Prue and Ben Bartholomaeus

49 Evans Street Balmain 2041

Prue and Ben,

Thank you for inviting me into your lovely home and sharing with me the ideas you have for it’s evolution! I’m thrilled to be on that journey with you.

The following is the scope as I understand it, so please look through it carefully and let me know of any additional inclusions or things you’d like me to modify or delete.

Once you’re happy that we are on the same page, I will begin the Creative Interior Plan (CIP) - which, in effect, is the narrative for the design of the house and the strategy by which we can achieve all your best house goals.

Here we go!

Hx

Priorities:

The following is a list of priorities that you have already outlined and more may be added.

Living room storage unit options and furniture layout
Kitchen cupboards and cupboard front solutions, including the broken tooth gap above the fridge. Inclusion of wine fridge.
BBQ needs shelving and cupboard doors added to the concrete frame.
Laundry/main bathroom cupboard solutions again! To reconfigure and conceal laundry space and address the issue of the shaving cabinet doors.
Work stations for Ben and Prue. May or may not involve shifting Matilda… but the aim is to create highly functional work spaces that also look great, making the whole working from home reality a pleasure and not a burden on the family home.
Master bedroom Addition of shelving behind door.

We will incorporate all of the above in the CIP, as well as a range of other improvements and additions, some of which are outlined in the following, that will ultimately give your home the level of finish you feel it currently lacks.

The following is a brief outline of what those extras include, but it is not exhaustive.

The front:

Although it is assumed the house is structurally sound, the front of the cottage has a number of issues that need to be addressed. Whilst these are not critical at this point, it would be good to get an idea of the scope and an estimate of cost to remediate/replace the woodwork on the verandah, to investigate the underfloor from under the front deck, to replace the window and architrave in sympathy with the age of the house, replace the rotted decking and add a manhole.

The bins are not doing any aesthetic favours sitting at the entrance of the house, and so we might think of some creative alternatives to where they sit or how we conceal them. Relocating essential cables will also improve the aesthetics and a child-safe gate is an absolute must.

I’d also like to suggest an alternative colour scheme for the exterior that will be more charismatic, as well a replacement of the front door screen. This is perhaps not a priority, but I will include anyway for future reference, should you decide on a change.

Chasing council re planting is also a great idea - a heathy flowering vine like a wisteria or star jasmine growing up from the left hand corner as you look at the house would be just lovely. Something hardy, lush and easy to maintain…

Moving inside….

The house has a lovely vibe right from the threshold. It exudes the same warmth and relaxed vibe that the two of you both exude - so it’s not surprising! The suggestions I make in the CIP are to inspire you to explore the possibilities of what more you can do to optimise the home and reflect even more, the qualities that define your family.

We talked briefly about the flooring choice here - the floating timber floor is not your favourite. We don’t however, need to replace it to solve the problem - a hall runner may well do the trick.

I’d like to suggest changing the colour scheme and adding art. A good solution here that might appeal, is a gallery style hang on the right side only. That way, the space looks vibrant but not crowded.

In any house, I believe, lighting is the single most important element. The quality of the light and the quality of the fitting. It doesn’t mean you have to spend a complete fortune, but it does mean you have to select carefully and you’ve done exactly that with the fittings in the hallway. They are lovely and have a generous and organic softness to them which will influence my design for this area and beyond into the living spaces.

The Front Room:

Lockdown has placed a huge burden on most homes, and yours is no different - as you are experiencing!

It is critical for you both to have a work ‘station’ that is fit for purpose - spacious, light, comfortable, and with all the necessary elements for you to be able to carry out your work - unimpeded by the limitations of the four walls you find yourself in. And it should look good, too.

We can look at the idea of a study ‘nook’ for Prue at the top of the stairs, but my strong recommendation would be - concede that working from home in some capacity may be here for the long term, and perching in a tight space is probably not sustainable.

Little kids work well in the same bedroom (contrary to expectations) but big people can start to feel relegated when not adequately accommodated whilst trying to earn a living! I suggest we look at refurnishing both Ben’s study and the guest room in order to create a dedicated room for each of you, leaving a fold-out couch to accommodate guests in one of the rooms.

I have loads of ideas for these two rooms which will greatly improve and enhance your working day - including housing a stationary bike!!!

Lots of ‘stuff’ here that needs a place to be!

