Whispering gum
Timber screen
Seat cushion
Double up“A well-functioning home is one that can easily adapt to the ever-changing needs of life – and family life in particular,” says O’Connor. “Flexibility is important, whether that’s creating a space for children to do homework to free up your kitchen, or designating an area for older kids to hang out with their friends, so you can reclaim the living room. “Having rooms that are multi-functional makes the layout of a property more flexible,” she says, “and that’s the key to making your home work well.”Stanford recommends you stick to two functions for each room to avoid compromising on every feature. “If you want a spare bedroom that also functions as a study, that works,” she says. “But if you want a spare bedroom that’s a guest room, but also a study, gym, meditation space and secondary wardrobe, the room is only ever going to be 20-percent functional as any of those things.”
Starting pointWe used Houzz for interior inspiration. Then, the starting point material-wise, was the VJ panelling on the two-pack polyurethane cupboard doors, which was a tie-back to the original Queenslander.Find a kitchen designer and renovator near you on Houzz to redesign your cooking space
4. Fake height Do you have low ceilings? Choose low-profile furniture such as sofas and coffee tables to create the illusion of room height. Boost this with tall, slim bookshelves that draw the eye upwards and make walls and windows appear taller. Mixing different heights in this way will also help create a relaxed vibe in your home.Tip: To create an illusion of more space, paint the walls, skirting boards and ceiling in the same colour. This will blur the lines of where the walls end and the ceiling begins.See more gorgeous living rooms
An internal courtyard at the entrance is designed to create a sense of grandeur when entering the home.
3. The unforgotten floor. AustraliaDesigner: Alida And Miller
3. Location: Geneva, SwitzerlandDesigner: Stephanie Prince Interior DesignFeatures: Light brown details and black volumes make for a handsome combination…
Sofa, chaise longue and 2.4-metre-long timber dining table with steel legs: CommuneYour turnWhat do you like most about this flexible design? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story, and join in the conversation.MoreCraving more inspirational design? Don’t miss our last My Houzz: A New Zealand Home Celebrates Colour and Easy Materials
Don’t forget the details“Think about materials, colours and whether you want the storage to stand out or blend in with the space,” says Attanayake. “The material should be suited to the space,” she adds. For example, bathroom storage is best made from water-resistant materials, such as tiled or melamine-faced plywood. She also advises that external storage should be made of hardwearing materials, such as cedar, larch, polyester powder-coated (PPC) aluminium, or a modified timber called Accoya.Attanayake also suggest saving money with clever planning. “The door materials could be different, with more cost-effective surfaces used for the carcasses,” she says. “Also consider whether the storage needs slatted doors for ventilation or for a remote signal to go through to a TV box.”
After. The owner wanted a Scandinavian-style kitchen, so Bizot used light-coloured oak throughout. The family have breakfast at the bar counter on the left. The bottom parts of the arch were kept in place to support both the oak top and the matching timber battens, which visually separate the two zones without obstructing the flow of the space.
Tiles
2. Location: Sydney, NSWDesigner: GSP Designer Kitchens and BathroomsFeatures: An open display shelf such as this one allows you to add a touch of personality to your entertainer’s kitchen.
Image from Emser Tile“We see shades of blues and blacks trending and becoming a bigger part of Emser Tile’s offerings,” says Bob Baldocchi, the company’s chief marketing officer. “These trends appear to be influenced in part by the growing use of these shades in cabinetry.” Emser’s Myth arabesque mosaic tile, shown here in pewter, was displayed at IBS.5 Tile Trends We’re Loving for 2019
Tile colour and size
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