Design – Page 7 – A New House

Culinary Creativity – 6 Tips For Quickly Transforming a Lacklustre Kitchen

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

The kitchen is the heart of the home.

No matter how you spruce up your living room our outdoor spaces, people always gather in the kitchen.

Whether guests at a party, or hungry teenagers, the kitchen is the most natural gathering place in a home.

The design and functionality of the kitchen can make a huge difference when packing in people, or even just providing a meaningful meal for your family.

The word “remodel” can induce anxiety in some home owners, for it often means big budgets and long timelines, however, this doesn’t have to be the case.

With the right resources and support, you can transform your kitchen from a lacklustre room to your dream kitchen.
Read on for 6 tips to transform your kitchen.

1) Seek expert advice

It is easy to get lost in Pinterest boards and online blogs on how to remodel your kitchen.

Why not save yourself some time and begin your renovation journey with the experts?

Find a trusted company with good reviews and a lot of years in the business.

A favourite of mine is Brentwood Kitchens, a company with over 30 years in the business.

Here you will find the option to browse online, or visit a showroom.

Working with a trusted, experienced company from the beginning will save you time, energy and frustration and will ensure to get you that jaw-dropping dream kitchen.

2) Make the most of what you have

A kitchen transformation doesn’t have to mean tossing everything you have and starting from scratch.

That is often an expensive and wasteful way to approach a renovation.

Take some time in your kitchen, and see what you can bring with you into your new kitchen.

What can be spruced up? Repainted? Refurbished? what will be able to transfer into the new style you are hoping to create?

Once you know what can stay and what must go, you can begin refurbishing, replacing and designing!

3) Refurbish cabinets

Before you go tossing out your cabinets, assess whether they are worth refurbishing.

Often, cabinets are made of high-quality wood, the style is just a bit dated.

With a good sand, prep, prime and paint, even the ugliest cabinets can become a tasteful centrepiece for a stunning kitchen.

4) Replace Hardware

One easy and surefire way to give your kitchen an immediate facelift is to replace the hardware on the cabinets.

If your cabinets are a bit outdated, chances are the hardware is even more so in addition to having a lot of wear and tear.

Replacing all pulls, handles and knobs can be a fun first step to testing a new design theme in your kitchen.

5) Embrace imperfections

If you need to replace your kitchen appliances, but your budget doesn’t allow the super high-end models, there is another option.

Often, appliance stores will run a “scratch and dent” special for appliances with mild cosmetic imperfections.
This is a great way to be able to go up a step in quality without paying the high price tag.

6) Lighting

The right lighting can be considered the jewelry of your kitchen.

Lighting offers the opportunity for style and function, acting as both a centrepiece and an accent.

Getting the lighting right in your kitchen will boost both your culinary and conversation experiences in this well used room.

The key to great lighting in a kitchen is to combine natural light with overhead and under cabinet lights.

As the sun moves through the kitchen and eventually sets, various lighting options can ensure everything well lit in a comfortable and functional style.

Try as you may to put all the snack trays in the living room, people will still gather in the kitchen.

The kitchen is the heart of a home where friends and family naturally gravitate.

You will never regret giving your kitchen a mild or wild transformation, and lucky for you there are options for all budgets and styles.

Before wasting too much time find a specialist that can help guide you in the direction of your dream kitchen and off you go!

Builder’s Al Fresco? or Build After Handover?

These days I see a lot of Display Homes that feature a built in al-fresco area. . . . . It might seem a good idea when you are choosing a plan, but is it going to be the best solution?

How much are you really going to use it?

Should you commit to something before the build?

Here are some of the problems I see:

Poor Orientation

Have you thought about how it will feel to be out on the Al fresco.

Will it be too hot and have too much glare because its exposed to the afternoon and evening sun.

If it is on the North Side it might keep the warming winter sun away from warming the house

Will it be cold and damp because it faces south.

Will it have a view, or just a view of a fence?

Expensive construction

If you just want an outside covered area a built in alfresco is an expensive way of going about it.

Rather than a lightweight roof and relatively inexpensive paving, you are getting a full tiled roof and house foundation slab standard as a floor.

Fire and Smoke Issues

Because it is under the house roof smoke being trapped against the building can be an issue.

If the barby should catch fire then the problem just gets bigger.

