” says Julie.

“Shayne and I both work full time, so we just wanted someone to come in and project manage it for us. We wanted to make the fun selections and have Rosemount bring the dream to life.”

And they're thrilled with the result.

“We’re so chuffed,” she says. “It’s turned out just brilliantly.”

Find out more below on the story of this renovation, and see the full specifications here. You’ll also find more client stories like Julie’s at the bottom of this page.

Looking for inspiration for your own project? Check out our kitchen gallery and bathroom gallery.

Got some questions? Call us on 1300 476 736 and we’ll be happy to help.

Inspiration For The Renovation

Julie found Rosemount online and loved the fact that we had the capacity to do multi-room renovations - not just kitchens and bathrooms.

She was also struck by the useful and practical information on our website.

“A lot of companies are a bit secretive in the early stages and you don’t get any indication of price,” she says. “But that’s not the case with Rosemount, and I really love that transparency and the fact you have the owner talking about it on the website.

“He says they’ll work with you to get the right result and that’s exactly what they did.”

Rosemount’s initial quote was more than the couple wanted to invest, but they worked with our designer to meet the budget without compromising on quality.

KITCHEN:

From White To Black - A Beautiful Kitchen Update

Before - the old kitchen.

After ... the new kitchen

When Julie and Shayne visited Rosemount’s showroom in Oakleigh they saw this display kitchen - and were inspired.

“We thought, ‘that’s what we want’," says Julie. “And we knew these guys were going to be able to deliver what we wanted.”

Step-in Pantry

The beautiful and super-functional pantry in the new kitchen.

Of particular appeal was the step-in pantry.

In our old kitchen we had what they call a ‘builder’s pantry’ in the corner. It was a really funny shape and I always disliked it. When we saw this pantry at the Rosemount showroom we thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing. Wouldn’t it be great if they could do that at our place’.

JULIE

Julie loves the fact her new pantry can be “hidden” and has so much storage space.

“It packs a punch for a small space,” she says. “You wouldn’t even know it was there and it has lots of storage options. I love the fact that it’s a place where you can hide away appliances like your toaster and kettle.”

The new kitchen looks stunning with Laminex AbsoluteMatte Black cabinetry offset by timber-look cupboards finished in a subtle matt woodgrain from Polytec Boston Oak.

The couple initially considered black cabinetry throughout but decided that would be too “imposing” and potentially make the space seem smaller.

The timber look cabinets, along with the Caesarstone “Intense White” benchtops and herringbone patterned tiled splashback, combine to provide great balance.

“I think if we had gone all black it would have felt like the kitchen was closing in on us a bit and what we have now doesn't feel like that at all,” says Julie.

BATHROOM / ENSUITE / POWDER ROOM:

Bathroom Sanctuaries

The style of the old bathrooms seen here will be familiar to anyone who has been in a house or apartment built in the 80s or 90s.

For Julie and Shayne, the dated look wasn’t the only problem.

For some reason the original owners installed timber skirting boards, which is not a great idea in a wet area. They were starting to show signs of water damage, and when the guys stripped out the bathrooms they said if we had left it much longer then it could have become an expensive issue to fix.

JULIE

The contrast with the new bathrooms couldn’t be more stark.

The main bathroom and ensuite share the same styling, with striking 600mm Elegance Terrazzo tiles that stretch across the floor and up one wall.

“We wanted a style that reflected us and would stand the test of time,” says Julie.

The couple predominantly use the ensuite while their children use the main bathroom.

“They’re just really nice spaces to be in,” she says. “You don't go in there and just want to quickly get showered and get out. I'm quite happy to spend some time in there and take my time getting ready.”

Powder Room

The revamped downstairs powder room - that sits between the kitchen and laundry - is a great example of the change in how Julie feels about her home.

I never used to use that room because there's no natural light in there. It was literally just a toilet, a sink and a mirror. Now I actually go in there and think, ‘Oh wow, this is so different to how it used to be’.

JULIE

Laundry

The same can be said for the laundry.

It was an old style laundry trough with a washing machine next to it and the washing basket too. There was nowhere for the ironing board. That was just up against a wall. Everything was on show and it just wasn't a very nice place to look at.

JULIE

Contrast that with the new space, which combines form and function in a room where every inch is utilised.

The Polytec Blossom White cabinets and Caesarstone benchtop give the room a strong visual appeal. The same splashback tiles help to “connect the story” between the kitchen and the laundry.

Super-practical features like the Hafele pull-out hamper and broom cabinet mean Julie is no longer bothered by dirty clothing in a basket next to the washing machine, or an ironing board propped up against it.

“The look we have in the laundry appeals to me because I just want it to be a really clean sort of space,” she says.

“The old laundry didn't really have any cabinetry and the dirty washing used to sit in the laundry basket beside the washing machine.

“Now that’s all concealed away in the cupboards that are part of custom-made cabinetry designed just for our space. It makes such a difference.”

Living At Home During The Renovation

The renovation wasn’t without its challenges. The couple and their two adult children continued to live at home as the transformation unfolded around them.

For three months Julie says she felt she was living on a “construction site”. The family used an old laundry trough at the back of the garage as a replacement kitchen, and hooked their washing machine up to the garden tap.

“The Rosemount team was very respectful and mindful of the fact that we were living in the space they were working in,” says Julie. “They took great care with everything, putting protection down. They were fantastic and really friendly. We couldn’t have asked for more.”

When the renovation started, the family were uncomfortable about the tradespeople coming into their home when they weren’t there.

“They wanted to get a key so they could come and go as they pleased, and we were quite nervous about that,” says Julie. “Our home is our sanctuary, and allowing people into that space wasn't something that we'd ever done before.

“We expressed a concern about that, and they understood. They allowed us to agree to it in our own time, when we felt comfortable to do it. There was no pressure.”

Trust was built over time and towards the end of the renovation Julie was so used to the tradespeople in her home she told the project manager: “I don't know how I'm going to get used to you guys not being here.”

Problem Solved

Issues sometimes arise in projects of this size and complexity, and after the renovation was finished Julie and Shayne noticed the underfloor heating in the main bathroom wasn’t working properly.

Initially, they were reluctant to get it checked. “We thought maybe it’s the user rather than the system that’s the problem,” says Julie. “It all looked so beautiful, and we were worried it wouldn’t look the same if they had to pull up tiles to fix it.”

Rosemount owner Mark Tonkin insisted on getting the system checked and promised it would look just as good after any work was done.

“They sent the underfloor heating specialist back, he tested it and found one of the sensors wasn’t working,” says Julie.

“Mark felt we would be disappointed if we didn’t get it fixed, and he was very keen to deliver on what they had promised us at the beginning.

“He gave me an undertaking that the work would be done in three days and it would look the same as before, which it does.”

CONCLUSION

Julie and Shayne are delighted with a renovation that will allow them to live in their home happily for many years to come.

With the benefit of hindsight, if they were to do the same work again, they would move out rather than stay at home during a renovation of five different rooms.

That said, they were impressed by the care and attention Rosemount’s team took to make life as comfortable as possible for them while the work was going on.

And they’re thrilled with the end result.