Diem and Rich needed to take their Dequetteville Terrace home from mid to fire. And if you spend time with Gen Zs, you’ll know that means a glow-up was in order.

A two-bedroom townhouse can feel a little tight when inhabited by two parents, two kids, a school of fish and a perma-pup by the name of Felix. (This is a spoodle who refuses to age!)

Even tighter when one is a bibliophile, another a cinephile, and the kids have just as much school and sporting gear as they do sass and generational slang. Between them, Winnie (13) and Foss (10) partake in swimming, gymnastics, soccer and plenty of play dates.

Life is full but fun.

Something they all enjoy is food. They are big bakery people. Diem owns and runs Butter: Canteen and Provisions in Port Adelaide (and works part-time for Sprout Food Group), while Rich (a tech exec) can often be found in a bakery line, grabbing sweet treats in between school and sports.

They also cook a lot. The kitchen is their favourite place to be, which is why ripping it out and redesigning it was a core priority. This residence had transitioned from rental property to their home (a decision dictated by the housing market), and Diem declared she was sick of “polishing a turd”.

A longtime collector of images depicting the space, texture and lighting she loved, she looked for references with similar sizes and dimensions, then identified recurring themes.

– Colour. No beige or white!
– Shaker/Scandi/Japandi cabinetry
– Minimal open shelving to reduce visual clutter
– Storage (everything must have its place)

When Diem spotted Dot and Nick’s House on The Design Files, she took the plunge and engaged us.

Our in-house designer, Beth, was called on to redo the whole house – living room/kitchen, laundry, study and master bedroom. She needed to ensure the space flowed, and the design elements tied in with each other. Diem didn’t want the rooms to have their own personalities. They all had to link in some way, bringing together all the ideas and principles she had floating around her brain.

For level one, they needed storage ideas that would dial down the noise, so home was a place they wanted to be. A space that was welcoming, relaxing and clutter-free to help them decompartmentalise from work and school. An injection of colour and personality. And a design that supported a love of cooking and entertaining.

She calls herself a control freak, but Diem did show our 3D renderings to the kids. This resulted in a couple of revisions, sadly banishing her banquette seating idea and putting a custom cabinetry/room divider in the kids’ room on hold. The rest, Beth had nailed.

Let’s start with colour. White was out, and colour was in, but tone was just as important. Given the compact footprint, it was important to select a colour palette without anything that felt too heavy or dark.

Softer tones were applied to the overhead joinery, while deeper tones were reserved for the base cabinetry and flooring to help ground the design.

A subtle sage green was chosen as the primary colour that could flow throughout the lower level. To introduce personality and visual interest, the kitchen splashback features a terrazzo-look tile. It adds character without overwhelming the space and ties in with the warm tones of the timber elements.

The kitchen joinery handles add another subtle layer of colour. Pulls in Momo “Volcano Red” to create a small but impactful accent, bringing all the tones together, in what Diem describes as a true “chef’s kiss”.

As for the storage: this was a delicate balance, too. “Clutter and mess stress me out, but I also know I’m not a minimalist”, Diem had said. Hence, the need to ensure every zone was highly functional, while avoiding a design that felt visually cluttered or overwhelming.

The wall on the left-hand side of the room was designed as a multifunctional “one-stop shop.” That request for a place with everything? This wall delivered.

At the entry, there’s mudroom storage for school bags, shoes and everyday essentials. The wall then transitions into a designated area for the TV/Projector, meaning Rich can watch a film while cooking, as is often his want.

Then there’s open shelving to accommodate (some) of Diem’s extensive book collection. Rich has been informed that his knick-knacks are not allowed. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem too salty.

Beth also incorporated an appliance station to prevent clutter within the kitchen. The early risers know exactly where to head for the all-important first cup of coffee.

The design continues with tall pantry storage featuring internal drawers to maximise functionality within the limited space.

Finally, a compact study area supports working from home and homework needs. It even includes a small integrated feeding nook for Felix the dog. No one’s needs were overlooked.

“There are lots of pockets of interest and designated zones for different activities now,” said Diem. “Before, everyone was up in each other’s grills – basically an introvert’s nightmare. The inclusion of the study has been a game changer. And I don’t know how we lived with the big lights. The LED strip lighting and addition of wall pendants and lamps have made our overstimulated brains very happy.”

The family is blown away by how much bigger the space feels. They’re still marvelling at Beth’s suggestion to include checkered flooring in the kitchen, rather than have floorboards throughout. She said it would create the illusion of a larger space, and she was right. Plus, they emphasise the kitchen as the lower level’s focal point, elevate the design visually, and establish a clear distinction between the kitchen zone and the circulation pathway leading to the upper level.

Thanks to Beth’s cabinetry design, they say, the bulkhead is no longer an eyesore. It feels intentional. The tiled splashback in the kitchen and the appliance bench have become a talking point for visitors, who all can’t believe it’s the same space as the before pics.

Speaking of visitors, this home is now ripe for entertaining thanks to the island bench, which runs the length of the room instead of the previous connected wrap-around version. The layout improves flow and encourages interaction between the kitchen, living and study areas. With spots to stop and sit at, the connection is complete.

When asked how they’d describe their experience of working with us in one sentence, Diem gave us seven.

“Dreamboats. You’re all a bunch of dreamboats. From the ‘get to know you’ meeting through to handover, it felt like you had our best interests at heart. You handled chats with sensitivity. Everything from how long we might stay here, to our budget, how we used the space, what we loved and what we didn’t.

The level of organisation and communication at SpaceCraft is excellent – a true surprise and delight. It sets you apart from the pack.”

So, I guess it’s fair to say they high-key love it and us. Beth slayed. Again.

Glossary:
Mid: Mediocre or average
Fire: Amazing or really good
Glow-Up: Makeover or improvement in appearance
Salty: Bitter, annoyed or upset
High-key: referring to something openly (like, I high-key love this reno)
Slay: To do something very well or look amazing