Lockdown came on pretty rapidly, both last year and this, to which most people’s houses attest. Lack of time to plan and implement the necessary changes to living spaces has meant that people have become accustomed to areas crowded with ‘stuff’ as we seek to get on with the job. It’s easy to underestimate the impact that mess can have on the psyche.

This is a perfect opportunity for you guys as you work to finesse your home, to really think about the best solutions for working from home. I would guard against too much built-in furniture as I think that it’s costly and it potentially limits you in the future with ways you might change the way you use the rooms as your family grows or your needs change in any way.

I think that critically evaluating the furniture that you have and that you need is the key, although I am not discounting some built-ins!

Matilda’s Room:

From this space, a baby’s room, a guest room, and a spill-over storage room are all demanded. And it’s the second room in from the front door. Ideally, it needs an identity check and it needs to be styled and furnished in a cohesive way that fits with the theme of the rest of the house.

This cot is sublime!!!!!

I do want to challenge you, as referenced in the above, to think about moving Matilda upstairs with Hamish so that you have more space downstairs to live and work. This home needs to function well as a workplace AND a family home and a line of demarcation is a good way to quarantine those two things. I’m sure it’s better for mental health generally for all of us, as well as being a question of efficiency!

If you decide not to move Matilda upstairs, I will of course respect that and come up with alternatives as to how to make this room function better.

Main bathroom/laundry:

Whilst the interior design of this room is attractive, the exposed laundry isn’t and it needs a clever solution to make it more efficient and to hide the array of laundry stuff currently on view. Flipping the tub to the other side has been suggested, and Prue would ideally like a hanging rack above. By replacing the tub with a significantly smaller one could make this possible. Additional shelving could also be added for detergents etc, ideally above the sink, out of harm’s way!

Storage of the ironing board and brooms is a greater challenge and a solution to that may be found in the kitchen.

Additionally, the shaving cabinet doors are problematic and need to be fixed or replaced.

As an aside, a double basin in this bathroom is potentially something we could change without too much drama. The reason I suggest it is that this craze of double basins is fine in a big bathroom (I mean, if you want to brush your teeth together…) but it takes up a lot more space than necessary. A single basin allows for greater storage underneath in the vanity and on the top. Something to consider.

Kitchen:

The cupboard fronts in the kitchen will be hard to match when looking to solve the ‘hole’ above the fridge. A solution might be to replace them all and in doing so, seamlessly create the new cupboard and possibly remove the nooks in other areas at the same time. If you were to choose this option, I’d suggest running the cupboards all the way to ceiling height as the extra storage, although requiring a step ladder to reach, would be useful.

All storage is useful!!!!

We could look at putting the microwave in the pantry, thereby freeing up bench space, and we could also look at adding another wall cupboard above where the wine fridge will be, in line with the existing wall cupboards.

More radically, if we were to choose to replace the cupboard fronts. we could look at swapping out your fridge for a narrower one which we could even integrate. This would allow for a wider pantry cupboard. I’m getting carried away and will stop here!!! All of this will be in the CIP.

But important to note, these changes would not effect the bench top - which is often the most expensive part of a kitchen modification. Swapping the fridge may sound like a big deal, but it would make a load of sense and the added cost could be offset by selling this one.

A wine fridge is also required and the suggested place for it is under the bench, accessible from the dining area side. A concern might be that this idea takes away too much cupboard space on the other side, so increasing cupboard space with taller cupboards could help.

Living Room:

This is the heart of the house and it is lovely the way it opens on to the bright, sunny garden. But again, a lot is asked of this room by a young family with loads of toys and books, a tv, and a host of other things.

The solution lies in - you guessed it - the storage. A built-in unit makes the most sense, but I would also like to look at some other alternatives. The aim is to create serenity in the mayhem of toddler world!! I also have some really good suggestions for art…

The CIP will contain a ton of detail, but at this stage, I just want you to be confident that I understand the frustrations you are currently feeling about this room, and I have looked at and thought a lot already about the various inspo material you have provided. We will find an awesome solution because as I said, this house has so many great things about it and it just needs a cohesive approach to its facility and style.

So many ideas already!

The Garden

As you point out, the BBQ is the problem here as it looks unfinished and messy. Shelving beneath and cupboards are all it needs and with the new outdoor furniture already purchased, this garden will be ready for summer.

