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

The homeowner and author of this interior, Liah, says that 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 the sale of their old house in New South Wales, the hassle of moving, and, of course, the grand construction. But building a new house was surprisingly fast: Liah's husband David is a builder, and he actively participated in construction and renovation, so the family celebrated their housewarming after just over two months.

Externally, the house looks very much like Scandinavian homes: for example, in Iceland, houses were traditionally pitch-painted, so black exteriors are popular there. Liah got the idea to live in a similar house from the northern solutions, which greatly inspire her. Indeed, she didn’t need pitch; instead, she used Tikkurila facade paint.

Scandinavian motifs also appear in the interior: for example, white walls, black-and-white framed pictures, IKEA lighting, and an abundance of wood. David himself built the kitchen island from old planks, while 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 their old house — and fit perfectly into the new one. Some things Liah had bought earlier while working in an interior store but never used, such as a collection of straw hats and vintage interior doors, finally found their place here in this home.

Liah says her favorite spot 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 leave everything as it is? And although the house isn’t very big, now that guests come over, everyone comments on how spacious and cozy it is."