My Houzz: Traveling Couple Find the Perfect Parking Spot
A dilapidated tin shed becomes the dream home of two nature-loving retirees and their many treasures
Wendy and Dave Sproule traveled across Australia for seven years in their beloved motor home, until they decided to let the dust settle and build a place near the coast in New South Wales state, where they could enjoy retirement together. The home was originally a basic tin shed built in the ’60s, with mismatched doors, windows and floorboards. “No two doors or windows were the same!” Dave says with a laugh. Once they took ownership, the couple collaborated with professionals to transform the shed into their dream home, where they plan to spend the rest of their lives.
It wasn’t too long after moving in that the couple’s son-in-law, Leigh Boss (who is also their builder) recommended replacing the wood stumps on which the house sits and raising the structure a foot or more, so they could put a decent-sized deck on the back of the home and embrace their love of outdoor living.
When renovations began in early 2014, many of the walls and ceilings cracked during the “restumping” process. Because the internal walls contained asbestos, all of them needed to be removed. “Suddenly our ‘little reno’ became a big reno,” Wendy says, “and the house was gutted completely, only to retain the beautiful old, mixed hardwood floors that we really fell in love with.”
The couple put their heads together with Boss at each step of the transformation. Several other builders involved also put their ideas forward, and eventually just about everything the couple could ever want or need was included in the design.
When renovations began in early 2014, many of the walls and ceilings cracked during the “restumping” process. Because the internal walls contained asbestos, all of them needed to be removed. “Suddenly our ‘little reno’ became a big reno,” Wendy says, “and the house was gutted completely, only to retain the beautiful old, mixed hardwood floors that we really fell in love with.”
The couple put their heads together with Boss at each step of the transformation. Several other builders involved also put their ideas forward, and eventually just about everything the couple could ever want or need was included in the design.
“A lot of good ideas flowed back and forth,” Dave says. “Leigh would explain what options were available from a practical point of view and give us his opinion on how that might look. We would consider this overnight and seek anyone on site for their thoughts before a final decision was made.”
The original budget had been quite small. All the couple planned to do was replace the old veranda with a much bigger one and build a couple of sheds. When they realized the house needed to be gutted and rebuilt with a new kitchen, bathroom, septic and water tanks and an asphalt driveway — well, that’s when the budget took on a life of its own. “We realized that this might be the last house we build, so decided to make it special for us,” Wendy says.
The floor plan was left intact aside from the addition of a front entry — seen here painted in magenta.
The beautiful tree seen in the front yard was originally growing where the garage needed to be built, so it was transplanted and 18 months later is still going strong.
The beautiful tree seen in the front yard was originally growing where the garage needed to be built, so it was transplanted and 18 months later is still going strong.
Dave and Wendy loved the original hardwood flooring of the home and the mixed colors of the boards. Because of the small size of the kitchen and living areas, they decided to raise the height of the ceilings, which had to be removed anyway because of cracks and asbestos, to create a more spacious feel and bring in more light.
The raised ceilings add airiness to the front entry while allowing natural light to fill the home. The wood used for the window sills came from the countertops of the old kitchen.
Many of the treasures the couple gathered on their travels now have a place to be displayed in the new home, creating talking points throughout the property. Dave particularly loves this rain stick from Boranup Gallery, picked up in Western Australia.
With the raising of the ceilings, the main metal truss of the home was left exposed. Boss came up with the idea of laminating it with wood from the original roof. The warmth of the truss now mirrors the flooring and adds a striking feature to an otherwise plain white space. “We really wanted the floors and ceiling truss to be the main features of the home,” Dave says. Artwork collected by the couple now shines on the blank canvases of the walls.
This small dining table has been with Dave and Wendy since they got married in the late ’70s. They picked it up at a thrift shop for $20.
“Our kids told us to just get rid of it, but it’s the perfect size for the two of us and we wanted to make sure there was a place for it in the new house,” Dave says.
Pendant lights: Byronian Lightworks; chairs: Harvey Norman
“Our kids told us to just get rid of it, but it’s the perfect size for the two of us and we wanted to make sure there was a place for it in the new house,” Dave says.
