BRISBANE’S BOOMING! CHECK OUT THESE BEAUTIFUL BRISSY ABODES
Affectionately known as Brisvegas, Brisbane, Queensland was a one-time backwater turned mass migration hotspot. And it’s not just Baby Boomers moving to seek the quiet life! Young families and Millennials are recognising the relaxed lifestyle, growing job market and housing affordability in Brissy, compared with other parts of the country and are heading to the Sunshine State to take advantage of a sea change. The latest jewel in Brisbane’s crown is becoming the host city of the 2032 Olympic Games, predicting it will put itself on the map as a truly global city.
Driving through the ‘burbs of Brisbane, it’s hard to miss the renovations and new builds scattered down every street, including those of our Reno Schoolers. We spoke to three Brissy beauties, Candice, Courtney and Cindy, who are ahead of the game (the property game, not the Olympic kind!) and shared their homes with us.
BYRON IN BRISBANE
Candice Silver, hubby Tom, and their two young boys moved to Brisbane from Sydney in 2019. Candice has been “real estate and interiors obsessed” for as long as she can remember - a far cry from her Politics major degree and a previous government career in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing! The move to Brisbane gave her the opportunity to pour her love of renovating into creating their dream family home.
Candice and Tom weren’t newbies to the reno game, with two previous renovations under their toolbelts, but their #ByroninBrisbane project was by far the biggest yet. Having holidayed in Byron Bay for many years, Candice’s vision was to bring the relaxed, coastal vibes of Byron to the ‘burbs of Brisbane.
“I’ve holidayed in Byron since I was about 3, stopping in on the way up the coast when it was still a sleepy, hippy coastal village - running around barefoot, singing with buskers, and just generally living my best life there. It’s changed a lot since I was little, but it’s still pretty magical - tropical, relaxed, full of creativity and fun - and a big source of visual inspo for our home!”
The reno started by building a pool house and pool out the back, which the family moved into while the main house was renovated. The single-storeyed Queenslander was raised to allow for an extra level to be built underneath. It was a huge undertaking with two young kids in a new city but Candice and Tom were up for the challenge… and it’s clear to see that the end result made it all worthwhile.
The neutral colour palette, polished concrete floors and pool surrounds, cladded walls and whimsy linen sheer curtains are bringing all the Byron Bay vibes to Candice’s #holidayathome .
When Courtney and her hubby, Jayce, laid eyes on this block, they knew it was the one! After an extensive search for the perfect spot to build their family home, this corner block ticked all the boxes they wanted for raising their two little girls. It’s a great size, in a family-friendly suburb and with an amazing walking/bike track across the street
They rented the existing house out for a year and got planning their brand new dream home.
“ I did the Three Birds Reno School before starting our build and it was a game-changer. It gave me confidence in all of my decisions and it made me back myself. It helped me find our exact style and what we loved.”
Courtney’s vision board for their #coastalqueenslander home
A seamless flow from the kitchen to alfresco living area and pool
There’s no doubt that Courtney’s #coastalQueenslander #beachintheburbs vision is alive and kicking in her brand new home. She shared these gorgeous pics with us.
The girls’ bathroom
The guest room ensuite
A bath with a view - lucky girls!
Double basins and shower for a super-luxe, hotel feel
“I truly enjoy the build process so much (I know that’s usually unheard of, as most find building so stressful) but this is my jam! I love dreaming up the vision, putting the wheels in motion then watching it come to life!”
After project handover, the final touch to Courtney’s dream home was adding her name - Geneviere. How cute is this story?
”This is the name of the previous owner. The only other owner before us. She was an architect, she designed and built the house that once stood on our block. Her and her husband raised their 4 daughters here. She lost her husband and lived in that house for a long time on her own. It was her home, her safe place. She passed away in her 90’s last year. When we learnt about her, and met 2 of her daughters, we knew immediately the love and laughter that was shared in that home. So it seemed only fitting to name our house after the one and only owner before us. And what a beautiful name it is ✨”
What’s next for Courtney? She’s joined Three Birds Styling School! “We want that holiday at home, resort feel. Relaxed, inviting, energising but also playful. Can’t wait to make our ‘Resort-style Queenslander’ come to life ✨”
Follow Courtney: @ourbrisbanebuild
CASA BELLA
DIY home renovators Cindy and Dan Mead are living the DIY reno dream. After renovating two Brisbane properties on a tight budget and flipping them for a profit, they have bought the house they’ve always wanted, a large character Queenslander in Alderley. They both work full-time which makes for busy weekends on the tools.
Unlike their previous projects, which were on tight timelines to meet budgets to sell, they’re in no hurry and enjoying living in the home while they renovate it, bit by bit.
“We love that this house was originally called Casa Bella. The owners from many years ago were Italian - we found an old Italian family photo album of theirs at the back of a cupboard so I guess that’s where the name came from! We love this history of our home and we definitely wanted to keep the name to honour the owners from all those years ago. We are true lovers of Italy, always eating traditional Italian food, forever drinking the wine (and limoncello), we’ve holidayed there 4 times and we even love the traditional music - it feels like it was meant to be our home.”
Follow Cindy & Dan’s reno journey: @reno.diary
