Our cute Cottage Renovation plans

Welcome to Blackbird Cottage, our new home by the water in Cygnet, Tasmania. Blackbird Cottage was built around 1880. It is dilapidated and in need of some love. And we are the lucky (or possibly insane) ones who decided to take on this cute cottage renovation. Read on to see our plans.

Why Blackbird Cottage?

Naming a house is a funny thing. I guess one does it to make the place seem more personal or something. Anyway, we tossed around a number of names for the new cottage and finally, after spotting a blackbird nest above the front door, we decided on Blackbird Cottage. I did a bit of Googling after that and discovered. . .

“birds are considered sacred creatures so their presence always has a spiritual meaning. If a bird decided to build its nest at your door or around your home, it means the bird feels comfortable in your surroundings. It’s a sign of trust and means that you have created a safe haven both for your family and the birds in your neighborhood.”

“A bird’s nest is also a sign of divine guidance so you should expect some level of spiritual guidance and a greater sense of creativity entering your life. Additionally, a bird’s nest signifies good luck as it is a sign of hope and future happiness.”

I like those ideas. Blackbird Cottage it is!

The Cottage Renovation

As you can see from the images, the cottage is in a very sad state of repair. The owner before the current ones died in situ. (I’m not asking which room that happened in.) The ceilings, while original, are covered in a thick layer of sticky brown smoke damage. As a matter of fact, most of the house is covered in this film. For once, I am happy that people in 1800s Tasmania used hessian, newspaper, and wallpaper as the cladding for walls rather than plaster. It will be easy to rip this off the walls to expose the studs, insulate inside the frame and reclad with plasterboard. The current owners began this process for us so we will continue it.

The foundations need repair. Ok, some are held up by kerosene cans. They need replacing, The brickwork needs repointing and the windows will have to be completely overhauled.

The cottage needs new electrical, plumbing, heating, roof, internet, a kitchen, a bathroom, and laundry. It’s a daunting proposition when you think of all the jobs at once.

But we’ve done a cottage renovation before. We are no strangers to problems and pitfalls (Like dampness halfway up the walls). If anything this will be easier than the last one, because we won’t be living in it! And it’s exciting bringing a piece of history back to life, putting our stamp on it.

The interior design

This house is not like the farm, despite the fact it was built in the same period and the rooms are about the same size. It feels more rustic and cozy than the farmhouse. It won’t want to be filled with grand things.

I’ve begun to put my thoughts into the interior design of the cottage. And yes, I’m going green! (Not as in sustainably green but a green color palette.) I want a mix of patterns in wallpaper and textiles, antique pieces to create a cozy feel, and gorgeous statement lighting. But I’ll talk more about that in an upcoming post.

The back of the house will be demolished and rebuilt in the style of an old kitchen with a farmhouse sink overlooking the garden. And two elements I really want in this space are an aga-style oven in a ‘chimney’ nook and banquet seating with a round dining table. I have plans for how we can make the space more usable when we have extra guests.

The Cottage Garden

Gavin is planning a kitchen-style garden for this cottage renovation. It will be similar to the garden we have now but on a much smaller scale. Our hens will come with us so we will need a new coop for them. We have also earmarked some very advanced trees to create an instant garden. We are fortunate this time around to have a garden budget. (Have never had one before!) So we will be able to create a garden straight away. And shady trees are something this bland building block needs.

We will also lower the back fence to take in our water views and build a new raised veggie patch. Gavin is keen to have a greenhouse where we can harvest food all year round. We potted out a number of the plants and bulbs from our old cut flower garden so we can use them in the new space. I can’t wait to see how he creates the trellises and paths and fills them with things we love.

And after?

Lots of you have asked what I will be doing when the renovation is completed. Firstly, I’ll be retiring from teaching once the sale goes through. I have many plans for my free time so I’ll see how things develop. One thing we want to do as a couple is to travel, so any plans I have must include the ability to do that. I’d love to grow a business around my love of decorating whether that’s online in a course, or reopening my shop. Taking up writing again and republishing my back catalog of novels is not out of the question either I also want to focus more on my health, especially exercise.

My Instagram and Facebook handles will change, obviously, to reflect the new home. I’ll still be posting content and hope to collaborate with more brands and share great products with my following. The blog will still be here under the same name but with a twist. (Mainly because it is a lot of effort to create and migrate all this content to a new domain)

So there you have it! This is our new home. It’s a far cry from the tranquility and open spaces of the farm. But I was a city girl once. A big change will be a good thing.