My Forever Home: Recent Episodes
Frances Cosway
Join award winning interior designer, author and Forever Home expert, Frances, as she takes you on the journey to create the Forever Home of your dreams.
Frances will help you navigate all the big ticket items, and all the little details that get lost along with way when renovating or building a new home.
Focusing on sharing key information to ensure you’re planned and prepared for the journey, she’ll share how to ensure your home is functional, sustainable, durable, and aesthetically beautiful.
Guests will also join Frances to share their insight and expertise on various topics, so you’re getting well rounded information from a wide source of specialists.
Frances has helped hundreds of people create Forever Homes that are designed for their lifestyles and reflects who they are, and is super passionate about you getting your Forever Home right. She’s also built her home Forever Home, so she knows first hand what it takes, and what you need to know.
Share the journey, and let Frances guide you along the way.
In this episode of the My Forever Home™ podcast, Frances discusses the hidden costs of design mistakes and how they can impact your renovation or new build. She shares real-life examples of costly errors and explains how working with an interior designer can help you avoid them.
Tune in to learn how the right designer can guide you through the process, saving you time, money, and stress, while ensuring your home functions beautifully and stands the test of time.
In this episode of the My Forever Home podcast, Frances speaks with Amanda McEwin, a successful property developer, about how she built her dream home. Amanda shares her experience of engaging an interior designer and they helped her navigate design challenges and solutions with her budget constraints. Tune in for key insights on the power of design professionals in creating your own Forever Home that works for you and your family.
In this episode of the My Forever Home™ podcast, Frances explains why you may need an interior designer to save money, avoid costly mistakes, and reduce decision fatigue during your renovation or new build. She discusses how some designers provide practical solutions, guiding you through overwhelming decisions while ensuring functionality and aesthetics align with your family’s needs. Tune in to learn how working with a designer can streamline your project, help you make informed decisions, and ultimately create your Forever Home™.
In this episode, Frances reflects on how the quiet of the holidays gives us the perfect opportunity to assess what isn’t working in our homes. She shares personal experiences of the things that have bugged her, how it’s easy to live with them, and how holiday time is the best time to make a change.
Listen in for helpful insights on finding clarity for your home and how to finally tackle those lingering issues.
In this heartwarming episode, Frances reflects on the Christmas traditions that shaped her childhood and how those rituals have evolved within her own family. She shares the joys of giving, the personal meaning behind handmade holiday gifts, and how simple traditions can bring a deeper connection to the festive season.
Join Frances as she invites you to revisit your own traditions and find inspiration for creating new ones this Christmas.
Frances unpacks the crucial differences between concept plans and internal elevations in this latest episode, shedding light on how they can help you achieve your dream home design. She explains how concept plans provide the big picture of your space, while internal elevations dive into the intricate and functionality details to bring your vision to life. Join her as she guides you through these foundational elements of home design.
Frances dives into the world of window treatments, uncovering the crucial factors to consider when selecting the right options for your space. From maximising energy efficiency to enhancing aesthetics, she explores how the right window coverings can transform your home. Whether you're contemplating curtains or blinds, this episode offers valuable insights that will help you make informed decisions.
Join Frances in this special 150th episode as she reflects on the incredible journey of the My Forever Home podcast. Discover highlights from past episodes, popular guest insights, and the evolution of this award winning podcast since its inception during the pandemic. Tune in to celebrate this milestone and find inspiration for your own Forever Home™ journey!
In this episode, Frances explores how renovation TV shows impact our expectations and understanding of the design and build industry. She delves into the difference between the outcomes showcased and the practical challenges of real-life projects, and what is often missed that affect a good design result.
Tune in to gain insights into the reality behind the renovation glamour and learn how to better prepare for your own projects.
In this new episode, Frances explores the concept of adaptive home design for multi-generational living. Discover practical tips for creating flexible, adaptive spaces that can evolve with your family's needs over time, ensuring your home remains future proof if multiple generations live together, including designing for mobility issues and for when we age.
In this new episode, Frances reflects on how home design trends have evolved and come full circle over the years. She dives into the story of Laminex, an iconic Australian brand, and explores the resurgence of laminate materials in contemporary design. Discover why laminate is making a comeback with its diverse styles, sustainability benefits, and cost-effectiveness, and how it can add a creative touch to your renovation or new build.
This episode has Frances outlines the attributes to design the ideal home office—one that is both functional and a space you want to work in. She offers valuable insights on key considerations for setting up your home office, including optimal storage solutions, strategic placement of power points, colour choices, and ideal desk depth, and much more.
Learn how to create a cosy home with Frances' top tips on how to layer, create texture and make a space feel relaxing and yours to come home to.
Winter is a perfect time to create a different look and feel in your home, with top tips on how to do it in this episode.
As the guest in this podcast episode, Frances shares how she creates meaning, presence, and memories in a home and shares her passion for helping clients to create their Forever Home™. She outlines how she started her business, why she does what she does and the things she’s passionate about.
Frances outlines what she's been observing over recent times, the discoveries she's uncovered and her response to these. This has prompted the launch of her first magazine to answer the burning questions people are consistently asking, and in this episode she outlines what she's been observing and discovering along with how the magazine addresses these burning questions.
Learn what to consider when designing an outdoor kitchen or BBQ space for your home. Frances outlines materials, orientation and weather protection, right down to ventilation and appliances.
Understand what to consider when selecting external colours for your home. Frances outlines the significance of lighter-coloured roofs as well.
You will uncover the essential principle of "less is more" in colour and material selection, alongside practical guidance to achieve a home with ‘street appeal’.
Frances emphasises the substantial energy-saving potential of ‘cool roofs’ and offers expert advice on colour and material coordination.
In this insightful episode of the My Forever Home podcast, Frances delves into the concept of “Emotional ROI”. She explores the significance of emotional investment when creating a Forever Home™, emphasising its distinction from financial ROI typically associated with property development. Through personal anecdotes and client interactions, Frances outlines the importance of forging a deep emotional connection with design choices, materials, and the overall feeling the home you're creating.
With passion and expertise, she encourages everyone to prioritise the emotional return on their home, based on the time, money and effort involved to create it, making their home-building journey a deeply personal and fulfilling experience.
In this insightful episode, fellow interior designer James Treble joins Frances to discuss the art of creating timeless and functional homes.
Covering topics such as budgeting, future-proofing design principles, and how to get ideas, Treble shares valuable insights for both renovation and new home projects. Whether you're embarking on a home improvement journey or planning your dream home, this conversation offers practical tips to help you maximise value and enhance your quality of living.
Frances delves into the engineered stone ban in Australia and explores alternative options for homeowners. From porcelain to laminate, Frances discusses factors such as durability, aesthetics, and budget, advising listeners on many alternatives available and why you may choose one material over another for your benchtops.
Frances sits down with Lauren Li, author of ‘The New French Look’, to discuss the French approach to design and decorating. They explore the core components of the "New French Look," along with regional variations, along with what sets French design apart from the Australian approach.
A fabulous episode on the intricacies of lifetsyle and the impact it has on design, along with discovering how to infuse a touch of France into your own home.
Frances outlines why it's so important to create a furniture layout at floorplan stage in this episode. This is essential listening to avoid big mistakes! She outlines the implications that can occur when a furniture layout is not done before building starts, using a real life example and the compromises made because there was no plan.
Frances reflects on 2023 on a personal and design perspective and shares highlights of the year including finished homes, awards, media coverage and what's in store for 2024.
Frances is joined by her client, Bernadette, in this special case study episode. Bernadette shares her renovation journey, from when she first set eyes on the home 20 years ago, through to creating her project team and the joys and frustrations of her extensive renovation.
This is an honest 'warts and all' account of what a renovation project can be like, including pitfalls to avoid and how your team can support you throughout. She alos outlines how having an interior designer on the team helped her create a home she truely loves and helped her mitigate so many mistakes that could have happened throughout the journey.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of clearing out years and years worth of 'stuff', then this is the episode for you.
Frances is joined by decluttering expert, Amy Revell, who shares her wisdom on how to prepare to pack up and move for a renovation or new build. How to create a vision and create a home you'll love.
This is a super fun and jammed packed episode on what to declutter and decide what to keep for your new home.
Frances outlines exactly what thermal wrap is in this episode, and why it's a great product to consider for cabinetry in your home. With guests from Albedor Industries, she also delves into the myths surrounding thermal wrap, how it is made and the sustainability measures Albedor are undertaking to make a low VOC product.
A great episode if you're wanting to understand cabinetry materials that could be used for your renovation or new home.
Frances discusses what to consider when designing a mudroom. How it needs to function, and be designed around what you need to store in it. She also discusses other considerations for where items can go in the home if the mudroom is not large enough for everything. Finally, she outlines the ideal location of a mudroom in a home.
A must listen if you're thinking for having a mudroom in your home.
Frances is joined by Peter Karaolganis from Presenting Homes Australia to discuss the different decisions made when renovating your Forever Home compared to renovating to flip and make a profit.
Peter and Frances discuss materials, build quality, flexible floorplans and multigenerational living for both types of renovations and how they differ.
Frances is watching The Block this season and viewing it with multiple lenses. In this episode she shares her observations about the 50's theme, the impact sponsors have on material choices, following a brief for the right outcome, orientation, plus design meeting the target audience, and how different that is to a Forever Home.
Having just come back from a 5 week European holiday, Frances discusses how travel can provide inspiration and influence on your interiors back home. Frances shares her key takeaways from each city she went to (London, Paris, Amsterdam and Baku) and what to notice and look for when you're on holiday that can personalise your space at home.
The orientation of your home and the direction each room faces, impacts livability and the comfort levels in your home. The ability to naturally warm your home in winter and keep it cool in summer are achievable by managing the sun and using it to your advantage at design stage.
Frances shares her insights in this podcast episode on things to consider to maximise the potential of creating a home that is comfortable all year round along with design flaws to avoid. Full of tips and ways to get the most out of your home design, befor
If you are renovating, and not sure what to do with the original timber floors, Frances outlines what some floor options are, in this episode. They may not need to replaced, and Frances discusses some choices and considerations you can explore to understand the best outcome for your home.
Frances shares her top tips on bathroom layout considerations and what to keep in mind for optimum functionality.
In this episode Frances is joined by Richard Earp, who is super passionate about the environment and all things sustainability. He has been leading his company, Earp Bros, for years in meeting strict sustainability criteria, so he knows a thing or two. Together they discuss the impact of the Paris Agreement and NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) and the impact this will have on Australians and the materials they choose for their homes, for Australia to meet their NDC commitment by 2030 and beyond.
In this episode of the podcast Frances is joined by Tim Sellars from Faucet Strommen. They chat about what makes a sustainable tap different, and what to look for when choosing a tap made to last, along with the qualities of Australian Made tapwear.
Frances outlines the changes she's seeing in what clients and people are wanting for their homes. The shift in mindset and how this is impacting material choices, homes design and what's important for people when creating their Forever Homes.
This this a summary of her observations with working with clients all over Australia, and how the sustainable and energy efficient movement is changing in a positive way.
In this episode of the podcast Frances welcomes back Jeremy Gates from Gaia Construction to talk all things building and renovating sustainably. Jeremy highlights his top 5 ways that you can make your home more energy efficient, along with how to choose a sustainable builder. He discusses passive house principles that can be used to create a more comfortable home and mistakes to avoid.
Frances welcomes John Dalla Via from Egger to the podcast this week to talk about sustainable wood based on products. As market leaders in the creation of chipboard with the highest percentage of post-consumer and post-industrial waste, it’s great to understand how leading companies are creating sustainable products across all industries. John outlines what to ask when considering cabinetry and laminate products when sustainability is a core objective.
John also shares how Egger as a company is part of the UN Global Compact to meet social and ethical milestones too.
In this episode of the podcast Frances outlines what to consider for your interiors from a sustainability perspective. From floorplans, hard materials, soft furnishings, window treatments and lighting, she outlines ways to perhaps think differently about what you can do to make better sustainable choices for your home.
Learn the best ways to create or improve the energy load in your home in this practical and informative episode of the podcast with Anna Cumming, Editor of Sanctuary Magazine.
Frances and Anna discuss how you can design, improve, renovate or build a home to create a low impact, sustainable and low energy home that doesn't have to break the bank.
From the 7 star Naters ratings, how to brief your designer and go shopping for an energy efficient home, right through to the reasons for only going electric and eliminating gas.
A great episode if you're looking at making small energy efficient changes, right through to designing a new low energy home.
As part of the Sustainable Homes and Living Season, Frances welcomes Itay Shimony from Cosentino to chat through the environmental credentials of their hard surface materials produced in Spain. In particular, they chat about the Circular economy Cosentino has created in the company, and the production of minimal silica in their reconstituted stone products, along with carbon neutral Dekton.
As a family business, Cosentino are also strong contributors to their local community in Spain, creating a sense of responsibility to the environment, and their people.
In this episode of the podcast for the Sustainablity Series, Frances chats with guest David Baggs, CEO and Co-Founder of Green Tag - an international creditation for all types of eco products. David explains how products are able to be acceditated using their third party creditation process, that covers a diverse and wide range of products. This assists consumers to select healthier and more environmentally and sustainable products for their home.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances is joined by her partner, Neil, as they chat about how they went about designing and building their Award Winning, Sustainable Forever Home. They discuss the challenges, the things they didn't compromise on, and how the whole project came together.
This is an information rich episode on how to get started and what to keep in mind when considering a sustainable and energy efficient home.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances welcomes back Sally Flower from Home Sanctuary to chat about buying in a more conscious manner. We discuss the changes in consumer buying behaviour in a world full of advertising and messages to consume and want more, when actually it's not necessary.
There are plenty of tips and ways that we can buy in a more conscious way, that will not only save our wallet, but also add to our overall happiness. Sally and I talk about how this can be achieved in this super informative and thought provoking episode.
Frances welcomes Sally Flower from Home Sanctuary as her guest in this episode of the podcast to discuss how to declutter in a mindful and sustainable way, and minimise stress in your life!
How to choose what to discard from your home, but also how to discard items in a sustainable way.
Learn the simple process to start decluttering and being mindful of the journey, before you set out. The end result will be a calm home that you can relax in, while being surrounded by things you love that have purpose and meaning.
Frances runs through what will be coming up in the Sustainability Season, highlighting some of her guests, as well as who the Season has been created for and what topics she's going to be covering.
In this Facebook Forever Home Live Frances discusses some key functionality points to consider in your home design before the build starts. She outlines small details that are often missed that affect the functionality of your home, and lead to disappointment when not picked up in time to rectify.
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In this episode of the My Forever Home podcast, Frances discusses how to prevent having under utilised spaces in your home. She outlines the common areas that often appear on floorplans, which are not well utilised and what you need to think about to ensure all space is maximised in your home. This is to save money now, but for the duration of your time in the home. SHOWNOTES:
Sometimes, homeowners can rush with getting their floor plans completed as they are so keen to get their home built or renovated.
However, not getting your floor plans right has a long-term detrimental effect on the outcome of your home and can end up costing you a lot more in the long run.
The key is to slowdown so you can review your floor plans with your vision and brief in mind. This will also allow you to review all spaces and rooms in your plans, to see if any spaces are likely to be under utilised.
Under utilised rooms ultimately waste money, energy, and resources. The key is not to jeopardise premium floor space in your home when it could be used for something else.
So what are the most common under utilised spaces;-
The Spare room
Spare rooms are set up for guests to have a comfortable place to stay, but how often do they stay, and what is the spare room being used for all the other days and months when you don't have guests in the room?
Think about creating multiple functions for your spare room for when you don't have guests.
For instance, your spare room can serve as an office while being able to welcome guests every now and then.
Formal dining room
Traditional homes sometimes have two dining rooms, the additional dining space is often what we refer to as the "formal dining rooms". Often this room is never used, or so infrequently, that it doesn't translate to good use of space.
To maximise it, you need to assess how often you are going to utilise the space.
Ideas:
- It could be closed off and used as a separate room.
- It could be carved up to add space to another room (i.e walk-in pantry or into the kitchen space)
Formal living area or Secondliving
Having a second living area is a great idea as it can be used as another living space for privacy. It also enables other family members to watch different shows or do different things. However, the second living needs to be set up correctly for it to reach its full potential.
Think about how you want to use space and how you want them to feel a second living area. Your second living area is a great opportunity to create something different from open plan living.
To do this, you can create a different "feeling" in space by having:
- Different flooring
- Heavier style window treatments
- Different furniture style
- Different colour palette and textures
Lastly, you must be able to close off this space off to create a separate zone and mitigate noise from other living areas to fully maximise the uitilisation of a second living room.
In summary
Think about the requirements for these spaces and how they will be used.
Questions to ask:
- How frequently are you going to use the space?
- How can you create multi-functional spaces?
- How does your lifestyle suit the spaces on the floorplan?
- What do you need for your family and how will this room make a difference to how you live in the space?
A room that is hardly ever used costs money to build, time to maintain it, energy to heat or cool it and resources to have it there.
It’s all about making your floorplans work super hard and be relevant to what you need.
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Available Resources
Want to learn more about floorplans? Listen to episode 97 of My Forever Home Podcast- “Floorplans and getting them right” as Frances discusses the steps to take if your floorplans are not what you want. Click here to listen to the episode.
Or read our blog on “Creating Forever Home Floor Plans and Getting them Right” to ensure your home can adapt to your changing needs over time. Read the article here.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances outlines how important it is to create a vision for your home, and that a vision is not just about the way you want your home to look. She outlines what a vision is for your home, what you should think about when creating it, and how to go about it to make it about aesthetics as well as functionality.
In this episode of My Forever Home, Frances runs through key considerations when deciding on your flooring type. She outlines 10 buying criteria for choosing the right floor for your home along with key mistakes people can make when deciding on their floor, and how best to avoid those mistakes. The floor in your home makes a big impact and has to work really hard for you, so it’s important to be informed about different flooring available, choose carefully, and buy the best you can afford.
In this episode of My Forever Home, Frances outlines what she terms the ‘Key 4’ specialists you’ll need on your team for your renovation or new build. She outlines the benefits of engaging your key team early on, along with how they can each save you money and lots of time, as well as mitigate expensive mistakes. She outlines what each of them brings to the equation for a successful outcome for your home project.
In this episode of the podcast, part 3 of this three-part series on how Frances designed and built her Forever Home, this episode explores how Frances managed the build of her home.
She outlines how she did it, what she’d do differently, and the opportunity cost of project managing your own build.
Shownotes :
Tender process Usually, building designers will manage the tendering process. This means that they are responsible for engaging with the builders, sending out all the tender documentation and specifications, reviewing the quotes, and liaising with the builders throughout the process with queries and follow-up.
Frances managed the whole tendering process for her build.
- She engaged with the builders to check availability, gauge their interest, and arrange site visits to see previous work.
- She also liaised with the builders to manage expectations on the turnaround of the quote and answered any queries.
All builders quote differently, so it was up to Frances to check what was in and out of each quote to form a consistent comparison
Frances created a spreadsheet so that she could make a clear comparison about what was in and not in the quote.
Build Process For the Forever Home, the builder they used was one they had worked with in the past at their previous home. It was also decided that Frances would manage the build from the ‘Lockup’ stage as she had her own tradespeople, (her builder and her shared many trades), and then the builder would come back at the end for fit off.
As she had a good relationship with the builder, and he knew how meticulous and organized she was, he agreed to go down this path with her, but he also challenged her and told her if she was going to manage the ‘Lock up’ phase, that she won’t be in by the deadline of Christmas 2014, but Frances is determined and moved into the house prior to Christmas of that year!
Once everything had been roughed in and plaster was in, Frances then managed all the trades that came in after that.
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Tiler, cabinet maker, caulker, painter, electrician, stonemason, garage doors, range hood installation, shower screens, delivery of all supplies, plus the landscaper and pool people.
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She was on site every day to check progress, manage to change schedules and answer queries. Each day there was something else that changed, and the schedule was a moving beast due to supply delays with trades, equipment, and one small change had a huge knock-on effect for other trades and their schedules with all their projects..
Why did Frances manage the project?
- She had the right contacts.
- Her skill set and experience gave her the confidence to do it.
- To save money as she was not paying a builder’s margin on top of all trades.
However, the stakes were much higher as she was building her own ‘Forever Home’.
- The finish had to be higher
- It represented her business and the work she can do - an example of what she can achieve for her clients
- A sustainability showcase
The ‘costs’ of managing the build herself
- It was difficult for Frances to work on her business as normal as she was required daily on-site.
- Managing multiple trades could sometimes lead to grey areas on who was doing what.
- She had to consider the opportunity cost as she was not able to work on her own business.
- Stress, the long days, and the toll on her family
- It involves a lot of negotiation- even after the builder was back on-site, Frances was still negotiating with the builder and landscaper for access, timings for driveway pour, etc.
Things that she would have done differently: * It is easy to make rash decisions on-site when stress levels are high. * If she had her time over, Frances would have been stricter with her builder and insisted on the finish being as per plan, and not the easier option. She should have stuck to her guns. Some compromises made she regrets are; + Mitered edges on all the windows in the ensuite – not some. + Cut of the shower waste not matching with the grout line. + Plumbing for shower not in the right location. She couldn’t get more tiles in the same batch, so she had to live with it.
Other changes she would make if building again;
- Square set door frames – no architraves
- She would get an architect to oversee the building project and manage the builder.
