Home renovation: Teachers’ 11-week reno transforms 80s brick home

In just 11 weeks, two teachers from Melbourne completely transformed this dated house, including dealing with a common bathroom problem.

Welcome to Reno-Nation, news.com.au’s home improvement series featuring stories on sprucing up your home. From the small changes that make a big difference to major overhauls, here is the inspiration you need to get started.

When Melbourne school teachers Tiffany Kumnick-Diaz and her husband Troy bought a rundown, 80s brick home in May 2020, they knew they were sitting on an uncut gem.

While the home had been left untouched since the 80s, the positioning and “bones” of the property were exactly what the couple wanted, says Ms Kumnick-Diaz, speaking to news.com.au.

“It was very 80s. There were a lot of browns and reds and the brick work was quite dated. We wanted to modernise it,” she said.

“We wanted to knock the walls out and open it up, make it bright and let a lot of light with lots of skylights and big glass sliders.”

Ms Kumnick-Diaz described the home in its original state as rundown, closed-in and “quite dark”. Picture: Supplied.

The exterior has been refreshed with a coat of white paint, with a statement pink front door adding a modern touch to the home. Picture: Supplied / ABI Interiors.

In just 11 weeks they completely gutted the home and transformed it into the bright, airy modern coastal home they live in today. This involved ripping out the downstairs area of the property, repainting the exterior, and renovating three bathrooms, a laundry, and the bedrooms. They also built a butler’s pantry, redid their kitchen, added solar panels and replaced their roof as well.

Some of the biggest changes they made involved a complete overhaul of the kitchen, as well as an ensuite bathroom, which they expanded and added a double shower and floating vanity. They documented their renovation process on their Instagram @thepalmerstonproject which has amassed more than 2300 followers.

“One of the things we get complimented on the most is the kitchen – it’s a real focal point of the house,” says Ms Kumnick-Diaz.

The kitchen prior to the major revamp. Picture: Supplied.

The new kitchen is unrecognisable from its past self. Picture: Supplied / ABI Interiors.

“The ensuite is another feature that people comment on as well. It was a tiny, tiny ensuite that had a mould problem. It was horrible.

“We knocked out the wardrobe and made it bigger. It’s just so different.”

The bathroom in all its 80s glory. Picture: Supplied.

And now it wouldn’t look out of place in a magazine shoot. Picture: Supplied / ABI Interiors.

The finished ensuite also featured a stunning statement twin shower. Picture: Supplied / ABI Interiors.

The laundry also received a considerable revamp. Picture: Supplied / ABI Interiors.

Previously, Ms Kumnick-Diaz and her husband had completed an entire renovation themselves, tackling the property room by room, however this time they enlisted the help of Melbourne-based Arrow Building Group. This meant they were able to complete the internal renovations while living at a separate property with their three-year-old daughter and one-year-old son.

“Using a builder is obviously a different process to doing it yourself but I think the end results are well-worth it,” she says.

“Having two young kids while renovating a property room by room would have been nightmare. That was a driving force for us wanting to get it done in a short time.”

The staircase before their renovation. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Kumnick-Diaz says the brick fireplace was one of the features that drew them to the home, however they wanted to refresh the colour scheme. Picture: Supplied.

It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint and new flooring can do. Picture: Supplied.

Having lived in their home for five months, Ms Kumnick-Diaz says their family of four plan on staying put and “enjoying their hard work” for the foreseeable future.

Although they did go over budget – partly due to unforeseen costs like the roof – they have no regrets.

They’re also now adding final touches to the exterior of the property, something they’re completing weekend by weekend. This includes jobs like the landscaping, renovating a cubby house for their children and removing a few trees from the property.

A look inside the revamped master and kid's bedrooms. Picture: Instagram @thepalmerstonproject.

Sharing her biggest tips for wannabe renovators, she says it’s important to establish the “vision” and “overall look” of your house before you start. When it comes to your budget, calculating the cost per square metre, will also help you set a realistic budget before you begin the work.

“We didn’t think about the overall look of the home during previous renovations, instead we did things more room by room,” she says.

“This time around we learnt that it’s important to know what the overall vision is like before you start and really spend time working out how your finished home is going to feel.”

“This made a huge difference. It depends on what you want but I really like things to tie in and be connected.”