This Sydney Inner-West Workers' Cottage is owned by a young family, Toby & Renee and their two young children. The renovation of their home was almost complete, but an issue with the floor stopped them from going ahead, and I was asked to go and have a look at it.
all images by James Treble
Like many homes around the country this home has been subject to a few renovations over time, meaning this workers' cottage has been completely transformed, resulting in a range of different flooring that required a fresh approach. There are two main issues, the first being the family room floor looks completely different to the original floorboards, which still exist in the hallway. The second issue is due to how the back of this home has been added too and extended over time, this has resulted in a small half-step between the family room and the kitchen area, right in the main traffic walkway. There is also another half-step right at the entrance to this room, both of them creating a dangerous trip-hazard as well as a visually awkward looking space!
To successfully conclude this renovation, these two issues needed serious addressing, the levelling of the floor, to get rid of the trip issue, and the need for a unified looking timber floor throughout the home. The solution? Lifting the family room floor to become the same level of the higher floor of the kitchen area, which also increases the half-step at the entry door to become a normal height and a much safer one. In addition, by continuing the new flooring from this room through to the hallway, unifies the look and feel of the entire home.
Together with Renee we visited there local FlooringXtra showroom, in search of the best product to finish their cottage renovation. There are so many timber options to choose from, but our main wishes were one with a rich texture, contemporary looks and most importantly one that is water-proof, to cope with it being laid in the busy kitchen area. The Flooringxtra HYBRID option provided the perfect solution. It is a truly unique timber look product, which is hard wearing, 100% waterproof, and it also comes in many natural shades to choose from, and because it’s so thin, it made dealing with those new levels a dream, providing the perfect flooring option for this renovation project.
The results… well as you can see in the video below, they are outstanding!! I’ve gotta say, I’ve had quite a few calls now from both Toby and Renee, as it transformed their home, providing that final piece of their ‘renovation jigsaw puzzle, and resulting in the completion of their dream home.
What a transformation!! That step that was in the middle of the room, a trip-hazard, but also a visual interruption to the expanse of the room, has finally gone. By lifting the floor to eliminate one small step, we also achieved the height necessary to create a regular step at the entry to the room. No more trip hazards here. Not last, the unified look, help this room seem larger, and optically includes the hallway, right to the front door. It looks great!! The timber floor is in tune with the character of the home, and their chosen colour scheme, but it now suits the contemporary styling for this young and modern family. Renovation Complete!
I encourage you to visit FlooringXtra.com.au to have an idea of their vast range of products, or, even better, visit one of their many showrooms, where expert and caring salespeople will direct you to the options to best suit the needs of your property. Trust the experts for great advice in finding the floor solution that is beautiful, durable and perfect for your home.
Watch below the progress and before & after of this Sydney's Workers Cottage.
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has 3 decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to homes through clever design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.