Tips & advice
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Posted: June 05, 2019
When building, renovating, or even just decorating a home, most people think first of how they’ll style large spaces such as their kitchen, living room or master bedroom. The humble entryway is often overlooked as a key design area, even though from a style perspective, it’s actually one of the most important rooms in the house.
You only have one chance to make a stunning first impression, so it’s important that the first area your guests enter feels welcoming and reflects your personal style. Additionally, a well-styled foyer can affect your own mood – making you feel happy and comfortable as you arrive home or head out for the day – or not.
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Posted: May 30, 2019
In this week’s episode of Selling Houses Australia, Shaynna flaunted the power of smart lighting to transform a hippy home into a cool coastal retreat.
The challenge
In order to live a more sustainable lifestyle, yoga loving David and Margie wanted to relocate from their 4-bedroom Central Coast home in Bensville to a smaller house. But the badly renovated kitchen and dated interior was putting off buyers more interested in modern living than good karma! Shaynna and Charlie used all their renovating smarts to create a beautiful, contemporary coastal home.Facade Before & After
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Posted: May 22, 2019
This blog was written by guest blogger and Design School founder Jenna Densten.
Dreading the winter blues? Many of us experience mood shifts during the colder, darker days of winter – me included! But luckily, we’ve found there are easy ways to boost your spirits with the right lighting.
When Josh and I design any home, we look to create a haven that evokes feelings of softness, warmth and relaxation – styling with the Naturals trend is our perfect antidote to the craziness of the outside world.
Setting the scene
Natural styling using neutral tones is becoming increasingly popular in the interior design scene this year, as is touchable textures and organic shapes. In my eyes, using these colours in combination with the right lighting throughout our home sets the scene for relaxed living. For our most cosy Winter yet, I’ve selected a few new lights for our home that fit our style while keeping us happy and healthy. -
Posted: March 27, 2019
Quirky styling and off-beat art may be cool, but unfortunately, it’s not a great idea when you’re trying to sell your home. In this week’s episode of Foxtel’s Selling Houses Australia, Shaynna, Charlie and Andrew had to convince a real estate agent in Inverloch Victoria that her unique style might not be a match for buyers.
The challenge
Yes, you can have too much timber! This house was filled with timber beams and high wooden ceilings which made it feel dark and dated. Coupled with leaky skylights, mad mosaic flooring and chunky architecture, even Fleur’s real estate credentials didn’t help find a buyer. -
Posted: March 21, 2019
This blog was written by guest blogger and Design School founder Jenna Densten.
In all our renovations, including our not-so-huge (think tiny) cottage, I’ve always adopted the theory that lighting, texture and colour are the three most important design elements to consider if you’re looking to create a feeling of space and continuity.
The Naturals trend
I’ve always been a huge fan of the Naturals trend -
Posted: March 20, 2019
Who would have thought a home smack bang on Sydney harbour would be unsellable! But that was the case in this week’s episode of Foxtel’s Selling Houses Australia when Shaynna, Charlie and Andrew were faced with transforming a run-down disaster in Balmain East into a home worthy of the multi-million-dollar views.
The challenge
Would you pay $4 million for a 2-bedroom home with one tiny bathroom? Neither would anyone else as Fran and Fred discovered. While the house had magnificent harbour views, the restrictive heritage listing and half-finished renovations turned buyers off.“Hey Google, turn my house into a buyer’s dream!”
With its heritage listing, Shaynna had to work with the original blueprint of the house. Using a Google Home Mini -
Posted: March 19, 2019
While we see a lot of interior design focused on a neutral palette, there’s a lot to be said for stepping out of the box with rich and decadent interiors that embrace your senses with vibrant colours and a feeling of olde-world glamour.
The Art Deco style that came to the fore in the 1920’s was all about luxury and sophistication, and it certainly didn’t hold back when it came to mixing bold colours and exuberant geometric design pieces.
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Posted: March 12, 2019
NATURALS
Sustainability is much more than a buzzword; it’s a lifestyle that looks to more natural, handmade pieces and organic shapes.
Woven natural fibres such as wicker and rattan in lighting is gaining more and more momentum, as people strive to a -
Posted: February 13, 2019
We’ll let you in on a little secret. Living in a space that looks luxurious and ‘expensive’ can actually be easy to achieve without breaking your budget.
Choosing the right lighting has a huge impact on how your home looks and feels, and it only takes a few key pieces to up the wow factor. Adding a new pendant to a room can give the appearance of a designer home.
We’ve put together 3 of our favourite budget-friendly tricks interior designers use to create luxurious looking spaces.
1. Cluster pendants togethe