I’ve had a couple of other ideas that might really enhance the area - but more in the CIP!

Upstairs:

There is something so good about the sleeping quarters for the whole family being above the living areas - lovely aspect, good light, good ventilation - all at a quiet remove from the hustle and bustle of the rooms below.

Hamish’s Room:

This is a lovely room but could do with some rearranging to better fit a little boy - and his littler sister!! A chair for reading stories in is a lovely addition to a child’s bedroom, but the armchair here is too big and if we are to move Matilda in, we will need to find an alternative.

Kids bedrooms are so great to design and I look forward to doing this one and creating a room they both love.

It’s about being clever with the storage space, auditing the existing furniture, and designing a colour scheme that ties in with the house more generally.

Master Bedroom

A really beautiful master bedroom is a must in any family home. As parents, we get so good at giving, but we lose track sometimes of the need to give to ourselves first.

This is the room you come to at the end of every single day and it needs to welcome you into its arms so that you can rest and recover - and get up in the morning ready to do it all over again!!! So it needs to be fabulous.

What is already fabulous is the quality of light and the big sky view.

I’d like to enhance the look of the room with a new colour scheme, new linen and art. I think the layout of the room is right but with a new bedhead and bedside tables, we can make it much more luxe. You guys deserve it!

To conclude…

My approach to interior design is wholistic, meaning I take the whole house into account, not just a few targeted rooms. The result then feels thorough - it feeeeels designed and is cohesive, which makes for a greater sense of harmony and total sense of style.

From the street view, through every room and cupboard, then out into the garden, the CIP you receive will cover all aspects of the design potential as I see it. I welcome your input and I am always open to your feedback - because it is by working together that we can make this Balmain home - boss.

So let’s get cracking!

Hx

Prue and Ben Bartholomaeus

49 Evans Street Balmain 2041

Prue and Ben,

Thank you for inviting me into your lovely home and sharing with me the ideas you have for it’s evolution! I’m thrilled to be on that journey with you.

The following is the scope as I understand it, so please look through it carefully and let me know of any additional inclusions or things you’d like me to modify or delete.

Once you’re happy that we are on the same page, I will begin the Creative Interior Plan (CIP) - which, in effect, is the narrative for the design of the house and the strategy by which we can achieve all your best house goals.

Here we go!

Hx

Priorities:

The following is a list of priorities that you have already outlined and more may be added.

Living room storage unit options and furniture layout

Kitchen cupboards and cupboard front solutions, including the broken tooth gap above the fridge. Inclusion of wine fridge.

BBQ needs shelving and cupboard doors added to the concrete frame.

Laundry/main bathroom cupboard solutions again! To reconfigure and conceal laundry space and address the issue of the shaving cabinet doors.

Work stations for Ben and Prue. May or may not involve shifting Matilda… but the aim is to create highly functional work spaces that also look great, making the whole working from home reality a pleasure and not a burden on the family home.

Master bedroom Addition of shelving behind door.

We will incorporate all of the above in the CIP, as well as a range of other improvements and additions, some of which are outlined in the following, that will ultimately give your home the level of finish you feel it currently lacks.

The following is a brief outline of what those extras include, but it is not exhaustive.

The front:

The bins are not doing any aesthetic favours sitting at the entrance of the house, and so we might think of some creative alternatives to where they sit or how we conceal them. Relocating essential cables will also improve the aesthetics and a child-safe gate is an absolute must.

I’d also like to suggest an alternative colour scheme for the exterior that will be more charismatic, as well a replacement of the front door screen. This is perhaps not a priority, but I will include anyway for future reference, should you decide on a change.

Chasing council re planting is also a great idea - a heathy flowering vine like a wisteria or star jasmine growing up from the left hand corner as you look at the house would be just lovely. Something hardy, lush and easy to maintain…

Moving inside….

We talked briefly about the flooring choice here - the floating timber floor is not your favourite. We don’t however, need to replace it to solve the problem - a hall runner may well do the trick.

I’d like to suggest changing the colour scheme and adding art. A good solution here that might appeal, is a gallery style hang on the right side only. That way, the space looks vibrant but not crowded.

The Front Room:

Lockdown has placed a huge burden on most homes, and yours is no different - as you are experiencing!

It is critical for you both to have a work ‘station’ that is fit for purpose - spacious, light, comfortable, and with all the necessary elements for you to be able to carry out your work - unimpeded by the limitations of the four walls you find yourself in. And it should look good, too.

