The “Gold” Lining of Sticking to an Original Footprint

PROJECT  Golden Point House

LOCATION  Ballarat, Victoria

DEVELOPHER  Ashlea Logan

ARCHITECT  Justin Logan, OBI Office

A DevelopHer married to an architect – a match made in heaven, right? The perfect blend of love, collaboration, and the occasional “lively” design discussion! In this instance – absolutely. Ashlea Logan and her husband Justin Logan of Obi Office believe that their complementary skills have contributed to the beautiful renovation of their Ballarat project, Golden Point House.

Initially purchased as an investment, the 1890s miner’s cottage drew them in with its charm, ties to history and its positioning in the heart of original suburbs. Hence, the name – Golden Point House.

“The name is apt as we still hear the rumblings of gold mining activity underground on a daily basis. You get used to it after a while.”

– Justin

When an opportunity presented itself towards the end of the pandemic to make the move to Ballarat with their two children and Golden Retriever, their mission became clear – create a considered family home with an aspirational yet modest aesthetic for modern-day living while sticking to the original structure.

Another key factor in the project’s success was their mutual vision for the materials they wished to use from the very beginning. The broad range of products from James Hardie made it easy for them to not only select a modern and durable cladding material, but one that also complimented the history of the home, as well as the aesthetic they were looking to achieve.

We recently spoke with Ashlea in more detail about the project, her tips for juggling kids and a renovation, and how being part of the BuildHer community has helped her in this journey:

You had a family advantage with your build, as your husband is an incredible Architect… How was it working with your husband in the role of a client?

I would say having an architect as a husband and as part of the team is definitely an advantage when renovating. I particularly loved seeing Justin’s design vision come to life, and truly appreciate the design elements he implemented to transform our home. Saying that, it is not always smooth sailing, there is always going to be some challenges when working so closely with someone. Overall, I think we work really well together, complimenting each other’s skills nicely, making it a truly collaborative effort.

You chose to keep the existing house and reclad it – looks like a new home how did you achieve this and what was the cladding used?

Keeping the existing structure and giving it a fresh look was key to our vision. We achieved this by carefully selecting a modern and durable cladding material that complimented the aesthetic we were going for. By using James Hardie Axon cladding and its vertical lines, we were able to truly transform the appearance of our house. This was one of the best decisions we made throughout the build.

“By using James Hardie Axon cladding and its vertical lines, we were able to truly transform the appearance of our house.”

– Ashlea

Can you tell us about your selections – what you liked and why?

The footprint of the house is quite modest, and we felt in order to enhance the space it would be ideal to adopt a muted palette. By doing so it has helped create a cohesive feeling throughout the home and a calming atmosphere. We focused a lot on texture and detail, and love how the ever-changing quality of light helps highlight these features. Although our selections were driven by a combination of functionality, aesthetics and budget, we feel that the time taken to ensure that all aspects complement each other has helped create timeless appeal we were trying to achieve.

What were you hoping to achieve when you purchased the home and how was the process?

The reality is that Golden Point was not initially purchased as a renovation project. Justin and I were recently married, and decided to purchase an investment property together. At the time it was a natural progression on our property journey. But in more recent years certain life events opened a window of opportunity for us to embark on the renovation. In some respects, it was accidental, but we’re glad it transpired the way it has.

I know you did some working on the home yourself and used a builder, what did you do, what was the outcome?

We did engage a registered builder for this project as the house required notable structural work, and we wanted to ensure a high-quality finished product. Saying this we were also heavily involved throughout the project, particularly from a design, detail and selections perspective. To save costs we also took a hands-on-approach where possible, including parts of demolition, landscaping and painting. I believe being readily available and engaged throughout the project, as well as having Justin on hand to clarify any details in real time was a real advantage, and helped foster a great working relationship with the building team. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

“I believe being readily available and engaged throughout the project, as well as having Justin on hand to clarify any details in real time was a real advantage.”

– Ashlea

Budgets are really important on builds, what was your budget and did you stick to it?

