My Houzz: A DIY Queen's Sweet Suburban Dream
This resourceful homeowner shares her DIY tips and tricks for a colourful and creative living space
Michelle Jarni
14 November 2015
Houzz contributor, photographer and blogger based in Melbourne
This adorable yellow-brick home is a veritable treasure trove of exciting original creations by Sarah Borg, an urban designer and dabbler in multiple creatives pursuits. When Sarah and her husband Mike bought their home they could see a lot of potential, as well as a lot of challenges. But instead of being daunted by the tricky tasks ahead, Sarah and Mike faced them head-on. They have since managed to completely personalise a tired old home to suit their creative life, with clever DIY and repurposing.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sarah Borg of Bangin Hangings, her husband Mike, co-founder of EMC Digital, and their cat Leroy
Location: Coburg, Victoria
Size: Approximately 80 square metres, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sarah Borg of Bangin Hangings, her husband Mike, co-founder of EMC Digital, and their cat Leroy
Location: Coburg, Victoria
Size: Approximately 80 square metres, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom
Sarah says that the property was in a terrible condition when they bought it. There were cigarette burns on the carpet, broken tiles in the bathroom and grubby walls throughout – it definitely needed some tough love. The couple spent time knocking down walls, putting in a new kitchen and adding some custom storage systems of Sarah’s own design.
Starting with the front of the home, the lawn was pulled out and Sarah used her green thumbs to convert the space into a veggie and herb garden. The awnings out front were also replaced with these cheerfully striped ones.
Starting with the front of the home, the lawn was pulled out and Sarah used her green thumbs to convert the space into a veggie and herb garden. The awnings out front were also replaced with these cheerfully striped ones.
As soon as you enter Sarah and Mike’s home, it’s easy to get swept up in their joyful sense of style. “I love colour blocking and being surrounded by colour,” says Sarah. One of the couple’s favourite items is the wacky (and fabulous) side table in the shape of a half eaten corn cob from Third Drawer Down in Fitzroy.
Many of the items throughout the home have a similarly distinct style, unique to Sarah’s decorating taste. One such item is the timber coffee table made from scraps of MDF for the surface. This was made at a woodworking class she took in North Melbourne.
Velvet cushions: Castle and Things.
Many of the items throughout the home have a similarly distinct style, unique to Sarah’s decorating taste. One such item is the timber coffee table made from scraps of MDF for the surface. This was made at a woodworking class she took in North Melbourne.
Velvet cushions: Castle and Things.
Sarah and Mike are big fans of Ikea, and have used several items bought from the Swedish overlords to kit out their home. To make these pieces of simple styling more unique, Sarah often adds a fun detail to them. The couch was customised by sewing buttons into the upholstery for a tufted effect, and the standard legs were swapped out for a different design.
While she is almost always up for any DIY task, Sarah had to call on a professional to help with this one. “DIY lesson number one: be prepared to pay someone else if it doesn’t work out,” she says.
Most of the frames on Sarah’s living room wall were found at op-shops or in hard rubbish, and then painted for a fresh new look. “Hard rubbish time makes me go a bit crazy,” she says. “I slow my car down to a crawl around my neighbourhood.”
When it comes to her favourite op-shops, Sarah says to look no further than beach towns, “if you’re interested in retro or vintage. Their hard rubbish (is great) too.” she adds. “People send down all their old unwanted furniture that sits in their homes for decades until hard rubbish time.”
While she is almost always up for any DIY task, Sarah had to call on a professional to help with this one. “DIY lesson number one: be prepared to pay someone else if it doesn’t work out,” she says.
Most of the frames on Sarah’s living room wall were found at op-shops or in hard rubbish, and then painted for a fresh new look. “Hard rubbish time makes me go a bit crazy,” she says. “I slow my car down to a crawl around my neighbourhood.”
When it comes to her favourite op-shops, Sarah says to look no further than beach towns, “if you’re interested in retro or vintage. Their hard rubbish (is great) too.” she adds. “People send down all their old unwanted furniture that sits in their homes for decades until hard rubbish time.”
One of Sarah’s most treasured pieces is her gorgeous 1970 HMV record player, which she received for her 21st birthday. It sits in the living room, where the timber contrasts nicely against the red rug from After Online.
From old to new, Sarah’s most recent purchase is her set of Jean Prouve-inspired dining chairs. “If I buy something new it’s because I really like it,” she explains, “or I’ve had my eye on it for a long time. The rest I will try and make myself.”
The pendant lights were bought in Bali
The pendant lights were bought in Bali
“With my cushions, sometimes instead of buying the really expensive inserts, I just buy the covers and then go to an op-shop and buy a $3 cushion there just for the insert.”
