AFTER: 1/53 Forbes St, Hawthorne was transformed by attention to detail during the renovation.
Lisa Gamblin renovated and flipped seven units in a complex last year before turning her hand to an even more challenging project, transforming a 100-year-old Queenslander and creating another two luxury homes on site.
The results are astounding, with the first – located at 53 Forbes Street, Hawthorne – snapped up by buyers wanting a luxury inner Brisbane footprint last week.
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She was attracted to the property four years ago when it was listed on realestate.com.au as a home that was “looking for love”, located high enough to have stunning views of the city and Hamilton across the Brisbane river.
BEFORE: 53 Forbes St, Hawthorne was sold as a “Grand Traditional Queenslander featuring living spaces on the upper and lower levels” and “looking for love”.
Lisa Gamblin at the historic Queenslander she renovated at 53 Forbes Street, Hawthorne. Picture: Richard Walker
Apart from being a grand circa 1920s traditional Queenslander with features like high ceilings, polished timber floorboards, stained glass windows and architraves, the property also had an enviable block size at 830sq m – perfect for subdivision and redevelopment.
“This was always going to be a substantial renovation which included completely demolishing the ground floor, raising the home and moving it forward in line with the neighbouring homes in order to capture the incredible city views,” Mrs Gamblin said. “The budget was set around $700,000 with another $50,000 for contingency. All $750,000 was used.”
“The property went unconditional in April 2016, we negotiated a six-month settlement in order to allow time to sell another home I renovated in the same street. We settled this home in September 2016 and planned to live in it for a few years before starting renovations.”
“In the meantime I had renovated a block of seven units in Norman Park. We rented a home in a neighbouring street in July 2019 and I immediately started Forbes St renovations, the home was complete 12 months later and put up for sale. Complicated, there was a lot of moving.”
BEFORE: The sitting room and fireplace were very liveable, though in need of updating.
AFTER: The new-look open plan living and kitchen.
Mrs Gamblin, who has been renovating and building since her early 20s said when she first saw the grand home, she could already imagine how it would be finished.
“I imagined the enormous street presence this beautiful 1920s Queenslander will have when renovated, the city views it would capture when raised and it was also in good condition to live in for a few years before renovations would commence. Being in a medium density character residential, the plan was always to build behind the property as well.”
Post renovation: Making the most of the city skyline.
She said the home really enhanced the streetscape, and the coloured lights of the pool reflected across the white walls and were very eye-catching now.
“I love how proud the Queenslander sits,” she said. “I’ve heard locals go by and say that this is their favourite home in the street. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.”
Her favourite thing in the home was the 100-year-old pine floor which had “beautiful” character flaws that the choice of stain enhanced.
The new kitchen at 53 Forbes Street, Hawthorne.
Light, bright and airy inside the new kitchen, with those historic floorboards holding everything together.
They added ivory Travertine stone around the exterior of the home, Astrawalker tapware, Italian tiles, Ilve appliances, a fireplace, plunge pool “and a couple of wine and bar fridges” adding a more luxurious feel to the home.
The home is set so high on the street that locals gather there to watch the annual Riverfire fireworks. “The new owners will certainly have an envious and a great vantage point.”
Mrs Gamblin is currently in the midst of building out the back of the property at 55 Forbes Street, where two more luxury homes will go.
The plan was to continue a lighter neutral colour scheme, embrace trends, using lighting to set night mood, adding gatehouses to give some depth to the exteriors.
A special jewellery display to make life easier in the master bedroom.
Her tips for anyone wishing to fix and flip property was to “set a realistic budget and a contingency fund. In my first renovation I had unexpected blowouts”.
As well, she said, do a lot of research into your builder, so the work could be effortless like 53 Forbes Street where she used “energetic and proactive builder Dan Hansen from Hans Construct”.
Clean lines in one of the new bathrooms.
A mood board was essential, she said, as well as getting physical examples of product that you plan to use, with Mrs Gamblin using Tailored Home Styling for her listing shots.
“During the renovation, I always wondered who had lived here over the last 100 years and the life stories this house holds. I’ve always imagined who will live here and who will love the home as much I have and as much as the previous owner did who I have gotten to know well. I imagined how a young small family, empty-nesters, someone single or a couple could comfortably make this house their home after it’s sold.”
If the first home at 53 Forbes Street is anything to go by, the next two at 55 Forbes Street will be just as luxurious.
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