How a modern makeover brought this family home back to life
See how a cluttered entertainment space and unusable garage are transformed by the Space Invaders crew and their team of trusted tradies.
See how a cluttered entertainment space and unusable garage are transformed by the Space Invaders crew and their team of trusted tradies.
Jo and Shayne have lived in their house raising their two teenage sons for the last 20 years.
In that time however, their home has become overrun by sentimental clutter and their teenage sons Jack and Matt are embarrassed to invite friends over.
As the eldest of her siblings, Jo has become the family historian and ended up with all of her parents’ belongings after their passing almost two decades before.
This memory clutter has sat in the family’s pool room and garage, containing everything from family photos and heirlooms to a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
And with mum Jo now battling a chronic medical condition, the family has reached crisis point.
Enter Peter, Angie and Cherie to work their Space Invaders magic.
The house,says Cherie, “… has really good bones so I’m confident we’ll be able to create amazing new spaces for the family to enjoy.
“But in order to get this renovation right, I’ve got to secure the best tradies.”
Jo and Shayne’s house was built over 30 years ago and had a dated 1990s look and feel. With her renovation team of hipages tradies, Cherie Barber wanted to create a fun space where the family can come together.
The entertainment space, made up of the lounge, bar and rumpus, felt very disjointed by its mismatched flooring of carpet and tiles. To create a more cohesive look, the team installed new floorboards throughout making the space feel more connected.
The old bar was removed and replaced with a curved stone bench and a timber feature wall added in the rumpus.
“I want this to be a really fun space where the family can come together… the walls were pretty bare before so the new panelling makes everything look more vibrant and more modern.” said Cherie Barber
The room was made complete with pendant lighting and dark fabric blinds.
The double garage that was for the boys and dad Shayne to bond while building motorbikes together was full to the brim with clutter and had become unusable.

With the clutter cleared the team installed benchtops and storage to create a functional workshop for the boys to work on their bikes. Plus, the old concrete floor was given a fresh coat of protective paint.

Not only has the renovation created space for this close-knit family to enjoy time together doing the things that they love, it’s also increased the value of the house by an impressive $85,000.

We use garages for more than just parking the car. As a garage is a convenient storage area for garden equipment, sporting goods, tools and many other things, over time it can end up cluttered and unusable.
Here are three garage storage solutions to help combat the clutter:
You don't want everything to be on display in your garage. Sturdy cabinets are ideal for storing large and small items.
Combine cabinet storage with a workbench and you have a neat and tidy garage and a place to work in your garage.
You want to be able to see your garden tools and access them easily. Wall hooks & hangers designed for garden tools are ideal for this.
Some hangers have two protruding spikes that are perfect for shovels, rakes and other larger garden tools. Others may be hooks that are perfect for smaller tools. You can find garden tool hooks and hangers at any good hardware supplier and many larger nurseries.
Storing boxes, metal tools and other items on the floor of the garage is a recipe for disaster. Not only do they get in your way, they can easily get wet and corroded. The best place for all that clutter in the garage is against the walls.
You can find open shelving units for everything. Some open shelving is heavy-duty and will hold a lot of weight.
Get inspired by these garage storage ideas and start reorganising your garage into a functional and organised space.
Whether you’re undertaking a single-room reno or a larger project that requires expert help, we’ve got the right, trusted tradies for every job you need done. Simply post a job and up to three tradies will contact you. The best thing? It’s free.
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