Life of Reily Co. Store Refinish — 100-Year-Old Cottage Transformation
With over 100 years behind it, this old federation cottage has officially stepped into its next chapter — this time as the home of Life of Reily Co., a family-run lifestyle store championing locally made Northern Rivers products.
After falling in love with the region (and its makers), the family of seven behind the brand teamed up with JD Built for a heritage-conscious store fitout. And thanks to a long, trusted partnership, we were invited to bring the finish to life.
The vision was clear:
Keep the cottage’s warm, historic charm intact, while giving the store a clean, minimal foundation that suits the Life of Reily brand.
Most of the interior was left untouched structurally, apart from new timber shelving and benchtops. That meant the painting needed to do the heavy lifting - refreshing the space without stripping away its soul.
Protecting the cottage’s original timber floors was a big priority. Using iQuip tape, plastic and kraft paper, we wrapped and masked every surface so only the areas scheduled for a repaint were exposed. When a building has this much history, you treat it with the respect it deserves.
On the prep side, our Festool and Mirka dustless sanding systems made light work of bringing old surfaces back to life — once you go dust-free, you never go back.
For the finish, we relied on the Graco Ultra Max II 495 PC airless paint sprayer with FFLP tips, delivering the smooth, modern coating the project called for.
Shelving, benches, trims and sash windows: Dulux Aquaenamel Low Gloss
Walls: Dulux Wash&Wear Low Sheen
Colour throughout: Antique White USA
Front door: Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen in Olive Green (owner’s request)
It’s always rewarding working on new builds, but there’s something special about restoring a century-old space and giving it the chance to be loved all over again.
If you’ve got a storefront, commercial space or heritage cottage that needs a new lease on life, we’d love to chat.