- Not manage a build again
- Her partner would have a smaller house, but Frances feels that they use every single room in their home, so it’s a well-used space, on a daily basis.
- There were many decisions they wanted to make, that were not possible then, but if building today they could achieve more given access to current technology, knowledge, or supplies.
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Would not go with their own advice about not having shade provision for east-facing windows.
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Learning: Make sure that you have got the right people working for you and that they really know about what they do.
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Would have gone for dispensation to have higher ceilings in the kids’ bedrooms and have larger kids’ rooms.
- Key takeaways:
Find the right people for your build or renovation project
- They need to understand what you want
- You need to have a great relationship with your renovation or new build team
Resources available:
Unsure how to find the right people for your renovation or new build?
Download this FREE guide- How to Find your Renovation or New Build Team as this gives you the checklist and process on how you find the right people for your team.
In this episode of this 3 part series on how Frances created her Forever Home, Frances outlines how she specified the interior materials and finishes for her own home.
She walks through her vision for the home, her decision making criteria, things she would do differently now, and how she stayed true to herself when selecting items for her home.
Shownotes
The interiors are often regarded as the exciting part of building a home, but with so many options available, it can also be the overwhelming part. This is where having your vision is important.
Frances renovated many homes for herself in the past, prior to designing her Forever Home, and each time she injected her own personality into them, for instance, bright Spanish tiles for her kitchen in Amsterdam and Floral Wallpapers and a Green Kitchen in London.
For her Forever Home, Frances already had ideas on what she wanted. She focused on what she loved and had desired for years.
Vision
**Look and Feel**
- She tried to incorporate Moroccan influence where she could as true Moroccan materials were not easily available at the time.
- Her dream was Tadelakt finish for the bathrooms, but again it was difficult to find an artisan who could do it, and when she did, it was well out of the budget. Instead, she sourced tiles with a trowel effect to mimic Tadelakt as best she could Concrete looking tiles were just hitting the market at the time.
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Patricia Urquiola tiles were used in the kitchen and ensuite
- Classics that had been around over 10 years that she still loved with a passion.
Flooring
- Timber tile flooring – was selected before we even engaged an architect.
- Wanted floors to be ‘party proof’ and maintenance-free
Lighting
* Die-cut Moroccan Inspired pendant lights used over the island bench in the kitchen.
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These were also chosen before the house was designed.
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Disco Mirror Ball Light – loved and chosen by her partner
- 3-tiered mirrored wedding cake light – also loved and chosen by her partner.
Work around the Budget
Like everyone else, Frances had a budget to follow.
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She chose her key feature tiles and coordinated more cost effective options around them
- She opted with mid-range tapwear that has the best warranty on the market.
Kitchen
- The Patrica Urquiola Mutina splashback tiles were the ‘leading piece’ in the kitchen and all other materials revolved around the splashback colours of mixed greys, off-white and brown accents
- White cabinetry in thermo wrap combined with a newly released concrete look solid acrylic surface in charcoal grey from Hi Macs, to pare back with the splashback.
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Plus, the White Moroccan inspired pendant lights
Bathrooms
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Her family bathroom has Moroccan inspired decorative tiles as a feature and tiles to mimic Tadelakt. This bathroom made it into House and Garden’s Top 50 Rooms
- Forher Ensuite, Frances wanted a lot of natural light. She wanted to have the feeling of being outdoors so a floor to ceiling window was specified inthe shower to give that indoor/outdoor feel.
- She chose embossed Patricia Urquiola tiles – which she had loved for years.
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For the powder room, Frances wanted it to have a ‘wow’ factor.
- After seeing a new release of Bisazza’s first ceramic tile designed by Marcel Wanders (Dutch Designer), she completely changed the specification for this room, so these tiles could be used.
External
- The front door was important as it makes such an impression. Frances selected a solid timber paneled door with a custom stain to get the colour perfect.
- It was important to match the colour of the home back to Colourbond Surfmist being used for the the gutters and downpipes, so the render colour was chosen to coordinate back to this.This saved a lot of money not having custom Colourbond colours.
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Preference was for a no maintenance exterior, so they chose Alpolic cladding in a timber look finish to soften the white render
- Black windows were used that fitted with the vision of ‘less is more.’
- If Frances had her time over, she would have recycled bricks as part of the façade.
Lesson Learned
- Avoid having a dark coloured solid acrylic surface for the benchtop as scratches are more prominent than if it were a light colour.
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If she had her time over, she would have made the shower in the family bathroom smaller and increased the size of the vanity. Get a lighting designer involved from the outset. Residential lighting designers very hard to find at the time of her build.
- Install an external vertical blind for the large east facing windows. Should have followed their own advice
What Frances loves
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After 7 years, Frances still loves all the materials she chose, and that’s because she really chose what she loves. Decorating is on-going – it’s forever evolving.
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The garden – it’s established and an oasis of green.
- Frances loves the natural pool, but it is higher maintenance than anticipated.
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She’s proud her home got showcased in Australian House and Garden and featured internationally on Houzz.
Resources available:
Unsure how to find the right people for your renovation or new build?
Download this FREE guide- How to Find your Renovation or New Build Team as this gives you the checklist and process on how you find the right people for your team.
In this special 3 part series 'Designing and Building my Own Forever Home', Frances will take you on her own Forever Home Journey. In this episode, Part 1 of the series, Frances outlines how she created the vision for her home along with how she researched and found her architect to design the home. This series is a wonderful insight, and personal story, warts and all, of how Frances designed and built her own Forever Home.
In this podcast episode, Frances lets you into a week of her life of being an interior designer and running her own business. She outlines each day, what typically goes on and what curve balls she has to tackle when it doesn’t all go according to plan.
It’s a great insight into the world of an open and upfront interior designer, who tells it like it is, and is raw and real in this episode. You’ll get to see, it’s not all as glamourous as you may think!
Welcome to a week in the life of Frances Cosway.
In this short and sharp episode, Frances discusses the coordination of bathroom floor tiles with the main flooring throughout the home, and how tiles cannot be looked at in isolation from other materials in the home.
She chats about the overall colour tone being used in the home, either warm or cool, and how that also needs to be reflected in bathroom material choices.
SHOWNOTES
A key bathroom mistake Frances often sees is NOT looking at the entire flow of material selections from one part of the home into another.
Creating continuity The floor is one of the key areas that links our home together and creates continuity throughout.
How to create continuity?
The same colour tone throughout
For example;
- Hard Flooring (Warm Colour Tone) & Carpet (Warm Colour Tone)
- Hard Flooring (Cool Colour Tone) & Carpet (Cool Colour Tone)
Tiles- The floor tile being used in your bathroom, ensuite or powder room should marry into the floor that it's butting up against, be that a timber floor, carpet or another tile.
Be sure to obtain samples so you can see how the floor material and the floor tile work together and that they are of the same tone.
Free Upcoming Webinar 5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Frances is hosting this webinar on the 24th November at 7PM-8PM AEDT.
Click here to reserve your spot.
In this episode, Frances makes an exciting announcement about the partnership with B1G1 and White Pebble Interiors. She outlines her goal to use her business as a vehicle to help others around the globe (not just through creating amazing homes for her clients).
She explains how working with B1G1 aligns with the values of the business, the team and her own personal values, by contributing to the livelihood of others and providing an impact around the world. The particular focus where she wants the business to make an impact is through providing education to those where it’s not always available.
SHOWNOTES
White Pebble Interiors is now in partnership with B1G1- Business for good. Through her extensive travels, Frances has seen and heard stories about inequalities and other challenges, particularly in developing countries.
Frances wants to use her business as a vehicle to help others around the globe by providing access to education and opportunities.
What is B1G1?
B1G1 is a social enterprise whose mission is to create a world full of giving through its alignment with UN sustainable goals. There are 17 goals that represent global communities' next step in ending poverty, fighting inequality and injustices, and tackling climate change by 2030.
**How does it work?**
With your support, White Pebble Interiors has the power to change lives by integrating giving into our everyday activities to positively impact worthy causes worldwide.
- For every new proposal signed, we will provide business training program for a month in Malawi.
- For every initial consultation, we will give school supplies to 5 children in Nepal.
-
For every review we received (positive or negative), we will provide a week of vocational training to women in the Philippines.
Every month we will do a reconciliation and donate directly to those mentioned above. The full amount that’s donated will then go to these causes as a business. An administrative fee has been given to B1G1 to help the organisation which means that every single dollar that we donate goes directly to the cause.
Links mentioned in the podcast
White Pebble Interiors with B1G1
https://www.whitepebbleinteriors.com.au/b1g1givingback/
B1G1
https://b1g1.com/
In this episode of the podcast, Frances outlines the many reasons why you should write a brief for your architect (and your landscaper and interior designer), and why it’s so important. She also provides an outline of what to think about when creating your brief, how to start creating one, and what to include, and who should be involved.
As a starting point for the vision of your home, the brief is a reference document that is referred back to many times throughout the process of creating your Forever Home, so is a logical starting point to get the process moving.
SHOWNOTES
Why is Creating a Brief Important?
-
Allows you to create a vision of what you are trying to create, the core things that you need to include in your home, and what's really important for you.
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It creates a dialogue for everyone who’s involved in the project – all family members, including the kids!
You're able to sit down as a family and go through what is it you are trying to create and what's important to each of you.
-
It allows you to assess 'what you need Vs what you want. It allows you to identify key priorities.
- You can refer back to the briefing document throughout the process to assess floorplans, landscaping, and interiors and how those consultants have responded to the brief
-
Has the briefing requirements been met by what's come back from each consultant?
Who is your brief for?
* Architect/ building designer
- Landscaper- Interior Designer- What is the feeling you want to create? What sort of functionality do you need, the aesthetic and style you want to live in.
What do you need to include in your brief?
**Think about your vision**
- What's the overall objective of the home?
- Create a visual brief
A visual representation of what you want really helps to show what you love
**Overall look and fee****l**
- How do you want to feel when you walk into your home?
Overview of the site
Provide details of the site.
* Lifestyle requirements
- How do you live in the home?
- How your home is to be used
- Essential rooms required
- What do you need to store in your garage
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What's needed in the space for each room
For instance, wanting a desk for your child's bedroom or a guestroom that can be turned into a separate office.
Essential Vs Non-negotiable items
Make a list of what's essential Vs Nice to Have (space or budget permitting)
Sustainable Features
- What energy efficiency or sustainability measures are you going to incorporate into this design?
External components
For instance:
- Pool
- Any trees you want to retain
-
Is there going to be a fire pit or do you want to have a trampoline?
Budget
Be honest with your budget. Your architect should know what will be achievable with your budget. Get the experts involved so that you get an idea about what it's going to cost.
Always have a contingency. Allow10-20%
Ensure you're clear about budgets either being inclusive or exclusive of GST (VAT/tax).
Timeframe
- What are your expectations about when you want to move into your completed home?
Design references
Create a digital portfolio or a hard copy of the things you like, and architectural styles you love. This provides direction for your consultants.
FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
Creating a brief is a good exercise to get everyone on the same page and to ensure your thoughts and ideas are captured as cohesively as possible so it’s able to be followed.
Download our FREE Briefing Template here.
Join my webinar- 'The top 5 costly bathroom design mistakes and how to avoid them' as I prepare and arm you with critical information that will save you time and money creating your new bathroom.
This will be on Wednesday, 24th November 2021 at 7PM- 8PM AEDT.
Click here to register.
Book a free 15-minute chat to discuss your project and how we may be able to assist.
In this Facebook Live, Frances discusses the steps to take if your floorplans are not quite what you want. She outlines the steps you should take to have them meet your objectives, and who you could turn to, to help out in getting them right. Floorplan is king, so you must be happy with your plans before starting any build works for your renovation or new build.
SHOWNOTES
It's an easy trap to fall into when you have your floorplans and they are not really what you want, so you start to find solutions and re-jig the floorplan yourself to ‘fix the problem’.
My experience shows this is not the best approach. You've engaged an architect, building designer, or draftsperson to design the floorplans for you, so it's best to leave this to the experts.
So what should you do when your floorplan is not working for you, and it's not how you want it to be?
**Go back to the Brief you provided your architect/builder designer/draftsperson**
- Identify your core objectives for the home, what you set out to achieve, and your non-negotiables.
-
Check what you communicated with your architect, building designer, or draftsman about what you are trying to create. Has this been reflected in the plans?
Review your plans
Refer back to the brief and review your plans to see how the response from your architect, builder designer or draftsperson has met your brief.
- Has it been designed around your core objectives and non-negotiables>
- What's missing?
-
How is the floor plan meeting your brief, objectives, and requirements?
Review your floorplans with your Building Designer
You need to be clear about not providing the solution, but rather giving your building designer the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
- Refer them back to the brief to focus on areas that have been missed, or are not quite right.
- Be clear about what's not working for you in the plan.
- Let them explain if there is a reason why something cannot be achieved.
- Allow them the chance to review your comments and come back with a revised version.
For instance,
- Mudroom is not big enough to store 5 school bags
-
There is no connection to the views we have.
- There is not enough space in the kitchen for two people to cook
Consult another expert
You may feel more comfortable having another set of expert eyes go over your floorplan to ‘sanity check’ it's as good as it can be and you're not missing anything.
For example, an interior designer will look at things from a completely different perspective.
**Cut your ties**
At the end of a lot of backwards and forwards trying to get your plans right, but you still don't feel like you're hitting the mark, it may be the time to cut your losses and find another architect or building designer.
As painful as that sounds. it's going to save your thousands of dollars and so much heartache. Imagine you build a home, you know at floorplan stage is not right, where you'll forever regret you didn't sort it out before you started to build.
Resources and Services Mentioned in the Podcast
Floor Plan Sanity Check
Save Yourself from Costly Mistakes
Book a floor plan sanity check today.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family’s needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Your Forever Home Book
Keen to know more? I have dedicated a whole chapter to Floor Plans in my book ‘Your Forever Home’. You can order your copy here.
First three chapters of the book FREE
If you’d like to receive the first three chapters of the book ‘Your Forever Home’ for FREE, download it here.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances outlines a key change to Your Forever Home with a re-name to reflect how she feels about the brand. In the episode, she runs through her thinking behind the change, what it means to you and what it means to all the resources available to you.
In this Forever Home Live, Frances answers a question from the Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Community about tile layout. Specifically around laying 300x600mm tiles for floor and walls. She also outlines how to finish splashbacks in power rooms and what to consider to determine the height to finish your tile, the impact of mirrors on tile layout, the height of 300-400mm for functionality purposes, and pattern in a tile affecting cuts and overall aesthetic. A great snapshot of some options surrounding tile layout, and how you should always have a conversation with your tiler BEFORE they lay the tiles.
In this Facebook Live, Frances outlines the key differences between using engineered timber flooring and timber tile flooring.
She walks through the advantages and disadvantages of each and discusses criteria for when you may use one over the other.
Health and wellbeing are important now more than ever, as we all navigate through the Covid 19 pandemic. In this episode of the Your Forever Home podcast, Frances outlines different ways that we can incorporate wellness into our homes – through connection to the outdoors, bringing the outside in, use of colour and materials on our homes, and more permanently – designing for wellbeing.
Sit back, relax, and delve into all the options to make you feel better in your home.
SHOWNOTES
In light of lockdowns that have occurred numerous times to many of us, Frances decided it was time to talk about creating wellness for ourselves, and for the people around us, by creating home havens, where we feel nurtured and cocooned, ultimately creating a positive impact on our mental health.
How can we create wellness in our home?
Private Retreat
Create a space that you and other family members can retreat to. A space where someone can relax, recharge and reconnect with themselves. Ideally, this space has doors to maintain privacy and mitigate noise.
This room could be:
- Second living
- Sunroom
- Conservatory
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Retreat or multi-purpose room
Connect to the outdoors
From sitting in a garden, walking along the beach, to surrounding ourselves with plants and trees, connection to outdoors has a positive impact on our mental health and wellness.
-
Have a vista to a garden or balcony where you have greenery with plants or flowers.
- Physical connection to balcony, garden or courtyard
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A view to the sky, the ocean, a garden or tree canopies.
Surround yourself with the things you love
You need to surround yourself with items that resonate you. Items that you feel connected to so you're surrounded by things that you have meaning and therefore create a sense of being cocooned. It also creates a more relaxed environment to be in, and also aids in feeling a sense of connection and meaning in your life. Having items in your home that mean something to you - it's what makes a "home" a home.
Create a curated selection of items that mean something to you, for instance;
* Items that you’ve collected on your travels
- Items that you’ve made yourself
- Something that someone made for you - a family member, a friend or your children
-
Heirloom pieces that tell a story and have meaning
Houseplants
Frances' number one way to create wellness and relaxation in a home is to bring plants into the home. Plants are a good option to change the way a space looks and FEELS. Plus, plants release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide.
- Some ideas on how to use house plants; Plants in large pots positioned on the floor
- Plants are perfect for empty corners and nooks
- Placed on shelves and bookcases – especially trailing plants
- Plants in hanging pots from beams or ceilings
- Plants in pots placed on bench tops, tables, dining tables, consoles or buffets.
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Consider plants being placed at different heights
Things to consider to design for wellness when renovating or creating a new home
Materials Being Used
Toxic and chemicals
Make sure that you are not using materials that may affect your physical health. If you want to create wellness. minimise the toxicity and chemicals that are being emitted in your home.
* Avoid toxic chemicals such as VOCs, those in plastics, polyurethane and formaldehyde.
- Be mindful of hybrid and vinyl floors as they are full of toxic chemicals that slowly emit into the home over time.
Use of Organic and Natural Materials
Choosing natural materials means a reduction of toxic chemical compounds being brought into your home. Plus, bringing natural materials is always a great sustainable choice!
* Anything made of timber – sustainably sourced.
- Natural Stones
- Recycled materials
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Organic textures and petrified timbers.
Use of Doors
Doors allow you to create privacy, and mitigate unwanted noise in your home – perfect when you need some time and space for relaxation.
Design around the landscape
- Sliding doors or bi-fold doors to create a connection to your garden and the outdoors.
- Highlight windows or porthole windows enabling you to get a view of the sky.
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Strategic placement of a window that allows you to see your garden.
Colours and Wellness
How do you choose colours that allow you to feel relaxed, connected, and recharged?
The Colours of Nature
Most commonly, most people love;
-
Different shades of Blue
- Different shades of Green
The Colours that You Love
- Choose colours that you love and have always gravitated to
- Colours that make you feel relaxed, energized and/or happy
Kids
Allow your kids to have a bit of creative input in their own space, which will make them happy and more connected.
- Paint their room colour of their choice (you can provide parameters for this)
- Add their favourite colour with the use of scatter cushions, artwork, a rug or throw
- Make a reading nook in a corner of their room to encourage downtime and recharge time.
Free resources around the topic:
Injecting New Life into your Home
Ready to renovate or build but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat.
In this Facebook Live, Frances discusses the buying criteria for a ceiling fan as not all fans are the same! She outlines why they are worth installing (so many reasons), and the controversial question of fan Vs pendant light in a bedroom. She also runs through why spending a little more on your ceiling fan provides so much more than a standard fan and is worth the investment.
In this final episode of the Bathroom Design Essentials Season, Frances outlines some of the key take-aways from each episode as an easy reference tool for you to know where you need to listen next.
In this episode of the Your Forever Home Podcast, part of the Bathroom Design Essentials Season, Frances outlines some of the major mistakes she sees people make when designing their bathroom. Expensive mistakes that can be avoided, which she outlines in this episode, so you’re not having to live with a less than desirable outcome.
This is a must listen if you’re designing your bathroom.
SHOWNOTES
Major mistakes:
No Internal Elevations
Homeowners often feel they don’t need internal elevations for their bathroom design, as they feel they can easily instruct the cabinet maker or builder in this area. This can unfortunately lead to lots of (avoidable) issues on siteand ultimately lead to miscommunication and a less than ideal outcome.
Benefits of Internal Elevations:
-
Provides a clear roadmap for your builder.
- Allows your builder to give you an accurate quote.
- It shows your cabinetry design and fittings.
- You can view everything before it is built, which allows you to make changes and discuss things with your family during the early stages.
Freestanding bath not suitable for the space
Adding a freestanding bath that is not suitable for the space is a design compromise. Not only that, but it makes cleaning difficult as it would be hard to reach in behind the bath. . It also needs adequate space between the wall and the bath to give the aesthetic look that a freestanding bath needs. Freestanding baths are also expensive to retrofit because they cost more than a standard bath.
Inadequate storage
Towels, shampoo bottles, toothbrushes, toilet rolls- you’ll need to find room for all of these things if you haven’t allowed for adequate storage in your bathroom. Don’t compromise storage over aesthetic in your bathroom.
- Determine what you need to store.
- Then work out your storage requirements.
-
Don’t underestimate eye height storage
Lack of adequate task lighting
Consider having task lighting as well as downlights in your bathroom. This will be helpful when you are getting ready in the morning or at night. It is benefitial to have multiple light sources to meet your requirements and also the ability to dial up or dim down as you need to.
Tile Layout
- A shower niche that does not match the tile layout.
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If there are other tiles at the doorway, it needs to marry up with the tiles in the bathroom so the look is seamless.
No Ventilation
It is important to have a window that opens in the bathroom. You need to allow the moisture to escape and fresh air to come in.