Cost

The display house al fresco may look great . . . but if you look at the one above there are around $10,000 dollars of extras.

- Down lights.
- Laser cut steel screens.
- Extra Roof.
- Marble tiles.
- Water feature.
- Built in barby.
- And then the furniture.

Don’t forget when you move in the alfresco is initially going to look more like this photo on the right.

With a big mortgage how long is it going to take you to afford to have to finish your al fresco like the display home?

Thinking About Bedroom Size

Guest Post by Cathy Reyes

One of the things that I notice when looking at new display homes is the size of the bedrooms.

My first house had a master bedroom with a floor areas of approximately 15 square metres. . . . and we had room for a freestanding wardrobes and drawers.

Now 20 square metres plus a walk-in-wardrobe isn’t unusual.

So what are you going to do if you have all that space?

Well I would suggest go up a size for your bed.

For me one a big advantages of a king sized bed is if I am restless then I am less likely to wake up my wife with my tossing and turning.

Why not try out check out some of the king mattress from Fantastic Furniture.

If you are like me you probably haven’t changed your mattress since you last moved house. . . so the existing one may be showing it’s years!

You spend a lot of your life in bed. . . . . . so getting some extra luxury for only a few hundred dollars more makes sense..

Top reasons to give quartz benchtops a chance

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

Quartz has brought a revolution in the industry with its reasonable prices, huge variety of designs and patterns and stunning looks.

Granite and marble were always the excellent options in this respect, but Quartz has somehow taken over the monopoly and become one of the most popular benchtops.

You have a variety of choices to choose from which includes laminate, metal, granite, marble and wood.

If you are wondering what is so special about Quartz that you must even put a second of your thought into buying it, then here are five points to show you why quantum quartz in Melbourne makes a great kitchen benchtop.

1. Durability – Quartz is highly durable.
Quartz is one of nature’s strongest minerals.

The combinations of 93% quartz with resins, provides an exceptionally hard surface which makes it a popular choice for households .

The will be durable against chips, cracks, scratches and stains.

2. Non-porous
Another great trait of quartz stone is the fact that it is non-porous.

Non-porous materials do not get stained with any spillage and can be easily wiped or cleaned with detergent water to get rid of it.

However, quartz naturally is not stain resistant, but the type of polish and craftsmanship used on the stone makes a difference in its quality.

This factor allows the owner to use the benchtop for all sorts of cooking with every desirable ingredient without worrying about the after effects.

3. Variety of patterns and colours
Quartz is not completely a single piece of stone which means that it will not have a definitive pattern which cannot be altered or changed.

Quartz is made of resins which allow the manufacturers to modify the composition to design it in different patterns and varieties of colours.

Quartz provides numerous options in patterns, colours and designs which make it a more attractive option to be used for kitchen benchtops.

It also gives you the privilege of choosing a benchtop shade which matches the interior decor or theme of your house.

4. Worth your money
If you have to pay slightly more than a regular stone benchtop for an option which provides you with durability, versatility, style, heat and scratch resistance and various other benefits, will you be willing to pay for it?

Well, if yes, then quartz is certainly the best option for your household.

It provides you with a number of benefits at reasonable or a bit over the reasonable price which is worth the quality quartz is offering.

Not only will it look attractive and add a new feel to your kitchen, but it will also last for a longer time than what you might be expecting.

5. Easy cleaning
There is no requirement for heavy solvents, chemicals or specialised cleaning solutions to clean the surface of a quantum quartz in Melbourne.

Quartz comes with a durable surface which is stain resistant and therefore a regular detergent solution or washing with warm water can be used for cleaning all stains and spots.

A growing trend for quantum quartz in Melbourne has been observed over the past few years, for the reasons mentioned above.

Quartz has turned out to be the best and most popular stone benchtop option leaving marble and granite behind in the race.

Quartz is capable of inculcating elegance, style, beauty and uniqueness in your home decor.

For smart buyers, who focus on extracting as many benefits as they can from a material, quartz is the best option.

What are balustrades and why are they important for safety in your home?

Guest post by James Andrew

If you have invested in buying a property, you want it to look good and you want it to be a safe place.

The last thing you want to happen is for someone to get hurt while living in, or visiting, your home.

This is why you need to pay attention to aspects of your property that provide protection.

Once such aspect is the balustrades in your home.

