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Kyal and Kara: our Long Jetty renovation

20 September 2017

Kyal and Kara from The Block, Reno Rumble and The Living Room take you inside their latest renovation project at Long Jetty.

Following the arrival of our baby boy Ziya, and the completion our last renovation at Toowoon Bay, we began searching for another house to renovate. 

We were looking for a property close to home (so I could walk to and from the site with Ziya), in a great street, and close to shops and the beach. We found this little beauty! The house is an original coastal weatherboard shack on a generous, flat block. 

Similar to Toowoon Bay, we’ll be documenting the entire journey for people to follow. This is the first of our renovations that we haven’t lived in while completing it – what a dream! 

Inspiration 

One of the most frequent things we get asked is where we find inspiration for each of our renovations. 

Believe it or not, our starting point for the Long Jetty reno came from a gorgeous tree in front of the property. This gorgeous Canary Island Date Palm tree had us dreaming about laying poolside in Palm Springs, and we began using this as inspiration to design the outdoor spaces.

Facade 

In keeping with the original weatherboard home, the front exterior will be quite traditional. Think white weatherboards, limestone cladding and a Blackbutt deck. The addition of a double garage will significantly transform the street frontage and add value. We’ll also be adding a pergola and front porch – which is a great cost effective idea if you’re looking to improve the kerb appeal of your home. Remember, first impressions count! Our plan will be to grow some gorgeous wisteria creeper over this, to eventually provide a living shade canopy. 

Garden 

For greenery, we’ll be using Strelitzia Nicolai, Viburnum hedging and gorgeous grasses such as Liriope Evergreen Giant and Cassa Blue. 

Backyard 

The Palm Springs vibe will really kick in when you move out to the backyard and we’re very excited to be putting in a pool! Out back, we’ll be using some gorgeous cacti and succulents in a planter next to the pool with a pebble mulch. We are planning to build privacy screening that will incorporate vintage breeze blocks – found on the block during the demolition phase! We'll use 140mm wide Blackbutt decking, which will come off the open plan living and dining. A great space to relax, have a barbecue and watch people swim in the pool. 

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