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At one time the kitchen sink stopped working and wouldn’t drain. Knowing they would be ripping it all out in the renovation they didn’t want to spend extra money and put a bucket over the sink instead.
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Living in the home as it was – despite issues with the sink and toilets – meant they learnt what they hated and what they wanted to change. They worked out how the building and the land responded, where the sunlight touched and where sitting areas should be.
They were set on the style of mid-century architecture with a Scandinavian twist. Collaborating with local architects Ben Selke and Felicity King from Studio Barbara they emphasised the importance of cross-ventilation.
After a year of planning and a couple of months through council, they got the green light to commence work in February 2022. The family moved into a rental in Avalon. Each morning and evening Tom travelled to the site before and after his work as a director of a construction supplies business.
There was relentless rain, which meant three months of delays.
Emma, a primary school teacher, was the go-to person for anything related to design.
The original home came in shades of dark brown.
There was extensive use of white, natural timbers, glazing and terrazzo. Hues of pink and green were used in the kitchen and bathrooms.
At each milestone there was joy in watching the crew from Woodco Constructions work, from breaking ground to pouring concrete slabs and starting framing.
“I learnt how to use an excavator,” Tom said. “I took every Thursday off work for three months and did all the landscaping myself as a project.” This hands-on participation became a cherished accomplishment.
Their ocean view dream was realised and they even included a self-contained downstairs area with separate access perfect for visitors or potential income.
There was joy at every milestone of the project.
If they could do it all again they would engage a quantity surveyor, which Tom felt would have helped them create a more accurate budget. While they planned as much as possible with design decisions and material selections – often ordering and stockpiling tiles months before they were needed – they under-budgeted overall.
They budgeted $750,000 for the renovation and spent $1.3 million.
As their budget blew out, after seven months of renting they moved in with Emma’s parents for the remaining five months of the build.
”I didn’t like the financial unpredictability of it, with spiralling material costs. There were quite a lot of unknowns,” Tom said.
Tom and Emily created a mid-century family home with a Scandinavian twist.Credit: Rhett Wyman
This was the couple’s second project after refurbishing a deceased estate unit in Collaroy.
While their main objective was fiscal they absolutely love renovating. They are already eyeing a third local project.
“For our generation – it’s a way to pay down the mortgage,” he said.
“We love it. It’s hard work. But it is a fun thing to do together if you both like doing it.”
The home is light and bright inside.Credit: McGrath Pittwater – Avalon
The property at 29 Cook Terrace is listed for auction on February 10 with a price guide of $4 million.
Selling agent Callum Docker from McGrath Pittwater, Avalon said the home is light and bright.
“They’ve positioned the property to really capture the sunlight from morning to afternoon, as you walk through,” he said.
The home’s proximity to parks, Mona Vale Beach and Warriewood Beach made it an attractive lifestyle address, Docker said.
“It’s an amazing location. It’s got a pool, a nice flat backyard, and a kitchen that looks straight out to the yard. All those really mean it ticks the boxes for families,” he said.
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