An inside view of Megan and Kie’s renovation success

from Our Home Winter 2021

by McPherson Media Group

Reap the rewards: The benefi ts of building sustainably

BLACK, WHITE andbeautiful

Clever renovations have transformed old and drab into new and fabulous.

STORY: LIAM NASH PHOTOGRAPHY: RODNEY BRAITHWAITE

Kie Markey and Megan McKenna relax in their transformed home.

Tucked away in tranquil inner Shepparton lies a true Cinderella story. Formerly an antiquated red-brick slab, Megan McKenna and Kie Markey’s minimalistic five-bedroom home oozes elegance thanks to an eight-month renovation process. And within the renovation came plenty of innovation. By deciding to extend, the couple has effectively doubled the size of interior room to play with—and not an inch has been wasted. An entirely monochromatic colour scheme now sweeps the home, embellished by splashes of nature placed tastefully inside the residence’s alcoves. Greeting guests at the entrance is a modified, lifted archway, while wide pockets of natural light found throughout beat away the stereotypical ‘cold’ feel many homes succumb to when opting for a pared-back palette. The study, main bathroom, guest bedroom, lounge room and beyond—all overlaid in white, accented by sharp black features. So, while Shepparton is far away from the New York playground for the peerless, Megan and Kie have captured the luxe Hamptons aesthetic excellently. Less than a year ago, however, the couple’s residence was another thing entirely. Peach walls, blue-tiled floors and an endless sea of beige carpet—it doesn’t inspire much confidence in any home buyer. But Megan and Kie were far from intimidated. “Kie and I were out house hunting for about two years before we settled on this one,” Megan said. “We actually went to an open home down the road, so to pass that up was a bit of a blessing in disguise. “We knew we wanted something quite old, to keep some of the old features. As soon as we stepped foot inside, we knew this was the one.” Previously owned by an elderly Italian couple, there was plenty to do from a stylistic point of view.

While Megan admits she wasn’t privy to what their final blueprint was to look like, partner Kie nods comfortably when quizzed about the initial designs for the home. “I had no idea what it was going to look like—I’ve got no imagination whatsoever,” Megan said with a laugh. “Although we knew we wanted a minimalist (style), with lots of white to keep it clean and sleek. “We looked through the Three Birds website, they do a lot of big white Hampton-style renos, and plenty of stuff off Pinterest and Instagram. “Kie had done all the plans so I didn’t really know what to expect. I did think ‘wow, the ceiling is a lot higher than I thought’, but it has worked out really well. “What I love is the amount of natural light that comes through; the ceiling height makes it feel really open.” A five-metre-high lounge room ceiling is the home’s piece de resistance, marking the spot where old meets new. Extending the home opened up possibilities galore for the couple—but rather than clutter it up, they elected to go conservative. Sprawled throughout the openplan living area are more classic black and white tones, with stained hardwood—original floorboards which Kie and Megan ripped up the old carpet to reveal—creating a striking contrast against the kitchen and walls. And though many of the home’s previous features were transformed during the renovation process, one stayed. “The old double brick wall is actually showing in the pantry, so that was one aspect of the old house we kept which we thought was cool,” Megan said. “That’s probably my favourite part of the house—the pantry and kitchen.” As for what’s next for their dreamboat digs—the untouched back garden is a blank canvas just waiting for stylised strokes from the couple.

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Kie and I were out house hunting for about two “ years before we settled on this one.

“There is still a little bit of work to be done out the back, we’ll put some trees in along the back and extend the height of the fence,” Megan said. “Hopefully we will have an outdoor barbecue area—we’ve got it all plumbed and gassed over there. “We have also talked about putting in a pool one day but I’m not sure if that will happen.” Glancing retrospectively over the renovations, Megan and Kie smile in agreeance at each other. Because given the chance, they’d do it the exact same way. “I don’t think we’d do anything differently if we had another go at it—we love everything,” Megan said. “There are things in hindsight that aren’t that practical, however. I absolutely love our floors, but I clean them about seven times a day. But I’d still do it again. “We’ve wanted to do this for a long time now, so we’re here for 30 years I reckon. “It just feels like home.”

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