Toilet Position
Avoid placing the toilet in front of your bathroom door. If possible, try to tuck your toilet around the back of the door, or to the side. Toilets are expensive to move, but when you are building a new house it’s worth the investment to get an internal elevation as it will help you get the design right – from the start.
Mixer inside the shower
Consider placing the mixer at the side instead of having it right next to the shower rail so you don’t get wet turning it on.
Window treatments
Spending a lot of money on window treatments without considering moisture resistant properties and accessibility.
Natural Light
Consider introducing natural lighting by adding a window at eye height. If it’s not possible, you might want to opt for the following:
* Skylight- Make sure that it actually opens , and that it has also a blind that can block the sun during the summer.
- Highlight window
Links mentioned in the Podcast
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Why Internal Elevation are Critical for Your Home Blog
Services
Book aChat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new bathroom, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me by booking a 15 minute chat here.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is ‘future proof’ and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this episode of the Your Forever Home podcast Frances covers off the topic of creating a bathroom that is accessible for when you get older, or are less able-bodied. She outlines design elements that can be incorporated now that will make a big difference later on, and some that can simply be provisioned for and installed later. Through her passion for creating ‘Future Proof’ homes, this is another area that adds to the liveability of your home well into the future.
SHOWNOTES
Bathroom Accessibility
Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are the most used space in our home and one of the most difficult and dangerous places for elderly home owners. They are an essential part of your daily routine, yet they hold so many challenges and pose so many risks. Fortunately, there are a range of practical bathroom alterations that will make it safer and easier to use.
Walk in shower-step free
A walk in shower, without any hurdles upon entry makes a lot of sense. One option is having a curb-less shower entry. It looks great and is also a lot more accessible as they prevent bathroom accidents – such as tripping over the curb while getting in and out of the shower.
Add a built-in shower seat
Standing in the shower for long periods of time can be difficult for some people, so a built-in shower seat can help give more stability.. However, if it's not within your budget or you don't like how it looks, you might want to consider having a waterproof stool that can be moved in and out when needed.
Place grab bars in the shower and near the toilet
Grab bars are another excellent feature as they provide good stability and support. You don't necessarily have to install them right away. This is something that you can provision for by pre-determining the length and position of the bars in your bathroom.
Install an adjustable shower on a rail with a handheld showerhead
This enables you to move the shower head up and down the rail, giving you more options to suit your needs. It is ideal in a family household as it serves many different purposes.
* A tall person can have the shower head longer and higher up on the rail.
- Kids can bring the shower head down and lower on the rails.
- Can be used in cleaning the actual shower.
- Can be used to wash pets.
-
And for when you are older, you can easily sit on the shower seat and move the handheld shower up and down to reach you
Select mixer/lever taps for basin and shower for easier operation
Knobs can be difficult to turn when you have arthritis, so having a mixer tap with a lever is easier to use when turning the shower on and adjusting the temperature
Cavity sliding doors for ease of opening and closing
It enables you to have more space in the actual room and it’s essential for increased accessibility – particularly if you are in a wheelchair or have a walker. Not only are you creating a bigger thoroughfare for entry, it is also easier to maneuver around in within the space.
Considerations:
- Ideally, you need a turning radius of around 150 centimeters
- The floor surfaces need to be flush so you can easily roll in and out of the space
-
Doorways should beat 900mm
Mount the basin close to the edge of the vanity for easier use
-
It is also easier to access if it's at one end.
Select easy-glide or soft close drawers for the vanity
Make sure that your hardware is qood quality so the drawers glide easily
**Select higher than standard toilets (becoming more and more common)**
Higher toilets are now becoming more popular as they allow you to get up and down with ease. I anticipate that this will soon become the new standard.
Place toilet min 45cm from any walls, shower screen or bath.
30 or 40 cm is the norm but 45cm is better so that you've got that extra space for maneuvering and accessibility.
SERVICES AT WHITE PEBBLE INTERIORS
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new bathroom, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me by booking a 15 minute chat here.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this Forever Home podcast episode, Frances outlines how to get the most out of your Powder room -whether it’s the family powder room, or one for guests, she provides design suggestions on how to get the most out of both of these spaces. From injecting personality into your guest powder room, to adding lots of storage so the main powder room can be utilised as an ‘overflow getting ready’ space when kids no longer want to share the family bathroom. This episode will make you revisit powder room design to maximise it’s functionality, and maximise it’s aesthetic appeal.
SHOWNOTES:
Family Powder Room
- This sits next to the family or main bathroom so it needs to work really hard for you.
- When designing your powder room, you need to take into consideration that it may be used as an overflow room eg for getting ready or a separate space for kids or teenagers.
What needs to be considered;
- Adequate storage - include a proper vanity with good bench space and avoid having a pedestal basin or a wall-mounted basin, so that it provides a large enough area so you can also get ready if need be
- Good task lighting - add task lighting that illuminates your face which will be helpful if you need to use the space to get ready (i.e shave or do make up)
- Add powerpoints- for toothbrush, hairdryer, shaver etc.
- Good size mirror
Guest Powder Room
- The guest powder room provides a golden opportunity to break some rules and add personality into the space.
-
Options to consider:
-
- Bright or bold colours.
- Wallpapers- psychedelic, bright florals, linen, botanical or iridescent. Be mindful not to use paper-based wall papers in a powder room, instead go for a commercial grade vinyl as it is washable and heavy duty.
- Wild tiles- can be installed on walls or floors. A fantastic talking point for your guests. Consider either embossed or neutral.
- Spectacular lighting- add an amazing pendant light for effect
YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS MY “Beautiful Bathroom Design Made Easy” online course!
I am excited to introduce my new online course Beautiful Bathroom Design Made Easy!
If you are planning on renovating or building a new bathroom and:
- Struggling with the overwhelm
- Not sure where to start
- Worried about making costly mistakes
Then this course is for you. Your bathroom is an important room as you start and finish each day in it, so you want to get it right!
To help with this, I have developed an online course called Beautiful Bathroom Design Made Easy which arms you with knowledge and guides you through the exact process I have used over the last 10 + years as an interior designer to help my clients create their perfect bathroom.
And with this course, you can do it yourself – it’s like having access to an interior designer without having to pay for one!
As a SPECIAL LAUNCH OFFER I have heavily discounted the price for this course from $197 to $97 – a $100 saving!
But this is a limited offer and only available until 6pm Sunday 30 May - you won’t see this price again so don’t miss out! Click here to join.
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new bathroom, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me by booking a 15-minute chat here.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future-proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this episode of Your Forever Home, Frances outlines several decorating tips on how to create a warm and inviting bathroom. She offers plenty of insight and advice to allow you to make the finishing touches to your bathroom to create a space you can be proud of. There’s nothing worse than a sparse bathroom with no soul, so this episode will give you confidence to try her creative and insightful ideas. From plants, towels and mirrors, to artwork, stools and baskets – there’s plenty to experiment with to make your bathroom a haven!
SHOWNOTES
Plants
Adding plants is a number one rule of thumb in decorating across the entire home. In a bathroom, plants add a beautiful lease of life. They generate oxygen and add an instant "lived in” feeling and a sense of calm. Most plants thrive in bathrooms because of the high humidity and moisture.
Examples:
- Add a trailing pot like a devil’s ivy on window sills, shelves or shower niche
- Put plants on plant stands as they add height to a corner
- Hangi plants from the ceiling
- Pop a small plant on your vanity
Plants to try:
- Devil’s Ivy
- Orchid- to add a little bit of colour
- Chain of hearts
- Spider plants- you can hang them as they drape beautifully
- Air plants
Towels
Towels are a fantastic way to inject texture, pattern and colour into the space. It can also reflect your mood or serve as a seasonal décor. Keep in mind, try to marry the colours of the towels with the tone of the bathroom- I.e cool or warm tones.
Artwork
A painted wall is an ideal location for hanging artwork. Try leaving a wall free of tiles to allow for hanging artwork.. It adds personality and a unique touch to the space.
Examples:
- Artwork from travels
- A piece of artwork that makes you feel relaxed and calm
- Artwork with your favourite colours
Mirrors
- Shaving cabinetscome in a variety of different shapes which can add to the aesthetic and also give additional storage space.
-
In a powder room where storage requirements are not as necessary, opt for a decorative mirror
-
Framed mirrors can add an element of design.
-
Opt for organic shapes such as oval or round as it can break up all the rectangles in the space. It’s also softer and more visually appealing.
Baskets
Baskets always make a space feel homey and inviting. They can be purely decorative or can be an added storage option.
- You can use a basket for many things, including somewhere to store your:Plants
- Towels
- Toilet rolls
Stools
- Can be placed in the corner, by the bath or even in the shower.
- Used as a side table when in the bath
- You can place a plant on it
I love vintage timber stools as it adds character and texture to the space!
YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS MY NEXT FREE WEBINAR!
“The 5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them”
Are you aware of the top 5 costly bathroom design mistakes and how to avoid them?
Join me in this webinar as I prepare and arm you with critical information that will save you time and money creating your new bathroom.
Far too many people make costly mistakes when creating their new bathroom – don’t let this be you!
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new kitchen, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me by booking a 15 minute chat.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Frances is super passionate about this topic, and it clearly shows in this episode of Bathroom Design Essentials. Frances outlines the importance of internal elevations so you can create a well designed bathroom that allows you to be involved in the design process, make informed decisions, and mitigate expensive mistakes. Internal elevations also provide the builder with details of exactly what they are building, along with providing the opportunity for a more accurate quote.
SHOWNOTES
What is an Internal Elevation?
- Unlike a floorplan which gives you an aerial view of your design, an internal elevation drawing allows you to see the design “front on”.
- It will help you to avoid mistakes on site and allow you to have fixed price quoting
-
It also has a big impact on your overall design as it helps you to map out the layout of the space.
Why do you need Internal Elevations?
-
Not having them is similar to instructing your builder to navigate without a map.
- It can lead to expensive mistakes and design disappointments that could have been avoided.
-
You might miss the opportunity to get the design right.
Cabinetry Drawings versus Internal Elevations
Some people get confused between cabinetry drawings and internal elevations. The main difference is cabinetry drawings show “joinery only’ and nothing else, whereas internal elevations show you the whole wall set upfront on. Allowing for a better “overall” design view. How does having an Internal Elevation for your bathroom help?
- It allows you to view your bathroom design “front on” rather than an “aerial view”.
- It gives you detail of your bathroom design which instructs your builder what he needs to do, including:
- joinery design (drawers, doors, heights, benchtop thickness)
- tile size and location
- placement of taps (wall, bench or basin mounted) and shower (ceiling or wall-mounted)
- placement of towel rails and toilet roll holders
- shower niche placement, size, and finish
- powerpoints, mirror and cabinet placements
- shower screen type, length, and height
- Allows you to understand how the proposed spaces and rooms will look.
- Helps assist you with decision making by letting you actualise visualise the location of vanities, windows, doors and powerpoints
- By knowing the position of all the critical items in the room, you are able to make other dependent decisions Eg. wall finishes, extent of tiling around a bath, sink or window.
- Far too often, we see people with only floorplans showing the aerial view of their cabinetry layout, or internal elevations with minimal design detail which opens up so much room for error, misinterpretation and misunderstanding about expectations on the final outcome.
-
It’s a costly to get it wrong, so having an internal elevation is a key factor in mitigating mistakes, both before and once you start building.
Much of the design thinking is done at floor plan stage, and critical thinking about functionality and space planning happens with the drawings. This is where interior designers can really show their value around creating spaces that work!
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:
Why Internal Elevations are Critical For Your Home Blog
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials- Internal Elevations and Joinery Design
SERVICES AT WHITE PEBBLE INTERIORS
The 5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Are you aware of the top 5 costly bathroom design mistakes and how to avoid them?
Join Frances in this webinar as she prepares and arms you with critical information that will save you time and money creating your new bathroom.
Far too many people make costly mistakes when creating their new bathroom – don’t let this be you!
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new kitchen, Frances would love to hear from you. You can contact Frances by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Frances welcomes guest James Lambrou from Est Lighting to the podcast for this episode of Your Forever Home. Together they chat about Bathroom Lighting and key considerations to think about to ensure your bathroom not only looks fabulous, but is also functional.
They also discuss functional and aesthetic lighting, and how to use both to light up a space - including colour, temperature and side lighting.
SHOWNOTES:
Good bathroom lighting shows consideration of 3 elements- functional, mood, and time of day. Bathroom lighting needs to balance shadow and mood for functionality.
You also need to consider bathroom fittings as it forms part of the overall design look and feel as they can add personality to a space.
Natural Lighting
Natural Lighting is the best lighting in a bathroom. It’s a core consideration when designing bathroom spaces. It’s important to think about window placement, the size of the windows and how your window is going to provide good lighting.
Artificial Lighting
Wall lighting
You can achieve a relaxed mood in your bathroom by using wall lights. When looking for wall lighting, you need to consider if it gives off an indirect or direct light.
Direct lighting is more practical as it provides a good amount of light on your face which is handy for getting ready in the morning – especially for putting on makeup or shaving!
Other considerations:
- Custom joinery lighting- direct lighting works best on custom joinery pieces with mirrors, incorporating a low glare diffuser such as led channels or a milky lens. This will give you a beautiful amount of lighting covering the whole area of your face. On a separate light switch, it could double up as mood lighting.
- For practical use, place the led lighting vertically, 8-14 mil width. Placing it below will not give you functionality but will give you more overall ambiance and aesthetic.
-
Layering of lighting will give you the ability to be able to dial it up or dial it down.
Downlights
Downlights are fine if they are not used as the sole light source in a space. To prevent shadows, avoid putting downlight in front of the basin but rather put it behind you and then add another light source. If it’s not possible, place it slightly in front of you so it lights up the space - and your face!
If you have a shower space that needs a lighting solution, it is best to remove any downlights and just add an IP 67 led strip within the cavity to the corners of the wall. This will give you a good amount of light which will highlight the textures and materials of the shower tiles.
Pros:
* Create a great aesthetic
- Nowadays they are much smaller and less intrusive
Types of downlights:
- Recessed
-
Beam angle
Types of Lighting Placement
-
Uplighting -a beautiful way to light bathrooms
- Lighting from below- ideal for showers that have textured walls to accentuate the materials and texture.
Frequent go to
Recommended Brand
XAL- an Austrian manufacturer of high-quality LED lighting systems. They have plenty of off-the-shelf surface-mounted strip lights to choose from.
Suggestions:
- Recessed LED strip- mimics natural lighting as it provides light across the whole room.
Articolo Lighting – offers beautiful decorative lighting that gives you a good warm blast of light.
Information on IP rating regulations:
- IP 44- A product that has a rating of IP44 means that it is protected against solid objects and water splashing from all directions. Thus, IP 44 is suitable for bathroom fittings.
- Non IP rated- should be placed at the far corner of the bathroom, at least two meters away from any running water. It will also depend on the discretion of the installer if they would allow a non IP rated product.
- IP 67- You don’t need an IP 67 in a bathroom, but if you are thinking about adding lighting in the shower or around the bath, IP 67 is the safest option.
-
IP 55- downlights must be at least IP 55 because they can withstand direct water contact.
Make sure:
-
The electrician signs off on the installation and fitting
- Any fitting must be a minimum of 60 cm away from any water flow
Cool vs Warm light
For bathroom lighting, the main go to for warm spectrum lighting is the 2,700 Kelvin Light, and for cooler lighting, the 4,000 Kelvin Light would be a good option.
* Be mindful of choosing thecolour temperature for bathrooms as it needs to match the colour tone of the space. (I.e Greys=Cool, Beige= Warm)
- It is a good idea to have a separate switch for each colour temperature. For instance, you can use 2,700 Kelvin Lights during the night for the warm ambiance and 4,000 Kelvin Lights during the day for practical use.
Key Considerations:
- Switching - being able to switch the light from warm temperatures to cool temperatures is an advantage
- IP rating
- Bathroom space- look at the space from a three-dimensional and holistic viewpoint. Start by looking at the space from the ground then move your way up – including the sides.
- The colour tone of the bathroom
- Position and placement of your lighting
- Functionality
- An opportunity to add personality into the space
-
Light fittings
Important links mentioned in the podcast
EST Lighting
Est Lighting is about balancing practical lighting tools with thoughtfully selected decorative pieces to arrive at a balanced lighting design for any space — solutions that sit comfortably and work in unison with the chosen environment. Visit their website here: https://estlighting.com.au/
**EST Lighting Showroom**
Sydney
479 Bourke St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Australia
Melbourne
14 Willis St
Richmond VIC 3121
Australia
XAL
Articolo
Services at White Pebble Interiors
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new kitchen, Frances would love to hear from you. You can contact Frances by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Frances is joined again by Cathryn Matchett and Trisha Narde from Reece Bathroom Life, to discuss the options available for showroom vanities. They also outline some of the comparisons with customised vanities, and why one would be better suited over another.
SHOWNOTES
Showroom Vanity Vs Customised Vanities
Showroom vanities are the vanities that are on display at stores. It allows you to see and know exactly what vanity you are buying.
Custom vanities are bespoke and designed based on your needs, and preference for materials, finishes and sizes.
Considerations:
Price
* Designer vanities (i.e Zuster) typically start at $1,500 / metre
- With other brands, a typical 1,200cm long vanity would cost $2,5000-2,800 which already includes the top and the vanity in any finish options.
- Vanities with ceramic top(1200cm) long start at $1,600
Good Quality Criteria
* For cabinetry, laminate is a basic option and looks natural, however if you want a better quality finish, Zuster would be a good brand to consider.
- It contains elements of real timber
-
The quality of material is supreme- drawer runners and hardwares.
-
Natural timbers- as long as they are sealed correctly and have been properly treated, they can work in a bathroom
-
Fully extendable drawer runners – they maximise functionality as they allow greater access in the drawer
- A lifetime guarantee on drawer runners and hardware
Vanity Trends
- Timber vanities – both light and dark options add warmth to the room
-
Vertical group vanities - they have more depth, texture and personality and are ideal for beach houses.
- Curved vanities- aesthetically they are softer and more practical because they don’t have sharp corners.
- Fully hung vanities – they create the illusion of space in the bathroom and are ideal for small bathrooms.
- Above counter basins – visually they add so much more to the space
Handles
* This is a design element that needs to be considered when choosing a vanity as they can be used as a feature
- There are a variety of colours to choose from – including chrome, black, brushed nickel, gold etc.
- They can be personalised based on your style
-
If handles are customised, they will typically take between 4-10 weeks from date of order
Australian Manufacturer
All vanities sold in Reece stores are manufactured in Australia.
Warranties
Showroom vanities come with 10-year warranties.
Important links mentioned in the podcast
Reece and Zuster Collaboration
Reece
Reece is Australia's largest plumbing and bathroom supplies business. Their plumbing and bathroom products are sourced both locally and internationally and can be found in over 600 locations across Australia. Visit their Website here.
Reece Richmond showroom
You can visit the showroom at 641-643 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia.
Services at White Pebble Interiors
Book aChat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new kitchen, Frances would love to hear from you. You can contact Frances by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this episode of Your Forever Home, Frances has guests Cathryn Matchett and Trisha Narde from Reece Bathroom Life to discuss different types of basins available and when one may be more suitable over another. They chat through different material types along with what to look for in a quality basin. Lots to learn to make good basin decisions.
SHOWNOTES
Types of Basins
Above counter- A popular wash basin that sits above the counter.
- Can be used as a featurepiece in your bathroom
- They are aesthetically pleasing because it allows you to show off the basin’s beautiful design characteristic, colour and palette
-
They provide more storage underneath
- The basin is deeper compared to other basins so are ideal for families
Undermount- Opposite to the above counter basin because the whole basin sits underneath the bench.
- Available in different shapes
- A clean and simple aesthetic
- Doesn’t allow a lot of storage underneath
-
More difficult to clean
Semi inset- Half of the basin is above the counter and the other half is underneath.
Semi Recessed-A wash basin mounted on a furniture unit or worktop. The rear half of the wash basin is recessed into the top of the unit and all the pipe work can be concealed. The front half of the basin protrudes in front of the unit.
Wall mounted basins- are a great choice for small bathrooms or powder room as they are mounted against the wall.
**Washstands**- these wash basins are commonly seen in hotels and nightclubs. They stand on the floor and are all in one piece.
Types of Materials
Steel- has beautiful,fine edges compared to ceramic and available in various different finishes.
Solid surface- made up of crushed minerals mixed with resin. Typically above counter basins are made in solid surface material and it is available in different finishes ranging from matte to gloss.
**Porcelain/ Ceramic**- these are the traditional materials for basins, and fortunately there have been many technological advancements in ceramic. For instance, Laufen, a swiss manufacturing company, makes ceramic with a mineral found in sapphires soit gives the material a flexural strength, equal to that of steel. It has the potential to have wafer-thin edges.
Concrete Basins- wash basins that are made of cement.
- Porous material so it's a little bit difficult to clean.
-
If not properly sealed, it could stain and discolour.
Types of Colours, Textures and Finishes
Matte Finish- available in solid surface materials
Coloured basins- for cement or porcelain basins.
Ceramic in pottery- For instance, Robert Gordon creates basins with different types of glazes
Different Buying Criteria
Shape- Rounded shape basins are recommended (such as oval), but you can also buy rectangular or soft square.
