The Blog

From changing the mood of a room and defining different zones to simply making you feel good, there’s no end to what a well-placed pop of colour can do. If you’re tempted to add some colour to your home but you’re unsure exactly how to go about it, these 31 cheery spaces from homes on […]

“It creates so much ease of living without too much maintenance.” Photo: The Guthrie Project   What on earth could be better than lounging around some gorgeous open-air pool or lingering over a dinner under the stars at a beautiful holiday resort? That’s easy: having those lovely outdoor spaces at home. The pandemic crashing into […]

Where kitchen space is at a premium, could a single-wall kitchen layout be your solution? Single-wall kitchens generally have the smallest possible footprint and, as the name suggests, incorporate all furniture and appliances in a single run. Fewer cabinetry units can mean this kitchen layout may cost you less than others, while in a well-planned […]

The living room is one of the most heavily used, multi-functional spaces in a home. It’s commonly used for movie nights, reading time, children’s playdates, creative projects, book club gatherings, homework, music practice, naps and more. This makes it a difficult room to keep organised since the activities taking place there are often unrelated, each […]

The owner of this home in Morpeth, UK, had given up on finding a kitchen design to reflect her love of colour and order. She was also reluctant to demolish the existing – new – kitchen, even though it wasn’t working for her. When she came onboard, interior designer Cathy Dean first helped her client to rehome the […]

There’s something wonderfully convenient about pressing a button on your kitchen appliances and letting them do the hard work for you… until you try to store them. Wondering how to keep your bulky appliances out of sight? These 22 smart design ideas offer all the inspiration you’ll need to create a secret kitchen stash of […]

It’s the million-dollar question on the lips of every fixer-upper: ‘How much do renovations cost?’ The somewhat infuriating answer, of course, is that it depends on your project. This begs the question, ‘How do I control my renovation costs?’ which, in turn, comes with practical answers that you’ll find here. And for more specific ways […]

According to property management experts at PRD, some of the simplest updates can command the best returns. Here are five tips to help guide landlords looking to maximise their property’s potential. 1. A fresh coat of paint Sprucing up your interiors with fresh paint is “almost guaranteed to give you a higher rental return”, according […]

Gaze at any plants or trees you can see around you, breathe in deeply, smell the rich scents of nature and listen to the leaves rustling in the breeze (or the aircon). Refresh, revitalise and repeat. Green-bathing is today a huge global wellness trend, but now, instead of indulging at a delicious resort in Asia […]

From the outset, you should go over your ‘scope of work’ with your builder and tradies. Photo: Stocksy   So you’ve just bought a fixer-upper and can’t wait to get in there, gut the place and create your dream space? You’re not alone. More than half of Australians buying their first home intend to renovate it within […]

Light, ventilation, access to a beautiful view – there’s no end to what a well-placed skylight or void can do. “The most effective and dramatic design strategies exploit space, light and outlooks. If designed sensitively they can also create drama within a home,” says architect Mark MacInnis of Mark MacInnis Architect. “These aspects of a design usually […]

With long summer days now a distant memory and the mercury starting to drop, thoughts turn to cosy winter nights spent indoors huddled around the fire or snuggled under a toasty blanket. But just because it’s getting cold out doesn’t mean we have to lock ourselves away for the winter months – lord knows we’ve […]

Every family is unique and will want different things from a home. But it’s safe to say that some desires are universal – good flow, functionality and the opportunity to connect as a family. We asked nine design experts to share the one feature or inclusion they believe no family home should be without.   […]

Forget boring ceilings – instead, view the area overhead as an opportunity to add impact and interest to your home. If you’re keen on the idea of a statement ceiling, here are 25 inspiring designs from homes on Houzz around the world that show just what’s possible when you think outside the box. And remember, […]

The laundry is one of the most-used rooms in the home, but, often, they’re small, cramped, dark and lifeless, and generally not a very pleasant place to spend much of your time. It’s the hub of the endless cycle of washing, drying, folding and ironing, and given how hard the laundry has to work, it’s […]

We’ve got smartphones, smart fridges and smart doorbells and now even the humble loo is getting smarter, with new designs boasting a bunch of features you never knew you needed. First gaining popularity in Japan, the original smart toilets were a traditional toilet with a bidet attachment that allows you to control water and air […]

Architects have long believed they add value, but now they can prove it, with new research showing owners of an architect-designed home renovation sell their houses for more money. On average, there is 1.2 per cent extra capital growth a year for Melbourne properties with a small practice architect-designed renovation compared to those without, found […]

Technology has made just about everything in our lives faster and easier, and design is no exception. Interior design used to be very much a face-to-face business – think mood-board viewings, on-site walk-throughs and showroom visits – but it’s increasingly moving online. We spoke to three interior designers to find out how new design and […]

Never before have Australians’ homes worked so hard. In 2020, they became offices, gyms, virtual social meeting places, schools and entertainment hubs. All that time at home highlighted the importance of how we feel when we are home, and just how well those homes meet our evolving needs. In the year to come, more Australians […]

For something that was once dotted around the house by many of us without much thought besides the odd splash of water, plants have certainly gained popularity in recent years. No longer serving as idle greenery, plants are now part of the family, with “babies” just one of the terms of endearment we’ve bestowed upon […]