Fiona & Josh: A master bedroom makeover

Homeowners Fiona (make-up artist) and Josh Goddard (builder and owner of PRSA), along with their young daughter Billie, purchased their 1910 Birkenhead villa in 2018.

Since then, the couple have been busy making their four-bedroom, two-bathroom home one that reflects their design aesthetic. With Josh being a builder, he’s undertaken the renovations himself where he can, often after work and on weekends. 

I spoke to Fiona following the transformative renovation on their beautifully restful master bedroom. 

What did you want to achieve with the master bedroom renovation? 

The master bedroom was my absolute favourite part of our home since the moment we moved in, but we knew that it deserved some TLC and a fresh new look. I’m big on things being timeless and easy on the eyes. I wanted to add colour with furnishings and plants, rather than bright coloured walls, as the home currently had from the previous owners.  In saying that, Josh did talk me into having black wardrobes and I’m so happy he did. I think they tie in beautifully with the black steel fireplace surrounds. 

We wanted to restore the ceiling and bring all that beautiful detail back to life, as it was starting to crack and peel in places. We feel so lucky to have ceiling roses like we do, it’s a big reason we fell in love with the house. I will never forget the first viewing and feeling in absolute awe, like I was looking at a grand painting! 

How long did the process take to complete this room? 

Overall it took six months to complete. When you break it down though it adds up to two weeks’ worth of work spread out over six months. Josh was only able to tackle the room every Sunday, and had to head away during that time with work. 

How would you describe your approach to renovating? 

I have creative ideas and Josh brings them to life. With that said he’s a real practical thinker and being a creative myself, sometimes we don’t always agree. Over time Josh has learnt to trust my ideas and I have learnt to trust his.

Where do you draw inspiration from? 

For me, there are so many places! If I get a minute while Billie is sleeping, I enjoy pouring over homestyle magazine. Instagram is a constant source of inspiration too, from interior designers I love to renovation accounts of old homes; it’s become such an obsession. It may sound a bit strange but I often find myself at night trawling through online listings of villas for sale, exploring how each has been renovated or styled.

Did you encounter any complexities?

The window frames in our bedroom really slowed the process down. When we removed the paint, it revealed how badly they were affected by bora, with all of the frames needing to be replaced. The sash weights also needed fixing.  

Do you have stand out favourite materials that were used?

Hands down it would have to be the shutter blinds we installed. Being a big bay window, adding shutters transformed the space and brought it all together cohesively. It’s always been a dream of mine to have them in our home.

My favourite furnishing would be our Ay Illuminate light shade. It adds warmth to the room and I love the texture and detail. 

Follow their renovation journey at @fionaclaregoddard_

Kelly Evans is a freelance writer who is passionate about all things home and design.