An Oxenford refresh: starting with what you see first

Walking up the stairs in this split-level home in Oxenford, the flooring was the first thing I noticed. The carpet had faded along the windows. Then my eye went to the little scratches and dents on the way up, the walls and the older blinds. To me, the place looked tired.

With the property being prepared for sale, we thought it was a good time for a refresh.

The owner has been a Natgroup client for eight years. We’ve managed multiple rental properties for him, and this is one of them. For this job, we took on the project management of a targeted cosmetic refresh.

First came the plasterers to patch those little marks and cracks. The painting was selective — what we call a “one-coat wonder”. We focused on walls that looked tired or stood out as you walked through, and selected doors got a touch-up. Many of the walls, doors and gloss finishes were left alone. This wasn’t a whole-home repaint.

These are trades I’ve worked with for years. There was some spare paint, and the painters did me a favour by freshening up a few extra walls as well. It was a nice extra touch from people I know well.

We pulled out the old builder’s carpet, which had faded in the sun, and replaced it with new carpet in a colour that worked better with the property.

We also replaced a lot of the vertical blinds with better-quality roller blinds. Some have a dual sheer and blockout option.

I reckon the refresh work itself would have taken about two and a half weeks. We took our time with this one while paperwork was being finalised, so that estimate isn’t the elapsed time from start to finish. There wasn’t the same rush, and the painters had room to take their time.

For me, the flooring made the biggest visual change. It’s right there as you come up the stairs. But the whole lot works together: the patching and paint, the refreshed blinds, and the colours now sitting together in those nice brown tones.

It feels more uniform, and I find it much nicer to look at and be in. That’s what stands out to me about this cosmetic refresh as the home gets ready for the market.

Before the refresh

Glazed entry with vertical blind slats, tiled floor and carpeted stair edge.
Glazed entry with vertical blind slats, tiled floor and carpeted stair edge.
Carpeted staircase viewed upward from a tiled landing; darker marks and uneven carpet colouring visible.
Carpeted staircase viewed upward from a tiled landing; darker marks and uneven carpet colouring visible.
Carpeted room with patches of differing colour, adjoining a tiled hall.
Carpeted room with patches of differing colour, adjoining a tiled hall.
Close view of brown carpet beside an open door, skirting and sliding-door track; pale greenish patch visible. Cause unknown.
Close view of brown carpet beside an open door, skirting and sliding-door track; pale greenish patch visible. Cause unknown.

After the refresh

After: carpeted stairwell, white walls and timber handrail, viewed downward.
After: carpeted stairwell, white walls and timber handrail, viewed downward.
After: tiled hallway with white walls and doorways.
After: tiled hallway with white walls and doorways.
After: dark brown carpet in the living area; a vertical blind remains visible beside the window.
After: dark brown carpet in the living area; a vertical blind remains visible beside the window.
After: carpeted walk-in robe with wire shelving and a narrow window.
After: carpeted walk-in robe with wire shelving and a narrow window.

The stairwell photographs show different viewing directions. Other rooms are not presented as matching before-and-after views.

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