FROM UGLIEST TO DREAMIEST: OG RENO SCHOOLER ALECIA BRAVEN STRIKES AGAIN
If you’ve ever stood at an open home, looked around, and thought, “Nope. Too hard, too weird, too yellow”… Alecia Braven wants a word.
Where others ran, Alecia saw potential. Where most saw a hot mess, she saw a golden opportunity. And with the support of Three Birds Reno School, she transformed what was once the ugliest house in the best suburb into a stunning five-bedroom, four-bathroom family home.
Alecia isn’t new to this. She’s a proud OG from our very first Reno School intake; this is her fourth renovation. Each one has been done with kids in tow and dust in the air - and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I honestly don’t think I would have renovated so many houses and developed this passion if it hadn’t been for the knowledge and support I get from being part of the Three Birds community.”
HOW It All Began
Alecia’s Reno School journey started the way many do, with a Three Birds video popping up on her socials. From the moment she hit play, she was hooked. The aesthetic drew her in, but it was the structure and clarity of the Reno School course that sealed the deal.
She remembers thinking, “This is actually doable.” The videos made the process feel achievable and gave her the confidence to believe she could tackle a full renovation.
From there, she jumped into her first project and hasn’t looked back.
Alecia and her family live in each house they renovate, with her two “renovation babies,” Archie (12) and Indie (10), who’ve grown up on construction sites. They’re the only kids she knows who can spot a dodgy grout job in a hotel bathroom!
THE HOUSE NO ONE WANTED
Alecia bought this place because no one else would. The layout made no sense and the yellow curved façade had most people backing away. But she saw the potential.
Eight months later, that awkward three-bedroom shell is now a light-filled five-bedroom sanctuary, with a study, four bathrooms, and a top-floor master suite that feels like a holiday.
When she first purchased the property, Alecia planned to change the polarising yellow arch on the roofline of the front façade. But after jumping back into Reno School and revisiting her vision, she had a change of heart. Seeing the iconic arches at Three Birds’ House 15 was the inspiration she needed to keep it.
She added stone cladding and introduced a second arch on the opposite side of the façade to balance the design and bring the vision to life.
She also considered removing the tiled arch over the pool until the Reno School Facebook community chimed in. “Wait until it’s painted,” they said. She did, and now she absolutely loves it. It’s the perfect example of why the community matters. The advice is practical. The support is honest. And sometimes, it saves your favourite feature from demolition.
“This group is gold. I sanity-check so many decisions in there and the feedback is instant. It’s real-time renovation support. And there are no dumb questions.”
COSTS, COMMUNITY AND THE POWER OF A CLEAR PLAN
Alecia didn’t have any major budget blowouts, but costs were noticeably higher than her last reno just 18 months earlier. She quickly learned the importance of getting multiple quotes for everything.
She leaned into the Reno School discounts too, giving special shout-outs to Olive Et Oriel, who customised two prints for her space, and Veneer Stone, who supplied the stone and supported her on-site throughout the process.
“We live in every house we renovate. This one’s no different but now it’s time for someone else to fall in love with it.” One of the biggest takeaways from the course was this: back yourself, be prepared, and don’t let a tradie talk you out of something you truly love. That mindset became her guiding star for every decision that followed.
Alecia’s latest beauty is officially on the market, with auction day locked in for 31 May.
Want a peek? Head to her Insta @myhappyplace_au to watch the transformation and catch all the details. Thanks to Core Studios for the beautiful ‘after’ pics.
“Back yourself! Be prepared, have a good scope, get multiple quotes, be open to learning, stick to your guns when your heart wants something, but your trades try to talk you out of it!”
