Build a House in 10 Weeks? The Experience of a Couple from Australia

The homeowner and interior designer, Liah, says every room in the house offers a luxurious view of Lake Conoolah. When her husband and teenage son go crabbing, Liah can watch them right from the window.

This romantic option definitely justified selling the old house in New South Wales, the hassle of moving, and, of course, the grand construction. However, building a new house took surprisingly little time: Liah's husband David is a builder and actively participated in construction and renovation, and the family celebrated their housewarming just over two months later.

Externally, the house looks very much like Scandinavian homes: for example, in Iceland, houses were traditionally treated with tar, so black exteriors are popular there. Liah’s idea to live in a similar house came to her head: Northern solutions inspire women greatly. Indeed, tar wasn't needed for the realization of this idea — they got by with facade paint from Tikkurila.

Scandinavian motifs are also present in the interior: for example, white walls, black-and-white framed pictures, IKEA lamps, and an abundance of wood. The kitchen island was made by David himself from old planks, and the concrete countertops were cast on-site. By the way, the floor is vinyl, although it looks very much like natural wood.

Many items were moved from the family's old house — and fit perfectly into the new one. Some things Liah had bought earlier, while working in an interior store, but didn't use. For example, a collection of straw hats and vintage interior doors found their time to shine exactly here, in this home.

Liah says her favorite spot in the house is the living room area. "At first, we wanted to separate it from the kitchen like a library. But during construction, we suddenly realized: why not just leave everything as it is? Although the house isn't very big, now that guests come over, everyone comments how spacious and cozy it is."