Cottage Home Renovation with Eleanor Pendleton

When Eleanor and her husband got wind that the owners of a certain NSW Central Coast property were thinking of selling up, they didn’t hesitate to pay a visit and check the house out for themselves.

Instantly, they fell in love with the place, but there was a lot of work to be done to make their country cottage dream a reality…

The Dream: A Coastal Country Escape

From their first visit, Eleanor could see that this property had the potential to become the coastal country escape they were longing for.

They loved the feel and character of the home, but they knew they were taking on a hefty renovation project.

All in all, with COVID-19 lockdowns to contend with along the way, it turned into a 5 month journey from vision to reality.

They dreamed of a more laid back, relaxed pace of life, with space to breathe, and this country cottage in a coastal spot seemed to completely embody that lifestyle.

“We really wanted to honour that country aspect,” Eleanor says, but they also wanted to uplift the interior of the home to make it feel brighter, fresher and more airy.

They set about looking for furnishings, windows and doors that would complement the cottage style, while also finding ways to open up the space and let in plenty of light.

The Search: From Instagram to Showroom

During her research, Eleanor’s eye was caught by a photo on Instagram of a set of beautiful French doors. She could see how this style would both suit the character of the property and create a fresh flow from inside to out.

After some digging, she was able to discover that the doors were originally from Doors Plus, so she lost no time in looking up her local showroom.

“When I went into the Doors Plus showroom I was really impressed by the customer service,” Eleanor recalls.

“They were really accommodating and showed so many different options for what we were looking for – both in terms of French doors and also for a front door.”

The Doors Plus specialist took some time to understand what they were after and then walked them through their options, demonstrating different styles, configurations and finishes.

Although she had a good idea of the doors she wanted, Eleanor couldn’t help being drawn in by the sheer variety on offer: “I love that there was such an array of different samples. There was literally a style for everyone.”

As Eleanor discovered, there really was no substitute for seeing and exploring these doors up close before making a final decision.
She says, “I loved seeing them in their raw form as well. I knew I wanted to paint them white but it was great to see them as they were, to see all of the different hardware options, and to see what could really be dreamed up.”

They identified the Claremont French doors as the ones that had grabbed Eleanor’s attention mid-scroll, and chose the 10 lite design with clear glass for the ideal combination of country cottage character and maximum light flow: “I knew it had to fit that cottage feel so I really wanted to find the perfect French door.”

They also chose a single Flinders door for their front entrance, to tie in the style throughout the home, and complemented their new entry door with side panels in InsulSafe decorative glass for the added touch of charm.

The Fit & Finish: Easy Does It

On the day of installation, they found the Doors Plus carpenter to be incredibly knowledgeable and helpful as he installed the frame and doors: “It gave me even more appreciation for the level of customer service.”

They had decided to paint the doors themselves, and found that the Doors Plus Paint ‘n’ Peel system made this easier than ever – especially as they had chosen a design with so many individual glass panes!

Eleanor says, “The French doors came with plastic on each of the window panes, so we didn’t have to mask and tape up every single pane within the French doors. It made the whole process so seamless.”

They painted their doors in a clean and elegant white, and then simply peeled off the film for a professional-looking finish.

Happily Ever After: Living the Country Life

For their first ever home renovation, Eleanor was pleasantly surprised by how smooth and easy it felt, from start to finish, and she couldn’t be happier with the transformation: “The end result has definitely exceeded my expectations.”

The front entrance looks elegant and charming, and the French doors make the living area feel bigger, lighter and brighter.

Moving through the home, they can now flow seamlessly from the cosy sitting room out onto a deck that overlooks the garden.

With the French doors open, they can enjoy plenty of natural light and fresh, coastal air, and can watch their son playing in the garden or sneaking berries from the mulberry tree.

For the family, it’s not just been a house move or a home renovation, but a complete change in pace and lifestyle.

As she sits beside her stunning new French doors, looking out at her country cottage garden, Eleanor reflects, “The quality of the products that we have got from Doors Plus has been fantastic. We are so thrilled with the results and we think that they have just added so much character to our home.”