James Treble’s incredible coastal home transformation

One of the major concerns James had was the home’s disconnect to the outside to encourage indoor-outdoor living, but also the lack of street appeal. For resale value and for enjoyable, everyday living, there was a focus on uplifting these two elements. The new floorplan, with an inviting entry foyer added, flows beautifully, with the new flooring highlighting the modern changes. Marlu Oaks Natural Clear engineered boards from Flooring Xtra were selected with impressive results.

“I wanted to add some warmth to the colour scheme which timber does so well, not only does it suit how we live, being so easy to maintain, there’s always a strong connection to timber flooring in Australian homes, and it worked for my Palm Springs style. For colour, I wanted something quite light, and blonde with some strong character and a natural brushed finish, allowing its texture to not only blend in with our ‘V Groove’ and batten interior walls but also cleverly hide any dust or marks, as this is a family beach house. Practicality was key! We want to enjoy our floors not be slave to them.”

“I have worked with the team at Flooring Xtra for many years now, and I actually select products for or with my clients in a few of their showrooms based upon my clients or builder’s locations. Being a national company with many showrooms, this does make my life easier, as I know I can rely on the quality and I know I can find my favourites.”

The new engineered timber floorboards work seamlessly with the rest of the selections. Drawing from various sources of inspiration, there’s texture and warmth in abundance. Stone, breeze blocks and pops of colour have added personality and character while cleverly disguising the home’s previous tired features. The whole process has been documented for all to see across James’s informative and accessible YouTube platform and social media. You’re going to love following the journey!

“In addition to my existing and new build/design projects with my various builders and clients, we are just starting the process of building a new granny flat on the rear part of our block in Umina. As we did with the main house, we will be filming this and adding some additional episodes to the “James Bought A House” online show on YouTube, where I’ll be sharing the whole design, selections and construction process. We’re installing Hybrid timber floors from a new range from Flooring Xtra which is perfectly appropriate for this project due to their durability, so stay tuned!”

To see more of the spectacular renovation process we highly recommend watching the James Bought A House series on YouTube or following @designerjamestreble on Instagram.

Why choose engineered timber oak flooring?

Engineered boards are beautiful to look at as they’re made from layers of real timber. The character, markings and personality of natural timber shine through and add something to the interior design that’s authentic (although there are lots of great timber-look alternatives!). They’re relatively easy to maintain and are quick to install.

How should you care for your engineered boards?

All flooring requires some level of maintenance and care to ensure it’s longevity. Regular sweeping or vacuuming to remove grit and sand means it’s less likely to scratch flooring. Encourage a “shoes off” mantra at home to avoid traipsing in dirt. There are some great hard flooring care tips on our website.

What flooring is good for coastal homes?

There are many great solutions for homes by the beach. It’s important to consider how much maintenance you would like to upkeep and the resilience of the flooring that will withstand the extra elements that coastal living incurs (we’re looking at you, sand!). Easy-to-maintain flooring also includes laminates and vinyls as well as easy-to clean-carpets. You can read more about this on our blog.

What are the benefits of Marlu Oaks engineered boards?

Marlu Oaks engineered boards are wide in design which means there are fewer joins. Installing wider boards adds to a contemporary feel and can create the illusion of space in smaller areas. The colour palette with the range is full of character, meaning there’s a perfect style for any application.

Who installs engineered timber boards?

Installing flooring can be a complex task and should be left to the professionals. Flooring Xtra stores have their own installation teams, taking the stress off the customer. You can read more about the benefits of professional installers on our website.