norsuHOME is the transformation of a 1920s Californian bungalow located in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Iris into a Scandinavian-inspired dream home for designer Nat Wheeler, who acquired the property in October 2017 for her young family.

Working with her norsu Interiors partner Kristy Sadlier, Nat Wheeler carried out a complete renovation of the four-bedroom, one-bathroom property over a five-month period. “Being a co-owner of the Scandinavian-inspired art and homewares business norsu Interiors, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our styling services in reality, empowering our loved customer base to renovate or update their own home,” said Nat.

The project was based on two primary objectives: To renovate without extending; and to create a superior look without breaking the bank. Nat explained that restoring an older bungalow meant paying homage to its original style inside and out, while giving it a more modern aesthetic with the application of their signature norsu style.

At the time of purchase, the exterior of the home was almost falling down with worn-out weatherboards, chipping paint, an overgrown garden and non-existent pathways. Nat and Kristy were committed to improving every single facet of the home including the grand, yet underwhelming concrete slab driveway.

The designer duo wanted to make the driveway – given its length and width – a real feature and therefore decided to customise the design with their aesthetic that would also leave a lasting impression and add value to the home. Driveways tend to consume a large portion of the land footprint; therefore, it makes sense to make the most of this premium space with a designer option to stand out from the crowd.

The classic Californian Bungalow architectural style has a very distinct look, so it was important for all the exterior features including the driveway to blend with the unique façade. The norsu designers found Adbri Masonry’s Euro Stone paver to be the ideal product for the driveway to stand out.

Euro Stone from Adbri Masonry is a range of large format, linear paving slabs, lightly shotblast to exfoliate the surface and expose the natural aggregates and stones within, which shimmer in the sunlight and give the pavement its unique life and character.

Nat describes Euro Stone pavers as ‘driveway safe’, and which can be easily secured to an existing driveway’s concrete base, helping them save money from not having to dig up the original concrete slab. Pavers are also low maintenance and the paved surface can be easily and cost-effectively repaired in the event of damage with only individual pieces needing replacement, unlike a continuous slab.

The norsu team also added a pedestrian entry to the exterior design using the same Adbri Masonry pavers to complete the pathway. Being slip-resistant, the paved surface would keep everyone safe.

Different tones of grey are featured heavily throughout the home’s Scandinavian interior, so Nat and Kristy saw fit that the colour palette would be carried through to the exterior.

They chose the Adbri Masonry pavers in Prague colour, with the larger 600mm x 400mm pavers allowing them to create a grand driveway and pedestrian entry to the home. The design of the paver blended with the practicality of hardwearing concrete, was the perfect solution for the norsuHOME.

The home’s final look is brought together beautifully with the soft tones of grey and a dramatic double door entry.

Nat adds that the grand driveway coupled with the standout front double doors has become a talking point in the area with people often stopping by to comment.

Architecture & Design Team

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