Today’s real home comes to us from sunny Queensland and just has that relaxed holiday-vibe about it. We take a peek inside Elisha and Luke’s classic Queenslander which oozes Hamptons chic.
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Behind these stunning, newly renovated walls lives the Manning family, a busy tribe of six. Elisha, Luke and their 4 children, Lachlan (9), Bailey (7), Isla (4) and Sienna (18mths).
“We purchased the house as a 2-bedroom, 1 bath property in the inner-eastern suburb of Camp Hill in Brisbane,” says Elisha.
“It had previously been rented when we purchased it and needed a lot of work. However, we could see the potential and knew that with some planning, it could be a wonderful home for our family.”
Taking around 5 months from start to finish, the family lived in a neighbouring suburb so they were able to keep an eye on their build. Something Elisha says was key to the renovation being fairly smooth sailing.
“Thankfully we had no horrendous stories during our build! As with any renovation there were cost blow outs with provisional costs such as excavation and retaining.
“I think it’s important to do what everyone always says, which is allow more in your budget for the unexpected! There are always things that pop up so it’s advisable to have a contingency budget to allow for these costs,” Elisha says wisely.
“I think this renovation taught us the importance of being on site regularly to cross check the work that was being carried out. We were able to stop a few things before they became big problems by checking in often.”
Shop the look — Hamptons chic
Designed over 2 levels, the floorplan increased significantly to accommodate Elisha and Luke’s young family.
“The house is 2 storeys, and features 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, an office, media room and kids play room.
“The renovation extended the footprint of the home to create ample room for our growing family. With four children it was important for us to design the home with our living on the lower ground to maximise the connection to our backyard.”
The renovation has provided us with a beautiful home that is conducive to the way our family likes to live. Its design allows our family to do things separately but still be together at home.
“Most of our time is spent downstairs making the most of the indoor/outdoor living. The pool, patio and putting green provide the perfect spaces to relax outdoors as a family.
“The media/playroom off the main living area is often used by the children so it’s great to be able to close the room off to get a little peace and quiet!” laughs Elisha.
Elisha is clearly someone who knows beautiful, classic Hamptons style showcasing stunning furnishings, decor and finishes throughout the entire home.
“When it came to the design of our home, I had a vision of a light, bright house with wide open doors so the children could roam indoors and out. The neutral colour palette, intricate details and charm of a weatherboard home were all characteristics that attracted us to the Hamptons style.
“Our home features a lot of natural light which I love, and I wanted to keep the decor light to compliment that. Hamptons style works beautifully with Queenslanders and makes the most of the tropical lifestyle we have here in Brisbane.
“There are certain glimpses of Hamptons which can be seen through design elements such as custom shaker cabinetry, wide planked European oak floor boards and the neutral colour palette with hints of blues. I draw a lot of inspiration from home decor magazines, Pinterest and Instagram!
With so many kids, it was important to me that the house looked aesthetically pleasing but was also functional and practical.
We couldn’t help but notice the 2 beautiful M’s on the front door and were keen to know the significance behind them.
“They’re actually door knockers! The two M’s stand for our surname, Manning. I wanted our front door to make a statement!
“We love them because they’re a little bit fun and are a good conversation starter for people who haven’t visited our home before,” Elisha says with a smile.
So does she have a favourite spot in the house (because we struggled to pick one, we love everything!)
“Ooh, that’s a tough one as there are so many spaces to love! I guess if I had to pick just one, I would say our kitchen. It’s everything I envisaged and more.
“The crisp, white shaker cabinetry — designed by Corona Cabinets — provides a classic feel. To add some strength to the overall design, we choose stone marble bench tops featuring a large vein to break up the whiteness of the space.
“The butlers pantry comes in handy when entertaining and is used on a daily basis for storing glassware, making tea and coffee and keeping appliances out of sight.
“In terms of my favourite features, I love our mudroom. With 4 kids there is a plethora of school and sporting paraphernalia and the mudroom helps to sort and store this. It’s perfectly located off the garage and next to the laundry.
“I also love the black and white striped awning at the front of the house. I am a black and white lover from way back and have never met a black and white stripe I didn’t like!”
Nailing the Hamptons look, we had to take the opportunity to ask Elisha her favourite places to source Hamptons style decor, furnishings and fittings.
“Early Settler have some really great period pieces at reasonable prices. I also like to source unique pieces from Gumtree and upcycle them,” she says.
Credits
Builder — Vogue Constructions QLD
Building designer — Chris Brumby, Big House Little House
Interior design and styling — Our Little Abode
Thank you so much to Elisha for showing us around her stunning Hamptons home. To see more pics and find even more inspiration, check out her Instagram, Our Little Abode.
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Shop the look — Hamptons chic
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