West Geelong
Last kitchen with shelving for plates
SaveEmail 2. Kitchen island The breeze-block front on this kitchen island adds a decorative touch to this clean-lined and minimalist space. “Our client came to us with a love of textiles and the Palm Springs influence, and they asked us to work this breeze block into the addition,” says Sally Wilson of SW-Architects. Wilson used the block for the kitchen island to create a hard-wearing foothold for the clients’ children. “Breeze blocks are a fantastic masonry element to work with,” Wilson says. Because internal masonry doesn’t need the same large mortar joints as external masonry, she recommends “keeping the detailing thin and crisp to avoid too much bulk”.
FORMA Design SaveEmail Type of flooring The type of flooring will also affect the type of castors. Soft castors made of rubber or polyurethane are a better choice for smooth or hard floors to protect them from scratches, scrapes, marks and wear. Harder castors can be used on carpet so that they don’t snag as they roll. And the thicker the carpet, the larger the wheels should be.
Kitchen island A kitchen island on castors makes it very easy to clean up any spills or bits of food that drop beneath. It also reduces the visual weight and sense of permanence of the island. Each of these islands has a stainless-steel workbench – one with plywood cabinetry underneath and the other with plenty of open space.
designtank SaveEmail Round the edges In contrast to bold geometric shapes, parallel lines in Art Deco architecture were softened by grand sweeping curves. Add some soft curving features to your kitchen design with some curved open shelves on which to display crockery or even Art Deco-inspired ornaments.
Together But Separate Respecting boundaries and acknowledging your partner’s need for space is sometimes a winning recipe at home. If your other half is easier to be around with a dose of alone time, why not encourage it? Whether you call it a man cave or a she shed – or just a solo hanging chair in the garden – dedicated individual spaces grant both people permission to have some breathing room when they need it.
Play with pegboard With its utility chic credentials, pegboard (perforated hardboard) has become an interiors sleeper hit. This budget option isn’t just ideal in garages and craft rooms for hanging up equipment, it can work as a simple kitchen splashback too. You can buy pegboard from hardware stores or online. To add some colour and keep it practical, use a roller to add a couple of layers of moisture-resistant paint.
Add on wooden fronts If you’d like solid wood cabinets but don’t have the budget, one option is to buy cheaper carcasses from a standard DIY store, then ask a joiner to make bespoke door fronts for you. You can also get ones made online. The result will be a more expensive look, but without such a big price tag.
Abigail Ahern SaveEmail Switch your doors Similarly, consider whether your existing kitchen carcasses are in a good enough state to be reused. If so, swap in new doors. It’s a simple way to keep costs down in an updated kitchen. Replace fronts with store-bought doors that match your dimensions. For a cheaper option than bespoke solid wooden versions, have simple MDF doors made up and spray-painted in your choice of colour. By choosing a deep shade, such as this rich, matt blue, you’ll instantly make your kitchen look more expensive.
hcdb.uk.com SaveEmail Love laminate Laminate benchtops sometimes get a bad rap, but actually, in simple colours such as white, they can look great, and they’re much more affordable than many benchtop alternatives. The quality of laminate (basically, a chipboard, ply or MDF core coated in plastic) has also come on a lot in recent years, with convincing versions of wood, granite and so on – great for creating a smart look on a budget.
To solve that often frustrating top- and bottom-gap issue that freestanding wardrobes present, try adding baskets and storage boxes to the space between floor and wardrobe, or ceiling and wardrobe. They are a handy way to add texture and colour and can help tie the elements of the room together, just like in this bedroom.
Light from three Velux windows makes the bedroom brighter and feel more spacious than the square metres would suggest. “The lofts give an illusion of spaciousness, because they can accommodate beds, which would otherwise take too much floor space in the other rooms. I also think the lofts give more charm to the apartment by adding another floor.”
From the office, a ladder leads up to the couple’s bedroom. It’s located in one of the home’s two lofts and is a space the family uses in the smartest possible way, and has learned to love. “The lofts are primarily additional space – for storage, for guests, for us. It’s important [to make use of such space] when you live in an apartment that has sloping walls and is, on paper, a little too small for a four-person family.”