Ease of cleaning
Depth of the basin
Which type of bathroomthe basin is going into- For instance, typically you would like a beautiful basin in a master en suite, but a more simple option in the main bathroom.
Price points
Undermount basins- approx $300
Above counter basins- depending on material and quality, between $500-550
High quality basins from Laufendepending on their size, between $1,200-1,500
Solid surface- between $550-$700
What's popular at the moment?
Basins that have an Organic shape – eg circle, d-shape
Important links mentioned in the podcast:
Caroma
SaphirKeramik
Reece
Reece is Australia's largest plumbing and bathroom supplies business. Their plumbing and bathroom products are sourced both locally and internationally and can be found in over 600 locations across Australia. Visit their Website here.
Reece Richmond showroom
You can visit the showroom at 641-643 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia.
Services at White Pebble Interiors
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new kitchen, Frances would love to hear from you. You can contact Frances by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this Forever Home Live, Frances discusses the options available to you if your solid timber floors are looking tired and yellow. Frances provides sound advice on what CAN be done that prevents you from laying down a brand new floor and outlines limitations with going over the top of a current floor.
This is a great episode if you’re looking to save money and want to achieve the best aesthetic and superior outcome, plus kick some sustainability goals at the same time.
Description: Not sure how to choose the right bath? Then this is the episode for you. Cathryn Matchett and Trisha Narde are back from Reece Bathroom Life to chat with Frances about all things baths. They discuss the different bath finishes, along with key considerations for free standing baths, opposed to hob or inset baths. Why choose one bath type over another, buying criteria and how you actually go about choosing the right bath for you. There is plenty to learn from this episode.
SHOWNOTES
Different Types of Baths
Freestanding Baths
- Back to wall- these are freestanding baths attached to the wall. One advantage is rather than needing to clean all the way around the bath, you just need to clean the sides and front. Plus, it’s ideal for smaller spaces.
- Back to corner- a great choice when you need to save some space.
Hob/ Inset Bath
* A bath that is installed in a hob.
- Most of them are flat-rimmed.
- An advantage is that you can install flushing all the way around which gives you protection against water runoff.
Types of finishes available and advantages of each
Cast Iron- also known as pressed steel. There are different quality options available for this type of finish.
Advantages:
- Can be re-enameled and repaired easily
- Stronger and more premium than acrylic baths
- Scratch resistant
-
Retains heat
NB Kaldewei is a German manufacturer producing pressed steel that is stain resistant, scratch resistant and UV resistant. They also offer a 30 year warranty.
Acrylic- This material has improved a lot over the last 10-15 years and is now manufactured using sanitary grade acrylic, which prevents the material from turning yellow.
Advantages:
- Lightweight- can be transported easily.
- Cost-effective
-
Can be molded into different shapes and sizes.
Solid Surface- A lot of freestanding baths are made from solid surface. This material is similar to stone, where minerals are crushed and mixed with resin.
Advantages:
* Non-porous and dense
- Indestructible
- Scratch resistant
- Easy to clean.
Disadvantage:
* The material is very heavy and needs extra support on the floor
Limestone Bath- A luxury and beautiful material.
Advantages:
-
It retains more heat than any other material
- A premium looking product
Buying Criteria and Consideration
- Size – what size works best for the size of the bathroom
-
Shape - different shapes for different looks I.e. Egg-shaped
- Comfortability - when visiting a showroom, it is a must to hop into the bath and give it a try before buying.
- Style and design - what look and feel do you want for your bathroom
- Shower bath- The bath needs to have both a flat end and an inclined end so that you can either soak in it as a bath or be able to stand under the shower.
- Durability
Price points
* An inset bath made with acrylic material - estimated price: $450
- A pressed steel bath - estimated price: $1600-$1700
-
Back to wall or corner baths (depending on the material);
-
Acrylic - estimated price: $1800
-
Solid surface- estimated price: $3600
- Luxury Limestone – ranges from $5,000- $6,000
Misc
- Acrylic materials are a safe option for baths
- Solid surface has high integrity
-
Be mindful of materials manufactured using lots of resins as they are more likely to turn yellow.
- It is well worth investing in a surface that is not susceptible to scratching.
Important links mentioned in the podcast:
Kaldewei
Reece
Reece is Australia's largest plumbing and bathroom supplies business. Their plumbing and bathroom products are sourced both locally and internationally and can be found in over 600 locations across Australia. Visit their Website here.
Reece Richmond showroom
You can visit the showroom at 641-643 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia.
Services at White Pebble Interiors
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new kitchen, Frances would love to hear from you. You can contact Frances by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Join the “Renovating and Building your Forever Home” Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love? One that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this Forever Home Live, Frances walks through an example of a floorplan she reviewed with a client, and how really examining the clients core objectives for their home to meet their lifestyle questioned some aspects of the home. The discussion lead to a massive improvement on the use of the space, enabled better privacy for everyone, and saved them heaps of money by not renovating unnecessary wet areas. Big win for everyone!
Key learning – really scrutinise your floorplans well before you start building, for the best outcome!
In this episode of the Bathroom Design Essentials Season, Frances welcomes back Cathryn Matchett and Trisha Narde from Reece Bathroom Life. Together they discuss all there is to know about choosing the right toilet. There is a lot more the buying a toilet than you may think, like height, pan type, rimless design and self cleaning. There is plenty to learn in this episode so you can select a toilet that will right for your home.
SHOWNOTES
Toilets
Different types of toilets
**Back to Wall**
The cistern is hard up against the wall. It’s easy to clean.
-
Close coupled toilet- Old fashioned style of back to wall toilet. A cost effective style where the cistern sits on top. You can choose to have an over height pan or a standard height pan.
-
Standard height pan- sits 400 mil off the floor.
- Over height pan sits between- 425- 450 mil off the floor, depending on the brand. It is ideal for tall people or those who have mobility issues. It does cost a bit more because there are more materials involved in the manufacturing process.
Rimless Toilet
A toilet without a box room. It has a direct flush technique that shoots water around the edge of a smooth pan. As there is no rim, rimless toilets are easy to clean and more hygienic than a traditional toilet. The range of price points are reasonable.
Smart Toilet
Similar to rimless toilets, smart toilets are easy to clean and more hygienic. It has a built-in spray in the toilet seat which will wash and dry for you. You can control everything with a remote - including water pressure, temperature and the position of the wand for self-cleaning.
Wall Cisterns
The water tank that flushes the toilet is hidden so you only see the toilet pan at the cistern.. I Ideal for small bathroom spaces.
Be mindful that it doesn’t work with every stud wall. If you have a brick wall, you will need to create another wall inside.
With a hidden cistern, you can choose either a floating pan or one that sits on the floor.
Something else to consider is the colour of the flush button as colours are limited. A lot of clients prefer to use white as it blends in with the wall tiles.
Flush plates are sensor operated. To access the flush mechanism, you may wish to install an access panel for ease. This will allow you to access a few of the movable parts inside the cistern.
Good Quality Toilet
Key considerations:
* Type of materials
- A clean coat on top of the ceramic
- Design features- I.e Roberto Columba and Patricia Urquiola
- Design Components - beautifully designed products will cost more
-
Cost effective options can sometimes have an inferior flush mechanism
Recommended Brand
-
Geberit from Switzerland
-
15-year warranty
- One molded piece in the system
-
A lot smoother and more comfortable
Coloured Toilets
Coloured toilets are making their way into the Australian market so keep an eye out for them.
When choosing toilets, itsimportant to visit showrooms and actually sit on them . You can’t possibly know if it’s going to be comfortable unless you sit on it!
Important links mentioned in the podcast:
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
Geberit
Laufen Palomba Collection Designed by Roberto Palumbo
Laufen Sonar Designed by Patricia Urquiola
Reece
Reece is Australia's largest plumbing and bathroom supplies business – found in over 600 locations across Australia.. Their plumbing and bathroom products are sourced both locally and internationally. Visit their Website here.
Reece Richmond showroom
You can visit the showroom at 641-643 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia.
Services at White Pebble Interiors
Book aChat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home your truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this episode of the Bathroom Design Essentials Season, Frances welcomes guests Trisha Narde and Cathryn Matchett from Reece Bathroom Life. Together they discuss basin mixers Vs individual taps and why you may consider one style over the other. They also talk about the different types of bath taps and spouts available. Finally, they cover the ever important discussion on showers and what you will need to know when choosing the right type of shower for you.
SHOWNOTES
Basin Taps
Mixer
- Aesthetics-simple and streamlined
- Ease of cleaning
- Easier control over water temperature
- Easier to operate
-
Water-saving- you achieve your temperature a lot quicker
Cartridge
-
The actual body of the mixer- it what mixes your hot and cold water to produce the temperature that you want
-
You can get the cartridge separate from the fitting itself with some brands which is easier at build stage and easier to retrofit
Brands where you can get a separate cartridge and trim kit
-
- Hansgrohe
- Grohe
- Sussex
Individual Taps
-
If you have to use what’s already existing and have two taps, then you need to retrofit with hot and cold tap
Buying Criteria
* Quality
- Warranties- 15-year warranty
- Look for those which include labor and parts warranty
- Brands that have good warranties: Grohe, Sussex, Brodware and Methven
- Shapes, colours, and styles
-
Comfort
What Makes a Good Quality Tap?
-
Plumbing Components
- Having solid brass Components
- High-quality features
- Grohe Silkmove- delivers gradual and precise control of the water flow and temperature.
- Grohe Starlight- long lasting surface
- Grohe Zero- No contact of water with lead and nickel due to isolated inner water ways
-
High-quality brand that offers warranties- 12 months
Different Types of Metals
- Living Tumbled Brass
- Most popular at the moment
- Fits into many different styles of homes
- Feels more organic than just using chrome or other metals.
- Other metals are
- Gun Metal
- Coppers
- Rose Golds
Black Tapwear
-
It won’t go away anytime soon.
- You just have to make sure that it’s a high quality tap
-
Electroplated rather than powder coated
Bath Taps
Types of Bath Taps
Floor Mounted
- Opulent look
- More expensive to install
-
You need space around the bath as well
Wall Mounted
Swivel tap
- Ideal for families-prevent children from hitting their heads
Bath Spouts
The length of bath spout depends on the style of your bath.
For instance;
- Freestanding bath- ideal length would be 200 mm
- Inset Bath- 150-160 mm
Recommended Brands
-
Sussex
- Grohe
Shower
Reece has a fantastic display of showers where you can feel the water pressure on your hand. It is recommended to utilise these displays to give you an idea of what shower to choose.
Types of Showers
**Rail**
- Has a flexible hose with fixed rail on the wall
- It allows you to move the shower head up and down the rail
- It’s ideal for families as can adjust shower height, especially good for kids.
- Makes it easy to clean the shower (and your feet)
- Ideal for couples with large height differences.
-
Flexible and functional
Ceiling mounted
-
You need to consider the ceiling heights
-
Be mindful of length of ceiling arms - eg. extra long for tall ceilings
Wall Mounted
-
You need to make sure that the installation height is correct based on tallest person who will use it.
- Length of the arm comes out far enough so you are not against the wall.
- A smaller shower space, ensure shower head not to big for the space, consider scale.
Large/Rain Shower Head
* Most large shower heads on the market are 3-star rated. They use between 7.5-9 litres per minute
- A lot of them have different technologies which give a powerful spray without utilising too much water
Turbine Technology by Nickles
- Built-in turbine that will spin and push the water through
-
A quality shower head means better technology
Methven
-
Satinjet shower - gives a misty type of jet, but it is powerful with 20% more coverage than a regular shower.
- Methven Aurajet
- Methven Satinjet
Function of Sprays in shower
* Option for jet spray- good for massage
Thermostat showers
Thermostatic mixers
-
Mixers where the thermostat is built into them for constant temperature control
- You can’t retrofit
New technology for thermostat
- Separate controller for temperature
-
Push and turn technology
- A popular technology where you push it to turn it on and the dial for pressure and your temperature will set there for you.
- The temperature doesn’t fluctuate.
- It has a safety mechanism so cannot burn
- Water saving
Bathroom Accessories
Whatever coloured taps you have, the accessories need to be the same.- I.e Black tap and black accessories
Heated towel rails
-
Available in several types-
- Will not replace having a heater in the room. They provide ambient heat, not heating!
- Electric –quicker to warm up than hydronic. You can’t have them next to bath based on regulations.
- Hydronic –has a copper tube inside where the water heats up. It is more radiant compared to electric,
-
Single individually heated rails- a combination of 3 or 5 in bathrooms. Also available in vertical.
-
Current regulations- at least 500mml between the water source and power source.
Important links mentioned in the podcast:
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
Sussex
Grohe Silkmove
Grohe Zero
Grohe Starlight
Nikles Techno 300 LED Shower Head Chrome (3 Star)
Methven Aurajet
Methven Satinjet
Reece
Reece is Australia's largest plumbing and bathroom supplies business, as well as 8 others in allied industries. Our plumbing and bathroom products are sourced both locally and internationally which you can find in over 600 locations across Australia. Visit their Website here.
Reece Richmond showroom
You can visit the showroom at 641-643 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia.
Events and Services at White Pebble Interiors
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home your truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Grout is often an afterthought and not even considered when making bathroom selections. Often it’s left to the tiler to decide on type and colour, which is not ideal. I’ve seen some less than desirable outcomes when the grout colour is not carefully chosen with the tile.
The overall look can be compromised by the wrong colour tone of grout and can ruin the whole aesthetic in your bathoom.
SHOWNOTES
Grout is used as a filler for the joints between tiles. It is basically a calcium carbonate that has various qualities.
Different Grout Types
Super fine grout
- A fine paste that gets right into the nooks and crannies of all the different joints and when it dries you will get a fine surface.
- It is pulverized into a talc rather than being sanded.
- When using super fine grout, it is best recommended to use grout boosters in them. Grout boosters makes it set so that it is less absorbent. It makes it hard for the water to penetrate which prevents mold to form.
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Can’t be used in Y-joints. Use it only on smaller/finer joints.
Sanded grout
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Washed sand.
- Used a cemented material with it.
- Is more absorbent, so you need to mix it with a grout booster
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Used in bigger joints, for example 3mm on floors
Epoxy Grout
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Superor grout and used for high traffic areas
- Not necessary for walls
- Stain resistant
- No need to seal it
- Higher price point than standard grout
- Non-porous and will not absorb build up of soaps and chemicals.
Super quality grouts- A good compromise if you don’t want to use epoxy
You can have an epoxy grout and super fine grout in bathroom showers. Most tilers can install epoxys but you need to be mindful of what you are installing the epoxy grout with. You can’t use epoxy with all products.
Whether you are using a super fine grout or sanded grout, be careful of using coloured grouts with materials that have moisture absorption. This is because when they put colour in grouts, they use oxide which can bleed into the room materials you are putting them with.
How to Maintain Your Grouts
Don’t use chemicals on grout, use water. Most of the buildup on floors and our grouts comes from the chemicals that we use. Chemicals compromise the grout’s ability to stand the test of time. Bleach doesn’t remove mold, it just whitens it, and damages the grout.
The best option is to use a steam mop. It will help you sanitise and clean your grout and tiles.
Reputable companies that have excellent grout ranges
- ARDEX
- Mapei
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Davco
Additional Tips
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Bond your grout with silicone
- Best to use same brand of grout as caulking for perfect colour match.
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If you want to use a light colour grout on the floor, it’s best to use epoxy
Links Mentioned in the Podcast:
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
ARDEX
https://ardexaustralia.com/
Mapei
https://www.mapei.com/au/en/about-us/mapei-in-australia
Earps Bros
Whether you are looking for decorative splash-back tiles for your rental property, high performing commercial quantity slip resistant tiles or handcrafted artisan mosaics from Morocco, their range will add value to your project now and into the future. Visit their website here: https://earp.com.au/
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home your truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances walks through the different types of vanity options available, along with custom Vs off-the-shelf designs discussing what may work best for your requirements. She also looks at material types and what to consider when specifying for wet areas. SHOWNOTES:
Vanities are a strong focal point that can make or break the overall design and functionality of a bathroom.
Custom Design Vanity
Allows you to customise the design, shape, configuration of the material and the material being used for the vanity.
* Flexible in design
- Scaled for the space
- Created based on your needs, storage requirements, and bathroom usage .
- Custom materials – any combinations – i.e colours, styles
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Customise size and configuration
Off the shelf
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Sometimes able to customise certain elements
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Choose between different stone tops
- If you want a coloured cabinetry, choices are limited
- Generally available in standard sizes- 600, 900, 1200, 1500 and 1800 mm.
- Standard size may not be the right scale for the room, so it may not be ideal
- You may not be able to choose the material type that you want
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Limited colour choices – specific colours may not be available with off the shelf products.
Storage Configurations
What you need to store is going to drive the design and functionality of your vanity.
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Drawers- How deep and wide you need your drawers Open Shelving- Combination- For instances, a combination of drawers, cupboards and open shelves.
- Cupboards
Benchtop only with exposed pipework
Freeform concrete or a piece of stone that forms a vanitytop.
* No storage – very minimal look
- Can be used in bathrooms where storage is not critical- i.e guest powder room
Different Types of Vanities
Floating/wall hung vanity
* Creates an illusion of space as you can see the floor underneath.
- Ideally 25-30 cm off the floor.
- Looks a lot more sophisticated as things don’t feel bulky Ideal for smaller bathroom space
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Has a more refined, superior finish If you have a well-designed floating vanity, then you are going to get much more functionality and usability
- More often than not, more expensive than floor mounted vanity
Floor Mounted vanity
* Has a kicker at the bottom
- It can look bulkier
- Doesn’t maximise on creating an illusion of space
Benchtops
* Stone- all types of stone
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Opt for a lighter coloured stone if you don’t like the watermarks
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Laminate
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If you like an under mounted sink, laminate will not be a great choice
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Timber
- Need to be sealed to prevent watermarking and damage
Cabinetry
- Laminate
- 2pac
- Thermo wrap
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Timber- veneer and solid timber needs sealing as moisture can affect it.
Links mentioned in the podcast:
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
Book aChat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating a new home get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minutechat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Choosing tiles is a main consideration in your bathrooms. It’s the main material that will be used and impacts functionality as well as aesthetics. Not all tiles are the same, so it’s important to know the buying criteria so you can choose the right tile for the right application.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances is joined by Tiling expert, Richard Earp from Earp Bros. Richard shares his amazing knowledge on tiles to discuss the different types of tiles and differences between poor and good quality tiles.
Shownotes:
Different Types of Tiles
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Ceramic- the material has a moisture absorption of more than 3%, ideal for walls
- Gres Tiles- the material has a moisture absorption of between 3% and 0.5%
- Porcelain- are low absorption product (0.5% or less). Can be used on the inside, outside, wall and floor
- Technical Porcelain- has a 0.1% moisture absorption and are generally used in high-performance areas such as airports, shopping centers, and Melbourne Exhibition Centre.
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Other types of porcelain: - Glaze Porcelain - Full Body Porcelain - Double Charge Porcelain - Triple Charge Porcelain - Polished Porcelain
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- Things to consider when choosing porcelain material:
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- Porcelain varies in quality mainly with accuracy and surface flatness which effect how its laid and the overall finish
- Design and the surface
- Colour separation rooms for glazes to create a depth of colour not seen cheaper version tiles. The more colour separations used, the better the quality.
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- Cheaper Porcelain tiles generally cut corners in the manufacturing process. Reduced processing of raw materials, the use of more glass as a fluxing agent to incorporate with ball clays and porcelain clays. On the other hand, high-quality tiles have lesser fluxing agents, longer firing times using higher technology to press, and the raw materials are extracted.
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Terracotta-can be formed in different ways-extruded, molded and etc. It has a very high absorption material and generally requires sealing.
- Cement tiles- like terracotta, cement tiles also require sealing
Placing a tile that has a higher (10%) moisture absorption on the floor is not ideal as they are not dense. If you drop something on the floor, it can easily crack, break, or chip. The moist absorption gives an indication of what type of materials the factories are manufacturing
Sealers
There are sealers that are designed to breathe in stone, terracottas and cement.
- Topical Sealer- sit on top of the material
- Penetrating Sealer- shields against moisture penetration and chemicals. Usually, they provide invisible protection without changing the surface appearance, and most products are breathable, allowing moisture vapor to escape.
Tile Sizes
**How the size of tile** **impacts****your** **selection**
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Spatial Awareness - larger format tiles can look great in some spaces, but a small space with large format tiles in many instances won’t work. Instead of a 800x800mm tile, 600x60mm may be better. Cost – will cost more to use larger format tiles – product and labout. Porcelain sheets (2.7, 3.2 meters sheets, 1.2 meters wide.)- needs a specialist to install which costs more than 20-30% of premium. Why itcosts more?
