A cursed Queensland home gets a second chance in Carina Heights
I had to strip away the chaos, fix the broken flow and give this hardworking family the bright, open, modern Queensland home buyers were desperate for on Selling Houses Australia Episode 2
Photography Selling Houses Australia/Lifestyle
Dennis Scott (left) and Wendy Moore in Carina Heights on Selling Houses Australia.
Welcome to Carina Heights, Queensland on Selling Houses Australia, If you’d told me I was walking into a “cursed” house, I’d have laughed… and that’s exactly what I did. I mean, if this place was truly cursed, would it eventually sell for over a million dollars? (Spoiler: it did.) But when I first arrived at Elton and Belinda’s cramped 1950s Carina Heights home, a space bursting at the seams with kids, pets, passion projects, and a backyard so chaotic it deserved its own postcode, I knew we had our work cut out for us.
Three years on the market, four agents, one heartbreaking last‑minute contract collapse, and a garden ornament so creepy even Dennis didn’t want to touch it… this wasn’t a design challenge, it was a full‑blown rescue mission. My job? Strip away the chaos, fix the broken floor plan and finally give this hardworking family the bright, open, modern Queensland home buyers were searching for, and that Elton and Belinda had been dreaming of for far too long.
“By reworking the flow and softening every room with a calm, cohesive palette, we were able to give this much‑loved home the fresh start it deserved”~ Interior designer Wendy Moore, Selling Houses Australia
After: the kitchen is now bright and welcoming, with a fresh colour palette that is inviting and calm.
The kitchen: Light, modern and finally connected
The kitchen had good bones but felt dated and disconnected from the rest of the house. Kitchens are emotional spaces – buyers want to imagine cooking with kids nearby or chatting with friends at the island – and that simply wasn’t possible without this layout flip.
I kept the plumbing and electrical exactly where they were (a strategic budget saver) and focused on a fresh, modern palette. I chose Alabaster Matt cabinetry paired with White Oak Matt timber‑look panels, all Flexipanel, to bring softness and warmth. These quiet, natural tones allow the rest of the styling to breathe.
The new Caesarstone Lunar Frost benchtops add a light, elegant surface that bounces daylight around the new open‑plan layout. To keep everything seamless, I continued the soft aesthetic with a Blanco Pleon 8 white sink and Linus‑S white tap — small details that make the space feel tailored and cohesive.
For appliances, I added a suite from Euromaid, including the 474L French Door Fridge (EFD474S), 60cm Integrated Dishwasher (E14FID), 90cm Freestanding Electric Oven with Gas Cooktop; and a Westinghouse 86cm Integrated Undermount Rangehood (WRI815SC)
These choices balance performance and budget beautifully and their clean lines help maintain that airy, open feel.
Overhead, the Everest 1‑Light Large Pendant in Textured Chalk from Beacon Lighting softens the kitchen visually and ties in with the pale, modern tones used throughout.
The living room: repositioned, rebalanced and finally working with the home
The original living room was doing the house no favours – cramped, dark and positioned right at the entry so buyers stepped straight into a confused jumble of furniture, gym equipment and traffic flow. Worse still, it sat completely disconnected from the kitchen, making the entire home feel out of sync with modern family living.
By enclosing the front space and transforming it into a properly sized third bedroom, I was able to flip the whole layout and relocate the living zone to the rear of the home, right alongside the new kitchen–dining area. The new living room opens out towards a beautiful leafy outlook, allowing the space to finally breathe. Soft, neutral tones, simplified furnishings and long, light timber‑look flooring from Flooring Xtra pull everything together, turning what was once a disjointed room into a warm, cohesive family hub that buyers can instantly imagine themselves relaxing in.
The new living room in Carina Heights is calm, relaxed and located alongside the kitchen.
A laidback bedroom on Selling Houses Australia, Carina Heights.
The bedrooms: calm, cohesive and properly positioned
The biggest win in the whole renovation was the bedroom reconfiguration. Originally, the bedrooms were scattered in ways that didn’t make sense for families, with one placed right off the kitchen, breaking privacy and flow.
By enclosing the original front living area and creating a hallway, I brought all three bedrooms together into a logical zone. This makes the home feel instantly more functional and more valuable.
To give each bedroom its own personality while still feeling connected to the home’s palette, I introduced two gentle feature colours: Cobargo Home and Boston Ivy from Taubmans. Both are nature‑inspired greens that echo the leafy Carina Heights surrounds and help small rooms feel restful.
For comfort, we installed Flooring Xtra Green Cape Lakewood carpet, soft, neutral and great for adding warmth without stealing attention. Window treatments also play a huge role in bedroom comfort, so I installed Veneta Honeycomb Blinds in Whisper White blockout with Seapearl sheer to manage heat, control natural light and keep the lines beautifully clean.
The result is a bedroom zone that feels private, soothing and well thought out – exactly what buyers look for, and precisely what this home was missing.
The bathroom: Small, functional and freshened up
The bathroom wasn’t part of the major renovation scope, and although it wasn’t cutting-edge in style, it was simple, worked well and was in good condition. By keeping the palette warm and neutral, the bathroom reads as functional rather than dated. The updated flooring, lighting and wall colours elsewhere capture buyers imagination, and help them focus on the positive changes. Sometimes the best design decision is knowing where not to spend.
An updated seating area in a clever update at Carina Heights by Dennis Scott.
Transforming the backyard: from chaos to a true Queensland oasis
If the inside of the house was confusing, the backyard was pure mayhem. Every corner had a different theme – fire pit, tiki bar, cubby house, spa zone, multiple sheds, aviaries, raised beds – all squeezed into one suburban yard. Buyers weren’t just overwhelmed; they couldn’t see where the usable space actually was. Queensland living is all about the outdoors, so Dennis knew this could become the home’s biggest asset if we could just strip it right back. Once Dennis cleared the clutter (including the infamous “cursed” garden statue), the yard instantly felt twice the size.
From there, Dennis rebuilt the space as a classic, low‑maintenance family backyard. He added real turf for play, a fresh privacy fence, and a new pergola to brighten the old barbecue area. We also added a simple, inviting outdoor dining setup and layered in exterior lighting - including Beacon Wanaka wall lights, Sentinel sensor spots, and Sentinel standard spots - so the garden was just as functional at night. By the time he finished, what was once chaotic and claustrophobic had become a spacious, sunlit oasis with areas for entertaining, relaxing and watching the kids play. Less truly is more.
After: A stunning outdoor space, ideal for a family.
The sales history of Selling Houses Carina Heights
Before we stepped in, Elton and Belinda had been trying to sell their Carina Heights home for three years, an almost unheard‑of timeframe in a suburb only 10 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD. Buyers didn’t mince words: they found the rooms cramped, the layout confusing, the backyard overwhelming and the street appeal uninviting. Some quoted as low as the high $800Ks, far below the couple’s dream price.
But once the renovation was complete, their new agent, Jack, launched the campaign, and for the first time in years, momentum was finally on their side. The home sold for $1.28 million, a life‑changing result.
Selling Houses Australia host Andrew Winter with homeowners Elton and Belinda.
Who pays for the renovation on Selling Houses Australia?
Elton and Belinda were upfront from the beginning: after three long years on the market, they were emotionally exhausted and financially stretched. But to make the transformation possible, they contributed $50,000 toward the renovation. Then, our labour and expertise plus our sponsors make up the shortfall, ensuring our hero homeowners get much more value than their investment. This one was such a great result, and we couldn’t be happier for them. Plus, we broke the curse!
