Renovating With Caitlin Hayden From 'The House On Beach Road'

Caitlin Hayden knows all too well the highs and lows of renovating. She began renovating her Newcastle home almost a year ago and has just finished her kitchen, dining room and main living area. We chat to the newbie renovator about style inspiration, renovating tips and her favourite Fat Shack Vintage Lights. 

Tell us a little about yourself

My name is Caitlin Hayden and I am the face behind the Instagram account @thehouseonbeachroad. Our renovation journey began almost a year ago when my husband, Jon and I brought a run down beach side home. It is definitely a renovator's delight and there is still plenty to do but we are gradually working our way through it with two children in tow.

How long did your renovation take?

We have only really just scratched the surface of our renovation journey, completing the kitchen and lounge a few months ago however the rest of the house is still a major work in progress.

BEFORE

AFTER

Where did you get your inspiration from?

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am always scrolling through magazines and social media sites seeing what clever things people are creating. My Instagram account @thehouseonbeachroad constantly feeds my inspirational needs and I am always blown away with people's creative talents. As a child my mum always loved to decorate and we would always be changing a room around which is where my passion for interior styling began. Still to this day my mum is a person I look to for decorating inspiration and opinions. 

Click on the image to see more of Caitlin's style inspiration

At what stage of the renovation did you begin to think about lighting?

With our vaulted ceilings we always knew that we wanted pendant lights to drop down from the beautiful ceiling. Jon and I both love the simple and clean design of industrial style pendants so it was only matter of deciding what exact type to choose.

How did you discover Fat shack Vintage?

I stumbled upon Fat Shack Vintage when scouring the internet for industrial style pendants. I absolutely loved the website and they had so many amazing lights to choose from. I have many of their other pendant light stored in my memory bank for the next stage of the renovation.

Why did you choose the Factory Ceiling Pendant Light?

What drew me into the store and eventually deciding on their product was the authentic designs. So many lighting stores offered industrial style pendants but when we looked at them closely they all looked too modern and their shape was too round. We loved the pendants from Fat Shack Vintage as they were true to an industrial style and gave us the exact look we were after.

Click here to view our Factory Ceiling Pendant Light

Do you have any tips for people who are thinking of renovating their home?

My only advice is to be prepared for unexpected costs. I know people always say this and while I was aware that renovations were expensive, I didn't realise all the extra little things that can pop up. Have a contingency in the budget for these unexpected delights. If you're able to do this I can assure you the process will be so much less stressful. I have to admit I actually love the entire renovation process and watching it all unfold. Once a room is complete and you are sitting back enjoying the space, all of those stressful situations are easily forgotten.

We can't wait to see the rest of Caitlin's house when it is finished! Check out her Instagram page @thehouseonbeachroad for updates. If you are thinking about renovating your home, why not check out our lighting range.