A Peek Into Eleanor Pendleton’s Coastal-Country Family Home Renovation
Founder and editor-in-chief of Gritty Pretty, Eleanor Pendleton has brought new life to a rundown and previously unoccupied cottage on the NSW Central Coast. The property that sits on an old fruit orchard in Terrigal was originally a jumble of purple fibro, crowned with a red iron roof. Despite the solid bones and garden brimming with fruit trees, the cottage was completely dilapidated and in desperate need of a transformation.
Working alongside Llones Built, Eleanor and her husband Matthew undertook a six-month renovation of the property. The first steps included the removal of existing asbestos and replacing the exterior of the home with weatherboard cladding were the first steps of the renovation.
At the front end of the residence, local artisans Arte Brickwork helped realise Eleanor’s vision of a character-filled cottage. Complementing the addition of an open pergola was an eye-catching herringbone-pattern patio crafted with bricks from the Austral Bricks Sculptured Sands range. Showcasing five varying shades throughout the patio, the selected brick adds a layer of interest and dimension through warm, earthy tones and rich textures. The rustic shades and slightly weathered look of the brick patio create a live-in, yet contemporary aesthetic to reinforce the coastal-country style of the cottage.
Sydney-based interior designer Folk Studio was engaged with a brief outlining a modern farmhouse design for the cottage’s laundry room. The remainder of the home’s interior is a product of Eleanor’s extensive mood boards over time.
During the process, Eleanor discovered original hardwood timber floors underneath the old, existing carpet in one section of the home – much to Eleanor’s delight. In other areas of the cottage, cypress pine and chipboard flooring were restored and embraced for its natural charm, which also allowed Eleanor to stay within budget. Handmade floor tiles are laid in a herringbone pattern with warm undertones in the bathroom – a reference to the brick-laid patio entry, displaying a cohesive design from the outside in.
The structure’s existing windows were replaced, with Eleanor opting for colonial-style designs that invite large amounts of natural light to flow throughout the space. The natural light paired with the interior furnishings of neutral tones and soft textures creates a bright and airy environment for the family home. The heritage-style front door was painted in a light sage green to complement the external touches of rustic-clay bricks and the historic weatherboard’s creamy hues.
Eleanor’s strong vision for her family home has led to the beautiful transformation of the previously rundown property into a homely coastal weatherboard cottage. A considered, yet simple palette of colour and materiality imbue the home with a timeless quality, fit for family living.
“The rustic tones of the brick patio create a live-in, yet contemporary aesthetic which further builds upon the coastal-country style of the cottage.”
“The rustic tones of the brick patio create a live-in, yet contemporary aesthetic which further builds upon the coastal-country style of the cottage.”
- Our newly expanded SandStocks range is inspired – and largely formed – by nature. Created to offer visual appeal with a range of multi-hued soft, colours and signature velvet-sand surfaces, these extraordinary bricks are as tactile as they are beautiful.
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