Pretzel cushion: Kip & Co
Pretzel cushion: Kip & Co
Above the dining table hangs Sarah’s favourite print – a photo of Mike at the beach. She took this herself and then framed it in one of her hand-painted frames.
The dining table is in perfect proximity to the kitchen, and is where the couple has most of their meals.
The dining table is in perfect proximity to the kitchen, and is where the couple has most of their meals.
The original kitchen was totally gutted during the renovations, and replaced with an Ikea design which Mike and Sarah installed themselves. Sarah says in retrospect they should have paid someone to install it properly, as they both don’t feel they did the best job – refer back to DIY lesson one!
Shelving: Ikea
As true Melbournians, Mike and Sarah have a soft spot for anything Melbourne-related.
Melbourne poster: Australian Vintage Posters
Melbourne poster: Australian Vintage Posters
One of the home’s main shortcomings was the lack of storage space. Sarah worked with Laz Fogas from Total Joinery to add more built-in cupboards in several rooms, to add to the existing options. The duo worked together to create these units in the living room, and the wall underneath, between the kitchen and the living area, was knocked down to open up the space.
Sarah used her urban design background, with the help of AutoCAD, to design the cabinets then Fogas built and installed them.
Sarah used her urban design background, with the help of AutoCAD, to design the cabinets then Fogas built and installed them.
Sarah and Mike rent out the guest bedroom through Airbnb. The bedside tables, floral cushions and the tan throw were bought at various op-shops. “Things don’t have to be expensive if you plan to DIY or upcycle,” says Sarah. “Half of the satisfaction comes from doing something on the cheap.”
To add extra storage in this bedroom, Sarah fitted it with a bank of Ikea wardrobes.
Bedlinen and pink velvet cushions: Adairs; yellow velvet cushions: Kip & Co
To add extra storage in this bedroom, Sarah fitted it with a bank of Ikea wardrobes.
Bedlinen and pink velvet cushions: Adairs; yellow velvet cushions: Kip & Co
Above the bed, a selection of op-shop finds hang in a small gallery feature. Sarah thinks it’s a sweet collaboration between her and her husband.
Though finding the perfect piece when op-shopping can be overwhelming for some, Sarah suggests giving it a go. “Bring things home and see how they fit in your space,” she says. “If I see another object that can be upgraded, I get rid of the old thing. I put it on eBay or Gumtree and I do the Camberwell market 2-3 times a year – I am a bit of a hoarder.”
Though finding the perfect piece when op-shopping can be overwhelming for some, Sarah suggests giving it a go. “Bring things home and see how they fit in your space,” she says. “If I see another object that can be upgraded, I get rid of the old thing. I put it on eBay or Gumtree and I do the Camberwell market 2-3 times a year – I am a bit of a hoarder.”
This hallway leads to the bathroom and main bedroom, and acts as another much-needed storage area. The wall features a multi-hook rack, inspired by the Eames Hang-It-All.
The bathroom was originally an all-pink affair. The couple decided on a timeless design when they did it up, after they were reminded to think of the property’s resale value. “I was going to go a bit cool and crazy, but it’s one of the most expensive things to change if it dates,” Sarah says.
However, she still tries to maintain her own sense of style and personality with the Keep Resin pendant light, the colour-blocked towels and the greenery. Once again, Sarah worked with Fogas to design the cabinets and vanity in the bathroom, in order to add more storage.
However, she still tries to maintain her own sense of style and personality with the Keep Resin pendant light, the colour-blocked towels and the greenery. Once again, Sarah worked with Fogas to design the cabinets and vanity in the bathroom, in order to add more storage.
The main bedroom is bursting with personality. The Ikea Malm bedframe appears here, finished with Sarah’s DIY bedhead, which she made with timber, padding and soft grey upholstery. Sarah advises anyone interested in giving this project a go to measure very carefully. She also plans to make the same style of bedhead for the guest room.
The bedspread is from Urban Outfitters. Though Sarah is a lover of colour, she says, “I’ve had this bedspread for ages, I just really like the simple, black and white print.”
The pendant light was bought on a trip to Bali. The cushions are from Adairs.
The bedspread is from Urban Outfitters. Though Sarah is a lover of colour, she says, “I’ve had this bedspread for ages, I just really like the simple, black and white print.”
The pendant light was bought on a trip to Bali. The cushions are from Adairs.
“The 70s were big on DIY,” Sarah shares. “I always look for retro DIY books in op-shops for sources of information.” All of the macrame plant hangers strung up throughout the home were handmade by Sarah. She bought rope from Bunnings, then watched some YouTube videos and read some of her 70s DIY books to learn how to make them.
