From a young age, Gabrielle wanted to be an interior designer or an architect, and at times… a bricklayer. Despite not pursuing these dreams in her 20s, she realised it’s never too late to try. With two business degrees, a marriage, two children, and a dog, she’s now studying building design at TAFE. Whether it leads to a new career or helps in creating their next home, she’s excited to start learning again.
Building a dream home is an adventure that many aspire to, but few dare to embark on. Gabrielle, a member of our DevelopHer group, took a giant leap and transformed her passion for design and building into a stunning reality. Her journey with BuildHer Collective showcases the power of determination, creativity, and community in empowering women to follow their dreams.
In March 2021, Gabrielle and her husband purchased a property with the potential to build a new house. They envisioned either renting it out to holidaymakers or selling it for a profit. Excited by the numbers and the prospect of their first home-building experience, they saw a profitable opportunity and were eager to get started.
Gabrielle’s vision for the home was clear: a functional, low-maintenance holiday home that could also serve as a permanent residence. With a smaller block size of 610sqm, the design had to make the most of the space. They opted for a double-story house to accommodate four bedrooms and two living areas. Despite the limited backyard space, they maximised it with a small pool, a large deck for entertaining, and a second seating area. The interior design featured a mix of light colours and warm textures, appealing to potential buyers. BD Building Design drew up the plans, allowing Gabrielle to focus on the interiors.
Gabrielle, a mother of two school-aged children, was able to dedicate significant time to the building project. Her love for design and architecture made this project a perfect experiment to test her skills and passion. She completed a course in SketchUp, which helped her plan the designs and create visual renders for the trades.
Every building project has its challenges, and Gabrielle’s was no exception. The biggest challenge was not having all design components finalized before the plans were approved. This led to changes during the building stage, affecting budgeting and causing delays in areas such as sink locations, window designs, some in-slab plumbing, and the locations of outside retaining walls.
Additionally, there were mistakes by trades and suppliers, such as a stone benchtop cut incorrectly, cabinets made in the wrong size, which was only picked up after tiling had started, incorrect cabinetry colours and finishes, and poorly executed stainless steel benches. Despite these setbacks, Gabrielle’s determination and problem-solving skills helped her overcome these obstacles, despite longer timelines and sleepless nights.
Gabrielle discovered a deep passion for building and design through this project.
Gabrielle’s favourite part of the home is sitting by the fire on their brick hearth, enjoying the beautiful light and shadows during the day and the warm, ambient light at night. The house is perfect for entertaining, with numerous spots for socialising, cooking, fixing a martini, listening to records and dancing.
It will be a hard home to say goodbye to, but the memories made there are priceless.
Gabrielle’s advice for those thinking of renovating is to have all designs and selections confirmed before starting the build. This helps with budgeting, maintaining good relationships with builders, and preserving sanity. She also emphasises the importance of adding character to new homes through patterns and textures and planning landscaping early to ensure a mature garden upon moving in.
BuildHer Collective’s DevelopHer group was instrumental in Gabrielle’s journey. The community provided inspiration, motivation, and confidence, demonstrating that there are many smart and creative women in the building industry. It encouraged Gabrielle to seek help without fear of making mistakes, fostering an environment of learning and growth together with others to build her dream home.
Project: Bridgewater House
Interiors: Gabrielle Priestley
Building design: @bd_building_design
Builder: @ozstyleconstruction
Joinery – @aloha.joinery
Bricks – @brickworksbp La Paloma thin bricks from @australbricks
Stone – @gladstonesgranite and @ggstoneworks
Flooring – @firstelementfloors
Curtains – @diyblinds
Lights – @jardanfurniture and
@southdrawn @btelectricalco
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