Outdoor Living Seasonal 10 Outdoor Jobs to Get Done in February Use the warmer months to your advantage to get your home's outdoor environs shipshape Robin Braithwaite 31 January 2017 Houzz Australia Contributor. I am a freelance writer who loves beautiful interiors,... More Email Comment8Like13Bookmark37PrintEmbed February is one of the warmer months in Australia, but it’s also the month the kids go back to school after the long summer break. This makes it a great time to get some key jobs done. Take advantage of the longer, warmer days to clean up hardworking spaces around the house, especially outside. Here we look at 10 jobs that can sometimes be overlooked or considered just too hard to deal with. Midcentury Exterior by Ana Williamson Architect Ana Williamson Architect SaveEmail 1. Clean up the front of house First impressions count and a clean house exterior adds enormous kerb appeal. The ideal tool for cleaning the exterior of your home is a high-pressure washer or Gerni gun. Before you get started: make sure all the windows and doors are securely closed, wear protective glasses to prevent debris getting in your eyes, check the pressure on the machine, you don’t want to ...
Contemporary Kitchen by Douglas Design Studio Douglas Design Studio SaveEmail The minimum width of a kitchen work aisle should be roughly 1000 millimetres for a single cook and 1280 millimetres for multiple cooks, to allow for adequate room to move. A walkway should be at least 900 millimetres wide. In a small kitchen, it can be tough to accommodate a standard-size island, which typically measures 600 to 1000 millimetres deep, and still have adequate space for aisles and walkways. But there’s quite a bit of flexibility when it comes to the size and orientation of a kitchen island. It should be designed and placed to provide an additional surface without being in the way of crucial kitchen tasks. Many homeowners actually prefer a compact island because it allows for better flow – it’s easier to get around when moving from one area to another.
Go the whole hog If you’re head over heels for this trend, why not go all out and strip your interior right back to its bare and beautiful bones. Large, bright spaces like this one, which is flooded with natural light, pack a powerful punch when painted top to bottom in dazzling white, and the addition of a simple black metal table and chairs brings a restrained beauty to the room.
Marek Sikora Photography SaveEmail Bring to life with foliage This hallway nook is a masterclass in monochrome minimalism. An elegant black planter is filled with leafy green plants and spotlit with a simple black pendant light. A black and white print in a (yes, you guessed it) black and white frame and mount respectively, creates a simple but effective vignette that’s packed with interest but not cluttered.
The Dos and Don’ts of Hanging Art Above a Fireplace It’s a classic spot to site a work of art, but what are the design rules for getting it right? Scott Phillips 20 October 2016 Houzz contributor and co-founder of Rise Art which showcases, rents and sells great... More Email Comment40Like4Bookmark13PrintEmbed When it comes to hanging art above a mantelpiece, what are the dos and don’ts? How high should you hang the work, is one piece enough and what’s the right colour scheme? Read on for expert tips. Beach Style Living Room by Wickenden Hutley Wickenden Hutley SaveEmail Do coordinate strategically This dark grey stone fireplace takes centre stage, standing out amid warm neutral furnishings. The temptation might be to hang a dark artwork above to harmonise with the feature, but the painted grey alcoves either side complement the fireplace enough to leave the white space above the mantel primed for a brighter piece. This painting ties in more with the yellow tiles of the fire surround, while the muted blues are picked up in the accessories. As an above-the-fireplace artwork is a natural focal point for a room, this can be a good place to start when choosing how to decorate and ...
Contemporary Living Room by Amberth Amberth SaveEmail Don’t overlook the mantel Using the mantelpiece as a shelf is a more relaxed way of featuring your artworks than hanging them. It also means it’s easier to chop and change your above-fireplace display. Whether you want to rent new artworks as the season changes or feature your favourite pieces on special occasions, this is the perfect way to keep the space fresh and display your art collection hassle-free. It’s also a great idea if you’re renting and can’t screw hooks into the walls. The case for leaning art
Do mix and match An artwork above your fireplace doesn’t have to be the sole focal point, but with some good styling, it can still stand out among other treasured possessions. Just as galleries like white for its ability to let the artworks shine, black can do the same job, really letting a piece stand out. Here, this casually placed portrait isn’t competing with its dark frame, which blends into the wall behind it, and the colours are further enhanced by a ceramics collection in hues to complement the tones of the painting. Choosing a frame the same colour as your wall is a good tip if you don’t want to distract the eye from your precious artwork.