We can look at the idea of a study ‘nook’ for Prue at the top of the stairs, but my strong recommendation would be - concede that working from home in some capacity may be here for the long term, and perching in a tight space is probably not sustainable.

I have loads of ideas for these two rooms which will greatly improve and enhance your working day - including housing a stationary bike!!!

Lots of ‘stuff’ here that needs a place to be!

I think that critically evaluating the furniture that you have and that you need is the key, although I am not discounting some built-ins!

Matilda’s Room:

From this space, a baby’s room, a guest room, and a spill-over storage room are all demanded. And it’s the second room in from the front door. Ideally, it needs an identity check and it needs to be styled and furnished in a cohesive way that fits with the theme of the rest of the house.

This cot is sublime!!!!!

If you decide not to move Matilda upstairs, I will of course respect that and come up with alternatives as to how to make this room function better.

Main bathroom/laundry:

Storage of the ironing board and brooms is a greater challenge and a solution to that may be found in the kitchen.

Additionally, the shaving cabinet doors are problematic and need to be fixed or replaced.

Kitchen:

All storage is useful!!!!

We could look at putting the microwave in the pantry, thereby freeing up bench space, and we could also look at adding another wall cupboard above where the wine fridge will be, in line with the existing wall cupboards.

More radically, if we were to choose to replace the cupboard fronts. we could look at swapping out your fridge for a narrower one which we could even integrate. This would allow for a wider pantry cupboard. I’m getting carried away and will stop here!!! All of this will be in the CIP.

But important to note, these changes would not effect the bench top - which is often the most expensive part of a kitchen modification. Swapping the fridge may sound like a big deal, but it would make a load of sense and the added cost could be offset by selling this one.

A wine fridge is also required and the suggested place for it is under the bench, accessible from the dining area side. A concern might be that this idea takes away too much cupboard space on the other side, so increasing cupboard space with taller cupboards could help.

Living Room:

This is the heart of the house and it is lovely the way it opens on to the bright, sunny garden. But again, a lot is asked of this room by a young family with loads of toys and books, a tv, and a host of other things.

The solution lies in - you guessed it - the storage. A built-in unit makes the most sense, but I would also like to look at some other alternatives. The aim is to create serenity in the mayhem of toddler world!! I also have some really good suggestions for art…

So many ideas already!

The Garden

As you point out, the BBQ is the problem here as it looks unfinished and messy. Shelving beneath and cupboards are all it needs and with the new outdoor furniture already purchased, this garden will be ready for summer.

I’ve had a couple of other ideas that might really enhance the area - but more in the CIP!

Upstairs:

There is something so good about the sleeping quarters for the whole family being above the living areas - lovely aspect, good light, good ventilation - all at a quiet remove from the hustle and bustle of the rooms below.

Hamish’s Room:

This is a lovely room but could do with some rearranging to better fit a little boy - and his littler sister!! A chair for reading stories in is a lovely addition to a child’s bedroom, but the armchair here is too big and if we are to move Matilda in, we will need to find an alternative.

Kids bedrooms are so great to design and I look forward to doing this one and creating a room they both love.

It’s about being clever with the storage space, auditing the existing furniture, and designing a colour scheme that ties in with the house more generally.

Master Bedroom

A really beautiful master bedroom is a must in any family home. As parents, we get so good at giving, but we lose track sometimes of the need to give to ourselves first.

This is the room you come to at the end of every single day and it needs to welcome you into its arms so that you can rest and recover - and get up in the morning ready to do it all over again!!! So it needs to be fabulous.

What is already fabulous is the quality of light and the big sky view.

I’d like to enhance the look of the room with a new colour scheme, new linen and art. I think the layout of the room is right but with a new bedhead and bedside tables, we can make it much more luxe. You guys deserve it!

To conclude…

My approach to interior design is wholistic, meaning I take the whole house into account, not just a few targeted rooms. The result then feels thorough - it feeeeels designed and is cohesive, which makes for a greater sense of harmony and total sense of style.

From the street view, through every room and cupboard, then out into the garden, the CIP you receive will cover all aspects of the design potential as I see it. I welcome your input and I am always open to your feedback - because it is by working together that we can make this Balmain home - boss.

So let’s get cracking!

Hx