We transformed our shabby home into the ultimate Barbie dreamhouse – and just wait till you see what we did with the inside

A couple has shared how they transformed a Queensland home into a gorgeous picture-perfect pink dreamhouse. 

Charlie-Marie Watt, 37, and her builder husband Leonard, 36, bought the Brisbane property in 2020 for $587,500 and worked tirelessly to bring their ideas to life. 

They spent most of their weekends working on the project over four years in addition to their day jobs.  

Charlie, who works in tech, told FEMAIL at one stage the family lived in a 10-person tent in the shed for months when renovating the interior but still had access to amenities. 

The house was originally an ‘undesirable’ yellow with five bedrooms and one bathroom within, but it’s now pink from the inside out with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. 

‘I love pink, pastels, vintage, art deco and being creative. The house was a bit of a dustbowl when we bought it but guests are always amazed by it now,’ she said. 

Overall an estimated $100,000 was spent on the DIY home renovation. 

With Charlie bringing the creative flair and Leonard being the handyman, the couple are the perfect team.

‘It was a methodical process. We didn’t want to change the internals of the house to stay true to the character of the home,’ Charlie said. 

‘I’m really lucky as Len is really supportive and with his trade we were able to keep costs low by doing it ourselves – though he does roll his eyes at some of my ideas.’

Despite the massive visual change, the couple only tweaked one wall in the floorplan to turn a small sunlit bedroom into another bathroom. 

They also gutted the kitchen and main bathroom and did majority of the work themselves, though at times were forced to outsource. 

Now as you walk through the front door your eye is immediately drawn to the baby pink walls, artwork, and floral wallpaper. 

It’s evident Charlie has carefully chosen her colours, textures and patterns as it all flows nicely without feeling cluttered of overwhelmed. She’s opted for pink, blue and oranges along with florals and art deco-inspired tiles.  

‘You need to know where your skills lie when it comes to renovation so you can budget properly, know what you are and aren’t capable of, and where you’ll need to outsource,’ Charlie said. 

The property is set to go to auction in a few weeks but no price range has been determined yet, with Charlie admitting it’s going to be difficult letting go of the house. 

The hands-on pair show no signs of slowing down as they already have a number of projects in the works, including a coastal Hamptons-style renovation, a second property renovation in Harvey Bay, and a number of vintage van restorations.

‘Maybe one day this will transform into a full-time job, but just not yet,’ Charlie said, adding that she hopes to design and sell her own wallpaper too. 

When it comes to interior design, Charlie recommends starting with one ‘hero’ piece per room.

For example, when she was designing the bathroom she started with the bathtub and worked her way outwards. For the loungeroom she started with the wallpaper. 

She is also obsessed with wallpaper – something most Aussies wouldn’t dare to use. 

‘I first put some wallpaper up in my laundry and I loved it then was hooked from that point on,’ she said.

‘You can pick up rolls from $35 up to $400 depending on the designer.’ 

When using it for the first time, opt to try it on a small room before committing to a large area to minimise risk. 

As for styling, inspiration can be drawn from almost anywhere. Charlie turns to Pinterest and leans towards décor or furniture from the 60s. 

‘Don’t underestimate furniture – it’s often an underestimated, functional piece of art,’ she said. 

For those wanting to do the same, Charlie she suggests not being afraid of colour and sticking to what you love or are drawn to. 

And for investors, ensure the house has ‘good bones’ to work on to keep costs low.