Pendant lights: Byronian Lightworks; chairs: Harvey Norman
The contemporary kitchen design is by Invision Kitchens, in its Tweed style. The simple elegance suits the understated aesthetic of the home while providing plenty of storage.
Wendy and Dave decided to splurge on a few items around their transformed home, such as the pendant lights above the kitchen island and the hardware fittings throughout.
Two guest bedrooms are set up for the couple’s children and five grandchildren when they visit. Both rooms are on the western side of the home.
Some of the colorful artwork in this guest room was made by the grandkids, who stay here when visiting the couple.
The second guest room provides a comfortable spot for the couple’s grown children and their partners.
The bathroom is a few steps from Dave and Wendy’s bedroom, on the eastern side of the home. A larger, family-friendly bathroom and separate toilet were built in the nearby garage for visitors to use, to help alleviate waiting.
Wendy has used a coastal theme for the color palette in the master bedroom. The painting, by local artist Mark Waller, is a new addition purchased for Wendy’s birthday.
Bedding: KAS
The impressive deck is where most of the couple’s everyday living takes place.
“We really don’t cook inside very often,” Dave says. Their routine is much the same as when they’re traveling — spending most of their time outdoors and heading inside only when it’s time to go to bed.
The cabinetry here is also by Invision Kitchens, which suggested using marine-grade fittings to handle the weather.
The cabinetry here is also by Invision Kitchens, which suggested using marine-grade fittings to handle the weather.
Because Dave and Wendy spend so much time on their deck, they decided to invest in electric shades.
“The blinds were really a luxury item for us,” Dave says, “but we are so happy we decided to get them installed. They provide great shade without interrupting the views.”
“The blinds were really a luxury item for us,” Dave says, “but we are so happy we decided to get them installed. They provide great shade without interrupting the views.”
The backyard is wonderfully green and relaxing. Dave says it also provides the grandchildren with plenty of spots for play during their visits.
The shed that was built to be used as the garage can be seen here. Dave has an outdoor shower rigged at the back —refreshing after a day of gardening.
He also keeps his collection of bonsai trees alongside the structure.
A fire pit sits behind the garage, perfect for nighttime gatherings around the “campfire.” The pavers around the pit were recycled from the outdoor area of the original home.
Inside the spacious garage are the laundry facilities and the second bathroom.
The toilet, vanity and shower are all in separate spaces in the garage, which works well when the whole family comes to visit. “We actually based the design and layout on the style of bathrooms we often come across at caravan parks,” Wendy says. “They are really practical spaces.”
“Dave’s Shed,” as it’s referred to, is on the southern end of the lot. This is where the couple park their motor home and store their camping gear, mower and Dave’s tools.
Boss suggested building a mezzanine in the shed for extra storage, along with a workshop corner where Dave could tinker.
The workshop area showcases some of Dave’s treasures, as well as a few watercolor paintings he did when the couple lived in Port Macquarie.
Dave uses the spot to make unique toys and trinkets, turning tiny gemstones the couple collected on their travels into all sorts of creations.
This toy Chevy is just like Dave’s full-sized one. He adds the stones to the truck bed, with one faceted gem in the center, before giving one to each of the grandkids.
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This toy Chevy is just like Dave’s full-sized one. He adds the stones to the truck bed, with one faceted gem in the center, before giving one to each of the grandkids.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Dave and Wendy Sproule
Location: Tintenbar, New South Wales state, Australia
Size: Three bedrooms, one bathroom and two sheds
Dave and Wendy Sproule embarked on a road-tripping adventure in 2005 after selling their home in Port Macquarie, Australia. After traveling around the country for seven years, they decided they wanted a base on the east coast, close to family in the area.
At the end of 2013, when they first saw the listing for a “cozy cottage” on an acre of land, the place seemed to check a lot of boxes for them. Though the home needed renovating, they would have enough land to build a big shed for their motor home as well as a smaller shed for their two cars. Plus they could add on an extra bathroom and a spacious laundry room and still have plenty of room for their fellow motor home travelers who came to visit.