At Home With... Animal Lover and TV Vet Dr Lisa Chimes
The TV vet and self-confessed homebody invites us into her family home for a chat about kids, pets and renovating
Georgia Madden
30 November 2017
Dr Lisa Chimes is a veterinarian you’ll recognise from the television shows Bondi Vet and Dr Lisa to the Rescue. With a busy workload and a young family to juggle, her renovated, two-storey home in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs is her sanctuary. Lisa invited us to stop by for a chat about how she loves to live.
Photos by Pablo Veiga
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Lisa, her husband Brad Nissen, their four-and-a-half-year-old son Hudson, two-year-old daughter Darcie and cavalier-cross poodles Nelson and Lucas
Location: Sydney, NSW
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Lisa, her husband Brad Nissen, their four-and-a-half-year-old son Hudson, two-year-old daughter Darcie and cavalier-cross poodles Nelson and Lucas
Location: Sydney, NSW
Why did you choose to live here?
We love that it’s near the beach, plus my parents live in the house I grew up in just one street away. They help out a lot with the kids.
When did you move in?
2014.
How did you know this house was ‘the one’?
We found it after a two-year search, at a point when I was very much over house hunting. I didn’t love the house, but I could see its potential.
What state was it in when you bought it?
Liveable, but not exactly stylish. Our plan at the time was to just do a few minor, cosmetic touch-ups before we moved in.
The painting was a house-warming gift painted by Lisa’s sister Jessie; dining chairs: Freedom Furniture
We love that it’s near the beach, plus my parents live in the house I grew up in just one street away. They help out a lot with the kids.
When did you move in?
2014.
How did you know this house was ‘the one’?
We found it after a two-year search, at a point when I was very much over house hunting. I didn’t love the house, but I could see its potential.
What state was it in when you bought it?
Liveable, but not exactly stylish. Our plan at the time was to just do a few minor, cosmetic touch-ups before we moved in.
The painting was a house-warming gift painted by Lisa’s sister Jessie; dining chairs: Freedom Furniture
Tell us about the renovation
When the builders started work, they quickly discovered that the house was infested with termites. They told us it was one of the worst cases they’d ever seen. Thankfully, we were staying at my parents’ place at the time and not living in the house.
The termites had done a lot of structural damage, and we needed to gut the whole back of the house. Our renovation costs tripled overnight. At that point, I genuinely hated the house.
As we were already doing so much to the house, we decided to rework the downstairs area too. We had the walls from the kitchen and dining room removed to create one big open-plan, kitchen/living/dining space, and put in a new kitchen and floor.
The renovation took 18 months, including the six months we had to wait for the termites to die. It was only when the work was completed and I stepped inside the brand-new downstairs room for the first time that I really fell in love with this house.
Ready to renovate? Find a builder near you on Houzz, read reviews and browse images of their work
When the builders started work, they quickly discovered that the house was infested with termites. They told us it was one of the worst cases they’d ever seen. Thankfully, we were staying at my parents’ place at the time and not living in the house.
The termites had done a lot of structural damage, and we needed to gut the whole back of the house. Our renovation costs tripled overnight. At that point, I genuinely hated the house.
As we were already doing so much to the house, we decided to rework the downstairs area too. We had the walls from the kitchen and dining room removed to create one big open-plan, kitchen/living/dining space, and put in a new kitchen and floor.
The renovation took 18 months, including the six months we had to wait for the termites to die. It was only when the work was completed and I stepped inside the brand-new downstairs room for the first time that I really fell in love with this house.
Ready to renovate? Find a builder near you on Houzz, read reviews and browse images of their work
What sort of home did you want to create?
I have kids and pets, so the house had to be fairly bulletproof. My two are extremely active – they ride their scooters up and down the length of the house, and if there’s a kitchen benchtop in sight, they’re guaranteed to climb on it.
Brad and I are pretty laid-back about how the kids play, so we didn’t want to have to worry about anything precious.
I have kids and pets, so the house had to be fairly bulletproof. My two are extremely active – they ride their scooters up and down the length of the house, and if there’s a kitchen benchtop in sight, they’re guaranteed to climb on it.
Brad and I are pretty laid-back about how the kids play, so we didn’t want to have to worry about anything precious.
How do you and your family use the house now?
We spend most of our time downstairs. The bi-fold doors open up to create one big indoor-outdoor space, leading to a deck and a small backyard. I’m such a homebody; I’d stay home in my pyjamas all day if I could. The kids are exactly the same. We find there’s always something to keep us busy. It’s only my husband who gets cabin fever from time to time.
Tell us about your dogs
Nelson, who is 12, and Lucas, who is eight, are the backbone of our family – we all absolutely love them. I’ve always had dogs, and Nelson was my first baby. I feel really off-kilter whenever I can’t hear the sound of their paws padding along the wooden floors. Lucas went blind last year, but he’s managed to map the layout of the whole house inside his head and gets around brilliantly. Dogs are truly inspirational.
We spend most of our time downstairs. The bi-fold doors open up to create one big indoor-outdoor space, leading to a deck and a small backyard. I’m such a homebody; I’d stay home in my pyjamas all day if I could. The kids are exactly the same. We find there’s always something to keep us busy. It’s only my husband who gets cabin fever from time to time.
Tell us about your dogs
Nelson, who is 12, and Lucas, who is eight, are the backbone of our family – we all absolutely love them. I’ve always had dogs, and Nelson was my first baby. I feel really off-kilter whenever I can’t hear the sound of their paws padding along the wooden floors. Lucas went blind last year, but he’s managed to map the layout of the whole house inside his head and gets around brilliantly. Dogs are truly inspirational.