1. Repaint or reface existing cabinetry If the interior structure of the cabinetry is still sound, refinishing, repainting or refacing (replacing the cabinet fronts) can be a more cost-effective way to refresh a dated kitchen than completely replacing the cabinetry. If the cabinet doors are in poor condition or you want to change the style, consider refacing.
Size: 260 square metres; main floor and attic, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 living areas plus ground floor apartment The couple had been in their family house for 20 years when they came across this tired old Arts and Crafts-style bungalow in their favourite beachside street, two years ago. The kids had left home, so although the house needed work, it was a great time to take on a new project and buy it they did. What’s interesting about this property is that the original owner of the property, a Mr Casbolt, had imported much of the house as a pre-cut kitset house, including windows and doors, and even bookshelves, from an American manufacturer – a move not uncommon back then in New Zealand and Australia. Unfortunately, soon after the house was built, the depression ruined Mr Casbolt’s confectionary business and the ground floor of the house was carved into an apartment to help make ends meet. It is still in the same configuration today, so the renovation focused on a layout rejig of the first floor (seen below). The attic was also converted into a third bedroom.
Immaculately detailed joinery in the floating cabinetry makes this small room highly efficient for two.
Create green walls These vines in a Sydney courtyard are already making a good start at turning the fence lines into a green walls. Notice also the rusted laser-cut screen at the rear of the yard which keeps other backyard paraphernalia, such as bins and garden tools, out of sight.
Study famous diagonals Many modernist furniture designers ignored gravity and found ways of using the slightly unsettling diagonal line. Dutch designer of the 1930s De Stijl movement, Gerrit Rietveld, explored abstract shapes and came up with what he called his ‘designer joke’: the Zig-Zag chair. While appearing unstable and fragile, it is solid and elegant and a wonderful example of the dynamism of diagonals.
When the Keebaugh family originally moved into their home, the space which is now BJ’s granny flat was a pool house. After the pool was filled in to create a more usable backyard space, the pool house became the play/rumpus room for BJ and his older sister Chessie. Two years ago, BJ and his mother Chyka decided to create a space where he could have a little more independence, and went about renovating the cottage into a liveable self-contained studio.
You will need a first-flush diverter that diverts the initial flow of dirty water from the roof (from dust, for example, or heavy metals from nearby roads) which drains the contaminants to a soakage area, before allowing the following clean water into the tank. A leaf strainer prevents debris from clogging up the tank (and decaying inside) and that will need be cleaned out frequently.
Green Living Life Latest from NZ Saving for a (Non) Rainy Day Install a design-smart water tank now to start collecting winter's watery bounty for the summer Catherine Smith 8 June 2016 Houzz New Zealand Editorial Staff. A design addict from way back, I can't resist... More Email Comment4Like4Bookmark16PrintEmbed Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog. Now that the winter rains have arrived, it’s hard to remember how dry the garden gets through summer and early autumn – and how hefty the water bills become. But this is the smart time to invest in a water tank so you can collect nature’s free supply that winter so generously brings – and start hoarding for when the rains dry up again. But forget the big round tanks on the stand beside the house that were a standard beach or rural sight in New Zealand for so long, because now that townies have gotten in on the water-collecting act, city style has arrived. Contemporary by Tanksalot Ltd Tanksalot Ltd SaveEmail Vicki Niethe and her husband Clint of Tanksalot have decades of experience helping homeowners select the right tank, eventually introducing the slimlines that are common in Australia. They are discr...
