How this couple transformed their dark and dated 1980s brick home on a budget

Sharing their attempts at thrifty DIY home improvements while singing, dancing and laughing their way through the good and bad has made Melbourne couple Jess Micallef and Izzie Silvey something of a go-to resource themselves. 

They’ve built an Instagram following of more than 30,000 by sharing the step-by-step process as they renovate their first home together, in Melbourne’s outer western suburbs. They don’t pretend to be experts, but often find themselves dispensing advice to followers who reach out to them with questions.  

“There’s never a day that goes by that I don’t have a question of where something is from, or how to do [a project],” Micallef says.

Micallef, 31, a paediatric nurse and Silvey, 32, who works in health and safety, bought their four-bedroom, two-bathroom home four years ago, but the 1980s-built house was dark and dated and in need of repairs. 

After

Before

Their first big renovation attempt was overhauling the laundry, an event the couple remember as being pretty stressful. 

“It was a random weekend and we thought we’d be able to remove the laminate that covered our plastered walls and it would be an easy coat of paint, and off we’d go,” Silvey says. “We ran into excessive glue and mouldy walls.” 

Working through that project, they taught themselves how to plaster, lay tiles, add grout, remove and replace cornices, and “how to put together flatpacks without killing each other”, resulting in a laundry they’re proud of. “We learnt a lot. We also love the space,” Silvey says. 

Their biggest makeover so far was the kitchen, which was sporting a bright green splashback, yellowish benchtops and broken timber cabinetry when they moved in. Their goals for this room upgrade included sticking to a maximum budget of $600, and keeping as much of the kitchen out of landfill as possible. 

“We really tried to keep and re-use everything we already had here,” Micallef says. “We tossed up so many times [whether] to just completely demolish it and start again, but it was really just cosmetics.” 

After

Before

To replace some damaged cupboard doors the couple built their own by replicating the existing pattern onto MDF, and then also added extra kitchen storage by building a slide-out pantry that tucks into the dead space between the fridge and the wall. 

They made the kitchen lighter and brighter using Dulux Chalk Effect paint in Riviera Grey on the cabinets and white Dulux Renovation Range for tiles and benchtops.

YouTube has been a source of information and inspiration for the couple. Micallef learned how to make drawers by hand by following YouTube clips, and transformed an old louvre-doored linen closet into a welcoming hallway nook, changing the whole feel of the space. 

Both women brought different talents to their DIY partnership. Silvey once worked as a house painter and in a hardware store, and grew up with a father who taught her to be confident on the tools. 

After

Before

“My dad bought me some overalls and boots so we could match while we worked on whatever project he was working on, anything from working on the car to ripping walls down.” 

Micallef has made gifts by hand since she was small, and started the couple’s Instagram account thehousethatjessbuilt when friends recommended she share her creations, which then burgeoned into the DIY home projects and home organisation tips. 

“For me it’s definitely fun, and a great creative outlet for my mental health,” Micallef says. “It’s challenging at times but it definitely helps with resilience and confidence. With each new project you learn something new and you can then help someone else learn it.”

Silvey agrees that she’s in it for the fun. “Who doesn’t love a good playlist, a beer, some boogying and your best friend to complete a project that you can be proud of.” 

Jess and Izzie’s tips for DIY newbies

• Do your research. “There’ve been occasions we’ve just gone full steam ahead without planning or researching but you tend to hit a few more roadblocks that way,” Micallef says. “YouTube is an incredible resource.”
• Join like-minded social media communities. “[There are] so many amazing DIY/renovation accounts sharing their knowledge with their audience.”
• Visit display homes – that’s where they got the idea for their DIY hallway nook. “It’s such a fantastic way to get ideas and inspiration.” 
• Paint is a DIYer’s best friend. “The power of paint is ridiculous,” Silvey says. “Plus if you don’t like it, you can just repaint it.” 
• Always double check before getting on the tools, Micallef advises. “If there’s one big thing to learn it’s to measure, and then measure again.”