This 99-year-old weatherboard cottage is filled with an eclectic mix of treasures
House snapshot
Janice and her partner Mark have lived in their 99-year-old weatherboard in Brooklyn NSW, Australia for 12 years.
When it comes to decorating Janice’s style is very eclectic and the home is full of unique treasures, gathered over time. “We have renovated gradually, slowly filling it with things we love,” says Janice.
“My favourite space in the home would have to be the kitchen,” says Janice. “It’s a wonderful place to cook while looking out over the river.”
The couple have so far put in a new kitchen and laundry, built a studio/cabin for their son Angus and done extensive landscaping, including the installation of a pool.
Interview by: Victoria Kingsbury. Photography by: Michael Wee. Story from: homes+
“Brooklyn is a wonderful place to bring up kids,” says Janice. It’s full of tourists on weekends, but because of the position of our house, we’re completely hidden away, so it doesn’t affect us.”
“We have a north-facing, covered verandah that we use all year round” says Janice.
For the under-utilised west-facing garden, a landscape gardener suggested installing French doors off the bedroom opening onto a deck.
“We were having trouble finding extra-large paper lanterns in Australia, then we found some on a trip to Vietnam,” says Janice.
Janice often invites friends and family over for pizza, baked in the outdoor pizza oven.
Both armchairs were eBay finds and the coffee table was a dining table that Mark cut down to size.
A white potato vine climbs the beautiful Indian Jali gates that Janice found at an antiques barn.
The small deck off the bedroom grew what is now a large entertaining deck and pool.
The kitchen shelves pieces from the family’s travels.
Stencilled flooring can make a big impact. Large diamonds make the space feel wider.
“My favourite space in the home would have to be the kitchen,” says Janice. “It’s a wonderful place to cook while looking out over the river.”
The cosy middle living room is full of secondhand finds from eBay and Gumtree.
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