A Cali Cool Haven

Discover how Three Birds Renovations transformed this dated bungalow into a relaxed ‘Cali Cool’ haven where laid back luxury meets family-friendly living.

Tucked away in the leafy streets of north Sydney, this 1920s Californian bungalow was ready for a new lease on life. Once dark and dated, it’s now an effortlessly cool, sun-drenched retreat for a family of five.

With their signature eye for style and function, Three Birds Renovations transformed this home into a relaxed ‘Cali Cool’ haven where laid back luxury meets family-friendly living.

House 17 draws inspiration from four distinct but harmonious interior styles: the rustic warmth of Coastal, the fun, free-spirited flair of Boho, the breezy calm of Scandi, and the nostalgic charm of Mid-Century Modern. Each room weaves these influences together to create a space that feels cohesive, inviting and full of personality.

The original floorplan posed several challenges. The front door was tucked away on the side of the house, the rooms were small and dark, and a rear sunroom addition trapped heat without adding value to the living space.

To fix that, the Birds reworked the flow, extending the home and opening the rear with a stunning new living, kitchen, and dining space. The reimagined layout now includes four bedrooms (up from three), two bathrooms, a powder room, and a grand living zone with an elevated, raked ceiling and views straight out to the pool and garden.

To give the extension some serious wow-factor, the team ditched a flat ceiling in favour of a raked design, allowing light to flood in and drawing the eye upward. This architectural move created the perfect opportunity for a statement ceiling finish - crafted using Intrim’s timber mouldings.

Intrim worked with the Birds to develop a custom 2-piece timber batten profile to use on the raked ceiling, creating depth and dimension, drawing the eye up upon entry to the open plan living space. A feature that the homeowners instantly fell in love with.

This look can be easily achieved with Intrim’s new WB72 wall & ceiling batten, inspired by House 17’s ceiling, and offering the same stunning style in a single, easy to install piece.

Throughout the home, Three Birds used Intrim’s SK366 profile: a bold 285mm high skirting and 115mm architraves that add elegance and visual continuity from the original front rooms into the new extension.

This isn’t your average baby room. Walls, ceilings, and even doors are painted a rich rose colour, creating a warm, cocooning feel. Intrim’s HR40 half rounds form a dramatic diamond-pattern wainscoting look, bordered top and bottom by double half rounds for extra punch. Soft meets bold - and the result is magical.

In this playful space, the Birds went all out with Intrim’s HR20 half rounds, creating a striped wall feature that runs around the entire room. Layered colours and textures give the room a frieze-like effect that’s as fun as it is stylish.