Home Stories: Danielle Hatch and Lewis Hollands
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I’m sure we can all appreciate that buying a first property these days is tricky, but people still manage through a combination of hard work, perseverance, and of course luck.
I’ll focus on ‘luck’ here because, when it comes to finding a home, you can be as ready and prepared as you can, but then a bit of magic must happen for everything to fall into place. So come and join us, as Cass and I visit the first home of Danielle and Lewis and find out how they made their own luck and created their own magic.
Danielle and Lewis are both in their mid-20s and have been dreaming of living together ever since they became inseparable seven years ago. They saved for a deposit, they kept their eyes on the market, were clear on what they needed but unfortunately the dream just kept on being out of reach for years. They saw many homes which were just great and they could easily see themselves in but they either got outbid or outpriced.
Then one day, an opportunity came up to purchase an 90s-built townhouse in Kambah and, what they saw was everything it could be—not what is. The property was a two-bedroom, one-bathroom, brown brick, brown tile, brown-everything home in its original condition.
The tenant who lived there for decades didn’t update or rejuvenate a single thing and whilst the resulting time warp wasn’t exactly appealing to Danielle and Lewis but, the ability to give the bones of the property a new life was an exciting concept.
Danielle works in social media and has sponged up interior ideas for years, which gave her a clear idea of what their home should feel like in terms of aesthetics. Lewis is a carpenter so he could put his knowledge of the trade to great use, and finally to his own home rather than fixing up homes of others. The dream team got busy and within six months turned Mr Brown’s 90s throwback into a fresh home full of light, life and happiness.
The only structural changes were widening an entrance between the kitchen and dining space and the living space, to give it more of an open plan feel. Aside from that, the bathrooms got a complete do-over, the kitchen got a rebuild and the rest is all in the new coat of paint, new tile, floating floorboards, and Danielle’s styling prowess. She opted for a blend of white fabrics, light pine wood accents and pops of peach and yellow in artworks and décor. A palette that is just as fitting here in Canberra as it would be at the coast.
Looking around the home, I noted that we both have the same piece of art in our homes, so we clearly lean into the same aesthetic. In fact there are so many lovely aspects to the styling that I‘ve taken a mental note of things I love, which I can use to influence my future home decor decisions! Especially that retro suit-case record player. Danielle’s styling ability works on one level where the home reflects their welcoming and bright personality, but at deeper level I know it also represents their excitement to be finally together in a place they can call their own.
I asked if they feel that there is much more to do, but aside from a little bit of garden work, the couple are happy to put a stop to the work and enjoy the home.
“We wondered if we should, or could, take the renovations to the outside and perhaps get permission to paint the external bricks–but then we realised that it’s important to keep the reference to the heritage of the townhouse and its relationship to others.” said Danielle. This restraint actually contributes to the magic they created.
The contrast one experiences when arriving at the front door and then walking in, is similar to the moment the warm sun comes out from behind a cloud. It’s just sunshine inside and the atmosphere is only made more pleasant by the inclusion of two incredibly loving cavoodles. Just look at that photo for the couple in their door way and tell me if you don’t feel what I mean. The home is more than the sum of its parts–the magic is in how happy it feels and how lucky one feels to know this couple.
Photography: Cass Atkinson
