The case of the recycled house

"We were searching for a house where we could open the living spaces and create an indoor-outdoor flow," owner Susan says of her newly restored home.

Husband Michel, from Bon Vivant Carpentry, was impressed with the sturdy structure of the original house, with its high ceilings and original features. 

"The living room and bedrooms had quality hardwood floorboards underneath a horrible red, stained carpet," he says. "I loved the period windows, and we replaced a couple of aluminium frames with the same rippled feature glass."

"We had two poky living areas which were impractical and dull," says Susan. "So Michel opened the space up by taking out the dividing wall and adding large French doors.

"We just love living on the three-metre deck that Michel added onto that living space. He put a roof over the area so it's like being indoors, but out.

"There's also a separate barbecue area, so meals for us are mostly outside, overlooking the great view of the mountains," Susan says. 

"The circulation of natural light and air is the main feature I wanted to achieve for our house," Michel says. 

To create this, he cut breezeways above the doors and added elegant feature grilles with tulips and other ornate elements. "We can cut down on our cooling and lighting bills now," he adds.

Susan says another area of concern that Michel was able to alter was the plain bedroom walls. The lack of insulation also made the room quite hot in the warmer months. 

"I restored the original character to the home by installing vertical joint panels across the walls, which is one of the characteristics of Queenslander interiors," Michel says. "I also added insulation between the original wall and the panels to keep the rooms cooler."

With space at a premium, Michel decided to install period-style built-in wardrobes, and he restored other colonial furniture to match. "I love the pinewood and cedar chests of drawers, and they match the chairs and other pieces that Michel found at auctions and then restored," Susan says.

To further enlarge their living areas, Michel added a new room for Susan to use as the study. "It has fully panelled bookcases on one wall. You can't tell it wasn't part of the original house, now. Michel has even blended the roofline to match."

Michel Bonnefis

Bon Vivant Carpentry

What is your background for you to create such a livable but blended style for your home?

I trained in France as a carpenter/joiner using traditional woodworking methods. As a result I prefer to integrate the original style of a home into the renovation so it's in keeping with the whole. I have an interest in period styles, good materials and a fine finish. 

Why did you choose to restore all your furniture?

I don't like furniture that's made in factories. I appreciate original workmanship and I enjoy bringing that back to life.

What did you like about this house?

I like Queenslanders for their unique style. I particularly like the VJ boards, polished floors, high ceilings, ornate windows, big verandahs and the way the air moves throughout. Trying to re-create that was a challenge, but I think I succeeded - with a French touch of course.

Where did you find your materials?

The house has lots of recycled materials because I had to locate supplies that I felt were in keeping with the overall design. As such, I preferred not to use new windows, doors or other features. Also, it's great for the environment, and it gives the place more character.

How did you choose the colour scheme?

We wanted to stay a little bit traditional, so I used cream and honey as the base colours, but we also have a large collection of Indigenous art and so the tones needed to be neutral to highlight the pieces.

Susan

Where did you find the house?

We looked in local papers and weekly traders until we found a 'house farm' that specialises in recycled Queenslander homes. Michel didn't want the house to be too big because they have to chop those ones in half to move them, and he didn't want the integral structure to be damaged.

What did you want from the house as a living space?

I wanted to maximise the living area and make a free movement between indoors and out. The integration of the deck and the living area was a huge feature for me, but I wanted the deck to feel like a natural extension of indoor living, and the roof is a great way to shelter from the sun and rain.

What did you want for the master bedroom?

I needed space to store my clothes and artworks, and the built-ins Michel made are custom-designed to store everything according to our needs. I still want Michel to build us 'the ultimate bed' - I trust his instincts with the design!

Why did you need to add the third bedroom/study?

Private space was a real issue for us. I was doing my curatorial work in the bedroom while Michel added the extension. You can imagine how hard it was for both of us with my paperwork and pieces of art spread across the bed.

What is your take on the use of materials and period finishes in the house?

I support Michel's recycling approach. There are many good-quality pieces at auctions, but you need talent and patience to properly restore them. As a curator I recognise high-quality workmanship and appreciate the meticulous eye for detail that Michel has and how it has helped realise our dream.