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- Delivery of the material
- Kitchen benchtop- must be fabricated off site and it get done by machine in specialist factories
- Intricacies of installing them
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Tile Types
* Rectified- the tile is perfectly straight
When buying tiles manufacturers should be able to provide you with the following:
- Installation Procedures
- Sealing guide
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Cleaning guide
Sustainability
Earp Bros joined the green building council in 2004 and was the first company that went through product certification. They use two certification systems:
* Global Green Tags
- Product Declare
Sustainable Criteria
- Green Tag Accreditation
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Life cycle assessment of materials
Tips when deciding on your tiles and getting a good result at the end
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Understand what you need- I.e High-maintenance vs low maintenance materials
- Visualise what you want before you start your journey- Create a pinterest board
- Be fully accurate on what your budget is
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Surround yourself with professionals. Find trustworthy companies and people
Tile trends
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Large format tiles
- Natural materials- Zellige tiles are popular now
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Patterns and sheets of design, like big florals
Links Mentioned in the Podcast:
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
Earps Bros
Whether you are looking for decorative splash-back tiles for your rental property, high performing commercial quantity slip resistant tiles or handcrafted artisan mosaics from Morocco, their range will add value to your project now and into the future. Visit their website here: https://earp.com.au/
Book aChat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home your truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this Forever Home Live, Frances answers a query on having a Mixer Tap Vs conventional taps, and outlines her reasons for specifying mixer taps more frequently than normal taps.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances walks through what is possible when renovating your bathroom at various price points. She covers off options at $1,500 to freshen up a dated bathroom. What can be achieved for about $10,000 and then what you can look at when you’re creating a high end bathroom. She provides plenty of examples of what can be done at each budget level.
$1,500- $2,000 Freshen Up
Things to consider:
- Are your bathroom tiles okay? If they are, then focus on changing outdated tapwear, towel rails, accessories, and basins. Changing these things can make a big difference on your bathroom.
- If the tiles are not great, painting them may be an option. This is not ideal on floor tiles as it cannot withstand high traffic, but it is possible on a wall tile. It won’t provide an ideal finish, but it can tidy things up.
- Painting or changing the cabinetry fronts
- Change the doors or drawer fronts and then paint the sides to match
- Use new handles on your vanity
- Paint the entire vanity using the Dulux Renovator paint range
- Replace any damaged or outdated light fittings or add decorative lighting for added atmosphere and light sources
- Paint the bathroom walls with a colour you love.
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Add a wallpaper- i.e Vinyl wallpaper as they are washable
Decoration/ Styling tips
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Add indoor plants
- Add new towels - It can add colour and pattern to your bathroom
- Add accessories such as candles, baskets, soap dispensers (ceramic, glass, stone), and shells
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Adding a different mirror- For instance, replacing a hanging mirror with a rounded mirror to break up all the straight edges that are traditionally in a bathroom.
$10,000-$15,000 Cosmetic Update
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Keep the floorplan the same but change the tiles, cabinetry and tapwear.
- Changing any plumbing locations adds to the cost.
- Replace shower bases so they are tiled- creates a sense of space and makes the design more modern and contemporary
- Replace old shower screens for a frameless shower version- removes the metals and heavy frames that makes the space larger
- Relatively straight forward
- Need to consider how it affects the shower base
- Not difficult to retrofit
- Re-do the tiles
- Ripping out all the tiles is a lot more expensive
- You need to consider the levels to your bathroom to determine if you can tile over the top
- Redoing the tiles is going to make the space feel completely invigorated.
- Replace cabinetry, shower and tapwear
- Replace vanity- go for a floating vanity if you are doing the re-tiling to create an illusion of space.
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New above counter basin
Luxe bathroom renovation
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Ripping out the whole bathroom -replacing all the tiles, new vanity, new lighting, new shower and all the fitting and fixtures are being replaced.
- You can change the floorplan – move the toilet or have a separate toilet
- High-end materials- marbles and natural stones for benchtops and walls
- Bespoke joinery with luxe veneers and laminates for cabinetry
- Luxury tapwear with premium finishes such as tumbled living bronze or living brass
- Under floor heating, heated towel rails and freestanding bath
- Bathroom connection to outdoors with larger windows, openable windows to landscape.
- Showers
- Rain showers
- Jet showers
- Outdoor showers
- Floor to ceiling window in your shower
- Luxurious finish in your bathroom such as Tadelakt or Venetian plaster finish
- Benchtops
- Custom freeform concrete benchtop
- Recycled glass benchtop
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Skylights that automatically close- Fabulous for dumping hot air and creating ventilation
Links mentioned in the podcast:
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
**Book a****Chat**
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home your truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this podcast episode, Frances outlines how to find the style you’re after for your bathroom. She gives tips to help you determine the style and feeling you’d like to create in your bathroom. Further, she outlines how to start pulling your design scheme together, and how to incorporate colour into your bathroom (if that’s what you want). This episode gets into the nitty gritty of pulling your materials and colours together.
SHOWNOTES:
Choosing your bathroom style and colours can be the trickiest part in bathroom design.
Where to start with the look and feel?
Think about what you really gravitate to- What do you really love?
- Create mood boards either online or with magazine cut outs
- You can also look at Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz
- Interior designer portfolios
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Bathroom showroom will allow you to touch and feel materials
Think about the feeling you’re trying to create in your bathroom.
Examples
- Calming and relaxing
- Bright and fun
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Dark and moody
Think about the look – here are some ideas
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Bright and airy- more functional compared to a dark bathroom
- Colourful- if you want to inject more colour and personality into the space.
- Monochromatic- if you want to keep it simple
- Tropical
- Moroccan
- Traditional
- Modern
- Shabby Chic
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Modernist style
How to design for multiple bathrooms
If you have more than one bathroom, do you want them all to be the same or do you want to use this as a creative opportunity to design the bathrooms differently?
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Opt for each bathroom to be the same or have them completely different.
- You can use one element throughout all the bathrooms to create a link. For instance, having the same benchtop but different cabinetry or tiles.
- There is no hard and fast rule. It is going to come down to the look and feel that you are trying to create and what your preference is
- Some clients prefer to have their powder room stand out by adding loud wallpaper, using brightly coloured wallpapers or texture.
- Be brave and if you don’t feel confident pulling it together, ask for help.
Starting out
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Homes need to have a consistent tone for it to flow and to create continuity - For instance, if you are using a warm colour tone, warm colours such as beiges and browns should be applied to the rest of the home including bathrooms.
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Warm=beiges and brown Vs Cool= greys
Choosing Material Colours
- Leading piece-what the rest of the scheme is going to revolve around.
- Feature tile
- Cabinetry colour
- Benchtop
- Choose something you love- material, tile, colour or shape
- Dark or light cabinetry
- Depending on what your leading piece is, you need to make sure that it’s going to co-ordinate with the colour tone of the cabinetry
- Overall look- If you want dark and moody then you may have a dark tile, dark vanity and dark benchtop. Or if you want to create a bit of contrast, you may induce a light timber vanity on dark tiles.
- Add texture, shape or colour to break it up – generally with a feature tile or feature benchtop.
- Timber in a bathroom can be created through;-
- Timber cabinetry – either solid or laminate version
- Timber top- Timber handles- as an accent can look very sophisticated. It creates warmth in the space
- Timber for floating shelves
- Avoid grey based timbers- not a reflection of nature, looks artificial
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If you going to use timber, make sure you use a natural looking colour
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Less is more
- Don’t mix your timber types. Try to have your timber consistent in colour tone. It doesn’t have to be the exact type, tone is important.
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Having the same floor and wall tiles?
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- For a small bathroom, having the same floor and wall tiles is ideal because it creates simplicity in the space.
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How to incorporate colour
- Coloured tiles
- A splashback above the vanity
- Feature tile on the floor
- Feature tile on the wall
- Kitkat tiles are very popular now - skinny, thick, multi coloured and textured
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Coloured cabinetry
- Navy is very popoular right now
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- Organic greens- sage greens, olive greens or earthy greens
- Choose a colour you love though
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- Benchtop
- Natural feature stone – green, pink, marbled, coloured concrete
- Coloured tiles
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Colour Combinations
- Timber with plain coloured cabinetry
- Darker cabinetry and lighter benchtop
- Darker tiles and lighter cabinetry
- Lighter timber with darker tiles
- Light cabinetry, light benchtop and light tiles but then incorporate texture so it’s not clinical.
Mood boards are an excellent resource to how your designer as it allows them to get inside your head. They can see your design direction and what you are gravitating to.
Links mentioned in the podcast:
Sustainable Sanctuary Portfolio – Bathroom design focused on upcycled bath
With a heavy focus on sustainability this home is very considered in its intent to blend into the landscape. The colours selected are to create a calm interior with a strong focus on natural materials and colours. This home was built using Passive House Principles in-conjunction with Passivology Consultants, and is incredibly energy efficient, while also taking in its surrounds creating a wonderful sanctuary both inside and out. View the Sustainable Sanctuary Portfolio here.
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home your truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this episode of the Bathroom Design Essentials Season, Frances outlines why starting with your storage requirements is critical to getting your bathroom designed properly. She outlines the main storage solutions available and what solutions are better for storing certain items.
Frances outlines how functionality is critical in a bathroom, as the space can be tight, and without adequate storage through good design, will lead to frustration and space not working as you need it to.
SHOWNOTES:
Storage is critical for bathrooms particularly with family bathrooms and en suites. Your bathroom needs to be functional considering the number of people using the space.
How much storage you need?
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Identify and assess your needs to determine your bathroom storage
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What needs to be stored?
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The height of items
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Think about how you want the space to function
- What things you need to store and where you would ideally like to store them
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Bathroom Appliances- i.e Hairdryer
- Haircare
- Makeup
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Shaving Items
- Hair Accessories
- Towels
Types of Storage
- Having a storage at eye-level is the most ideal scenario as it is easily accessible.
Shaving cabinets that are placed on the wall-, so you can see things easily. It is the most usable and workable storage that allows you to store little items too. You can add shelf caddies to store lipsticks and makeup brushes for example.
* **Adding power points inside the shaving cabinet**- a great idea because it allows you to get everything off the benchtop such as shavers and, toothbrushes
- Shaving cabinet recessed into the wall- This allows for a flush finish so the cabinet intrudes less into space and makes for a more seamless finish. Adjustable shelves inside the shaving cabinet- Fantastic for customing the internal space around what you need to store in them. Round shaving cabinets- These are a beautiful aesthetic, although are more expensive than standard regular cabinets
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Vanities - are great for storing things that are not easy so easily stored overhead, or will not fit, such as a hairdryer, hairtongs. Vanities that have a combination of cupboards and drawers work well.
- If you can, add a vanity in the main family powder it's ideal for families that have children, to give them a separate space to get ready (faster and less arguments)
- Drawers- excellent for easy access to items. I normally advise; Bank of drawers for him and her (if have a big enough vanity)
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Ensure drawers deep enough for what you need to store
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Right size:- height and depth
Shelves
- Floating shelves along the length of the bath can look lovely
- Open shelves in a vanity- can break up a long vanity and it can be used for decorating by adding towels. Shells and plants to break it all up.
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Shelf in the shower – would avoid this if possible as a niche is much nicer. Lovely aesthetic to have a shelf underneath the shaving cabinet. It can serve as a feature shelf by adding plants, a candle, perfume bottles or frequently used items. Shower niches-
- A niche recessed in the wall in the shower to store soap, shampoo, face wash etc.
- More streamlined look than a mounted shelf.
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Provides essential shower storage without protruding into the shower space.
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Needs to be designed properly to avoid water pooling in it.
Your bathroom needs to function first. Remember that it is a space you constantly use. It needs to look beautiful, but it needs to function. If it's not properly designed, you're not going to be able to utilise it as you need to, which only leads to frustration. So make sure you put the time in to assess your functionality requirements
Upcoming Events andServices Available:
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your bathroom, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home your truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Kitchens are a big deal and getting the layout right is an even bigger deal! It’s one of the main reason clients come to us – to get the most expensive room in their house right! Check out Frances' latest blog-Kitchen Layouts. She also included some critical dimensions too.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances is joined by guest Fabieli Fontana, Senior Interior Designer at White Pebble Interiors. They discuss some key considerations to think about, such as privacy and windows, when designing your bathroom, along with thinking about flow and space planning. They cover some key mistakes they have seen people make, and how to not make the same mistakes yourself.
SHOWNOTES:
Not assessing what you need in a bathroom before the building stage is one of the biggest bathroom layout mistake that people make. As a result, there won’t be enough space between zones.
Layout Considerations
Avoid door opening to face the toilet - When you are opening the door, you want to have a peaceful and nice view of a beautiful bath or a vanity. When designing the bathroom, Frances and her team will try to tuck the toilet away, so it is not on full view, it is aesthetically pleasing, and it gives more privacy.
Key Measurements- It’s also important to consider the standard dimensions when designing a bathroom. For instance, the toilet ideally needs a space of 900mm for comfort. Some client prefers a larger space, but White Pebble Interior team always start on a standard measurement and refer client preferences. A whole episode on ideal measurements will be covered in an upcoming episode.
Avoid a toilet in the main family bathroom – Frances and her team always suggest to remove the loo from the main family bathroom to create more flexibility for those using the spaces. It makes your life so much easier for multiple people trying to use the bathroom and the toilet at the same time.
Separate Powder room is good planning for the future. A separate toilet (powder room) can also double up as an additional space for when you have multiple children getting ready at the same time. Having a vanity with storage is always a good idea for extra prep areas.
Which way the door swings open- Consider the swing of the door and the what it opens onto. To toilet, shower, vanity. How does it affect access? Space is critical in a bathroom layout, so you may need to consider having a sliding door. One thing to consider on having a sliding door is it does not seal as tightly as a hinged door.
Window Placement in the Bathroom- Windows have significant impact on bathroom layout. For instance, having a window behind the vanity would cause an issue with storage as it’s difficult to place a shaver mirror above the vanity. Sometimes windows are not even aligned with the vanity, affecting the balance of how the room looks and feels.
Shower niches- Think about locations of shower niches and their ease if installation. Solid brick exterior walls can be a problem! You need to make sure they are in the right location so they are not conflicting with taps and pipe works.
En suite Bathroom-Ensure the ensuite is closed off from the bedroom rather than open plan so it mitigates the noise, light and creates privacy. A closed ensuite also prevents hot steam that can get into the master bedroom, and walk in robe.
**Accessibility-** Critical to consider so spaces are planned with accessibility in mind. Ease of access to the shower, vanity, and toilet, with space in between to get around and minimal corners to navigate. A step in shower and flat floor surfaces (no lips), so nothing to trip on.
An accessible bathroom should also be designed to accommodate wheelchair users. It should also have a large turning circle.
How White Pebble Interiors work with clients in designing their bathrooms.
**Bathroom and** **Ensuite** **Deep Dive** **Needs Assessment** **-**
Allows White Pebble Interiors to assess what the client needs in their bathroom and ensuite before designing it.
- How many people are using the bathroom?
- How much storage is needed?
- How do things need to be stored?
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What other considerations that are personalised to your situation.
Upcoming Events
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
**Services Available**
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your bathroom, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15-minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
In this episode of the brand new season, Bathroom Design Essentials, Frances outlines core considerations to think about when renovating or creating a brand new bathroom as part of a new build. She runs through the topics that will be covered in the season along with who will benefit from tuning in to each episode.
Shownotes:
Renovating or creating a new bathroom can become quite overwhelming, time-consuming and costly. In this Podcast Season- Bathroom Design Essentials, Frances will discuss key considerations to think about when renovating or creating a new bathroom.
The Bathroom Design Essentials Podcast Season is created for those who are:
- Thinking of, or in the process of doing a bathroom renovation
- Creating a brand-new bathroom from scratch for a new home
-
Looking at doing a bathroom makeover
- Interested in bathroom design
- Wanting lots of knowledge to plan for your bathroom in the future.
Guests on the show
Experts from all areas such as material manufacturers, lighting designers, and hardware representatives, will be joining Frances to share their insight and expertise on various topics. Fabieli Fontana will be coming back in the new season to talk about bathroom floor plans. We will also have a representative from Reece to discuss taps, basins, baths and loos. Frances will also include a special buyer’s guide on choosing toilets and baths as they are the area that people ask a lot of questions about.
What the season will cover:
* Vanities and materials
- Counter Basins
- Different types of tiles
- Colours and Decorating
-
Bathroom Storage
- Bathroom Floorplans
- Balance between functionality and aesthetic
- Showers -stepping shower, wet rooms and shower base
-
Budget
-
Powder rooms
- Lighting
- Difference between custom made joinery and off the shelf vanities.
Frances will cover topics such as vanities and sizes. She will also talk about the disadvantages and advantages of having above counter basins versus under mounted.
She will also run through the different types of tiles such as porcelain t and ceramic tiles.
Frances will cover the all-encompassing topic of storage to make sure that there’s a perfect balance between functionality and the aesthetic.
She will also cover off regulations you need to consider for wet areas such as a bathroom.
There will also be a very special episode dedicated just to Powder Rooms!
Decorating and choosing colours can be fun, and Frances will outline key considerations when selecting colours, as well and how to decorate your bathroom.
Finally, Frances will discuss the importance of good task lighting, decorative lighting and how lighting can make your bathroom, powder room and en suite into something special from a design perspective.
There are so many elements to good bathroom design. Join Frances each week as she runs through a different topic each week to ensure you have your bathroom design well and truly covered.
Services Available:
Book a Chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Renovating and Building your Forever Home Facebook Group
Want to be inspired to create a home you truly love, that is future proof and adaptable as your family's needs change? Join our exclusive (but inclusive) Renovating and Building Your Forever Home Facebook Group.
Kitchen Masterclass Webinar
If you are planning a kitchen renovation, or are building a new one, we've got you covered, in the FOREVER HOME KITCHEN MASTERCLASS on Wednesday 17th February 2021 at 7PM AEST. Register here.
Frances reveals many personal aspects in this podcast episode. She outlines the silver linings that occurred for her during hard lockdown in Melbourne due to Covid 19, and the effect it’s had on her life and her studio. A very personal story.
For those renovating or building on 2021, she outlines a myriad of free resources available to boost your knowledge over the holiday season, in preparation for 2021. Finally, she also outlines plans for 2021, to assist her community (you) even more.
SHOWNOTES:
Silver Lining to Covid-19
When Melbourne went to a hard lockdown, Frances found silver linings amidst the Covid 19 pandemic. It normalised remote work and what that might mean for the team. She got to remote working with team members working from home. It gave her insight into the possibilities available on a larger scale. Ultimately, it meant that when a key team member moved interstate, the option to remain working in the team was there, with both parties wanting it to work.
With process and systems in place, Frances and her team were able to continue serving their clients remotely. For instance, showing the specifications through video allows clients to view the material specification in their own time and the opportunity to talk about it together as a family. This process allows Frances and her team to serve lots of different clients in lots of different ways.
Having 4 months in hard lockdown allowed Frances to slow down and figure out what really mattered to her. It enabled her to take some rest each weekend, and start engraining new routines to slow down into her life. Every Saturday she would read the newspaper (along with a cheeky snooze) and stopped feeling guilty about it. She also developed good connections with friends, with a daily morning walk, engraining new routines that started in lockdown, and maintaining those post lockdown. A
Resources
Are you thinking about a renovation or new build in 2021?
Frances outlines are stack of free resources available to you to update and increase your knowledge over the holiday period. Head to the resource section of the website to find links to the podcast, blogs, publication articles and case studies. And if you’ve got a Kitchen on your radar in 2021, listen to the Kitchen Design Essential Podcast.
The Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy online course is also a way to upskill your knowledge specifically around kitchen design. Frances has also contributed to many publication articles. Visit the Media section of the website to read these.
To give you an idea of other people’s journey’s through a build and renovation process, check out our case study here. And don’t forget, the Your Forever Home Book is available from our website. The first 3 chapters are available for FREE here [add link to lead magnet). It is a must-read before you embark on your own build or renovation.
There’s also an area in the website for frequently asked questions and the option to Book a Chat [add link] for a chat with Frances directly. .
Plans for 2021
On Thursday, 28th January, Frances will be launching a brand new podcast season- Bathroom Design Essentials. She will cover topics such as material selection, design solutions, bathroom schemes and storage and much more!
Also, there will be a calendar of events next year with in-person events making a comeback, along with webinars. Check out the calendar of events to find out what’s coming up soon.
Studio Update
The White Pebble Interiors studio will be closed 23rd December until 13th January inclusive. Reopening on Thursday the 14th January 2021.
In this Forever Home Live, Frances outlines the updates to the Home Builder Scheme for renovations and new builds. The scheme has been extended into 2021, however there are some changes to eligibility and the grant reduced to $15,000. Learn more in this episode.
In this episode of the podcast, Frances runs through criteria for assessing if a spare.guest room is something you really need, or whether it’s a nice to have. She provides examples of how rooms can be multi-functional – using her own home as an example. She highlights ways to incorporate having guests stay, without giving up on regularly used valuable space in the home. A very down to earth look at rooms that are rarely used.
SHOWNOTES
Spare room mentality Sometimes homeowners add an additional room that essentially becomes a spare rooms, but it could be at the cost of good open plan living, or flexibility. Spare rooms have so much potential, but these functionality is often overlooked and are left unused for large periods of time.
Here’s things to consider before adding one;
- Cost to build - every square metre adds to the overall cost
- Maintenance
- Cost and or time to keep clean
- Cost for the energy- heat or cooling
- Environmental cost of adding rooms and making your home larger
Spare rooms are often unused real estate in the home that could be put to better use. It would be a waste to have it solely set up with one purpose, if rarely used (i.e home cinema arrangement).
A spare guest room really is a luxury as it’s dedicated extra space for a guest, but not having a guest room doesn’t mean can’t host guests!
- Consider having kids bunk in together when families come to stay
- Adults can stay on a sofa bed
- Kids can move into one room so their bed and room can be used for adults.
