Houzz Tour: An Australian Country Home Gets a Stylish Makeover
A couple and their designer collaborate using Houzz to remotely redesign a country home for multigenerational living
The owners of this home in Burradoo, Australia, south of Sydney, are a pair of medical professionals who recently started working in nearby Bowral. They wanted a home with room for one of the homeowner’s parents to live with them, and something that could be a relaxing retreat for his two children to visit. Just as their search began, the pandemic hit, which forced the project planning to move exclusively online.
The couple purchased the five-bedroom, 3½-bathroom house without ever setting foot inside, then looked for a designer who could rework the interior using just images and floor plans. A friend had recently found interior designer Dana Tosolini of Concepts Interior Design on Houzz and recommended her to the couple.
Working remotely almost two hours away in Canberra, Tosolini used Houzz Pro software to share mood boards, product images and timelines online with the homeowners to transform the outdated spaces into a stylish multigenerational home full of character.
The couple purchased the five-bedroom, 3½-bathroom house without ever setting foot inside, then looked for a designer who could rework the interior using just images and floor plans. A friend had recently found interior designer Dana Tosolini of Concepts Interior Design on Houzz and recommended her to the couple.
Working remotely almost two hours away in Canberra, Tosolini used Houzz Pro software to share mood boards, product images and timelines online with the homeowners to transform the outdated spaces into a stylish multigenerational home full of character.
After: Color was one of the client’s must-haves for the redesign. Tosolini added new cabinets in a moody color with a sleeker profile. A large island provides plenty of work surface and space for eating and serving.
The countertops (called benchtops in Australia) and backsplash (called a splashback) are quartz that mimics the look of Calacatta Oro marble. An informal seating area off the kitchen features furnishings in tones that complement those found in the quartz veining.
Watch now: Go inside this updated Australian home on Houzz TV
The countertops (called benchtops in Australia) and backsplash (called a splashback) are quartz that mimics the look of Calacatta Oro marble. An informal seating area off the kitchen features furnishings in tones that complement those found in the quartz veining.
Watch now: Go inside this updated Australian home on Houzz TV
Tosolini combined two single-basin farmhouse sinks with a slim piece of quartz between them. “I think it just made it feel less stiff,” she says.
The cabinet hardware is also installed in an unusual way. The homeowners and Tosolini played around with the height of the handles before settling on the final spot. “We held them up, and we were looking at all different options, and in fact they looked great that way,” Tosolini says. “It was different and it worked.”
Tosolini also added new burnished brass light fixtures throughout the house.
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The cabinet hardware is also installed in an unusual way. The homeowners and Tosolini played around with the height of the handles before settling on the final spot. “We held them up, and we were looking at all different options, and in fact they looked great that way,” Tosolini says. “It was different and it worked.”
Tosolini also added new burnished brass light fixtures throughout the house.
Find an interior designer near you
Tosolini added long white curtains that puddle on the floor throughout the home to create a “very casual, very country” look, she says. In the living room here, she layered creamy whites with deep olive accents that are also found throughout the rooms. Gold details add glamor and elegance.
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In the dining room, a wallpaper depicting a leafy scene brings in greens and a classic European look and feel. “It gives such a rich enveloping feel to that room,” Tosolini says.
Tobacco-colored velvet chairs introduce more richness and texture.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Tobacco-colored velvet chairs introduce more richness and texture.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
In the bathrooms, Tosolini worked with the existing tile but painted a wood chair rail white to blend the traditional feature into the wall. “And then we let the vanity do the talking,” she says.
Custom vanities feature moody colors reminiscent of the kitchen cabinet color. They are topped with Carrara marble counters. Simple round mirrors and brass wall lights round out the design. “And that’s all we really had to do, and the bathrooms look totally different,” Tosolini says.
Shop from a curated collection of popular bathroom vanities
Custom vanities feature moody colors reminiscent of the kitchen cabinet color. They are topped with Carrara marble counters. Simple round mirrors and brass wall lights round out the design. “And that’s all we really had to do, and the bathrooms look totally different,” Tosolini says.
Shop from a curated collection of popular bathroom vanities
The owners often work from home and this room serves as their office. A deep blue-gray wall creates a cool atmosphere and a stylish video conference backdrop. A reupholstered office chair pairs with an antique desk. And a custom armchair offers a spot to take a break in a nearby corner.
Watch now: See more of how this home came together on Houzz TV
More on Houzz
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Watch now: See more of how this home came together on Houzz TV
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Get more home design ideas
Hire a local design professional
Shop for your home
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Two medical professionals, the elderly parents of one of them and one of the couple’s two children on the weekends
Location: Burradoo, New South Wales, Australia
Size: 4,500 square feet (418 square meters); five bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Interior designer: Dana Tosolini of Concepts Interior Design
Before: After years of living and working in Sydney, the owners were eager to embrace a slower pace in the country. They wanted comfortable spaces where multiple family members could relax.
But the owners found the previous look of the home too traditional, including the detailed white cabinetry in the kitchen, shown here. They also disliked the all-white walls and repeated use of the same light fixtures throughout the home. They wanted the interior to be timeless, functional and clutter-free with well-planned storage. “The main focus was to try to lift the house and work with what was existing, and build on that and make what was already there better,” Tosolini says.