Renovating a character home is a bit like giving your grandma a makeover — you want her looking fresh and feeling fabulous, but you don’t dare take away the bits that make her her. Luckily, Bonnie’s mum, Linda, has been around the reno block more times than she can count and knows exactly how to tread that fine line between old-world charm and modern-day liveability.

We sat down with Linda to discuss her top tips for tackling a character home renovation. Here’s her take…

KEEP THE SOUL, ADD THE SPARKLE

“Large skirting boards, big cornices, high ceilings - those are non-negotiables in a character home. They give it soul. The trick is not to modernise too much. Keep things traditional where you can, and aim for continuity: the same flooring flowing from room to room, colours that don’t jar your eyes. Your eye should glide, not trip, as you move through the spaces. Keep the original timber windows and ceiling heights, and if you want to add more, stick to classic styles. I love French doors - I put them everywhere!”

If you’re renovating a character home, chances are the façade will need to stay largely the same (whether you like it or not!)

AVOID GOING TOO MODERN

Linda thinks the biggest trap when renovating a character home is over-modernising at the expense of its charm. Go too far, and the home loses its personality. She recommends steering clear of ultra-bright colours, glossy kitchens, or heavy-handed extensions that clash with the original style. Character homes shine when you respect their proportions, flow, and history and let natural light do the heavy lifting.

“Windows, windows, windows. Light, light, light. It’s everything,” she says. Ceiling height, skylights, anything that brings in natural light - don’t skimp. Even if you’ve got a two-story home and can’t do everything, do what you can. A well-placed skylight or preserving the original windows can make all the difference.

“I also love steel doors. They’re a bit of a modern touch… but a classical modern touch, I’d say.”

SPEND SMART & WORK WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT

When it comes to where to splurge on a character home renovation, Linda is clear: “The kitchen. Definitely the kitchen. And the bathrooms. Marble benchtops and bathrooms are my biggest splurge items.”

Her golden rule? Don’t rip up the whole floor plan if you don’t need to. “It’s so much cheaper when you buy a house with a decent layout and stick to it. Then you just renovate what’s there, rather than throwing big money at extensions. Extensions cost a fortune. Here, we only added a single metre to fit the sofa into the living room - that was enough.”

Invest in the spaces that matter most, and work smart with the floor plan you already have to save money and keep the home feeling authentic.

SPACE AND FLOW MATTER MOST

If there’s one mistake Linda sees again and again in character home renovations, it’s getting the spaces and flow wrong. “People don’t get the spaces right. Character homes, like our terrace, can feel narrow, so you’ve got to be smart. Open them up where you can, make rooms flow into each other, and never walk straight into a lounge room off the street - I hate walking straight into lounge rooms.”

“It’s all about making spaces feel bigger. Inner city terraced homes are often not large, so you need to be clever with how you use your space. Windows, ceiling height, and skylights make a world of difference. They give height and airiness, especially in those poky little terraces.”

💡 Plan for flow and natural light to make even compact homes feel spacious and welcoming.

WHAT TO KEEP (AND WHAT TO AVOID)

Character homes sing when you respect their history. For Linda, that means:

Keep: fireplaces, French doors, weatherboards, original windows
Use: neutral colours, classic materials, occasional modern accents (think steel beams or light fittings)
Avoid: anything too modern. “A bright blue kitchen in a Victorian? Nope. Same with those soulless, glossy kitchens - they just don’t feel homely.”

BUDGET FOR THE BORING STUFF

The hidden stuff always eats into your budget, and it’s usually the plumbing and electrics. “That’s what you come across in almost every house,” Linda says.

In older homes, there’s rarely anything you can leave as-is. “In this house we had to re-line the walls with plasterboard because the original solid brick walls were not in great condition. I needed a clean finish to get the cornices and skirting sitting just right. These are the jobs you don’t see, but they’re essential.”

Always factor in these behind-the-scenes costs when planning your reno. They’re the things that no one sees, but they keep your home safe, functional, and looking polished.

LINDA’S PARTING WISDOM

After 16, 17… maybe 18 renos (Linda’s understandably lost count!), would she do it again? “Honestly, I’m pretty much done. I’ve done too many.” (We’ll believe it when we see it, Linda.)

What about a new build? Linda doesn’t mince words: “I’ve never built brand new. I can’t. I don’t like floor plans. I need to see the spaces in front of me. As soon as I walk into a house, I know the mistakes, I know what I can do. But brand new? No thanks.”

Clearly, the reno gene runs deep - Bonnie’s the same.

But her advice for anyone taking on a character home is clear:

Honour the old bones
Add just enough modern to make it practical
Keep it simple, light, and flowing

Do that, and your home will feel timeless - not a confused mash-up of old and new.

Thinking of renovating your own character home? Take a leaf out of Linda’s book: respect its history, keep your reno simple, and let the charm shine through.