Living areas: Before

When we purchased the unit in August 2007, it had been in the rental system for many years.

The carpets were a stain-friendly dark blue-grey, clashing with the typical beige painted walls found in most rental properties. For some reason, the previous tenants had chosen to throw another colour into the mix - bubblegum purple in the dining alcove.

Although hideously ugly, the unit was in excellent structural condition, with nice recently painted textured ceilings and marbled oyster light fittings.