Artist's eye evident in renovation

The artist deals primarily with acrylics and focuses on moody backdrops with overlays of punchy bold colours that command the eye.

In fact, her style of artistry is consistent with her style of interiors.

McDonald bought her Maryville miner's cottage with her partner Terry in 2011. And after a lengthy renovation, the home now glows with personality while still providing practicality for the couple and their large brood of young adult children who drop by.

"It was your typical miner's cottage - none of the floors were even, the doors slanted," McDonald says. "But I loved all the character."

The six-month renovation breathed new life into the relatively small, 300-square-metre property, completely opening up the back of the home to turn the two-bedroom cottage into a four-bedroom home plus teenagers' retreat.

With the north-facing aspect pouring sunlight through the glass french doors and shutters across the Dulux White walls, the former dark and private home now feels spacious and open.

"It was very dark, which is typical of the era, and we wanted everything to be open on the north side of the house," she says.

In maximising space in the open-plan living area, the couple designed a single-wall kitchen to travel the length of the living room.

Using an unlikely combination of marine ply face, moody charcoal cabinets and glossy white Laminex bench tops, the kitchen is functional and industrial with a fresh, clean twist.

"It's great because there's loads of storage above - we really wanted to take advantage of the high ceilings," she says.

"The charcoal works as a neutral shade but it also provides a nice contrast to the ply."

The slight industrial nods are carried through into the main bathroom. The squared-off vanity was constructed from the original timber floorboards in the cottage, and with a square sink and bold matte black tap, it is a chic take on practicality.

A jumbo silver showerhead dangles from above over the shower and two industrial-style bulbs from the ceiling.

"We liked the industrial theme. Being in Maryville, it made sense to have something practical in such a functional area" she says.

There is an undercurrent of punchy 1960s mod throughout the furnishings, with an assortment of eclectic pieces collected over the years from unlikely places.

The sturdy timber dining table is adorned by royal-blue vintage Laminex armchairs originally belonging to the Newcastle Council and sourced through the Clyde Street shops in Hamilton North.

Similarly, her set of two vintage armchairs fixed in geometrical timber and finished in a retro bright pink and bold orange came from the University of Newcastle library.

"Eclectic is a cliche, but I try and steer away from buying new stuff," she says.

The master bedroom sits at the end of the home, with a chesterfield headboard sitting proudly at the top of the bed. It was created by Peter Bryne, Sydney upholsterer and a close friend of McDonald's, and is finished in a cream Spanish linen.

The master bedroom features two sets of glass french doors that lead onto a generous wooden deck that wraps around all of the home's north side.

A large outdoor table sits adorned by around a dozen bright red replica Philippe Starck Masters Chairs, sourced through Matt Blatt - a necessary number considering Terry and Sally have four boys and four girls between them.

With their sizeable family in mind, the couple decided to embrace practicality and turn the two bedrooms at the front of the cottage into three. The rooms, which McDonald describes as "pods", feature unusual sliding doors in washed-pastel wood panels that are rolled into place with a cast-iron castor system.

The wood was sourced from a home in Maryville that was demolished - McDonald decided to simply sand back the wood to reveal the original paintwork.

The sliding doors provide the perfect amount of privacy while still maintaining a sense of guest about the rooms.

With such a spacious use of a small block, a functional undertone and stylish punches of colour, it's no wonder the brood of young adult offspring take the opportunity to occasionally spend the night.

"They usually drop in, sleep over and drop all of their washing off," McDonald says.