Tell us about the furniture and soft furnishings
Everything had to be kid-friendly, pet-friendly and forgiving. There’s no real set style here. I love mixed materials, and the Scandi and industrial looks. We gave one of the walls downstairs a raw, rendered finish – the painter thought I was absolutely mad, but I love it.
Colour-wise, I like white and grey with touches of soft colour. And I wanted it to be easy to switch things up whenever I feel like it, such as light fittings and accessories.
I would have loved polished concrete floors downstairs, but it would have been too dangerous with the kids. I compromised with pale engineered-oak flooring, which is softer and more forgiving.
I’m not a fan of clutter. We have hardly any furniture in the house – only what we really need.
Sofas and chair: Natuzzi Italia; coffee table: Tait
Everything had to be kid-friendly, pet-friendly and forgiving. There’s no real set style here. I love mixed materials, and the Scandi and industrial looks. We gave one of the walls downstairs a raw, rendered finish – the painter thought I was absolutely mad, but I love it.
Colour-wise, I like white and grey with touches of soft colour. And I wanted it to be easy to switch things up whenever I feel like it, such as light fittings and accessories.
I would have loved polished concrete floors downstairs, but it would have been too dangerous with the kids. I compromised with pale engineered-oak flooring, which is softer and more forgiving.
I’m not a fan of clutter. We have hardly any furniture in the house – only what we really need.
Sofas and chair: Natuzzi Italia; coffee table: Tait
Do you entertain much?
I love the idea of cooking and entertaining, but the reality is that with work and the kids, I prefer to just grab a healthy takeaway up the road and spend my time relaxing with the family.
I do love baking though. I make cakes for every member of the family and Hudson has decided that he gets to choose who gets what. My husband got a pink submarine cake for his last birthday, and my aunty got a purple brachiosaurus.
I love the idea of cooking and entertaining, but the reality is that with work and the kids, I prefer to just grab a healthy takeaway up the road and spend my time relaxing with the family.
I do love baking though. I make cakes for every member of the family and Hudson has decided that he gets to choose who gets what. My husband got a pink submarine cake for his last birthday, and my aunty got a purple brachiosaurus.
We love the kids’ cubby house – does it get much use?
It was a present for the kids from both sets of grandparents, and is an absolute godsend. It’s big enough to double as an extra room, with space for furniture and storage, and the kids spend every moment they can in there. We had it painted in the same colours as the house.
Cubby: Cubby Central
It was a present for the kids from both sets of grandparents, and is an absolute godsend. It’s big enough to double as an extra room, with space for furniture and storage, and the kids spend every moment they can in there. We had it painted in the same colours as the house.
Cubby: Cubby Central
Inside the kids’ cubby house
How did you go about decorating the kids’ rooms?
I adored decorating the kids’ rooms and spent far more time on them than any other parts of the house. I wanted them to be fairly minimal, with accents of colour. For Hudson’s room, I chose a simple black and white scheme with hints of grey.
I adored decorating the kids’ rooms and spent far more time on them than any other parts of the house. I wanted them to be fairly minimal, with accents of colour. For Hudson’s room, I chose a simple black and white scheme with hints of grey.
Chair: Ikea; mural: Etsy
Tell us about Darcie’s room
The gold stickers on the wall are from Etsy. I was eight months’ pregnant when my aunt and I spent two days sticking them on. There were rulers and very careful measurements involved – we’ve both got a perfectionist streak.
The gold stickers on the wall are from Etsy. I was eight months’ pregnant when my aunt and I spent two days sticking them on. There were rulers and very careful measurements involved – we’ve both got a perfectionist streak.
Darcie’s display shelf features a collection of pretty things, some with special meaning. The cupcake watercolour, for example, was a gift from a good friend who runs an online kids’ store called By Bambi. I also have Darcie’s first soled shoes here. I was devastated when she grew out of them, so it was nice to be able to work them into a display.
Tell us about the master bedroom
Our bedroom is the most undecorated room in the house, and it’s probably due to laziness. But really, I don’t need anything fancy up here. As long as I have a comfortable bed (which our bed from Natuzzi Italia is), that’s more than enough.
We chose super-plush, nylon carpet for all the bedrooms – it’s dark, soft and very forgiving.
Our bedroom is the most undecorated room in the house, and it’s probably due to laziness. But really, I don’t need anything fancy up here. As long as I have a comfortable bed (which our bed from Natuzzi Italia is), that’s more than enough.
We chose super-plush, nylon carpet for all the bedrooms – it’s dark, soft and very forgiving.
And the master bathroom?
Brad and I used to live in an apartment and this is the biggest bathroom either of us has ever had. I’d always wanted a freestanding bathtub and I love the concrete-look, porcelain tiles.
Brad and I used to live in an apartment and this is the biggest bathroom either of us has ever had. I’d always wanted a freestanding bathtub and I love the concrete-look, porcelain tiles.
What makes a home for you?
As long as it’s dog-friendly, kid-friendly and easy to clean, I’m happy.
Your turn
Did you enjoy this story? Tell us why in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like, bookmark or share this story. Join the conversation.
More
Want to peek inside the home of another inspirational woman? Check out At Home With… Wellness Blogger Jessica Sepel
As long as it’s dog-friendly, kid-friendly and easy to clean, I’m happy.
Your turn
Did you enjoy this story? Tell us why in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like, bookmark or share this story. Join the conversation.
More
Want to peek inside the home of another inspirational woman? Check out At Home With… Wellness Blogger Jessica Sepel
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lovely calm home and best of all pet friendly
Lovely home. So sad that Lucas went blind.
What a lovely home and family, I have also seen her TV program in NZ and any person who treats their animals as part of the family is tops for me.