How Frances designed her spare room * Frances designed her spare room with multipurpose and flexibility in mind. She set an intention on how Her family were going to use the spare room * Initially for their au pair who needed a room * Grandparents who frequently would stay * Playroom for lego * Office for her husand, but still had access to use it as a guest room. * Teenage retreat + Had doors for privacy and noise, was slightly larger and located at the other end of the house
Guest Room Assessment * How often do people stay at your home overnight? * How long do they stay for? * Can another room be converted for when people stay? + Adding a pull down bed + Sofa bed in the study + Playroom that has built in daybeds + Second living room * Would the space/room be better utilised as something else instead that serves you and your family much more? * Think about flexibility and avoid having a room set aside for one purpose. It’s a waste and a spare room could be considered a luxury. * If you have people stay frequently and for long periods, it could be a necessity, but then it’s also well used.
If you've got a spare room that can be used for multiple things like Frances did with hers, then that's a room that's going to be well utilized and is inherently both flexible and adaptable.
Services Available
Floor Plan Sanity Check
White Pebble Interiors’ Floor Plan Sanity Check is ideal if you’re in the process of drafting or finalising plans, and provides a second expert set of eyes to ensure your proposed floor plan will stand the test of time.
Want a second opinion on your floor plan? Book a floor plan sanity check today.
Book a Chat
Ready to renovate or build but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat.
A Room at a Time Decorating Package
Need to complete a room, or have a couple of rooms you’d like decorated and want it done for you?
You may not be sure how best to use the room or space, or you’ve just never got around to getting it done. Whatever the reason, we can now finish it for you so it’s fully utilised and be a happy place to be in.
Book our A Room at a Time Decorating Package here.
Other References
Episode 2: Forever Home LIVE- Floorplans
3 Ways To Future Proof Your Home
Creating Forever Home Floorplans and Getting Them Right
Future Proofing Your Home
Top 5 Ways to Make Best Use of Your Floorplan
In this Forever Home Live, Frances runs through different themes for decorating your Christmas tree this year, and linking it to other areas of the home. She talks about using your favourite colours, a ‘nature’ theme, and how you can run that theme through to your table setting too.
In this Forever Home Live Frances has come straight from site! She discusses the impact of having dining and island bench lights too close together and how less can often be more. Coming from site, so also references the impact of not deciding your floor material before the build starts, and shaver cabinets recessed into walls.
In this episode, Frances provides a summary of each episode of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season and how each episode adds another dimension to your overall kitchen design and outcome. From budgets to materials, from flatpacks to splashbacks, she outlines all episodes, providing a handy reference on what will be the episode to listen to next as part of the season.
SHOWNOTES:
1 – Episode 24: Kitchen Design Essentials - Season Overview
Frances provided an overview of what’s in store for the season- giving you a good insight into what was covered in the series.
2 – Episode 27: Kitchen Design Essentials - How to Determine What You Need in Your Kitchen
This episode is about working out what you need in the kitchen. Frances talked about the importance of doing a kitchen needs assessment- analysis of your lifestyle, type of cook, storage requirements and the number of people working into that space. Ideally using the Clear Clarity Design Worksheet from the Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy course.
3- Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Frances, and guest Interior Designer, Fabieli Fontana talked about Kitchen layouts and locations in the home.
- Kitchen Layout and the advantages and disadvantages of each layout- U shape, Lineal, L shaped, Galley
- The best location that brings in natural light
4 – Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials –The Builder’s insight
This Kitchen Design Essentials episode had special guest, Jeremy Gates from Gaia Construction, who provided the builder’s insight on mistakes people make when creating a new kitchen. He focused on setting a budget, and avoiding mistakes such as undercapitalising being worse than overcapitalising by not utilising the space the best way possible. He felt homeowners esigning their kitchen was a mistake too as it held to a whole heap of issues.
5 – Episode 34: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Design Mistakes
This episode brings back our guest Fabieli Fontana, where she and Frances spoke about key kitchen design mistakes. They chat about experiences with clients and errors caught early enough to be reflect a better overall design- window placement, size & height, structural constraints.
6 – Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Frances and her guest Laura Neville from Cosentino discussed the various products available from Cosentino, namely natural stone, reconstituted stone, and Dekton.
7 – Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Frances talked about benchtop criteria in terms of you and your family’s needs. She also mentioned other benchtop materials such as timber, porcelain, recycled glass, stainless steel, paperock, concrete, laminate, and solid acrylic surface.
8 – Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Being a self-confessed fan of splashbacks, Frances outlined several splashback materials including glass, stone, windows, mirror and porcelain, including her favourite – tiles. She also pointed out how splashbacks can determine the entire selection for your kitchen. Lastly, she talked about the considerations from a regulation perspective- gas or induction stove tops
9 – Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
In this episode, Frances spoke about cabinetry materials and the advantages and disadvantages of each materials- 2Pac, thermal wrap, laminate, timber, and Dekton. She also talked about kickers, sizes and material options.
10 – Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Frances walks through the differences between flat pack and custom designed kitchens. She shared considerations that you need to think about when choosing between flatpack and custom kitchens such as design and materials constraints, constraints and possible compromises on layout.
11 – Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
In this episode, Frances discussed Internal Elevations and Joinery Design and why it is important in your kitchen design, why it is worth the investment and what could go wrong if you don’t have them in terms of cost and design considerations.
She referenced the blog too Why Internal Elevations are Critical for your Home, which you can read here.
12 - Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Frances outlined the key kitchen measurements to make sure that your kitchen is functional and workable. She ran through key metrics for kitchen planning such as gaps between rear-bench and island bench, the ideal length for island benches, depths of cupboards and other space considerations for fridges.
13 - Episode 49: Kitchen Design Essentials – Butler’s Pantries and Pantries
This episode talked about Butler’s pantries and pantries and the difference between the two. She also debunked the concept that pantries are critical in every home and presented other options such as appliance cupboards, step-in pantries and pantry drawer systems
14 - Episode 51: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
In this episode, Frances and her podcast guest Trisha Narde from Reece Bathrooms talked about kitchen taps and sinks. They discussed the different types of sinks and taps available and buying considerations for both. What makes a good quality tap and sink? What makes a cost-effective tap and what are some of the issues that pose?
And if you planning to incorporate Billy and Zip taps in your kitchen, don’t miss this episode as Frances and Trisha gave an in-depth review about it. Lastly, they talked about the very controversial black tap and black sink. Should you or shouldn't you?
15 - Episode 53: Kitchen Design Essentials – Appliances - Part 1
We featured another guest in this episode- Rob Sinclair, the managing director of e&s Trading. This episode focused on fridge, dishwasher, oven or steam ovens, the buying criteria for each and great brands to look out for. He also suggested that when choosing appliances, it’s important to assess your needs, lifestyle and cooking requirement.
Rob and Frances also talked about integrated, semi and freestanding options for your appliances.
16 – Episode 54: Kitchen Design Essentials – Appliances Part 2
Part 2 of the Appliances Episode with Rob Sinclair talked about stove tops and rangehoods- the best range hood and why it’s worth spending the extra money. Other appliances like built-in coffee machines were also discussed in the episode. Rob also shared the latest kitchen appliances to look out for
17 - Episode 55: Kitchen Design Essentials- Handles and Hardware
Frances talked about how handles and hardware affects your kitchen’s design and functionality. She also talked about the advantages and disadvantages of handles and knobs, material considerations such as shapes, sizes and types (leather, timber, metal finishes). Lastly, she touched on the different types of cabinetry internal hardware like runners and other proprietary systems.
18 - Episode 57: Kitchen Design Essentials – How to Choose Kitchen Colours
In this episode of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances chats through how to choose colours for your kitchen. When choosing for your colour scheme, floors would be a good starting point, as well as your leading material (I.e splashback). Most importantly, Frances said that continuity and flow is essential in your design, so make sure that you are using the same tones, whether they are cool or warm colours throughout the home
19 - Episode 59: Kitchen Design Essentials – Kitchen Lighting
Frances ran through the different types of kitchen lighting- task, ambient and decorative lighting and how you can incorporate all of it into your kitchen. She also opposed only using downlights in the kitchen and suggested different combinations of light sources to be able to dial your lighting up or down accordingly.
20 – Episode 61: Kitchen Design Essentials – Budgeting
Frances walked us through creating budgets. She outlined what needs to be considered and items that should go into it. She also ran through what you can expect to be able to do at certain budget levels ($5,000 vs $20,000 vs $40,000 vs $80,000 budget). And once again, she put emphasis on undercapitalising being an issue when not using the space to its optimum
21- Episode 62: Kitchen Design Essentials – Outdoor Kitchens
The final episode of the season talked about the growing popularity of Outdoor Kitchen. She ran through the different types of suitable materials and options Lastly, she talked about the location for your outdoor kitchen- separate to the house or added as an extension to your home.
Services Available:
Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy Course
Access the 'Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy' Course for only $99. It has over 21 lessons and transcripts from the Kitchen Design Essential Podcast and professionally designed downloadable resources including Top 12 Must-Do’s Planner, All-In Appliances Checklist, Clear Clarity Design Worksheet, All-Inclusive Kitchen Materials and Fittings Template (including WIP) and Kitchen Budget Template.
This simple to follow short course will leave you feeling confident that you have information at hand to help you navigate your own kitchen design with ease. Click here if you are ready to build your beautiful kitchen.
Online course - $99 with over 21 lessons and transcripts from podcast, PLUS downloadable resources.
Top 5 Tips for Designing your Forever Home Webinar
Obtain key information to prepare you for your Forever Home with the ‘Top 5 Tips for Designing your Forever Home’ Webinar on 26th November 2020 at 7:00pm (AEDT)via zoom.
In this webinar, we will cover the following topics- Assessing for floorplan flexibility, How to get your kitchen design right, Why internal elevations are critical, How to create zones in the home and Creating different lighting options. Sign up now!
Book A Chat
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
Kitchen Bliss Package
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more.
Thank you so much for listening to Kitchen Design Essentials Series. We are working hard to provide you high-quality contents and your review could greatly help us to continue doing so.
We appreciate you taking out the time to help us improve our podcast!
In this episode of the podcast, as part of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances outlines considerations for an outdoor kitchen. She emphasises the need to plan it upfront as it may impact internal kitchen decisions. She runs through suitable materials, and those that are not suitable for outdoors, and options with regards to necessities for the outdoor kitchen space.
SHOWNOTES:
Our warm climate in Australia, and the tradition of entertaining friends and family at home are two major reasons why Outdoor Kitchens are becoming increasingly popular. When completing a renovation or new build, we should consider the natural flow between indoors and outdoors, and how those spaces need to work together. Which is where thinking about outdoor cooking requirements as part of your outdoor entertaining space needs to be factored in.
Requirements and Design for an Outdoor kitchen
- Think about your needs
- How do you entertain outside?
- What are the things that you would like to have in your outdoor kitchen?
- What do you need access to outside?
- Amenities that are going to make your life easier when entertaining outside.
- Space perspective vs Budget perspective
-
What do you need outside? Start with what is critical for the space (must have Vs nice to have)
-
- Smoker,
- BBQ
- Teppanyaki grill
- Spit roast
- Running water
- Fridge
- Drawers and cabinetry for cutlery and crockery
- Hotplate
- Pizza oven
- Sink for running water & cleaning up as you go
-
You may not need everything! Every component will add to the cost.
- Think about the space, as it is premium. What is going to add the most value to the space (not capitalisation value but lifestyle value)?
- It is best to purchase items that you are going to have in your outdoor kitchen prior to it being designed so it’s designed around your appliances
- Also consider that things will get dirty easily outside – even if under cover - rain, dust and wind .
- Location - It can either be a continuation of your indoor kitchen or a separate area in the garden.
- Consider flow of materials to create flow and continuity is continuation of indoor kitchen
- Located separately from the home can create more flexibility with material choices
- If under cover may need an exhaust fan or have more open where cooking is.
- Think about smoke, marking ceiling etc.
- You may need to consider having a separate firewall to meet safety regulations
- Get someone to help with the design so it’s maximising the space for what you need.
Materials
- Check with your local state regulations about materials
- Benchtops – not all materials are equal
- Reconstituted stone is not suitable for outdoors. The warranty will be voided if you’re using materials that are not allowed outside.
- Other options;
- Dekton
- Natural Stone
- Concrete
- Porcelain
- Marine grade Stainless steel
- Terrazzo
- Cabinetry – standard cabinetry materials is not suitable for outside.
- You cannot use standard laminate or melamine
- Look at Marine grade ply, other natural timbers – be mindful they will weather
- Solid timber cabinetry
- Compact laminate- block colours or timber look
- Stainless steel
- If you can’t have a complete custom-made outdoor kitchen, you can buy complete ‘outdoor kitchens’ from BBQ suppliers. These may not fit the space perfectly, and there may be compromises, but may end up more cost effective.
Available Services;
Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy Online Course
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen? Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen. Find out more and join here
Book A Chat
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
Kitchen Bliss Package
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more:
Related Resources:
Why Internal Elevations are Critical for your Home
Kitchen Design to Match your Lifestyle
Episode 61: Kitchen Design Essentials – Budgeting
Episode 59: Kitchen Design Essentials – Kitchen Lighting
Episode 57: Kitchen Design Essentials – How to Choose Kitchen Colours
Episode 55: Kitchen Design Essentials: Handles and Hardware
Episode 54: Kitchen Design Essentials- Appliances Part 2
Episode 53: Kitchen Design Essentials – Appliances - Part 1
Episode 51: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 50: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 49: Kitchen Design Essentials – Butler’s Pantries and Pantries
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here;
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2-
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On-
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location-
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top-
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops-
In this episode of Your Forever Home, as part of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances walks through what needs to be considered when planning the budget for your kitchen, including items that are often forgotten. She also runs through what you can expect to be able to do at certain budget levels.
SHOWNOTES:
Determine your goals and objectives when creating your kitchen.
- Are you doing a makeover, some basic cosmetic changes to freshen it up?
- Is it going to be a renovation?
- Basic Renovation- replacing what’s already there and not changing the actual layout
- Full Rip out- Changing the layout, creating a different space.
-
Brand new kitchen
-
Kitchen to flip- short term fix
- Forever Home Mindset- a kitchen that would last for 10+ years
In doing so:
- You will be able to work out on a realistic budget.
- You will be able to identify what you need to invest for the best outcome.
- It will guide you on choosing the type of materials, finishes appliances that sit within your budget.
The kitchen is one the most important spaces in a home, so compromising elsewhere could be well worth it.
- If part of the bigger project, some areas can be delayed allowing you to allocate more on the kitchen..
- For instance, delay builtin cabinetry or an ensuite renovation.
- It may be worth waiting a little to get it right because it is such an important space.
Not utilising the space in the best way possible- In the Episode of Kitchen Design Essentials- Builder’s Insight, Jeremy from Gaia Constructions highlighted one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when creating a new kitchen.
-
Engaging with experts (eg, interior designer, engineer) will save you money and minimise regrets that you are going to have.
- Compromising on design as you don’t want to spend getting the design drawings done is a compromise on the space- cabinetry to fit a space rather than it being properly designed.
-
We were able to achieve things for clients what they never thought possible - Walk in pantries, appliance cupboards, servery windows – all because we have a different expert eye that can see things you may not. It’s what we’re trained to do. It’s what you pay us for.
How to set your budget
- What do you need to spend your money on?
-
- Design and consultants
-
- Interior Designer- Elevations and layouts
- Engineers- Removing walls
-
Products & materials
-
Demolition Cost – If you are not doing it yourself.
- Rubbish removal
- Lighting designer
- Different tradespeople (if managing yourself)
- Freight- getting resources and materials from different locations
Other costs to consider;-
- Plumber
- Electrician
- Tiler
- Plasterer
- Painting
- Flooring
- Handles
- Caulking
- Sealing
- Opportunity cost- taking the time off work to manage all the trades, which means you need to consider;
- Insurance
- Warranty on workmanship
- Your skillset and confidence to manage all grey areas that may come up when a builder is not involved.
How much do you want to spend?
- If part of a larger home, you may want to get advice on where to spend and where to save.
- Are there materials that you can re-use or upcycle?
- Are there any things that you can do yourself, without compromising the outcome? I.e Painting – be mindful of building regulation for complicated tasks.
What budget can you afford?
- Validate what you can afford with the real costs, so you can determine what you can feasibly achieve.
- Allocate 15% for contingency
- Particularly relevant for renovations – come up against unknowns.
Let’s talk figures – what can you do – indications only (2020)
- These estimations will depend on the finishes, extent of cabinetry, benchtops, and WIP.
- Remember that one material/ fitting maybe important than the other, so this is not saying you can’t have it! Compromise may be required.
In this Forever Home Live Frances highlights the need to understand the various aspects of stairs before making a decision to have carpet, timber or concrete. The aesthetic is often the leading reason for people to choose their stair type without taking into consideration noise, budget, slip resistance and storage requirements, which are the areas Frances chats through in this episode.
In this Kitchen Design Essentials episode Frances runs through the critical element of lighting in your kitchen. She discusses the need for task, ambient and decorative lighting for different scenarios, particularly for kitchens in an open plan space. She also discusses the many different alternatives available to using downlights, and why it’s important to use a combination of light sources.
SHOWNOTES:
Lighting affects your mood and your ability to work in a space. It is a key component to the overall functionality of your kitchen.
Task Lighting Provides specific and increased light to accomplish specific task (E.g reading, working, or cooking). Task lighting is critical in the kitchen, as it is in a bathroom. Proper task lighting enables work surfaces to be illuminated such as island benches, under overhead cupboards, and corners.
- A good artificial light is required regardless of what natural light is available
- Natural Lighting – Nothing beats good natural light How much natural light you have depends on orientation of the kitchen and the kitchen location in the home.
- Skylights- Can be openable which allows hot air to be released. Ambient/Mood Lighting
Kitchens are often placed in an open plan area where it’s open to lounge and dining. To avoid only having task lighting, ambient lighting is needed to create mood and atmosphere in the whole open plan space, including your kitchen.
- Dimmers- an important way to create ambient lighting
- Downlights- Choose a downlight that is good quality
- LED
- Has broad beam which reach more space
Decorative Lighting * Decorative lighting plays a big part of interior design Pendant lights- serves as a decorative element but can also be used as an ambient light. * If selected well, and is over an Island bench it will function as task lighting, ambient and decorative lighting. * Allows for soft lighting to be used in the overall open plan * If you want your pendant lights to provide task lighting over the bench, need to consider the light illuminated from the fitting. * Need a number of pendants to match the size of the bench. Scale is important. * Pendant lights allow you to add your personality into the kitchen but make sure that it coordinated back to the cabinetry material.
Have a combination of task lighting, ambient/mood lighting, and decorative lighting so you have the ability to dial your lighting up or down as required.
Alternatives to downlights Directional spots
- Sit in the ceiling just like a downlight
- Can move around so you can get light exactly where you need it.
Track Lighting
- Can be mounted on the ceiling and offers multiple lights from one track
- You can point them where you need them to be.
LED Strip Lighting – multiple types
- Strip under the front of the island bench for ambient/decorative effect.
- Under the overhead cabinetry to illuminate bench under the overhead cupboards.
- On the top of the overhead cabinetry pointing up to the ceiling to reflect light off the ceiling.
Uplights
- Provides excellent task lighting, good ambient lighting and is also
- Available in different styles
- Ideal for homes with high ceilings
Wall Washes
- Installed in the ceiling like a downlight
- Points to the wall and bounces light off the wall.
- Beautiful for highlighting artwork.
Cove lighting
- Sits above the overhead cabinetry.
- It creates a strip of light that pushes lights down into space. It can be built into the bulkhead.
Under cabinetry lighting
- Instead of strip LED, you may want to consider smaller lights (i.e circular or square) that sits in the overhead cabinetry.
Light from your rangehood
- A good light source
- Illuminate your stovetop
It is worth investing in getting your lighting design for your kitchen (or your whole house). Engage either a lighting designer or an interior designer that is able to do a lighting plan for you. It is only when you live with poor lighting, that you understand the value of having really good light and the impact on how it makes you work and feel in space
Available Services;
Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy Online Course
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen? Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen. Find out more and join here
Book A Chat
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
Kitchen Bliss Package
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more:
Related Resources:
Why Internal Elevations are Critical for your Home
Kitchen Design to Match your Lifestyle
Episode 55: Kitchen Design Essentials: Handles and Hardware
Episode 54: Kitchen Design Essentials- Appliances Part 2
Episode 53: Kitchen Design Essentials – Appliances - Part 1
Episode 51: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 50: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 49: Kitchen Design Essentials – Butler’s Pantries and Pantries
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here;
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2-
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On-
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location-
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top-
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops-
In this Forever Home Live, Frances chats about things you can do to ensure an all-white kitchen is not clinical and soulless, with a few ideas about material selections and also decorating tips to add pops of colour.
In this episode of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances chats through how to choose your colours for your kitchen – and she’s certainly encouraging you to use colour – if you love it!
She walks you through how to determine ‘what comes first’ when creating your design scheme and runs through popular combinations. Finally, she gives some great advice and tips on decorating your kitchen, and how to make it your own and give it some personality.
SHOWNOTES:
Your kitchen does not have to match everything else in the home. For instance, if you are using a particular tile in the bathroom, you don’t necessarily have to bring that across to the kitchen. Make your kitchen a unique space!
