Making a house a home...

Recently, The Lotus Interiors team worked their magic for Amy*, 19 and her beautiful 14 month old son Luke*. Like many of the families we help, Amy had left an abusive relationship and had very little with which to start their new lives.

Dinning Room - Before

 Dinning Room - After

After moving into her public housing placement, the Lotus team came to visit and had the opportunity to assess what was needed to turn this house into a home for Amy* and Luke.* Armed with an itinerary, we raided our storage unit for the necessary items and called in the cavalry to help create some items to help personalise the environment.

We decided on a red, blue and yellow colour scheme for Luke’s room and thanks to the wonderful efforts of Chantal, we even had beautiful new curtains made specially for his bedroom. The bed linen and cushions were kindly donated by Shack Homewares, and Samantha from Shack even designed and created a gorgeous artwork for his wall.

Luke's Room - Before

 Luke's Room - After

 In the living room, a friend had given Amy* a 3 piece lounge setting, so we created the theme for this room around them using textured finishes and warm earthy colours. Thanks to Marie Hampson for making the wonderful curtains for this room. The living room is the heart of the home and has a welcoming feel to it. It is now a place where Amy* can have friends over and feel comfortable entertaining and also provides Luke* with another place to play with his mum and his toys.

 Lounge - Before

Lounge Room - After

Following through with the warm, rich colour scheme of the living area, we wanted Amy’s* room to feel like a sanctuary where she could go to really relax and unwind. With it’s thick red velvet curtains, sumptuous cushions and a beautiful bedspread courtesy of Shack Homewares, this bedroom really is a beautiful space.

   

Amy's Room - Before

  

Amy's Room - After

This house has undergone an amazing transformation to become a home for Amy* and Luke* - a place where they can feel safe and secure, and start their new life together.

The Lotus Interiors team is proud to be able to help families like Amy’s* to take a positive step towards the future by restoring beauty to their lives and providing them with an environment that inspires hope, happiness and self worth.

Thanks to all those people who continue to make this possible for us through their generosity, time and a myriad of special skills!

Restoring Hope and Beauty....

*Please note that names have been changed.



Well the Lotus Interiors Team is off and away again for 2011...

Our current client is a young mum aged 19 with a gorgeous little boy aged 16 months. They have been living in a refuge having fled from the little boys violent father and have finally been placed in public housing. We plan to do their makeover on Friday 25th March 2011 and we are currently seeking the following items:

1. bed side tables
2. tv unit (basic compact one - not a corner piece)
3. desperately need curtains to hang on rods - or material to make some???
4. 10m extension tv ariel
5. rug (160 x 230 if possible)
6. vacuum cleaner

Please email us on lotus.interiors.team@gmail.com should you be able to assist in anyway. Please note that photographs of items are required.

YOU CAN HELP US TO KEEP HELPING OTHERS

By making a financial donation towards our storage facility - need to raise $4,400 to sustain it for another 12 months, you will be making an enormous difference.

Funds currently raised .......$1,150

To DONATE please email lotus.interiors.team@gmail.com

*please note tax receipts can  not be issued as we are simply a community group at this stage

Lavishing a young mum and her gorgeous little boy...

Hi all! Thank you so much for tuning in to see what we are up to here at Lotus Interiors......all are welcome!

As well as working with single parents and children from crisis housing we are now very excited to also be working alongside an Independent Living Program that assists homeless young people develop independence.

Our latest project was with a beautiful 22 year old mother, *Jane and her energetic 22 month old boy *Tom.

The Independent Living Program has assisted *Jane since she left home as a teenager and had nowhere to go, right through to assisting her move away from a volatile relationship.

Lotus Interiors felt that *Jane was more than deserving of some spoiling. It is our hope that such a simple gift might change the nature and course of her life.

*Jane was given a public housing placement in a brand new villa and the Lotus Interiors team went to work!

Enjoy seeing the photos of her new beginning.

Angela Wilson
Founder

Some thoughts from the day…

Tom's Room Before...

Tom's Room After ...

 For *Tom we created a fun and colourful room where he can enjoy his toys, with table and chairs to sit and play, and lots of fun and happy furnishings. Our artist extraordinaire, Amanda McSeveny, created some wonderful artwork that is sure to put a smile on his face and capture his imagination on a daily basis. The blue star theme is one that no doubt he will stamp his own style on in the years ahead. *Tom is such a gorgeous little boy, so full of life.

Jane's Room Before...

Jane's Room After...

*Jane's room became a wonderful, restful retreat with fabulous textured fabrics complementing, the room’s centerpiece; a beautiful canvas painting donated by Shack Homewares. *Jane and her caseworker were overwhelmed with the outcome and we loved that we could provide her with a stunning space.

Lounge Before ...

Lounge After...

Overall *Jane’s home is now a place of beauty, somewhere that she can be proud of. We hope that our simple act of kindness will reflect to her just how much she is worthy of happiness and joy in her life, and thus effect the choices she makes for the future. As always it is such a privilege to be allowed into peoples home and lives. We sincerely hope *Jane and *Tom enjoy their new home as much as we enjoyed putting it all together for them.

Tammy Scharenguivel

Committee Member

*Please note names have been changed.

A teenage retreat...

Well it was a few weeks ago now but we were back at it, again aiming to restore beauty and hope. This time however our challenge was to convert a disused garage into a teenage retreat. Our beautiful family were in need of an extra bedroom that would allow Ally's* teenage daughter Jane* to have a space of her own. A space that would reunite her with her family.