The aim of this article is to explain what balustrades are and why you need to ensure that they are installed in your home, and well maintained.

What are balustrades?

The word balustrade sounds very grand; but balustrades are actually very common place, they consist of a series of posts or columns, topped by a rail.

You find them on staircases, platforms and terraces, including in your own home.

The foremost aim of a balustrade is to provide protection.

They can also form an important part of the interior décor of a property.

From a safety point of view if you do not have secure balustrades in place in your home, it’s easy for people to have accidents.

Looking at balustrades as a item of décor, it’s important that they fit within their surroundings.

Why are balustrades important?

We have already touched on the importance of balustrades for safety purposes; let’s look at this in

more detail.

Imagine someone is visiting your home.

You have a balustrade fitted to your raised terrace but it’s old and you do not pay much attention to it.

Your visitor leans on the balustrade, it gives way and they fall to the ground below.

Not only is the person likely to get hurt, you will feel guilty and could be sued by the injured party.

It’s not worth taking the chance when it comes to balustrades.

You need to ensure that they are good quality, securely fitted and well maintained.

If you want information about the fitting of balustrades, click here for more information.

The decorative aspect of a balustrade

We have established that balustrades are essential in your home.

This being the case, it’s important that you see them as an integral part of your décor.

If you do this well you can actually use them as an impressive feature that catches the eye.

Balustrades can be made from different materials, with the most popular being timber, metal and glass.

The material you choose will depend on how your home is decorated as well as your budget.

Do not forget that it’s also possible to have balustrades outside your property.

They can still be used to add to the overall visual appeal.

You also need to ensure that this type of balustrade is able to withstand varying weather conditions.

Now you know what balustrades are, and why they are so important.

Do not neglect the balustrades in your property.

Doing so could be dangerous and someone could end getting seriously hurt which is not something you want to happen in your home.

Pool Before, Or After House

I have seen pools built before the house is built, and afterwards, so I thought I would discuss the options.

Build First

A lot of people find it very hard to visualise a finished house and it’s surrounds from drawings.

Especially when you are faced with a large empty block.

If this is you then it might be worth waiting until the house is built.

The problem is that unless you have a wide, or corner block, you are likely to cut off easy access to the site.

This means that

There will be a lot of mess around your new home during the build
The pool build will be more expensive, and take longer.

Pool First

If the pool is built first there will normally be good access to the site for large excavators and tip trucks.

There will be no need tor large cranes to lift heavy loads over the house.

As a result it should be possible to save thousands of dollars on the price of your pool.

You should also be able to take a dip in the pool as soon as you move in.

Risks

Co-ordination between Architect, House Builder, and Pool Builder is critical.

Make sure that all three agree on the location, and height, before any construction starts

A couple of problems I have heard about with pools are:

A pool was built before the house where the pool builder was given the wrong height by the owner. . . . When the builder arrived on site he realised that for the house to match the pool height would cost another $30,000 for additional fill and foundations, which was down to the owner.
The property owner decided to have the pool built after handover, but didn’t tell the builder to avid the area. The builder laid the house drainage and sewerage pipes across the pool area. . . . . Re-laying the pipes cost an extra $4,000.

Photo from www.Buzzle.com

Why I Won’t Be Getting A Sink Waste Disposal Unit

You sometimes see Sink Waste Disposal Units (or Garbage disposal units )in top end kitchens but I won’t be getting one for a heap of reasons:

Initial Cost, several hundred dollars plus installation
Ongoing power cost, the unit in this picture uses about 0.5kwatts
Maintenance and replacement. I have even heard of them shaking the under sink plumbing apart.
High water use to wash the debris away.
Disposing of fats, and hard solids like bones, which makes sewer blockages more likely.
Taking easily compostable materials from the home and passing them to a sewer where they will be contaminated and become a difficult to treat waste at the sewerage treatment plant.

I sometimes see manufacturers claim they are an eco friendly solution. . . . but they are anything but!

It is not just my opinion they are banned in many places including Switzerland and many areas of the United States.

Why not just use the regular garbage bin for smaller amounts and a Skip Bin for larger amounts

How Using Skip Bin for Waste Disposal Can Help

A skip bin refers to a large open-topped waste container that is designed to load on a special type of lorry.

A skip is replaced or removed by an empty skip rather than emptied into a bin lorry.