- Have a consistent colour tone to create continuity and flow. For example, if you have a warm home, you need to make sure that you also use warm coloured materials.
- Warm tones = Beige
- Cool tones= Greys
- When thinking about the tone for your home, think about the colors you naturally gravitate to and often it’s the colours you wear.
- For Open plan, you need to coordinate the style of your Kitchen and colour with the rest of the home. For example, a country style kitchen in a modern home will not work.
- If there isn’t consistency throughout the whole home, it will not feel or look right.
Choosing material and their colours * Start with the floor – Everything gets built up from the floor. For instance, if you’ve got a timber floor, are you going to have timber cabinetry that matches the floor or are you going to create a contrast? * Choose your leading piece and select other materials around that piece * + You can choose the colour and design of your kitchen based on your Splashback tile, cabinetry colour (eg. apple green) or natural stone feature. + Don’t start with your paint colour! There’s over 10,000 to choose from. + Choose something that you love. Everything will go out of date except the things that you love the most- material, tile, colour or shape + When building her Forever Home, Frances used Patricia Urquiola tiles that she had loved for years, for her splashback. It then became her leading piece and she designed her kitchen around it.
-
Dark or light cabinetry? An all white kitchen can be clinical – A safe option when you are not sure what goes with what, but it is uninteresting unless you're going to brighten it up with something else.
-
- Choose off white or warm grey. We have our go-to – not quite grey and not yellow based either. Work with warm and cool interiors.
- Add texture, shape or colour to break it up – generally in the splashback or benchtop that has movement in it.
- Create contrast – with benchtop and cabinetry, or with splashback.
-
- Eg. Light cabinetry and dark benchtop or vice versa
-
Sleek and sophisticated – less is more. For instance, Dark or timber cabinetry with the benchtop and splashback the same.
-
- Use Maximum of 3 materials.
- Timber in a kitchen
-
- Timber is a sustainable material which is quite popular at the moment.
- Gives an organic feeling which is difficult to replace.
- Natural timber comes with a premium price compared to veneer.
- If you have timber cabinetry overhead, then you may want to use a contrasting material such as aa plain cabinetry underneath or vice versa. Keep in mind that the timber underneath needs to work with any timber floor.
- All timber finish can be paired with light or dark benchtop, just make sure that the benchtop coordinates back to the timber kitchen.
- Can also have a timber benchtop with plain cabinetry or a timber benchtop with coloured cabinetry.
- Use timber handles as an accent
- Timber floating shelves as an accent.
- Avoid grey based timbers – They are artificial and don’t look real. It will date because it’s not a natural timber colour.
-
Combine cool tones using other materials, rather than using grey in the timber. Avoid mixing different types of timber because it will become too busy. Stick with one.
-
- My preference is to contrast the timber floor with any timber cabinetry – if in doubt, have the timber cabinetry overhead.
- Maximum 3-4 different materials.
-
- Eg benchtop, cabinetry, splashback and accent material or 2nd cabinetry colour instead of accent colour.
- How to bring in colour
-
- An easy and obvious way is adding it in the Splashback– able to change relatively easily
- Cabinetry – Avoid trends and choose the color that you really love. If you stick with the colour that you gravitate into, you will never get tired of it.
- Benchtop – natural stone or otherwise
- Use tonal changes. If all white, but with a slight tonal change, and texture can make such a difference.
- Coloured appliances – Dolce and Gabbana Fridge. Smeg coloured fridges.
-
- Also counter appliances eg. Coffee maker, mix master, blender, toaster, kettle etc
- Consider appliance colours
-
- Are they going to be a Stainless steel, black, white, integrated?
- Do you want them to recede and blend in or are you okay with contrast? (eg stainless steel fridge)
- Dealing with oven walls and fridges areas together
-
- Create a block of one material and colour with these placed together.
- Consider how they will work with overhead cupboards and under bench cupboards
-
- run the same colour overhead or contrast against it
- Some popular combination choices;
-
- Timber and plain coloured cabinetry.
-
- Timber goes with everything, so you are open to colour options--- Cool or warm
- Dark timber cabinetry only with a lighter coloured benchtop and splashback.
- Dark overhead and light underneath with light benchtop
- Light overhead and dark underneath with light benchtop
- Dark benchtop and light cabinetry, above or below or both
- All light cabinetry (above and below), light benchtop and coloured splashback
- All light cabinetry with dark benchtop and coloured splashback
- Monochromatic – different tones from same colour family
-
- Eg, greys – dark and light grey and white (charcoal and light grey cabinetry)
Decorating The kitchen can be decorated beautifully. You can make something rather bland into something lived in and special.
-
Don’t overdo it. Don’t clutter your benchtop. You may use a few things that you use daily as for a decorating element. A few things is all you need to make it feel lived in,personable and homey.
-
Best to display items that you use too;
-
- Timber chopping boards and cheese boards
- Salt & pepper shakers- You can have them in different sizes
- Scales
- Oil canisters- stainless steel or ceramic
- Salt dish
- Floating shelves – add trailing plants (eg devil’s ivy ), cook books, jug, heirloom/special cup and saucer
- Teapot
-
Herb pots- Adds green in the kitchen and it’s easy to access for cooking
-
- Place them on a board or a tray or on the window sill
- Coloured tea towels/hand towels- Another way to inject colour – some great designs around
- Artwork- Can be used to fill a bare wall
- Large decorative clock- not only useful but beautiful too. Particularly good for a Hampton style kitchen
- Centrepiece (or not centred) on one end of bench or dining table in same space
-
- Fruit bowl/ tiered platter
- Tray with a few items together
- Decorative dish/platter/bowl
- Plant
- Proportion important for it to look right
Available Services;
Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy Online Course
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen? Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen. Find out more and join here
Book A Chat
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
Kitchen Bliss Package
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more:
Refrigerator of Art Smeg and Dolce&Gabbana
If you are interested in Smeg's Dolce and Gabbana Refrigerator of Art, click the link here;
Related Resources:
Kitchen Design To Match Your Lifestyle Blog-
Episode 55: Kitchen Design Essentials: Handles and Hardware
Episode 54: Kitchen Design Essentials- Appliances Part 2
Episode 53: Kitchen Design Essentials – Appliances - Part 1
Episode 51: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 50: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 49: Kitchen Design Essentials – Butler’s Pantries and Pantries
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here;
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials-
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2-
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On-
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location-
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top-
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops-
In this Forever Home Live, Frances chats through the importance of the orientation of your home and why a north-facing rear garden is premium. She walks through how it’s the first thing she reviews when conducting a Floor Plan Sanity Check, along with the use of doors to improve flexibility, privacy, zoning, and heat retention. These are the first two key areas she reviews as part of the Sanity Check process.
In this episode of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances discusses handles, and the options available (including having no handles), along with cabinetry hardware and internals, and what options are available to improve design and functionality in your kitchen.
SHOWNOTES:
Handles and hardware add the perfect finishing touch to your kitchen. They can absolutely make your kitchen, or they can let it down. Good news is, they are easy to replace to create a whole new look.
Handles * They add to overall finish of kitchen and to the overall design. * They complete the aesthetic on the style of your kitchen + Hamptons or shaker style kitchens needs handles to complete the look/aesthetic + Contemporary style may mean handles intrude on aesthetic * They add personality to an ordinary kitchen. * A quick fix for make overs too – replacing handles can really update a kitchen. * Functionality- allow for easy opening of cupboards and drawers * Personal preference – some prefer to have handles and some don’t.
Handle Types * Fingerpull – A simple solution for opening your cupboards or drawers. It has a rebate that is either built into the top of drawer or underneath overhead cupboards that allows your fingers to pull open. + Streamlined and clean finish + Can affect depth of drawer (storage) depending on finger pull type being used. * Push to close – We don’t normally suggest this type of mechanism to clients. + As you work at the bench, legs can push open cupboards/drawers too easily + If opting for handle-less finish – prefer finger pull * Handles + Generally easier to use across the board especially for kids and elderly. Handles are much easier to use than a knob for opening heavy drawers + They can be placed vertically or horizontally on overhead cabinetry. + For pull-out pantries or fridge doors, a vertical handle is preferrable + Drawers commonly use horizontal handles - Better to have one longer handle than two smaller for ease of opening - Ensure the handle is long enough for the drawer + Be mindful of T-bar handles because it can get caught on clothing + Make sure that the style of your handle is in line with the complete aesthetic of your kitchen. Not something that conflicts or clashes with overall look. Needs to complement.
Knobs * It is better for overhead cabinetry than under bench cabinetry. * Knobs overhead handle underneath * Can be a lot smaller compared to handles so can be more discreet * Can be difficult to open drawers and heavier cabinetry such as fridge fronts * Need to coordinate with handles
Finishes – There’s an incredible selection of knobs and handles. Anything that you can think of.
- Metal- a very popular choice
- Living Metals- naturally tarnish over time - organic feel
- Burnished- It is not shiny and has more organic feel to it as well
- Matte
- Polished
- Satin finishes
- Solid Metal- i.e stainless steel, chrome or solid brass
- Timber: knobs and handles
- Different profiles- Round, concave, semi-circle
- Can soften the look.
- Leather –handles, straps, knobs
- Can also patina over time, with the oils from your finger.
- Combination of materials eg. Timber and metal, leather and metal.
Colours – Your handles do not have to match your tap. However, be mindful of the continuity that is going through the rest of the space/ home. Eg, light fittings, other door hardware.
Size or the Proportion of the handle
- Position on doors, centred or left/right aligned
If you can, visit showroom with handles to test for the feel and grip, and if you like it.
Hardware & Internal * Hardware improve the functionality of the internals of your cabinetry. * It improves the design, and worsk particularly well in smaller kitchens where space is tight and sophisticated design required. * Cheap runners and cheap hinges are not going to last, so invest in a good quality ones.
Types of hardware & internals
- Lift up cupboard fronts
- Oopens upwards so you have got a complete visibility of contents.
- Not restricted leaving cupboards open and seeing contents – won’t knock your head.
- Manual or electronic (push button)– Electronic comes at a cost
-
Pull out shelves
-
Have a shelf with appliances that allows you to pull it out.
-
Ideal for tight kitchen
-
Bifold doors
-
It can be useful if you have an appliance cupboard.
-
Retractable doors
-
It opens like a hinge door, but it retracts back into the cavity.
- Space saving
-
However, a space for cavity should be consider when getting a retractable doors.
-
Electric mechanism
-
For cabinetry fronts to auto close. Excellent for fridges & pantry doors.
-
Pullout Pantry systems
-
Old Pantry pull out Systems- You can’t see all the items, and things fall over.
- New Pantry System- Items are completely visible and you can customise how things stand up in each of the drawers.
-
Ideal for small kitchen because of the storage it provides
-
Oil and spice drawers
-
Bins – bin drawers 1, 2, 3, 4 types of bins – think recycling, compost, soft plastics and waste
-
Dedicated pull out drawers with full bins or double bins in each drawer, normally about 15 litresfor smaller bins.
- Under sink – custom made or system from eg. Blum – good for space saving
-
Size depends on space available
-
Drawer runners and hinges
- Hettich & Blum – lifetime guarantee. Have their own individual hardware systems and offer excellent hinge and drawer solutions.
- Cheaper versions it wears out easily, drag, or don’t slide well.
- Every drawer in your kitchen should be fully extendable and soft close
- Touch to close/soft close overhead
Visit showrooms to see the different types of mechanism that are available and to see the difference between cutlery drawers set up or drawers heights.
Available Services;
Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy Online Course
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen? Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen. Find out more and join here.
Book A Chat
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
Kitchen Bliss Package
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more.
Related Resources:
Episode 54: Kitchen Design Essentials- Appliances Part 2
Episode 53: Kitchen Design Essentials – Appliances - Part 1
Episode 51: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 50: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 49: Kitchen Design Essentials – Butler’s Pantries and Pantries
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here;
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials-
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2-
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On-
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location-
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top-
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops-
Following on from last week’s episode on Appliances Part 1, Rob Sinclair, of E&S Trading and Frances continue their discussion on key kitchen appliances. This episode focuses on Stove Tops and Rangehoods, plus other appliances to consider. As ever, Rob shares his incredible knowledge and practical advice about buying criteria for these appliances.
SHOWNOTES:
Stove tops Buying Criteria * Control- Any hot plate that gives you more temperature control * Whether it is gas or electric, do I have a real visible range or step of temperature * Space- Creation of space and being able to fit * How much space do I have at home? What are the pots I like to use, and do they fit next to each other when you are doing what you want to do? * Lifestyle- What type of cooking do you use your stove top for?
Induction Vs Gas * Cleaning requirement- Induction stovetops are typically easier to clean than gas. * Design Perspective- Induction are seamless compared to gas tops. * Deliver Control- There are not as many brands available for gas that deliver a large amount of temperature control. Those available are high end products. On the other hand, induction has up to 18 different temperature settings. When it comes to high heat, induction is about twice as fast as gas will be at bringing water to boil. * Flexibility- Induction has more flexibility for any cooking style. * Budget- Induction starts at $1,000 * Safety perspective with kids- The only thing that gets hot on an induction hot plate is the pot or the pan itself. There is no naked flame with induction, unlike gas. Additionally, pots won’t tip on an induction top because of its flat surface, unlike gas that has uneven surface. * Performance and efficiency- There is a big range of both gas and induction hot plates available.
Brands that offer a high quality gas stovetop are ASCO, Franke Professional and the Wolf Gas Hotplate.
Highly recommended brands for Inductions are Mieli, Siemens, Neff, Smeg and AEG
Range Hoods Buying Criteria * Air Movement- A high quality range hood is moving air around 700-900 cubic metres per hour. Specialty brands of range hoods will do 1800 cubic metres per hour. And if you are buying a rangehood with three motors, these move air at 2,700 cubic meters per hour. * Style of cooking- If you only do casserole then a 400-500 cubic metres per hour could work. * Noise * Type of range hoods- undermount, slideout, canopy
Undermount Vs Slideout Vs Canopy Undermount- Integrated into the joinery across the top of your stovetop.
Slideout- It is very popular in the 90’s but not necessary to increase rangehood capacity of air movement.
Canopy- Gives more an industrial look. It gives the appearance of a commercial style kitchen.
Cylinder- A cylinder style overhead rangehood is quite popular at the moment.
Brands Specialty brands develop rangehood products that suit nearly every application.
- Sirius- A company from Italy that makes high quality rangehoods
- Falmec- Another Italian Brands that specialise in rangehoods
- Qasair- Australian made company that has a solution like no other rangehood manufacturer. They allow custom build models to suit certain widths and applications.
Cheaper alternative brands are Bosch, Miele and Smeg
Ceiling cassettes and Downdraft Ventilators Creates ultimate design, particularly good for smaller spaces or when design is of utmost importance. You can have unrestricted ventilation and still have the headspace above your hot plate particularly in front of windows where there are views. Brand to consider- Bora
Options for Air Sealed Homes Plasma rangehood technology- It has an activated filter that captures the fat and oils. It reduces and changes the molecular structure of fats and carbons that comes through.
- No odors
- No fats
- No smoke
The cartridge needs to be changed about once every five years. It lasts a lot longer before they are clogged with fats and oils which makes it the more a suitable application than a mesh fiber or charcoal filtration. It also doesn’t require external ducting making it a perfect solution for air-sealed homes. However, it comes with a higher price which is about $3,000.
Brand: Qasair (part of the Condari group)
Other appliances for the kitchen * Coffee machines- Miele have beautiful built-in and integrated coffee machines that are worth considering. Their new high end model has three different beans installed in the machine. Built-in coffee machines ranges from $4,000- $10,000. * Pitt Cooktops- Glass hotplates integrated into the benchtop whether it’s reconstituted stone, natural stone or Dekton. Creates a stunning design aesthetic and continual benchtop flow. * Subzero Fridges- They are an ultimate in food preservation. It filters ethylene gas which prevents vegetables and fruits to ripen easily. Subzero Fridges cost up to $17,000 or more.
Available Resources
e&s TRADING
Visit the E&S Website at https://www.eands.com.au/
BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN DESIGN MADE EASY ONLINE COURSE
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen? Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen. Find out more and join here .
BOOK A CHAT
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar.
KITCHEN BLISS PACKAGE
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more:
Related Resources:
Episode 50: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 49: Kitchen Design Essentials – Butler’s Pantries and Pantries
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here.
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this episode of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances has guest Rob Sinclair, Managing Director of E&S Trading on the show to discuss buying criteria and performance for kitchen appliances. This episode focuses on Fridges, Dishwashers and Ovens and Rob’s passion for appliances and buying with performance in mind, is wonderful to listen to. Join Frances as she chats with Rob and hears his amazing advice and knowledge on these key appliances for your kitchen.
Key Buying Criteria When Choosing your Kitchen Appliances * Understand your requirements - Understand your needs and requirements at home and then find an appliance that is going to deliver you the performance to the best of your budget. * Pedigree of Performance- Performance is crucial so find brands that have pedigree of performance or brands that specialise in a particular appliance. * Look at product service and ability to get parts and be fixed, after the sale * Reliability
Fridges Buying Criteria * Seek out quality brands- i.e Westinghouse, Fisher Paykel, Mitsubishi, Liebherr and Miele * Great refrigeration performance- good quality, temperature control and temperature settings * Food storage benefit- Freezer Vs Fresh Food * Consider how an integrated fridge compliments the overall aesthetic, and may be crucial in smaller kitchens * Has great after sale service and accessibility to spare parts * Cost- Freestanding fridge costs between $1,600 to $2,000, while a fully integrated version costs between $4,500-$5,000.
Integrated Fridges Integrated fridges can be expensive because of their unique style and coming from a specialty manufacturer. Integrated fridges can be easily replaced particularly Liebherr and Fisher Paykel,. as their fridge measurements have remained consistent over the years.
Fisher Paykel- Cost effective, bigger cabinet for an integrated refrigerator. Cost up to $4,500
Liebherr- German manufactured and a high-end integrated fridge, usually starts at $7,000
New features and technology coming out in fridges now – what can we expect * Samsung- It has a limited availability of spare parts which can prevent the product getting fixed. * Fisher Paykel- gives more rack positions inside the fresh food compartments
Humidity control and compartments for preservation of fresh food
Dishwashers
Buying criteria * Choose a dishwasher that suits your needs * Stackability- Understand what it is you are putting in (i.e wineglasses, baking dishes, coffee cups and glasses, large plates, bigger colanders)
Organising – a Cutlery tray takes time, but it allows you to separate the cutlery out to wash them perfectly. You can unload them faster out of the dishwasher too.
- Wash performance
- Drying
- Noise – machines that are getting beneath 50 decibels are what you need to look for.
- Flexibility – options to stack what is needed for that wash cycle
- Size - extra large dishwashers- ideal for families who loves to entertain and cook regularly
Brands Brands that have a pedigree in making great quality dishwashers
- Bosch (Siemens, NEFF and Gaggenau)- Global player in manufacturing They provide a different aesthetic across the range
- Miele – has great stacking flexibility
- Asko – reliable and quiet
- AEG - released the new ComfortLift dishwasher. If bending down to load and unload your dishes is a chore, the AEG ComfortLift has a lower basket that slides out and upwards.
Integrated, semi-integrated and freestanding * Integrated - Fits into the style of the rest of your kitchen cabinets in a seamless fashion. Price range is between $1,000- $3,000 * Semi Integrated- Has a control panel at the top and an integrated door beneath it. Price range is between $1,500- $2,000 * Free standing- An affordable option. You may be able to buy a Bosch freestanding dishwater at $800-$800
New Release Miele’s G7000 dishwashers includes a circular pocket that holds and dispenses dishwashing detergent automatically.
- Less detergent to use
- Environmental-friendly
- Great wash performance
450mm Dishwasher * Space saver which is ideal for apartments or smaller homes * Can be less cost effective from around $1,400 * Brand: Miele, Bosch and NEFF * Not as popular in Australia due to the cost
Ovens Buying Criteria * Lifestyle Requirement- Are you a big cook? Do you love to entertain? How do you want to ideally be able to bake? * Performance * If the budget allows - self-cleaning * Oven Capacity- Do you need two 600mm or 900mm wide * Good Accessories that comes with the brand- i.e biscuit trays or baking dishes – they are made to fit the appliance perfectly
Upright oven * 900mm wide giving you a bigger oven capacity and cooking surface * Cost effective- Ranges between $2,000- $5,000 * Aesthetically pleasing * Depends also on aesthetic of kitchen. Can look more commercial in style. * Recommended brands: Westinghouse, Smeg, ILVE, Fisher Paykel and Falcon
Wall Ovens * Gives more flexibility- you can choose steamers, microwaves or a combination of both for the oven. * Having 2 ovens allows you to cook multiple dishes at once eg, dessert and main
Integrated Ovens (built-in) * Depending on the manufacturer, you can get an integrated ovens in 700, 800 and 900 cm wide.
Steam Ovens * Perfect for cooking vegetables, fish, and chicken fillets * Costs - around $2,000 * Its large capacity enables it to be very gentle in the way it steams. * Gives so much flexibility in the kitchen- combination of steam, roast, steam roast or bake bread * The ability to control the style of cooking you want
Gas Ovens * The old models ovens doesn’t have a fan so you need to regulate the temperature * Ideal for bakers * Depends on what you are use to. Still popular.