Sarah loves Devil’s Ivy and Fiddle Leaf plants, which are both quite easy to care for. Over the years, she has been taking cuttings from the original Devil’s Ivy plant she bought, and keeps growing more of them to spread through the house. She also gives them to friends and family as gifts.
Sarah recommends buying self-watering pots from Mr Kitly for those who tend to fail as plant parents.
Sarah loves Devil’s Ivy and Fiddle Leaf plants, which are both quite easy to care for. Over the years, she has been taking cuttings from the original Devil’s Ivy plant she bought, and keeps growing more of them to spread through the house. She also gives them to friends and family as gifts.
Sarah recommends buying self-watering pots from Mr Kitly for those who tend to fail as plant parents.
The duck lamp shown here is a Heico design. The cup is from Keep Resin.
The Moroccan boucherouite rug was bought on Etsy
The courtyard originally consisted of a concrete slab, a Colourbond steel shed, and a Hills-Hoist-style clothes line, all surrounded by Colourbond fencing. Removing the shed meant the garden needed an alternative storage space, so Sarah’s dad built the timber one, which fits around the windows to avoid blocking light inside the house.
Mike and Sarah covered the existing steel fence with timber and they laid tiled flooring from Ikea to warm up the courtyard. The garden also boasts a worm farm and a retractable clothes line to replace the hills hoist, to save on space.
Mike and Sarah covered the existing steel fence with timber and they laid tiled flooring from Ikea to warm up the courtyard. The garden also boasts a worm farm and a retractable clothes line to replace the hills hoist, to save on space.
Sarah built the brick retaining wall around the garden, in her first ever brick-laying job. The garden beds are also handmade additions done by the couple, but Sarah thinks her next outdoor project will be a garden tidy-up, “though we both agreed overgrown gardens are gorgeous!” she says.
After the couple’s recent wedding Sarah had a lot of leftover vases. Instead of throwing them away, she decided to turn them all into terrariums to use as gifts.
Alongside her gardening, Sarah spends her free time doing pottery. She says she can often be found out the front of her home with her pottery wheel.
Alongside her gardening, Sarah spends her free time doing pottery. She says she can often be found out the front of her home with her pottery wheel.
“I feel proud and love being surrounded by expressions of the things I like,” Sarah says of her DIY-decorated home. “It’s great to have things around the house that I can go and fix up and create if I get bored.”
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
Related Stories
Houzz Around The World
France Houzz: A New Island Home With an Old Soul
Check out this young family's welcoming and characterful French island home on Île d’Yeu, which embraces local style
Full Story
Houzz Around The World
Germany Houzz: A Small Cabin Transformed Into a Forest Retreat
In this secluded area in the Taunus mountains of Germany, a family enjoys their weekends in 29 square metres of space
Full Story
Architecture
Sydney Houzz: Bob Hawke's Iconic Northbridge Home Made Modern
The old home of Australia's longest-serving Labor prime minister and his wife Blanche d'Alpuget has had a new makeover
Full Story
Houzz TV
London Houzz: Tour a Contemporary Loft in an Old Victorian School
Watch and read how a design firm updated this light and airy apartment in an old block with sleek style and warm touches
Full Story
Interior Design
Before & After: A Dream Family Home on Sydney's Waterfront
The owners of this grand six-level home wanted to give it a casual, coastal feel to suit its spectacular setting
Full Story
Architecture
Rural Houzz: A Modern Mountain Retreat Set Among the Gums
Explore a cleverly designed country home that sits quietly within the landscape, while providing views from every room
Full Story
Houzz Around The World
Berlin Houzz: A Touch of Japanese Forest Bathing in a German Home
Beloved memories of Japan come to life with the renovation of this 120-square-metre apartment in Berlin, Germany
Full Story
Houzz Around The World
London Houzz: Daring Colour & Texture Transform a Victorian Home
By Kate Burt
The busy owners of this terrace sought help to design outside their decor comfort zone – the result is a cool classic
Full Story
Colourful Homes
Queensland Houzz: A Cute Cottage Awash With Colour and Pattern
Bold colour, quirky prints and an abundance of art transformed this 1920s cottage into an inviting and relaxing gem
Full Story
Houzz Around The World
Germany Houzz: Creating Summer & Winter Homes in a Converted Barn
One barn, two homes – see how architects designed separate zones for summer and winter living in an old country barn
Full Story
From the front looks like the house I grew up in! Love it!
GOOD AS IT IS. I WISH I COULD LIVE IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT😇🥰