If you’re siting the tank near the house, consider a colour that disappears (the darker the better) or surround it with planting that will help it merge. But be careful if you are espaliering trees or growing creepers that the wires and frames are well clear of the tank so that growth doesn’t damage the surface of the tank.
If you have nowhere to hide the tank, consider framing it with a slatted fence (you will need to give yourself access for the tap, and to clear the leaf filter).
Now that the winter rains have arrived, it’s hard to remember how dry the garden gets through summer and early autumn – and how hefty the water bills become. But this is the smart time to invest in a water tank so you can collect nature’s free supply that winter so generously brings – and start hoarding for when the rains dry up again. But forget the big round tanks on the stand beside the house that were a standard beach or rural sight in New Zealand for so long, because now that townies have gotten in on the water-collecting act, city style has arrived. Contemporary by Tanksalot Ltd Tanksalot Ltd SaveEmail Vicki Niethe and her husband Clint of Tanksalot have decades of experience helping homeowners select the right tank, eventually introducing the slimlines that are common in Australia. They are discreet enough to fit into restricted spaces, but Vicki’s advice is to go big – both the size of the tank and the amount of roof run-off you direct into it. At a minimum, she recommends a 5000-litre tank if you live in an area with year-round rain. For her family of four adults, she’s found that is plenty to supply two toilets, laundry, dishwasher and two outside taps. Some tanks are a...
2. Elevated bed Positioning the bed on an elevated platform not only allows for additional storage space, but adds another plane or level to a small space, making it feel and look larger by directing the eye to far points of the room. This apartment also has a glass roof over the bed for extra natural light.
Bjorn Interior Firm SaveEmail 5. Double-purpose divider One of the best ways to make a compact space as functional and liveable as possible is to have architectural and design elements do double duty. This bedroom features a platform bed with under-bed storage, while the built-in home office also serves as a room divider, separating the bed from the rest of the apartment.
SaveEmail Two years after Kim and James bought the property, the garage was converted into a gorgeous cottage for their children and their friends. The old garage roller door was replaced with french doors from the local hardware shop. The interior curtains are made from beautiful Shibori hand-dyed cotton.
Four Brothers LLC SaveEmail 6. Flooring If you’re taking on a full gut renovation, ripping up your floor can be daunting. Get past your fears by dreaming about what’s next. Lay down some high-end tile in your small space and let those fears slip away.
7. Liriope muscari When outdoor space is at a premium, limiting the lawn and planting ground covers such as Liriope muscari is a much better solution. This low-growing evergreen perennial forms dense, grassy clumps that are covered in spiky purple-blue flowers in summer and autumn. It’s frost hardy and loves dry shade.
9. Lomandra Graceful grasses are another excellent lawn alternative for gardens big and small. Some of the best performing grasses around are many of the species and cultivars in the Lomandra family from Australia. Like real Aussie battlers, most will cope with sun, shade, cold, wind, drought and even damp ground. There are plenty of different cultivars to choose from so, for optimum good looks, make sure you pick one that will be happy in the conditions of your particular site
12. Star jasmine You have to make use of every available centimetre in small urban gardens. Not just the ground but up fences, walls and vertical structures too. That’s where climbing plants come into their own and there’s none better for this job than star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Unlike many other climbers, star jasmine looks good all year round with its glossy dark green leaves and white scented flowers that appear during spring and summer. It’s also tolerant of shade, frost and dry conditions.
8. Blue star creeper City gardens are usually surrounded by concrete, glass and other man-made materials. And in small urban gardens, a large part of the ground area is often paved for outdoor living. One of the best ways to soften these materials is to plant ground covers such as Blue Star creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis) between pavers or as a lawn alternative. Blue star creeper is tough enough to be walked on, will grow in sun and part or full shade and tolerates dry conditions too.
. Repurposed cabinetry In the olden days, a small wardrobe and a chest of drawers were all that was required to keep a bedroom neat and tidy. Though a modern obsession with built-in wardrobes has seen the demise of the chest of drawers, a vintage sideboard can still work beautifully in a bedroom. While this type of furniture was more likely to appear in a living or dining area, its large dimensions quite clearly appealed to the owners of the charming boho bedroom pictured here. As a bonus, the central shelving has enough space to place a turntable – bring on those Burt Bacharach and Ella Fitzgerald LPs!
