Meet the SA social media renovators who are building homes and communities

DIY disasters to jaw-dropping before and afters, South Australia’s top Insta-renovators are sharing the reality of turning a house into a home.

SA's top Insta-renovators are documenting their renovations on social media Picture: Instagram

Turning a house into a home looks different for everyone, and it can be a long road that never truly ends.

But it’s a process these South Australians, who have documented their renovation journeys on social media, are happy to share with the thousands of followers they have garnered along the way.

Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your own home, or looking to spruce up your feed with authentic local stories, this list of Insta-renovators have beautiful homes, unique styles and share plenty of SA adventures.

Danielle Symes

Handle: @danielle_symes

Followers: 38.3k

Suburb: Adelaide Hills

Adelaide-based photographer Danielle Symes had always dreamt of renovating an old house in the Adelaide Hills. Her dream came true during the pandemic when Danielle and her partner Brad purchased a charming 150-year-old stone cottage. Despite possums chewing through wiring and the pair accidentally staining a wooden floor fluoro green, the photographer has documented every step of the way on Instagram. “I mixed up all my own stains thinking I was this big legend for DIY-ing it. And there was some kind of chemical reaction and the floors went fluoro green. I’m talking like 90 hours of work of sanding and then I stained my floors fluoro green,” Danielle told The Advertiser. Whether it’s a do-it-yourself farmhouse kitchen table or making sure their little ones have plenty of places to play, this mum of two has put a lot of love into her new family home.

Bianca Devine’s Almond Blossom Bungalow

Handle: @almondblossombungalow

Followers: 5.7k

Suburb: Adelaide

With plenty of bright colours and unique character, Bianca Devine’s 1930s heritage home is a visual delight. Her three-year renovation has been documented on her Instagram page, named after the almond blossom grove near the Adelaide home. “The idea of being able to make something your own and also to restore the beauty that was already there. It’s something really satisfying,” Bianca said. Despite starting the social media page as a way to catalogue the changes for her own memory, she now has almost 6000 followers. And her account has also opened up the opportunity for some of the necessary but tough conversations she needed to have along the way, asking her followers for guidance on colour palette and projects. With pastel-hued windows and an interior that speaks to the owner’s soul, this bungalow is sure to catch your eye.

Chloe Grayling

Handle: @lovechloejane and @stay.junipergrove

Followers: 138k and 5.2k

Suburb: Adelaide Hills

A true labour of love, Chloe Grayling set out to restore the hand-built wood cabin her grandfather and father built in the 1970s. A nod to the duo, who have both since passed away, the property has taken a lot of hard work to bring to life. Set to initially be demolished, Ms Grayling decided to step in to preserve the family cabin called Juniper Grove. And she has shared every step of the way from her two accounts. While the cabin is now available to stay in as an Airbnb, its transformation is far from over.

Chance & Spencer’s Oakbank Reno

Handle: @oakbankreno

Followers: 55.1k

Suburb: Oakbank, Adelaide Hills

A 90s abode settled in the Adelaide Hills has been slowly transformed through the efforts of Chanice and Spencer since 2019. The home’s interior and landscaping has been an endeavour – with the jobs tackled by hand, no matter how long they take. Chanice started the page to her love of renovations, DIY and transformations, and hoped sharing her journey would show women can do hard things. She said home improvements could help improve your overall wellbeing, even if the changes were small.

Adam & David Rocca’s Percival House

Handle: @percivalhouse_

Followers: 824

Suburb: Western suburbs of Adelaide

Husbands Adam and David Rocca purchased their home from the Percival family who originally built and lived in the house their whole lives. That’s why as they started to restore the old character home, they dubbed it Percival House to continue the family legacy. “This house was literally falling down. I think anyone with half a brain might have knocked it down and developed. It just felt too beautiful not try to save it,” Adam said. The house started as a crazy Covid idea, but through determination and love, they have made their mark on the art deco-inspired build. A dream of a character home as unique as the pair sparked the drive for the renovation journey, and the Percival House account started as a personal diary. As the years progressed, their posts drew attention from the community and spiralled into something bigger than they could have ever thought.

Bec Schmidt & Brett Kemble’s 1910 Cottage

Handle: @our1910cottage

Followers: 429

Suburb: Western Suburbs of Adelaide

First home buyers Bec Schmidt and Brett Kemble stumbled upon a beautiful cottage west of Adelaide in 2019. With a goal of bringing Victorian aesthetics together with modern functionality, this duo got straight into renovating their home. From extensions to front verandas, they tried to maintain original features like the ornamental arches and fire places. “Brett is quite hands on at building things and fixing things, and I really love styling. So I think we always kind of wanted to buy something a bit older and then do it up and really maintain the character,” Bec said. Their Instagram journey started on Bec’s personal account, but as more people reached out excited to see the renovations unfold, she chose to dedicate time to building a separate account. Their journey has been about pushing through the fear of trying something new, and enjoying the rewarding aftermath, no matter the outcome.

Julie & Sasha’s Heritage Villa

Handle: @ourheritagevilla

Followers: 547

Suburb: Adelaide

A home renovation partnership that balances each other out, Julie and Sasha purchased their forever home after 10 years of dreaming and two years of searching. now, after 18 months of designing, the beautiful 1910s Edwardian has everything they wanted – and potential they are excited to capitalise on. But their journey is far from over, with the driveway currently unfinished and one of three chimneys waiting for capping and painting. Their account started as a way to pass on everything they had learned along the way to future renovators, and continues to showcase their villa’s transformation

Red Brick Reno

Handle: @red.brick.reno.ald

Followers: 502

Suburb: Adelaide Hills

A self-proclaimed never-ending renovation, Red Brick Reno is an aesthetic journey through the renovation of an Adelaide Hills home. A mix of contemporary designs with bold mixes of monochromes and statement pieces. This project began in 2020 and has expanded over the years from their kitchen, to their garden and master bedroom. Their journey is far from over, with their living area currently next slated for a makeover.

The Glennie Family

Handle: @the_glennie_project

Followers: 216

Suburb: Clarence Gardens, Adelaide

The Glennie family are transforming and extending their 1950s art deco home. After purchasing it in 2017, they completed some minor renovations to make it liveable. But now that their five-year plan for an extension has come to fruition, their Instagram catalogues their journey to turn their house into a home.

Terri & Sal’s Tuscan Brick Home

Handle: @tuscan.brick.home

Followers: 253

Suburb: Unknown

Young couple Terri and Sal and their two dogs started renovating their 60s home in 2019. It hasn’t always been positives, and on the day the couple received the keys they discovered a pipe had burst. But despite the drawbacks, their in-progress dream home is a mix of beautiful boho styles and unique colour choices.

Brockley Home

Handle: @brockley.home

Followers: 153

Suburb: Adelaide

A heritage bungalow renovation that has been a slow but steady process since its purchase in 2022. The family behind Brockley home does their best to preserve as many elements of the original build as possible, even as refurbishments from the past; like their mantle. Their account serves as a loving reminder that even if it is slow, they are still making progress towards their home.

Originally published as Meet the SA social media renovators who are building homes and communities