How Gina Saved Thousands on Her Renovation

Case Study

Client Background

Gina is a part-time jewelry designer and silversmith living on the Kapiti Coast. After the loss of her partner, Gina found her space filled with painful reminders, making it hard to move forward. She wanted to refresh her home to reflect her next phase of life. Gina had grand ideas and was extremely capable and creative, but needed guidance to bring her ideas to life effectively and affordably. The results Gina achieved, speak for themselves. Her decision to engage Homes with Soul saved her well over $50,000 on her home improvements - and completely changed the way she lives.

The Challenge

• Gina was planning an ensuite bathroom. The architectural plans had been drawn up, but it was going to be expensive and she was finding it hard to figure out what to do with the exterior door coming into the bathroom off the porch - not entirely functional!

• She wanted to give her living space and bedroom an update. Making them feel refreshed, and reflect her style. But, lacked confidence in her decorating ability (despite being an absolute gun at most DIY) - she sought help to pull her ideas together into a cohesive and stylish result.

The Approach

Through creative problem-solving and thoughtful decision-making, Gina’s home underwent a remarkable transformation:

1. Revitalising the Living Space:
   In the first session, we reconfigured Gina’s living area using only her existing furniture and decor. This simple change instantly refreshed the room, making it feel lighter and more inviting.

2. Rethinking the Ensuite Plan:
   Instead of constructing a costly ensuite, Gina opted to enhance her existing bathroom by installing a skylight. This brought natural light into the space, turning it into a bright and enjoyable retreat. This decision saved thousands of dollars and preserved the porch for another exciting purpose.

3. Transforming the Front Porch:
   By redirecting funds, Gina converted her underused outside porch into a cosy, covered outdoor entertaining area complete with couches and fairy lights. This created a welcoming space to relax and socialise with friends.

4. Improving the Hallway Flow:
   Adjustments to the hallway, including reconfigured walls and doorways, enhanced the flow of the space. Additional storage was added, creating a functional and open entranceway.

5. Personalised Interior Updates:
   Gina’s bedroom became a peaceful sanctuary with new curtains, bedding, and decor aligned to her style. Her living room was enhanced with a comfortable couch, carefully curated accessories, and a shelf she made herself, adding a personal touch.

The Solution

Gina and I worked together on her home improvement project, refreshing and updating her home in a way that reduced unnecessary spend - and maximised the transformation. These results demonstrate how I work, and show you what’s possible with a lot of experience and creative problem solving!

1. Injecting Fresh Energy:

   During our first session, we reconfigured Gina’s living space without buying anything new.

   The result was an instantly revitalised living space that felt lighter and more inviting, setting the tone for our ongoing work.

2. Solving the Ensuite Dilemma:

   Gina envisioned building an ensuite off her bedroom by extending onto her large, underutilised front porch.

   After exploring the feasibility, we opted for a more practical solution: installing a skylight in her existing bathroom, just across the hall - bringing in natural light and turning her existing bathroom into a space she loves. This not only saved Gina thousands of dollars, but also preserved the outdoor porch area which underwent it’s own transformation (using the money saved on the ensuite!)

3. Maximizing the Front Porch:

   Instead of losing the front porch to construction of an ensuite bathroom, Gina turned it into a cosy covered outdoor entertaining area (complete with couches and fairy lights), creating a super cool space for hanging out with friends.

4. Improving the Hallway Flow:

   Gina had the walls and doorways in the hallway reconfigured and added useful additional storage. The result was a more open, inviting entranceway, that is much more functional.

5. Personalised Interior Design Updates:

   I helped Gina update her bedroom, creating a relaxing sanctuary that she loves - including curtains, bedding, and decor that aligned with her style.

   We enhanced her living room with a comfortable new couch and carefully curated accessories (and a new shelf Gina made herself).

The Transformation

Over six months, Gina’s home was transformed into a space that not only reflected her style but also supported her emotional healing and new chapter in life:

• Emotional Renewal: Gina’s re-energised spaces allowed her to move on from her past and embrace a positive future.

• Smart Investments: Well considered updates to her bathroom, hallway, and living areas saved her several thousand while adding to the value of her home.

• A New Chapter: With a refreshed home that meets her needs and reflects her personality, Gina is thriving in both her space - and life.

Before & After Highlights

Draft case study (More images to come )

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