TIP: Ask yourself, is the sofa getting natural light? Do I mind the sofa wrinkling over time? Do I want a firm and formal look, or something squishy and soft? These are the big questions to consider before making your decision. Contemporary Living Room by Lisa Petrole Photography Lisa Petrole Photography SaveEmail The prints, patterns and colours of fabric can date. If you would prefer your sofa to stand the test of time in the fashion stakes, go with a solid block colour and introduce pattern in the armchairs or cushions. These are easier to update. Fabric can lose its ‘newness’ quickly if pets or children come into play – spills, grime and pet hair aren’t as easy to remove from fabric as they are from leather.
Fabric tends to be less expensive than leather, however, good framing and high-quality fabric will hike up the price. The best advice is to compare ease of cleaning, durability and comfort. Spending a little more on fabric usually means your sofa will look better for longer. You’ll give yourself a pat on the back when you’re watching a movie on a super comfortable sofa, rather than a makeshift, mass-produced sofa that quickly loses its looks. Wash-and-wear slip covers can prolong the life of your sofa. The beauty of fabric slip covers is that they can be washed or replaced over time and are comfortable to lounge around on. Slip covers can be custom made to be casual and disheveled, almost spilling onto the floor.
Order extra tiles Showers and baths with concealed valves are becoming increasingly popular among my clients who are updating their bathrooms. An important thing to remember if you want to conceal your valves, however, is that access later will involve removing tiles and cutting into the wall, so it’s crucial you order and keep an extra box of tiles for any repair work later on.
How: Houzz user babacon, who shared this photo with us, used pieces from the Hemnes line at Ikea to transform a small spare room into a highly functional dressing space. Dresser drawers and shelving hold folded clothes and shoes, while storage above hanging rods holds items used less frequently. Cost: $400 to $800 for dressers and basic wardrobe components, installed yourself. Hardworking Home: Clothes Closets SaveEmail Extras: Houzz user pmartinezv used Ikea’s Pax wardrobe components to turn a spare room into a walk-in wardrobe, and kicked it up a notch by adding a sparkling chandelier and a comfy stool for perching while putting on shoes.
I like the plants
I like the cupboards
Melocco and Moore Architects SaveEmail 9. Classic colours Back in the’60s and ’70, lime green and burnt orange were the kings of colour so why not bring them back with an up-to-the-minute twist? The trick is not to overdo it – just a few accents, such as the glowing pendant light and tactile splashback will do it – when you want to add coolness to the kitchen. Most importantly, features like these are reversible – if, for example, the homeowner decided to remove the ‘groove’ factor in the kitchen, the light and tiles can be easily replaced.
Upstairs, another splurge on the renovation included the air-conditioning, which was installed in every room. “I’m not a big fan of summer heat. Job done!” says Wilson. Double glazing was also added to all external windows from Magnetite at a cost of about $3500. It was a worthwhile investment for Wilson, who says that it has made the house “ever so quiet and much easier to heat and cool.” The black-and-white colour palette influenced by Zac can also be seen in Wilson’s bedroom with the red chair and Tin Tin poster adding pops of colour. “I love my bedroom because of its vast ceiling height and abundant natural light,” he says. “I can look out my windows to see part of the city, too – I can almost touch it.”
The Room Illuminated SaveEmail Whitewashed B-C grade plywood, a mottled Carrara marble, and a Porter’s paint wood wash on the existing baltic floors introduced a variety of surface textures to the white-on-white space. Cappa bar stool: Relaxhouse
Ascot Living SaveEmail 10. Invest in an ensuite This is possibly the best advice when dealing with family bathrooms: have your own private space. An ensuite may be considered a bit of a luxe addition, and might not be feasible for every family home, but keeping a second bathroom that’s mess-free and kid-free could just be the sanity-saver you’re looking for.
