Tara Dennis and Rita Hill worked together to add some finishing touches to our French makeover. Tara went treasure hunting at The Bower, while Rita started work on the garden sheds.

Shopping at The Bower

Don and Tara looked through an inspirational book called 'Les Couleurs de la France', and used it to put together a 'wish' list of items for the makeover. Tara went shopping at The Bower Re-Use and Repair Co-operative in Marrickville, Sydney. In no time at all she found hand-forged hinges for Don's barn door ($75 each), iron lace work for the shed wall ($20), an old lamp ($10), an old hand mower ($35) and a box of very worn pots for $5. She also found some old fruit boxes to use as nesting boxes for the chooks.

Below is a list of just some of the many stores and co-operatives around Australia where you can go to find pre-loved treasures. (Tip: remember, bargaining is part of the fun when shopping for secondhand bric-a-brac.)

Shed windows

Rita attached strips of timber moulding to the shed windows to match the French doors in the house. The strips were glued on using Liquid Nails. (Tip: make sure the moulding is thin enough so that you can still open the window.) She then painted the shed walls with two coats of Limeproof Undercoat Sealer, followed by one coat of sandstone coloured limewash over the top. (Tip: wash the walls down with sugar soap before painting.)

Garage wall

Besser Blocks don't really fit in with our French country design, so Tara rendered the garage wall using a 4:1 mix of yellow brickies sand and off-white cement. (Tip: on hot days, add more water to make application easier.)

Tara's render mix is a soft, ochre colour, but you can change the colour of your render mix by adding oxide pigment from the hardware store. You can also vary the finish by applying the render with a towel, hessian bag, sponge or broom.

Cafe setting

With a few simple paint techniques and a little elbow grease, Tara transformed a cheap table and two chairs into an authentic-looking, French cafe setting. She followed these easy steps:

1. Make sure the furniture is clean and dry.
2. Apply one coat of exterior white acrylic paint. Allow to dry.
3. Apply one coat of Bristol 'Fern Tip' exterior paint.
4. While the 'Fern Tip' is still tacky, paint the entire setting with Pascol 'Norfolk Green' exterior paint.
5. Paint with Porter's Liquid Iron Base. Allow to dry.
6. Apply a coat of Porter's Instant Rust. (Tip: wear gloves and make sure there is adequate ventilation when using these products.)
7. When satisfied with the effect, coat with clear lacquer to stop the rusting process.

Costs

Shed windows Timber mouldings come in 2.4 metre lengths. Prices range from $6 to $12 per linear metre. Liquid Nails, $5 for a 350gm tube. Porter’s Limeproof Undercoat Sealer, $55 for 4 litres. Available from hardware stores and Porter’s outlets. For more information visit the website: www.porterspaints.com.au Murowash sandstone finish, $79 for 4 litres. Ring Murobond for your closest outlet - Toll free 1800 199 299.

Garage wall Yellow bricklaying sand, $7-$8 for a 30kg bag Off-white cement, $11-$12 for a 40kg bag Cement oxide pigments, $12-$15 for 1kg bag, $35-$45 for 2kg bag

Café setting Exterior white acrylic paint, $22 for 1 litre. ‘Fern Tip’ Bristol exterior paint, $25 for 1 litre. ‘Norfolk Green’ Pascol exterior paint, $30 for 1 litre. Porter’s Liquid Iron Base, $30 for 500ml. Porter’s Instant Rust, $25 for 500ml.