It is then tipped at a transfer station or a landfill site.

A skip bin hire in Brookvale can help you clear your waste in your property, to ensure safe and convenient waste disposal.

When carrying out a home renovation such as a new kitchen, a skip bin provides a safe and clean way to store waste during the project.

Depending on the project and amount of work you’re undertaking, choosing the best skip bin for an unwanted waste removal job is a good idea.

Check out these other benefits of using skip bin:

Garden Waste Clearance: It commonly uses mini skip bins for garden clearing purposes from disposing of dead leaves, grass cuttings, twigs, small branches, and fence palings to other wastes found in your garden. Bulk bins are your best option for bigger gardens. Therefore, hiring a skip is highly recommended to get rid of unwanted garden waste.
Disposing of White Goods: Eliminate white goods, such as electronic appliances, using a skip bin. Because it’s not advisable to dispose of white goods with household rubbish, hiring a skip bin allows easy disposing of white goods.
Spring Cleaning: The perfect time to declutter your home is during spring. Rubbish can be difficult to manage, so it’s essential to hire reliable skip bins. All you have to do is to put waste items into the skip bin, and the rest will be taken care of by professionals. Skip bins come in various sizes, from mini-skip bins to medium-sized bins. Choose one based on your waste removal requirements.

Which Way Round Do You Want The Bath?

I was recently contacted by a reader of this blog about their bath installation.

They found the bath had been installed in a different direction to which she had expected.

As far as they were concerned the ‘back’ of the bath should point into the room rather than against a wall.

The question was whose fault was it?

Check The Drawings

When you get the drawings from the builder they do show details like the direction of the bath.

In this drawing the plug hole is at the ‘top’ of the drawing which is indicated by the black dot in the bath.

Make sure you check details like this and if you want something different make sure the plans are changed.

Outcome

Unfortunately in this case the drawings showed the installed orientation.

As the cost of breaking out the in slab pipework was too expensive the owner had to accept the installation.

Doors

Something else which you may notice on the plan is that the toilet door opens inwards.

That makes me wonder how someone shuts the door when they go in the toilet as the door sweeps through where they would be standing.

See Doors for more on this subject

7 Ways To Regain Control Of Your Overflowing Pantry

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

An overflowing, clumsy looking and completely disorganised pantry is unfortunately a nightmare that many people have to deal with everyday.

Whether you have a big family and huge grocery hauls every week, or are simply a cooking aficionado who has every ingredient under the sun from Saffron to Squid Ink, a messy pantry can easily cause anxiety levels to soar.

Here are 7 ways in which you can regain control of your overflowing pantry, leaving your life running just that little bit smoother.

It’s Time To Totally Detox!

If your cupboards are exploding with packets that have merely a handful of rice or pasta left, it may be time to completely purge your shelves and do a complete overhaul.

Go through all the items you have in your cupboards, throw anything that is expired into the bins and any ingredient that you may no longer need or want to use.

If you have had an ingredient that you’ve only used once and has been sitting there for years, it’s time to get rid of it.

This is also the perfect time to purchase nifty storage solutions from stores that sell homewares online in Australia to help you organise what is left of your pantry.

Get In The Zone

Once you have all your ingredients, spices, oils and vinegars sorted out, it may be time to keep them all in separate zones to avoid clutter and confusion.

Keeping similar items together will help you locate them in times of rush such as when you’re rushing to prepare breakfast or are looking to cook up a quick dinner in the evening when you’re feeling ravenous.

Store bottled items such as sauces, oils and vinegars together; other items such as crackers and biscuits should be kept in the same storage container or box and spices should be neatly stored in a spice containers which you can purchase online.

Label All Your Items

Every wondered if a jar was full of sugar or salt?

Instead of wasting your time having to taste or smell every ingredient before using it, easily identify your ingredients by labelling all bottles and jars with label stickers.

Whether it is long grained rice, sushi rice or bomba rice, you’ll never be confused again!

Height Matters

Due to the nature of hot air rising to the top of the room, always remember that the coolest part of your pantry will be on the bottom shelves or drawers.

Lower drawers and shelves are a good place to store items that need to be kept cooler, such as Chocolates, Apples and Spreads.

Other more robust items can be stored on higher shelves – this way, you prevent wastage by having to throw out food items that have gone off due to improper storage

Light It Up!

