Cherie’s Projects

Selling a property in a challenging market requires that extra creative push to make sure it’s in tip-top shape and stands out from the crowd. This tired-looking Sydney apartment was definitely a candidate for a sizzling makeover, however the owner’s limited budget meant there was no cash for an all-out, no holds barred renovation.  …

With its dated eighties cabinetry and severe lack of storage, this kitchen required a major rethink in order to better capitalise on the existing space. A bookcase served as the owners’ pantry, and sat beside their large fridge and chest freezer on the only free wall, visually blocking one whole side of their kitchen. There…

A special makeover for a single mum of 2 battling breast cancer highlighting the importance of a good financial plan. On Monday, I had the honour of doing a special master bedroom renovation in just 6 hours (yep, you read that right) for Cath, mummy to 8 year old Georgia and 12-year old Lily. No-one…

There’s no getting around the fact that a full-blown bathroom renovation is a costly, time-intensive and stressful affair. It requires an army of trades and your bathroom is likely to be out of action for several weeks. That’s why it makes so much sense to work with your existing bathroom, and avoid the nasty surprises…

This house in the Hunter Valley has a most unusual roofline: in fact it is so wacky, the home was dubbed by locals “the Kentucky Fried Chicken house”. My renovation strategy was to cosmetically refresh the front facade and right side of the house only, due to the home owner’s budget constraints. Down the track,…

This bedroom project is the first step in the transformation of Mick my chippie’s unrenovated home in Sydney’s west. Recently married, Mick and his new wife Joanne bought this modest brick house just one month ago, so they have their work cut out turning it into the dream home it will undoubtedly become. With Mick’s…

The three sisters who owned this unrenovated suburban house in Sydney’s west were caught in a bind and desperately needed my help. With Sydney house prices in freefall, and similarly unrenovated houses in this suburb failing to sell, they knew their best chance of securing a quick sale was to do a well-targeted renovation. However, they…

The owners of this Californian bungalow are the first to admit they made a bad choice with the original colour scheme for this facade. What they thought was going to be a striking grey, turned out to be blue, and they’d never got around to updating the colour scheme. So it was time to get…

As an official Brand Ambassador for Taubmans, I was amongst the first to be let in on the Taubmans Colour of the Year 2019. Being a huge fan of green (anyone who knows me well is aware of my weakness for green eyeshadow), I couldn’t have been happier to discover it was a lush green,…

It’s an age old question … should your renovate your rental property now, or wait until it’s time to sell? The answer is always renovate NOW! Whether your investment is a 4 bedroom house, tiny studio or a solid two bedroom apartment like the project I tackled recently, there’s no time like the present to…

Turning your backyard into an entertainment zone can add tens of thousands to your property value. But how do you get your backyard Spring ready without blowing your budget? The key is making simple strategic changes that make a big impact. Here’s what I achieved in one of my rental properties in just 1 day,…

I get it … renovating can be scary! And the room most renovators are reticent to tackle is one of the most expensive … the bathroom. But it’s also one of the top two rooms to add value and instant equity to your property! Just like the kitchen, a stylish renovated bathroom is what buyers and renters…

TEN percent of your property value is my golden rule for cosmetic renovation budgets. But sometimes, you need far less to make a BIG profit! With this project, I helped homeowner Michelle, who had lived in her home for almost 30 years. Still with a mortgage and on a limited income, she was finding it…

Sometimes it’s the most awkward rooms that give you the brightest ideas! When I met my youngest client, 7 year old Oscar and his Mum Natalie, that was certainly the case. Oscar had been sharing a bedroom and bunk beds with his younger brother Lennox, and he was chomping at the bit to move into…

Housing affordability isn’t just stretching the pockets of Aussie buyers, especially in cities like Sydney and Melbourne, it’s also stretching the imagination of designers. Modern apartments are generally showcases of compact design and generous storage, while older apartments make me wonder where on earth previous generations stored all their stuff? Luckily, I quite enjoy getting stuck into…

We all know your kitchen is the most important room in your home, but if you’ve been putting off a reno because it all sounds too hard,  you’ll be pleased to know there are some clever shortcuts to make it easy. For example, you can gloss over the bones of your old kitchen carcasses with…

