Is This Scandi Barn Sanctuary Melbourne’s Best Kept Secret?

Shaun Clancy at Clancy Constructions in Kew, Vic recently renovated this period property for Mark and Suzette into a chic Scandi Barn (You can find Clancy Constructions using postcode 3101 on James Hardie’s Find A Builder page.

When Mark and Suzette returned home to Melbourne after living abroad for 20 years, they were ready to transform their house into a home. The couple decided to renovate an Edwardian period property they had purchased years earlier, which by Suzette’s own admission needed some work. “We’d always thought that we were going to just chop off the back of the house and take it to the tip, because it was just terrible.”

The result? A forever home that seamlessly blends the old with the new.

MEET MARK AND SUZETTE

When Mark and Suzette decided to return to their Melbourne roots after a long stint overseas, they had two options: buy a new property, or renovate the one they owned.

“We bought this house in 1994 and lived in it for a few years before we moved offshore. We really liked the house and its historical nature. On coming back to Australia, we were considering what we would do and we thought we’d really like to renovate” says Mark.

And with that decision, the renovation process began!

CREATING A SCANDI BARN HOME

For the new addition, Mark and Suzette wanted to respect the heritage elements of the home, after all, it was part of what made them fall in love with the home in the first place. “We wanted it to compliment the old historical nature of the property rather than be overbearing,” adds Mark. It was the couple’s architect who introduced them to James Hardie’s Matrix product. As for the builder, Shaun Clancy, he couldn’t have been happier. “The architect specified the products used on this project,” says Shaun, who is a fan of James Hardie products himself, sharing: “we’ve been working with James Hardie products for 10 years.”

“We were after a Scandi Barn look for this particular project and we were able to achieve those really sharp lines by using Matrix panels,” says Shaun. “The installation detail and process is very easy. The product is lightweight and easy to work with,” Shaun explains. The colour used on Matrix is Dulux Black Caviar while the front façade and architrave around the window are Dulux Hog Bristle.

THE END RESULT

Home owner Mark points out that the nod to Scandi Barn is clear with the pitched shape of the roof. “It really complements the existing roofline that was on the old part of the house, and marries the heritage with the new,” says Mark. And aside from selecting the perfect exterior cladding, there was one other important factor in achieving a seamless renovation: “I think we got it right because of the people that we engaged. In the end, you do put a lot of trust into the people, the contractors, the architects and the subcontractors that come onto site. I think we were genuinely lucky in that we did engage people that we both trusted and who ultimately delivered on our vision,” shares Mark. Would builder Shaun recommend James Hardie? You bet.

“I’d recommend all of the James Hardie product range. It’s simple and easy to work with. It’s cost effective. It’s not complicated. The range is very adaptable for all projects, whether it’s ground floor, first floor or even internal.” Adds Shaun, “the James Hardie product range is very hard wearing. It doesn’t break down over time.” As for Mark and Suzette, they are beyond happy with the end result. “I think it looks better than what we were expecting! We’re both retired now so it was always going to be the one and only. It’s definitely going to be our forever home,” says Mark.

We know how overwhelming a renovation could get- to make your life easier we have put together a Budget_Checklist that you can use to have your budget under control. Thank us later for it