Home renovation: Central Coast icon’s incredible new lease of life

This home’s stunning new lease of life has given its owners food for thought.

The garden has a beautiful energy to it. We love homes that have character

If the past two-and-a-bit-years have taught us anything, it’s that life is short, so we may as well spend it with people we love, doing what we enjoy, in surroundings that we feel at peace with. After re-evaluating where they wanted to live, Eleanor Wilson, founder and editor of beauty site Gritty Pretty, her husband Matthew and their two-year-old son Banjo, took the leap last year, packing up their apartment in Sydney’s northern beaches and placing it on the rental market, and moved to New South Wales’ Central Coast to begin their next chapter.

Eleanor Wilson in her remodelled bathroom. Picture: Chantell Bianchi

And they’re not alone, with research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics stating regional moves from capital cities is the highest it’s been since it started measuring internal migration in 2001, with 43,000 Australians moving to regional areas from capital cities in 2020. With a desire to renovate to create their ideal home, Eleanor and Matt purchased a run-down cottage situated on a fruit orchard in Terrigal. The homestead was one of the first properties built in the area by the Pickett family — one of the first colonial families to settle on the Central Coast (Darkinjung Country).

Originally owned by William Pickett, the property was built between 1877-1954, so to say the property needed a bit of work is an understatement.

The original cottage was built around 1877 and in desperate need of TLC.

“The single-storey cottage was completely dilapidated – the ceilings were falling in and there were holes in the walls. Originally it was purple fibro and had a red iron roof, but I saw instant potential to turn it into a beautiful, bright and white weatherboard cottage. But really, it was the garden that first drew us in,” says Eleanor. A permaculturist’s dream, there were orange trees, lemons, finger limes, bananas and loquats, as well as a colourful sea of magnolias, frangipanis and purple wisteria. “The garden just had a beautiful energy to it. We knew the cottage would require a lot of work and investment to make it liveable, but we were up for a challenge. We love homes that have character and the cottage had just that.”

New owner Eleanor Wilson says she was “Up for a challenge”.

SPACE TO LIVE

When asked what was the motivation for leaving Sydney, Eleanor says simply that they wanted more space. “We moved out of a 50sqm two-bedroom apartment to a four-bedroom weatherboard cottage on a 1500sqm block and couldn’t be happier. To watch our toddler run around every day in his garden, spraying anything – and anyone – with the hose while he giggles uncontrollably … it’s something I had dreamt of.”

And while the Central Coast is an idyllic destination in its own right, for Eleanor and Matt the connection ran deeper.

“My husband and I both grew up on the Central Coast just a few towns away from each other and coincidentally met in Sydney when we were both living there. I had spent almost 15 years living in Sydney and when our baby started walking, we felt it was the right time to return to the Central Coast.”

“It’s been made even more magical by showing my son the places I used to visit as a child.

Eleanor Wilson and her husband Matt grew up on the NSW Central Coast and they wanted their son Banjo to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle away from the city.

The beach has always been a huge part of our lives, so to take our son every day to our favourite beaches, it’s really special. We also love now living closer to family and having that support – it’s another thing we don’t take for granted. When I was 18, I couldn’t wait to finish high school and leave the Central Coast and move straight to the city. Now, being a parent, I get to see and appreciate the many things that make the Central Coast truly so great.”

Like many young couples, Eleanor and Matt had never renovated before purchasing their cottage, and those who have done a bit of renovating can testify that it’s not always smooth sailing.

“Nothing was easy. My husband is an IT project manager and so thankfully, he manages our builder and trades. Given the cottage is 100-plus years old, we definitely came across a few surprises. We ended up reframing an entire section of the cottage as well as replacing awnings and our decking balustrade to make the property sound.”

One of Eleanor’s favourite additions to the home is the herringbone brick patio, where local bricklayer Chris, from Arte Brickwork, used Brickworks Sands Collection to create a truly stunning entryway to the cottage.

Arte Brickwork created the front entry.

With the help of the talented Folk Studio, the laundry was also gutted and completely redesigned to create a farmhouse-style space complete with Tiles of Ezra herringbone floor tiles and a white farmhouse sink. They’ve also renovated two bathrooms – one that needed complete gutting and the other a cosmic update.

And they’re not stopping there. “This year we’ve enlisted incredible landscape designer Mark Hill to finesse the garden and bring some other outdoor elements to life such as a firepit area and vegetable patches,” says Eleanor.

Eleanor and Matt also spoke with a historian at Gosford Library who was able to find information on the original home builders. Throughout the process of the renovation, the couple had some of William Pickett’s relatives contact them saying they have the fondest memories growing up at the cottage.

After much love, hard work and care, the restored property as it stands today.

“We feel honoured to have restored the property and to be making memories here as a family ourselves,” says Eleanor.

“The pandemic has shown that most of us are not beholden to our city offices any longer and can work remotely, so if you’re dreaming of getting out of the rat race and breathing in fresh air and having more space … my advice is to take the plunge because I can assure you, you will not look back.” Which is exactly what’s happened for Eleanor and Matt. “I love the soul of our coastal cottage – it doesn’t feel like a house, it feels like a home. Just one-and-a-half hours from Sydney, Terrigal is a popular tourist destination for many reasons – and living here feels like we’re always on holiday.”

The exterior underwent a considerable makeover with cladding added to the exterior walls and herringbone pavers adding an extra layer of protection and prettiness to the basic concrete floor.

before

The dated tiles and vanity in the old bathrooms were removed to make way for a glamorous makeover that consisted of a marbled stone benchtop teamed with a light-hued cabinet and gold tapware.

Originally published as Home renovation: Central Coast icon’s incredible new lease of life