Further information

Our segment was filmed at:
The Bower Reuse & Repair Centre Co-op,
Bldg 34, 142 Addison Road
Marrickville 2204
Ph: (02) 9568 6280
Web: www.bower.org.au/

Book details:

Les Couleurs de la France
Jean Philippe Lenclos
Dominique Lenclos
ISBN 2-281-15111-5
Editions du Moniteur, Paris, 1990

Reuse and recycling centres

NSW
The Bower Reuse & Repair Centre Co-op
Bldg 34, 142 Addison Road
Marrickville 2204
Ph: (02) 9568 6280
Web: www.bower.org.au/

Kimbriki (Landfill site)
Off Mona Vale Road, at Kimbriki Road, between Terrey Hills and Ingleside
Open 7 days a week, 7am - 5pm
Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday
Ph: (02) 9486 3512 or (02) 9486 3542
Fax: (02) 9450 1301

Ecohouse
Shortcut Road
Raleigh 2454
Ph: (02) 6655 5405
Bartertown
Lot 9, Elizabeth Drive
Kemps Creek
Ph: (02) 9826 1078

Minnamurra Revolve Recycling Centre
Princes Highway
Minnamurra (near Kiama)
Ph: (02) 4232 5148

Reverse Garbage
8/142 Addison Road
Marrickville 2204
Ph: (02) 9569 3132

Tuncurry Waste Management Centre
Tip Road
Tuncurry 2428
Ph: (02) 6554 9471
Tea Gardens Landfill & Recycle Centre
Wanya Road
Tea Gardens 2324
Ph: (02) 4997 2287

Stroud Landfill & Recycle Centre
Simmsville Road
Stroud 2425
Ph: (02) 4994 5699

Refused and Reused Community Recycling Centre
360 Soldiers Point Road
Salamander Bay 2317
Ph: (02) 4984 6244

ACT
Revolve
Parkwood Road
Belconnen 2617
Ph: (02) 6254 8989
Mugga Lane
Symonston 2609
Ph: (02) 6295 7014

VIC
Eaglehawk Recovery and Sales Yard
Factory 13, Enterprise Park
193 Upper Road
Eaglehawk
Ph: (03) 5446 3467

QLD
Reverse Garbage (Brisbane)
296 Montague Road
West End 4101
Ph: (07) 3844 9744

TAS
Tasmanian Trash Transformers P/L
Tip Road
Deloraine 7304
Ph: (03) 6362 3700

Resource Tip Shop
McRobies Road
South Hobart 7001
Ph: (03) 6234 3772

WA
Local Governments
Shire of Roebourne:
Trash and Treasure (all manner of household items)
Ph: (08) 9186 8547
City of Armadale: Salvage
7 Orchard Avenue
Armadale 6112
(Locked Bag 2, Armadale 6992)
Ph: (08) 9399 0111

Mindarie Regional Council – (all household items)
Tamala Park Marmion Avenue
Mindarie 6030
Ph: (08) 93056942

Denmark
South Coast Highway
(PO Box 183)
Denmark 6333
Ph: (08) 9848 0300

Religious/charitable organisations
Good Samaritan Industries:
47 Magnet Road
Canning Vale 6155
PO Box 1035
Canning Vale 6970
Ph: (08) 9455 1222

Other locations, including:
Balcatta: (08) 9344 7553
Bunbury: (08) 9721 8516
Fremantle (08) 9335 7921
Perth: (08) 9321 5986 and (08) 9421 1960
Willetton: (08) 9259 4600 (specialises in furniture and kids stuff)

Computer Angels
Craig Ringer (President, Webmaster), Harry McNally (Secretary, Volunteer Coordinator)
PO Box 8039
South Perth 6151
Ph: (08) 9258 8002

Commercial Salvage Yards (Industrial material from demolition)
Vinsan Salvage
25 Katanning Road
Bayswater 6053
Ph: (08) 9279 3880

Timber denailed, timber & aluminium, doors & windows, roof iron & most secondhand materials
Brajkovich & Son Demolition
1686 Great Northern Highway
Upper Swan 6069
Ph: (08) 9296 4821

Salvage & General Trading Company
12 Morgan
Rockingham, Perth
Ph: (0) 9592 4013

Recycling (construction & demolition) directories online
Resource NSW: www.resource.nsw.gov.au
EcoRecycle Victoria: www.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au
Tasmanian Waste Recovery and Recycling Directory: www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au
South Australia: www.recycling.sa.gov.au/

Copyright CTC Productions 2004