STICKINGTOBUDGET
Thissavvycoupledidwhattheycouldto
keepthebuildcostdown,includingproject-
managingtheworkthemselvesandhiring
labour-onlybuildersfortheinternaljobsafter
Colorsteelhadmadetheframeforthehouse.
“Ourbuilderswerehappyforustoassistas
muchaswecouldtokeeptheirhoursdown,so
wewouldcomeupontheweekendsandput the
interiorwoodenframingin,”Celenesays.
Theyalsosavedinareaslikethebathrooms
byusingready-madevanitiesandlargewall
tiles,whichmeantlesslabourandgroutcosts.
“Wedesignedandinstalledthewardrobe
systemsfromCabjaksourselves,whichsavedus
a lotof money.Wewerereallyfortunatewithmy
industryconnectionsasaninteriordesignerand
myhusband’sconnectionsintheelectricaland
dataindustry– it meantwewereableto make
ourmoneygofurther,”Celenesays.THEKIDS’ROOMS
Sincebuyingtheirplotof land,thefamilyhas
expandedtofive,andCelenewaskeenforthe
children’sbedroomstobefunbutalsocapableof
growingwiththem.“Thekidswereverymuch
a partofthedesignprocess;I’dshowthema
selectionofproductsorcolourstochoosefrom
sotheyfeltliketheywereincludedintheoverall
lookandfeeloftheirrooms,”sheexplains.
Celenescouredop-shopsforfurniture– both
AriaandKaelan’sbedswereTradeMefinds.
“Aria’sbedoriginallyhada woodfinishbut
I hada custompaintcolourmadeuptotiein
withthebuntingandartwork.I couldn’tbelieve
it whenI foundKaelan’sbed– it’s a Jenny Lind
bed I’d wanted for years!”40 |yhg