With only a few hours and limited available hands we set out to create a welcoming and encouraging retreat for a very precious teenage girl, who could do with being showered with beauty and joy.

Arriving again with the trailor in toe we immediately threw ourselves into the cleaning of this once not so loved garage. So engrossed were we in our cleaning that we forgot to take photos, that was until all of the cleaning was done. So here is the garage post our scrubbing.

 As with any makeover this one too has its own story to tell. As with all of our makeovers all of the items we provide are either generously donated or lovingly restored. Well just as we were really getting into it we discovered that the bed we had been given was now missing some vital parts. Not deterred we continued with the makeover even making the bed up on the floor believing that we would be able to solve this minor hiccup before the day was through. So off we headed with the bed pieces in the trailor to the nearest hardware store. Having found most of the staff standing around not doing very much we felt sure that someone would assist us with a solution to our dilemma. Unfortunately the staff were neither able to assist us or very helpful. But where better to find a handyman than a hardware store? Long story short we were fortunate enough to find two very generous tradesmen with a ute full of tools who took the time to fix our bed in the carpark of the hareware store.

We hope Jane* loves her room. We hope it is a place she will enjoy bringing her friends, we hope it is a place of safety and security and it is a retreat where she can know that she is treasured, precious and beautiful beyond measure.

Again thank you to all of the wonderful people who continue to support the work of Lotus Interiors through generous donations of homewares, furniture, time and support.

Lotus Interiors............Restoring Beauty!
 
 
*Note: names have been changed.

Our first family finally gets their new home!

Many of you have journeyed with me and the Lotus Interiors Team over the past seven months or so as we have rallied together to provide beautiful home wares for Ally* and her four children; Tim*, Fiona*, Emma* and Sam*, who despite significant challenges are rebuilding their family unit after being impacted by domestic violence.  

Well - we did it! A few weeks ago the Lotus Interiors Team packed up a Ute, a luggage trailer and a minibus and headed off to provide this family with a home that might fill their lives with beauty, speak value and inspire hope for their future. The day was truly a privilege as this precious family gave us permission to enter their lives and witness their joy and thankfulness.

The transformation was wonderful as the attached photos demonstrate. Our combined efforts have helped provide this amazing family with a fresh start in a truly beautiful and empowering home that we hope they are proud to share with others.

The transformation took place with the assistance of Tim* and Emma* while Ally* and Sam* headed out for the day in order to be able to enjoy a 'big reveal'. Upon arriving back at the house for the reveal Sam* aged 7 sobbed with her arms over her face, unable to look at what was now hers. I had to keep reassuring her that it was all theirs and that it was all going to stay. Eventually she allowed herself to take it in and proceeded to hug me over and over saying "thank you, thank you, thank you" amongst the tears...obviously I cried too!!!

Lounge - Before (Crisis Housing)                                                                               

Lounge - After

Dinning Room - Before (Crisis Housing)

Dining Room & Study Spaces - After

Ally's* reaction to the reveal was priceless. She was so touched and kept saying that she had never ever lived in a house like this. She felt that she could now have friends come into her home without her feeling ashamed and judged. We also hope that despite still facing significant challenges as a family, that her home will now be a place of refuge and comfort.

Ally's Room - Before (Crisis Housing)                                                                            

Ally's Room - After

Tim's Room - Before (Crisis Housing)                                                         

Tim's Room - After

Tim* followed us around all day in his wheelchair saying "This is the best day ever!" What an amazing privilege it was for our team to be able to give such a simple gift to such an inspirational young man.

Emma and Sam's Room - Before (Crisis Housing)                                           

   

Emma's Room - After

Sam's Room - After

Emma* and Sam* had never had their own room before so both were delighted to have their own room complete with side tables and lamps all of which were also a new experience. Sam* spent much time after the reveal flicking her lamp on and off in wonderment. Man, we take so much for granted.  Thanks to your generosity we able to provide some lovely reading books and clothing as well as little gift boxes with some earrings and jewellery for both girls.

I feel so incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to have a dream and then see it come to life in such a beautiful and powerful way. So thank you to all of you who donated items and to those who simply encouraged us along the way.......if it weren't for you then this family would not have received a beautiful home that daily speaks value and hope into their lives.

I would like to specifically thank....

• The wonderful Julia Schofer from SHACK Home wares along with her store manager Samantha Tunbridge for their unconditional support and generosity towards our vision
• Jeremy Byrne and Anthony Spon-Smith of Coco Republic for their incredible generosity and support
• Stylist Katherine Holihan for her continuing support and wonderful donations
• Diana Hagop, Susan Abel, Bronwyn Maynard and Anne Wilson for your kind donations
• Joy Morgan for her countless hours of free babysitting - I couldn't have done any of this without you!
• Louise and Richard Scott for your many volunteered hours of practical help
• Gillian Coutts and Sheridan/Pacific Brands for their wonderful contribution
• Alex Wilson and Scott McSeveny for their moving skills
• Tanya Morgan for her creative expertise
• Rod Minell for his generous furniture donations

And of course to all the individuals who contributed items along the way we are truly thankful.

Last of all a very personal thanks to my team Tammy Scharenguivel, Amanda McSeveny, Georgie Wollaston, Heidi Tombs and Amber Stone, you girls are such an inspiration. With such gigantic hearts, no job is ever too big! I love you guys!

Here's to the next project - bring it on!

Founder
Lotus Interiors............Restoring Beauty!

*Note: names have been changed.