Studio 74 SaveEmail 9. Shower en plein air Why stop at the indoors? Consider creating bathroom with a view, or even an outdoor sanctuary complete with a tub for soaking in. You’ll thank yourself in the warmer weather when you’re relaxing in a bath under the wide open sky, all while soaking in the views. An outdoor shower (or even partially outdoor as seen here) becomes a near-necessity when living near the beach to wash off any stray sand. Outdoor showers design ideas
Maxa Design SaveEmail 8. Vent on Opening windows or a powerful exhaust fan are a must in any family bathroom, to avoid an unhealthy build-up of bacterial growth and mould. While this is an important consideration for any bathroom, it’s doubly so when users of the room are likely to leave wet towels on the floor, wet clothes in the bath, and wet footprints… pretty much everywhere. Letting in plenty of natural sunlight can also aid to combat some germs and nasties. Luxe bathroom additions
Rain-proof. With all structures, consider if you want to have shelter from the rain. This can be an advantage of fixed structures, clear roofing and awnings. Find out what level of rain shelter the product you’re considering provides and also ensure that it is installed correctly to be rain-proof – a fall or pitch may be required for this.
Love your linen The scent of freshly laundered sheets is one of life’s simpler pleasures and it seems a shame to hide all your lovely linens behind closed doors. Take inspiration from this bedroom, where a stunning glazed vintage cabinet has been repurposed into a practical linen cupboard. Crisp white pillowcases, sheets and bedspreads are stacked in a relaxed way. But be aware, its appeal depends on the contents being uniform in colour – in this case white – as well as reasonably tidy!
Soften stainless steel Stainless steel is a great material for a worktop, and much-used in professional kitchens. This kitchen shows how it can be made to look soft and neat, rather than seriously industrial, by being framed by the plywood trim of the cabinets.
Only build what you need Decide how big or small you need your wardrobe to be before you start on the design. It’s the default thinking of people and wardrobe companies to see a big blank wall and sacrifice it to a wardrobe, without consideration of what its contents will be. By building your wardrobe based only on how much hanging space you actually need, even a small bedroom can retain a feeling of spaciousness, with room leftover for a large bed, a desk and maybe more. You can also end up spending less than half the money you would if you opted for a full-wall wardrobe, which you may not need.
THE GOOD GUYS SaveEmail Timber flooring gives you just the excuse you need to introduce a little luxury into your life. Marble (or marble-look) benchtops and splashbacks take your kitchen upmarket.
Pairing timber in your kitchen with timber floors doesn’t have the same cringe factor as denim on denim. Blocks of white prevent timber overload in this kitchen and the touches of timber in shelving, artwork frames, and stools tie the whole look together. Just be sure the tones of timber flooring and timber used in the kitchen don’t clash. Using grey-toned timber or plywood in the kitchen, for example, can make a warm-toned floor look too golden. TIP: Bring a little depth to a white kitchen by painting the walls behind open-shelving black. Bring balance to the space by adding black elsewhere – in this case, with the black rug beneath the dining table and the dining chairs.
The kitchen benchtops are made from a composite that includes wax. “The surface is practical and less expensive,” Fleur says.
In the meantime, it has been adapted to meet the needs of the family. Teresa purchased the island bench from Ikea. “We needed a space to be able to sit in the kitchen area to snack and chat at breakfast and after school,” she says. The tiles were previously decorated with tea cups stains, so Teresa took it on herself to paint them in ‘Aqua Belle’ by Dulux.
Hadley built a wooden terrace to flow off the living space and wraparound the side. “The garden is my favourite place,” she says. “Once you open up the doors, it makes the apartment feel so much bigger.” You can just see the wood-burner chimney, fitted against the house wall.
Hadley bought the sofa from a design company that imports classic Danish pieces and re-covers them. “I chose the fabric and the contrasting black buttons,” she says. The images above all have meaning; many of them were gifts, including the map of London, which Hadley’s brother bought for her. “I really like black and white imagery,” she says. “It suits this end of the room. In the middle, where the kitchen is, it’s bright and fun, but down at this end, where the sitting space is, it’s quite simple.”
I like the plant
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