This is a hard one to answer. Our renovation journey started due to unexpected damage at the property, and our budget had to be revised a number of times throughout the build due additional damages being found. Ultimately, we went over what we initially intended to spend, but rectified all structural issues, while re-instating the heritage features key to the house’s integrity. We spent an extra $100,000, which enabled us to review aspects of the floor plan, which included the addition of an ensuite and the reconfiguration of the main bathroom/laundry/kitchen area. As well as up specking certain features, like adding double glazed windows and doors, installing insulation and natural stone benchtops.

We know you work so well as a family unit – are there any times that you can share where you were juggling with kids or working alongside kids on the building site that made it all worthwhile?

This renovation felt like a true family affair. Although juggling family responsibilities while renovating was definitely challenging at times, it also enabled us to create so many amazing and memorable moments together. We loved getting our kids involved where we could, showing them what can be achieve if you work hard, and teaching them some great new skills. We are also incredibly grateful to have fantastic grandparents close by, as not only did they help us with the hand on work, but they were impetrative to us juggling caring for the kids. Without them we would probably still be renovating. Despite the challenges I would 100% renovate again with kids.

Do you have any top tips for working alongside kids while renovating?

• Patience is key!
• Identifying and getting them involved with age-appropriate tasks.
• Setting clear boundaries about safety (“you must wear gumboots on that massive dirt pile”)
• A good support team to help juggle the care of the kids.

“It always makes me feel so proud when our son still tells me ‘you did a great job building mum’ and ‘I love this house’.”

– Ashlea

Can you give us your 5 favourite moments in the home?

1. Indoor outdoor living – Every day we sit at the dining table for dinner as a family. With our bifold doors opening out to our entertainment area, we’re able to feel as if we’re in garden at meal times. It is divine.
2. Shower time – The shower in our ensuite is tucked away from the rest of the house. We have a skylight above which provides a dramatic and dynamic quality of light. Its peaceful, ephemeral and the perfect place for reflection. Sometimes on a clear night with the lights off, we can gaze up at the stars.
3. Sightlines – There are a number of occasions where you a greeted with a beautiful sight line. Upon entry, we have a view down the hall to the back of the house and to the garden beyond. From the back of our property, we can see the rear façade interface with the silhouette of Ballarat’s heritage skyline beyond.
4. Recessed TV unit – This was ultimately a game changer for the whole house. By recessing our TV unit, we were able to reorientate our living room. Notably increasing the usable space of the room, through minimising unused walkway space. It may seem small, but it ultimately has led to the amazing functionality and openness of our house.
5. Lighting – We were meticulous and detail-orientated with the approach to our lighting plan. As a result, we have achieved a calming space for the evenings through the use of wall lights, step lights and LED strip lights. We have used downlights sparingly for task lighting. It’s truly amazing in the evening, and you all should come for a visit sometime.

If you had your time again, what would you do differently?

Looking back there are always things we might do differently. Not having specified some of the

finishes before starting ie: types of shelves in the study, made it harder for our builder to fit them when the time came. I would aim to have everything finalised before starting next time. There are also some minor functionality changes I would make to some of the cabinetry. Despite this, we are proud of what we have accomplished and wouldn’t change the overall outcome.

What is next from here?

Now the renovation is complete, we have excitedly moved in and are enjoying our new home. We loved the process though and can’t wait to do it again. We are currently looking at the next one, and working out how we can make it stack up. Long term, Justin and I would love to do many more projects together.

How has being a part of the BuildHer/DevelopHer group helped and what would you say to anyone looking to join?

Being part of the DevelopHer group has been incredibly valuable and has given me the confidence to pursue building and renovating. It has provided me with a supportive community of link-minded women, and a resource to troubleshoot things with when needed. I love being part of the BuildHer community.

👉🏼 Feeling inspired by DevelopHer Ashlea’s project and want to start your own, or thinking about renovating for a profit? We’d love to help you.

Book a chat with us today!

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