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 […]

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 […]

Have you ever thought of doing up an old property to on-sell and make a quick profit? Of course, this concept is often taught at property seminars and has recently been popularised by reality television shows like “The Block”. But can you really flip houses for a living?     If you’re after a quick buck […]

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 […]

A bathroom layout is often a pretty easy decision to make for most homes. If the plumbing is already in place and you’re using standard-size pieces, there often aren’t a whole lot of options for rearranging that floor plan. However, when bringing your dream design into the real world, you have to think about 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 […]

You’ve created or upgraded the outdoor space to extend your home and enjoy the great outdoors. What now? How do you decorate the area outside but adjacent to your home? Here, we look at 18 different scenarios from beautiful alfresco areas around the world to see how people approach their decks, balconies and outdoor rooms. […]

Home buyers have been splashing out: a swimming pool can add hundreds of thousands of dollars in value to a home, agents say. Pools are in hot demand among young families looking to upgrade their homes since the pandemic hit, but they are not for every buyer type or suited to all properties.   Swimming […]

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 […]

There comes a time in every elevator’s life when it no longer makes financial or logistical sense to continue repairing the same components year after year. Service calls get expensive, replacement parts become harder to find and the time the elevator spends out of service ends up exceeding its time in operation. In most cases, […]

Making a tidy profit renovating a property seems like a very attractive proposition, doesn’t it? And that’s why more real estate investors are turning their aim at renovations. You know…buy low, renovate cheaply and add substantial value is the aim of the game. It sounds simple enough, right? Well it’s not really as simple as […]

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 […]

One of the best things about owning property is the equity that is built up over time, creating a valuable resource for future investment, household expenses or your retirement. Here we explain what equity is, and the most common ways people use the equity in their home.   What is equity? Equity is the difference […]

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, […]