Want a kitchen straight out of your favourite interior mag without the designer price tag? With clever ideas and careful project management, it’s possible to have it all. Your kitchen is one of the most critical rooms in your property for adding value, hence the need to get everything right – from your initial idea,…

How to renovate a whole house the right way, is a popular question. This is one of my investment properties in Sydney’s west, in a suburb that demonstrated great capital growth potential when I purchased in August 2016 – and has continued to gain in value.   Importantly, this was the kind of rough diamond…

Dreaming of a dual income property? You’re not alone! Whether it’s a duplex, granny flat, or dual occupancy new build, having two income streams is a fast way to pay down debt and get to that all-important goal of owning your property outright for a passive income, when you need it later in life. When…

We love our little ones but the fact is, they grow up fast and outgrow their bedrooms too! Gone are the fluffy toys, in come the teen years… If your tween wants a bedroom makeover with teen style, you don’t need to spend a fortune on a complete overhaul. With some creativity, some clever ideas,…

Australians love their bathrooms. In fact in new builds, we’re now building on average 2.6 bathrooms into every family home!* So it goes without saying that if you’re Renovating For Profit you need to pay particular attention to your bathroom if you want to lure buyers in or uplift your property value and build equity. Bathrooms are…

Apartment renos can be tricky … and the smaller the space, the cleverer you have to be. Getting Amy and Cary’s 40 square metre 1 bedder ready for sale was a challenge. They were bursting at the seams – from the moment you entered the front door, to the cluttered bathroom, and everything in between. With…

Whether buying or selling at auction, it’s possibly one of the most pressured and stressful situations you’ll find yourself in. Even if you think you’re mentally prepared, it’s easy to crumble when the spotlight falls on that prized property. If you’re the potential purchaser, that can be catastrophic. So here are a few tips to…

A kitchen reno can blow a giant hole in your overall project budget. They’re tricky to get right and you can be easily seduced into spending big! Most Aussie’s spend $10-15K on a kitchen renovation and top end designs can cost up to $50K. But there is a way to slash your budget and get a designer…

Mel and AJ are first time flippers doing their first renovation. They have grand plans to throw in their full-time jobs in order to spend more time with their son and enjoy life a bit more. They have bought a 3 bedroom un-renovated house in a seaside location but don’t have the full budget of…

Homeowner Jen bought her apartment in Gladesville NSW, quite a few years ago. Until now, the apartment has remained mostly the same as the day she moved in. Built in the 1970’s, Jen has been wanting to renovate for some time to change her home from an outdated piece of real estate, to a fresh and modern apartment…

There are a dozen different styles that would have suited a coastal gem like my Byron Bay holiday home, from contemporary to Hamptons or Scandinavian. But there was only one choice for me: Mid-Century. Coastal relaxation set in a retro 1960’s and 1970’s theme, with a modern twist, is a perfect synergy. Buying this picturesque holiday…

If 100 home renovations were a birthday, Cherie Barber, aka the Renovation Queen™ would be receiving a letter from the Queen. In the 90’s Cherie never knew she’d become Australia’s favourite renovator but she has done that by flipping houses for a profit and not being afraid to teach other people how to as well.…

Homeowners, Janet and Fred bought this western Sydney home in 2016, with the aim of building a property portfolio for long term wealth accumulation. The couple deliberately purchased an “un-renovated” property so that they could do a cosmetic renovation and add instant equity and rental yield to the property. On completion of the renovation, they…

With the average kitchen renovation conservatively estimated at between $10,000 to $15,000, you can appreciate the challenge of gutting and replacing this old-timer on a budget of roughly $5000. But that’s the reality of TV renovating for my slot on The Living Room – time and money are always stretched to the limit. The kitchen…

Homeowner, Lauren purchased this unrenovated two bedroom apartment approximately eight years ago. She lived in it for a number of years before deciding to relocate elsewhere to a house with more space. Since moving out, Lauren’s also had a stream of tenants moving in and out. With her latest round of tenants gone, she’s decided…

The owners of this humble fibro house in the outer western suburb of Toongabbie were keen to capitalise on the Sydney boom by selling their existing home and upgrading to a new location. The couple, who had owned the property for 15 years, had already partially renovated the interior, but the bland façade was still…