Dark kitchen made bigger and brighter in Tingalpa, Brisbane

When Megan and Brad Crockart met Rachel Whitford of Refresh Renovations in Brisbane they had a clear idea of what they wanted to achieve with their renovation. Their existing kitchen was dark, small and lacked storage space so they planned to remove a wall that divided it from the laundry and reconfigure the space to create a bigger, brighter kitchen with a laundry tucked around the corner. Their brief also included enclosing the verandah of their home to create more usable living space for the young family of four. While the project sounded straightforward there were a few challenges Rachel, as project manager, had to deal with. For example, there was asbestos in the wall between the kitchen and laundry, which had to be removed by licensed professionals before any other work could be done.

Carrying out the kitchen renovation

Once the dividing wall and asbestos had been removed, the transformation of the Crockart’s home began to take shape. Megan and Brad chose an Amorini white Shaker-style kitchen with grey Mirostone benchtops, complemented by simple, neutral subway tiles. Tradepro installed the kitchen and used the same style of units for the laundry area.
Rachel says reconfiguring the kitchen to make the most of the available space was a priority. ‘We played around with the laundry/kitchen area quite a bit, and went through a number of designs to create something that met the family’s requirements. It was really important to find the best use of space for what was essentially a small area, so we focused on maximising functionality and storage within the limitations of the house.’

We’re really happy with the extension at the front – it’s made a huge amount of extra space in our living area

Laundry improvements

She said the installation of large cabinets in the laundry increased storage options for the Crockarts. ‘The big cupboards in the laundry could also be used for additional pantry storage if needed as they’re so close to the kitchen. That kind of flexibility can be a real advantage when you have a growing family.’
The cool white and grey colour scheme with seafoam accents extends from the kitchen and laundry to the rest of the house, reflecting the light and enhancing the feeling of spaciousness in the home.

House renovation colour schemes

Rachel says Megan and Brad’s colour choice was perfect. ‘We wanted to try and work with their existing colour scheme, but at the same time we wanted to brighten and refresh the space. Opening up the wall has allowed so much more light in. Now the whole space feels modern, light and airy as well as being much more practical for the needs of a young family,’ she adds.
With the design for the kitchen resolved, Rachel could turn her attention to enclosing the verandah. She says it wasn’t a huge area, but that increasing the internal footprint of the home made sense. The Crockarts are thrilled with the result. ‘We’re really happy with the extension at the front – it’s made a huge amount of extra space in our living area,’ says Megan. Naturally, the new extension needed new flooring. Rachel recommended sourcing hardwood timber flooring that would complement the floor in the existing lounge area, rather than reflooring throughout.

The final house renovation cost

The original budget for the project was $60k; the final spend was close to $68k. Rachel says there were several variations that increased costs including the removal of more asbestos than originally anticipated, additional electrical work and an increase in the amount of flooring required. Looking back on the project, she’s pleased with what she was able to achieve for the Crockarts.
‘It’s really satisfying to know that this young family now has much more functional space at home. This renovation has made their lives so much easier and makes it more relaxing for them when they get home from work.’
You may also be interested in: Family Bathroom Renovation
Get in touch with Refresh to discuss your home renovation project
If you would like to discuss home renovation options for your next renovation project, please use the enquiry form on this page to provide us with your contact details. We will get in touch with you at a time that suits you to discuss your project. If you would like to provide us with more information about your project, we have a more comprehensive enquiry form on our "Get in touch" page too.

*All information is believed to be true at time of publishing and is subject to change.