There is nothing worse than having to fumble around a dark pantry, looking for ingredients you need and not knowing where they are because of the dim conditions of cupboards.

A great idea would be to install some lighting into your pantry or close by to your cupboards and drawers to avoid the need of rummaging through items and picking up the wrong thing.

Keep Check Of What You Do & Do Not Have

One of the reasons many people end up with exploding pantries is because they do not know whether they are out of a certain ingredient or not – thus, when at the supermarket, people end up buying duplicates of items they already have at home.

A great way to avoid this twin-magic scenario is to always keep a grocery list stuck up on the pantry door.

Every time you are out of an item, write it down.

This way, when you do go shopping, you know exactly what you need instead of trying to recall if you still have that packet of crisps from last week in the cupboard or not.

All It Takes Is 10 Minutes A Day

To further prevent disorganisation in a pantry, all you have to do at the end of the day is take 10 minutes to ensure that everything has been put back in its proper place.

Ensuring this on a daily basis will also help you fight the battle against a messy pantry.

The term that many chefs use, “clean as you go”, can be used as inspiration when it comes to organising your pantry and making sure that everything is in its place at the end of everyday.

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With these 7 ways to regain control of your overflowing pantry, the chaos that is your overflowing cupboards and over stuffed drawers will be nothing but a nightmare of the past.

Clever Design Tips and Tricks to Solve Your Small Bathroom Dilemmas

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

If you’ve got a tiny bathroom, it can be really annoying to have to read article after article of luxury renovation tips.

They’re all designed for the kind of broad, sweeping spaces that wouldn’t look out of place in a celebrity mansion.

There’s got to be some good advice out there for the awkward bathrooms, right?

For the cramped, tight on room spaces that are in desperate need of a makeover?. . . Well, you’d be right.

There are plenty of clever ways to make a small bathroom feel bigger.

They’re also a lot simpler and more cost efficient than you might think.

So, it’s time to stop lamenting those small bathroom woes and start creating something fabulous.

These handy tips and tricks will give you some ideas on how to expand the space and make it look and feel larger.

Float the Vanity Unit

So, if you need to create extra space, you can invest in tailored storage solutions and accessories.

Bathroom renovations in Sydney can be as bespoke as you like.

For instance, fixing cabinets and vanity tables to the wall (rather than having them rest on legs) frees up room on the floor.

You can then store baskets, boxes, or other items directly underneath.

Stick with Light Colours

The easiest way to keep a bathroom feeling light and spacious is to stick with similarly light colours.

Tones like white, stone, beige, pale grey and pastel yellow are all ideal.

Dark colours like navy blue, black, and intense grey will make everything appear closer together.

Install a Corner Basin

Very often, the flow of smaller bathrooms is disrupted by an awkwardly placed pedestal basin.

This isn’t the only option, however, because a sleek corner basin may suit the space better.

Just make sure that you place the basin across from the toilet and not the shower.

Otherwise it creates a clumsy passage in and around the shower.

Build Over the Toilet

Most homeowners leave the area directly above their toilet free of any accessories and features.

Yet, it doesn’t really serve any purpose.

As long as you leave enough room to press the top of the tank flush buttons, you can install shelving right above it.

The best way to create the illusion of space is to have the shelving extend over the toilet and round the wall.

Add Mirrored Surfaces

Mirrors are a cheap, easy way to trick the eye into seeing more space.

This is simply because you really are seeing more space when you look into them; the sneaky part is that it is just a reflection.

Investing in a broad mirror and installing it above a sink is a good way to make sure that multiple bathroom users can get everything done.

Open Up Your Shower

The temptation may be to opt for an opaque, heavily frosted glass shower panel or door.

However, this divides a small bathroom and makes it feel more cramped.

If you invest in a sturdy lock for the bathroom, you can get away with replacing the frosted glass with beautiful, clear panels.

They’re expansive, contemporary, and bring the whole bathroom together.

Why You Should Always Shop Harder, Not Smarter

These days, the cost of bespoke bathroom designs is more affordable than ever before.

You can create a space that works for you.

Your dream bathroom is possible, even if you don’t have the room that you’d like.

It is all a matter of being clever with your décor.

Shop for items and accessories that match the size of the room, rather than overpowering it. . . . Shop smart and make every design decision count.