Smaller Inside Vs Bigger Cavity Manufacturer are catering to all types of cooking around the globe. They also make sure that the temperature in the bottom, middle and top shelf is all the same.
Available Resources
BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN DESIGN MADE EASY ONLINE COURSE
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen?
Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen.
Find out more and join here.
BOOK A CHAT
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
KITCHEN BLISS PACKAGE
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more:
E&S TRADING
e&s has helped countless Australians create their dream home with exciting and innovative kitchen, bathroom and laundry appliances since 1962.
Check the website here; https://www.eands.com.au/
Related Resources:
Episode 50: Kitchen Design Essentials- Kitchen Taps and Sinks
Episode 49: Kitchen Design Essentials – Butler’s Pantries and Pantries
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here; https://www.whitepebbleinteriors.com.au/internal-elevations-and-joinery/
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top https://www.whitepebbleinteriors.com.au/how-to-choose-the-right-benchtop/
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops https://www.whitepebbleinteriors.com.au/top-5-tips-for-selecting-benchtops/
In this Forever Home Live, Frances chats about how to determine the functionality required in your kitchen and determine what you actually need. She outlines how this will enable you to assess your kitchen design with your requirements in mind, rather than just aesthetics.
She walks through the Clear Clarity Design Worksheet (a resource provided in the Beautiful Kitchen Design Course) and how these prompts you to think about your needs and how you will store items, and cook in your kitchen.
Finally, she touches on The Top 12 Must Do’s resource (as part of the course) and how that helps with the process for designing your kitchen.
There’s so much more to Kitchen Taps and Sinks than you may think. In this episode, Frances and her podcast guest Trisha Narde from Reece discuss kitchen taps and sinks and what to look for in each. What makes a good quality tap and sink? What material composition should you look for in standard sinks and taps, but also in black? Not all black is the same! They also chat about Billi and Zip taps and how to allow for them in your design. SHOWNOTES In this episode, Frances, and guest Trishla Narde, Branch Manager at Reece Bathroom Life discuss kitchen taps and sinks and what to look for in each. They cover Billi and Zip taps and how to allow for them in your design, as well as black tapwear and sinks and how to choose wisely.
Kitchen Taps Main things to consider when looking for a kitchen tap * Think about the way you use your sinks and taps. For instance, gooseneck gives you a little bit of height so you can get larger pots and pans underneath. * Where the taps are located - Heavy taps that sit on the sink are not recommended. * Whether you have a window behind the tap or not * The long or short lever that is easy to maneuver
Other features for your kitchen tap – the latest of the latest sensor taps * Sensor taps have recently been released. It turns on and off by a sensor therefore making hand washing more hygienic, especially in households where multiple people live. * Children can easily access it without grabbing the lever. * The price range is between $600- $900
Pull out the nozzle with a spray function built-in
- Great for getting pressure on stubborn stains and also getting into the corners of kitchen sinks
Quality tap wear * When it comes to technology and manufacturing differences there is what’s called Zero technology. It’s an inlet pipe within the tap that prevents the water from touching any other parts of the tap. Another feature that comes with a higher quality tap is the silk move technology, which allows to cartridge operates smoothly and easily * Some cheaper taps on the market can lead to faster malfunction and they are made from a thinner skin of material, so less durable.
Warranty When it comes to warranties, Sussex, Billi, and Mizu offer up to 15 years of warranty, wiht Grohe offering 5 years on parts and labour as well.
Black and other coloured taps for Kitchen Coloured taps
- These work perfectly if you want a statement in your kitchen.
- There is no requirement to have your Kitchen tap the same colour or brand as other tapwear throughout the home.
Black taps
- Black can wear off over time if you’re selecting a poor quality tap
- When choosing a black tap, you have to consider the plating process to ensure the black doesn’t wear off
- PVD Finish (Pressure Vapor Disposition)- strongest finish – suitable for outdoors and commercial settings
- Electroplating- plated like chrome and won’t wear off. Totally suitable for domestic purposes without the black wearing off.
- Powder coating- least extensive to create and can come off easily with use.
Billi and Zip Taps Generically these taps provide boiling, chilled and sparkling water all in one tap, or separately.
Zip Tap
- Has a great market presence
- Have beautiful colors and style
- They are 30% more expensive compared to Billi
- 12-month warranty
- Manufactured in US
Billi Tap
- Also has a lovely range of colours, but not as extensive as the Zip tap.
- Has a 2 warranty
- Is an Australian brand
Placement in the kitchen – WIP or main kitchen
They are placed in either the WIP or Main Kitchen, depending on the frequency of use and how the WIP and kitchen are used and where the main place for preparing food takes place.
The installation also needs to be considered, as they require a 600mm cupboard to store the water units to heat or cool the water. A vent in the cupboard is also required, and can also determine whether the tap will be placed in the WIP or main kitchen.
Cost
It costs between $3,000- $7000
Sustainability
These taps are not regarded as a particularly sustainable option due to the energy required to retain boiling and refrigerated water 24/7.
Sinks Opting for the cheapest sink is not going to give you a product that will last. There is a distinct difference between high quality and low-quality sink.
Quality Sinks Stainless steel
- A combination of 18% chromium and 10% nickel – 304-grade stainless steel or higher is better
- Durable- doesn’t rust and is not a thin sheet of steel that dents
- Some stainless steel has a sound deadening pad around the surround
- 16-18 gauge stainless steel – the lower the number the better the quality of the steel being used
- Polishing – higher quality sinks have a better polishing finish which means the scratching is less visible.
- Good quality also means steel is a minimum 3mm thick. Lowe quality can be as low as 1mm thick.
Sink Brands in Australia * Franke- a Switzerland brand * Clark
Types of sinks Undermount
- Visually attractive because the rim of the sink is not showing
- Easier to clean
- It has more depth with the 20mm of stone adding to the overall sink depth
- Can’t be used with laminate
- With the under-mount sink, the stone is visible so it needs to be polished which can be an additional cost
- Can be susceptible to chipping especially if heavy-handed with saucepans etc
- The most expensive type of sink
- Can we use it with laminate or timber benchtops, as the water can affect those materials.
Flush mount
- Flush with the benchtop
- Needs precision in grinding the stone 2-3mm to allow for the sink to sit flush.
- Not as popular as other sink types
Inset
- Regarded as a more traditional style of sink
- The sink sits into the gap in the benchtop, so doesn’t require polished edges
- Most cost-effective
- The only option for timber or laminate taps
Buying Criteria when choosing for Sinks Depth
- Depth should be considered based on the size of the cookware you use for cooking
The position of the waste
- Traditionally, the waste is always in the center of the sink but now they moved it to the back of the sink which gives more space underneath in the cabinetry.
Black Sinks * Quality black sinks are made with 80% crushed stone or granite and 20% resin that binds the materials together (similar to a stone benchtop). * Non-porous, so great for sanitation * Scratch-resistant * Colour goes all the way through * A good quality black sink needs to made of a stone composite, and not coated with black colour.
Black Sink and Black Tap * Easily able to have a black sink and chrome or coloured tap. * In most instances, the black sink and black tap are likely to be too heavy. * Taps can still be the showpiece, and need to match the sink.
Available Services:
BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN DESIGN MADE EASY ONLINE COURSE
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen?
Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen.
Find out more and join here.
BOOK A CHAT
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
KITCHEN BLISS PACKAGE
Overwhelmed by the number of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional, and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more.
Related Resources:
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here.
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this Forever Home Live Frances provides a Top Tip when designing your kitchen, relating to the selection of appliances. She also provides an overview of the brand new Beautiful Kitchen Design Made Easy course, outlining some of the key resources available in it to provide confidence, knowledge, and empowerment to design a kitchen, for those who complete the course.
In this Episode of the podcast, Frances discusses the key differences between Butler’s Pantries, Walk in Pantries, Pull-out Pantries, Appliance Cupboards, Cupboard Pantries and Step in Pantries. She also walks through the key components of a well-designed walk in pantry, and discusses some key questions relating to pantries – doors, cabinetry fronts, sinks and windows.
SHOWNOTES:
A walk-in pantry has become one of the must-have features within a home. However, if you are trying to create a home that doesn’t have a large footprint, perhaps a walk in pantry or butler’s pantry is not necessarily going to serve you as much as you think.
Butler’s pantry Acts as a secondary kitchen that functions not only to store food but also serve as your food preparation area. A sink is the minimum for a Butler’s pantry with other appliances an option.
- Sink + window
- 2nd fridge
- Sometimes dishwasher and oven – only if 2nd appliances not instead of kitchen
Walk in Pantry A space to store food and small appliances such as coffee machine, mix masters, blenders, and microwaves.
Traditional Pantry Usually a cupboard used for storing food but doesn’t have enough space to store your appliances. Traditional pantries are a good solution when you don’t have much space for a walk-in pantry.
Appliance cupboard Can be used instead of a walk-in pantry to store appliances when space is tight. If it’s combined with your pantry space, it can reduce the amount of food you can store in your pantry.
- It can have roller doors, bi-fold doors, etractable doors that go back into the wall, or hinged doors
Step in pantry To make good use of corners, we often design what we call a step-in pantry. It creates the illusion of a walk-in pantry and gives a bit of bench space where you can place your appliances, and also your food
Pull out Pantry * Items are not easily accessible * Sides are not always high enough to store tall bottles * Items tend to fall over if not packed in, which can be annoying * Wire frames not great to visibility and holding items fixed
For a better solution, use a pull-out system with specially designed hardware that is designed much better. Companies such as Blum or Hettich have specially designed pull out drawer pantry systems.
A Butler’s pantry and walk-in pantry is an area where you can store things away. It is not an area that is meant to be revealed for guests.For this reason, I suggest the following;-
- Items are visible, accessible because of its open shelves.
- Drawers for cans, spices, small items – cake decorating stuff
- Sliding door – to keep the space out of view
- If doors are not possible, you may need to have cabinetry doors
- Open shelves for platters can get dusty, but still allows for clear visibility of everything you store.
- Allows you to store long and wide items or appliances that you don’t use all the time.
- If you have the space, you may add a sink and a window for a natural lighting – really good for dumping dishes, coffee prep, baking prep
- It may also be an opportunity for you to create a different Splashback- only needs to be 500mm high
- Same benchtop as kitchen or opt for laminate top to save money
You can’t really design something until you know what you need. The functionality, your lifestyle, how you cook, how you prepare food, how are you going to use the space drives the design.
White Pebble Interiors will let you complete a deep dive need assessment (Clear Clarity Design Worksheet) to understand what you need and where you will be storing everything as part of kitchen design.
- It allows you to think about what you need, instead of ‘just want a WIP’
- That will determine if you need a WIP or butler’s pantry
- What needs to go in one?
- 2ndfridge – drinks fridge, entertaining fridge, overflow
- microwave,
- Daily appliance use: coffee machine, toaster, kettle
- Dry good, appliances
- Platters, entertaining items, cook books
- How many of you are using that space (cooking and food preparation)?
- How can you use that space in a better way?
A walk- in pantry can sometimes be as large as a bathroom – can you use that space in a better way in your home?
Available Services:
BOOK A CHAT
Ready to renovate or create your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar.
KITCHEN ONLINE COURSE WAITLIST
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen?
Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen.
Join the waitlist so you’re the first to know about this course; https://www.whitepebbleinteriors.com.au/kitchen-design-online-course/
KITCHEN BLISS PACKAGE
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more: https://www.whitepebbleinteriors.com.au/new-homes-and-renovations/#kitchen
Related Resources:
Episode 47: Kitchen Design Essentials – Key Kitchen Measurements
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here.
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
Frances is not a fan of TVs being the focal point in a room. In this Forever Home Live, she walks through different options for TV placement, and how they do not necessarily have to be wall-mounted and centered on the wall. She discusses how to balance the TV with other items in the room so it’s not all about the TV! Finally, she talks about TVs above a fire and why this is not ideal.
In this episode Frances outlines the essential measurements to ensure your kitchen is functional and workable. She discusses the kitchen triangle and the theory behind how this works in your kitchen, cabinetry size standards, appliances, splashbacks and also some of the regulations to check.
SHOWNOTES
Kitchen Triangle
You need to be able to access things easily and move between key areas for food preparation such as your sink, fridge,stove top and ovens. Ideally, it you need to have a maximum of 7 metres between all these areas.
The theory behind it is-;
- Have bench space near the fridge so you can put your items down
- Adequate space next to the stovetop
- Easily unpack dishes from the dishwasher
-
Space on either side of the sink (i.e for handwashing, preparation, washing vegetables and etc)
-
Check your local regulations with regards to how close a water source can be next to electricity– normally at least 500mm.
Splashbacks
Check with the local building regulations but as a guide.
- Electric - 600mm between the stove and overhead cupboards
- Gas - 650mm from top rivet of the stove to underside of the lowest point on overhead cupboards
- Induction – 650mm
The height of your splashback may impact the splashback tile that you choose.
Cabinetry
When we are doing deep dives with our clients, we consider how many people are going to use the kitchen so we can design it specifically on how many people are going to cook or prepare food in that space.
- Between benches - 1000mm minimum is allowable but ideally it should be 1200mm.
- If there are two cooks working together, we would recommend a minimum of 1200mm between benches
- Between the Island bench and dining area, minimum measurement of It gives you adequate space for chairs to be pulled out and still be able to flow and walk between the spaces.
- Ideally, you need 300 millimeters between the edge of the bench and the sink. You don’t want to have your sink hard up against the edge of a bench as you have got nowhere to put anything down
- Ideally, the dishwasher should be 500mm from the corner – can also be placed at the end if need be.
- Ideally, 300-400mm bench space either side of stovetop
- Standard bench height is 900mm – go higher if you are taller
- Standard bench depth is 600mm
- Kicker/kickboard which is at the bottom of the cabinetry is generally anywhere between 90 and 150mm. Setback is about 50mm.
- Overhead cupboards are anywhere between 300-350mm deep
Island bench
- Ideally it should be at a metre But in apartments that may not be achievable, so then they would be between 800mm-900mm.
- For benchtop overhangs, 400mm is a good measurement as it allows you to tuck stools under. However, 300mm is also sufficient.
- Benchtop – 8-40mm thick is available in various materials.
- Island bench can be a feature and be thicker than rear benches
- Suggest 20mm -25mm – depending on material – 40mm for feature stone
- Laminate benchtops 33mm as standard
- Solid acrylic surface can be any thickness
Appliances
- From a functionality perspective, it’s better to have your microwaves either on the bench or overhead rather than underneath the bench.
- Standard dishwasher size is 600mm but you can get a smaller size at 450 mm. Not so popular in Australia as they are in Europe.
- Standard wall oven size 600mm – free standing ovens can be 600, 750, 800, 900
- Fridge cavity – minimum 1000mm for a 900mm fridge & 1800mm high. If you want to future proof your space, measure your fridge cavity first so when you upgrade your fridge you will have enough space for the new one.
- Double sink allow about 800mm x 480mm deep
Available Services
BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN DESIGN MADE EASY
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen?
Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen.
Join the waitlist so you’re the first to get the launch special offer!
BOOK A CHAT
Ready to renovate or build your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
KITCHEN BLISS PACKAGE
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more.
Related Resources:
Episode 45: Kitchen Design Essentials - Internal Elevations & Joinery Design and you may watch our video for more info here.
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here.
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this Forever Home Live Frances discusses ceiling heights and why you would opt for an optimal ceiling height of 2.7m at a minimum and why the investment is worth it. As you Forever Home, Frances is a strong believer in getting your building structure right, and ceiling height is one of those core foundations.
Frances is pretty passionate about internal elevations making or breaking the outcome of your home, which is definitely apparent in this episode of the podcast. She outlines what internal elevations are, what advantages they provide, and further, what can go wrong if you don’t have proper internal elevations for your kitchen.
Without them, it’s like asking your builder to navigate without a map!
In this episode, you’ll get to understand why they are so important and how critical they are to you getting your kitchen design right.
SHOWNOTES
So often we see people not fully understanding the investment benefit in having detailed Internal Elevations and Joinery Design completed for their kitchen (and their home)
In today’s episode, Frances outlines what you can achieve in completing internal elevations and joinery drawings before the build starts. She covers;
- What are internal elevations and how they make a difference and why they are critical for so many reasons
- How they serves you and your builder
- How not having them can lead to expensive mistakes and design disappointments
- The difference between cabinetry drawings and joinery design
Cabinetry Drawings vs Internal Elevations
Cabinetry drawings show the joinery only, while internal elevations show everything that you will see when facing the wall front on. Think, splashbacks, appliances, tap position etc.
What are Internal Elevations? While afloorplan gives you an aerial view of the design, Internal Elevations will show you the detail front on.. Typically, there are four internal elevations for each room showing each wall and what you can see on that wall, as if you are facing it.
- It provides specific details such as;
- Size and placement of cabinetry
- Design and construction notes
- Detailed joinery design- i.e Is it floating?
- Placement of taps
- Tile layout
- Accessory placement
- Handle details
- Anything else that is visible front on
When working from floorplans only, you, nor your builder can see what is required.
Things that can’t be seen in a Floorplan but ONLY shown in on Internal Elevations;
- Are you having cupboards, drawers, how deep, how wide, floating height of cabinetry
- Benchtop thickness, waterfall edges and shadow lines
- Extent of splashback, tiling, feature walls and skirting tile
- Any overhead cabinetry, or shelving, thickness and placement
- Fireplace detail, location, height, surround
-
Location of heating and cooling ducts
-
Some homeowners feel they can easily instruct the cabinet maker or builder onsite.
- Cabinet makers are not designers perse. They have great ideas, but may not take into consideration your lifestyle and functionality requirements.
- Can lead to lots of issues onsite, and miscommunication about what’s actually wanted.
Why are Internal Elevations so important? * Allows you to have an understanding of how the proposed spaces and rooms will look. * Helps you visualize, and assists you in making decisions on the location of cupboards, windows, doors, and power points. * By knowing the position of all the critical items in the room, it allows you to make other dependent decisions such as wall finishes, doors, and windows. * Lack of good internal elevations leads to unnecessary guesswork on-site for the builder, owner, and contractors. Everyone is looking for answers on how to build and detail certain elements of your home. * Fair too often we see people with only floorplans showing the aerial view of their cabinetry layout, or internal elevations with minimal design detail which opens up so much room for error, misinterpretation, and misunderstanding about expectations on the final outcome. * Cabinetry to fit a space without any design consideration around functionality and needs for space is also not design. * It’s a costly exercise to get wrong.
Here are some of the ADVANTAGES for investing in good internal elevations. 1. Allows you to manage, assess, tweak and finalise exactly what is being built before it is built. 2. Gives you visualisation to make a sound and informed decisions. 3. Fixed price quoting – The builder can quote a fixed price because he can see exactly what’s going on. 4. Build accuracy – The builder knows exactly what he needs to build and he knows exactly what is expected of him. He can see the detail and not have to guess or assume anything. 5. Less stress – All details are finalised at plan stage so you’re not being rushed to make decisions and being asked things you don’t know enough about. 6. Minimise overwhelm – It’s all been decided well before the builder starts. 7. Manage costs – Able to make changes if needed, before the building starts, minimizing variations 8. Mitigate mistakes – Everything is detailed on the drawings which means all parties know what is required of them. And you’ve had time to explore options to make the right decisions. 9. Saves you time – Minimise the amount of calls from the builder to seek clarification. 10. Holistic approach – All the people that are working on your project are working together according to your master plan. When done well, internal elevations may show impacts on spaces or other rooms and being able to have conversations up front to make tweaks and changes for the best overall outcome.
Here are some of the DISADVANTAGES for not investing in good elevations. * Some believe that they can instruct the builder and cabinet maker on all the joinery details * + Think they will save money by not investing in elevations + Instructing them at build stage, often with the frame already completed, has a knock on effects of joinery design on others areas such as windows, or doors which are generally too late to change. + Compromises are already occurring + Increases cost when variations occur on site
How do we do Internal Elevations at White Pebble Interiors? 1. Briefing Session
- What’s important to you,
- What functionality requirements you have
-
What’s the look and feel you want
-
Detailed Deep Dive Needs Assessment Allows us to understand your lifestyle
-
How you use your kitchen
- What you need to access to
-
What you need to store
-
We analyse the Brief and Deep Dive documents. We consider the space, and set about designing with functionality and flow in mind, and how that will meet your needs.
-
We think, collaborate and consult with you so we design something that will fulfill your functionality requirements and your vision.
-
We discuss our Design Rationale with you, highlighting why the design is the way it is, what factors were considered in our approach, and how certain aspects may work better in some layouts than others.
-
It’s easy to fill a space with cabinetry, but it’s the thinking behind the design that sets homes apart and make them function in the best way possible. Design can look amazing but if it does not work it is a waste design-- Functionality is KING.
- This arms you with the information you need to make informed decisions. The right decisions for you and your lifestyle.
Available Services
BOOK A CHAT
Ready to renovate or build your kitchen but not sure where to start?
Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. Click here to get access to Frances' calendar;
KITCHEN ONLINE COURSE WAITLIST
Ready to design and create your own beautiful kitchen?
Get all the interior designer insider knowledge in this online course to create your dream kitchen.
Join the waitlist so you’re the first to know about this course;
KITCHEN BLISS PACKAGE
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more.
Related Resources:
Read our latest blog on Internal Elevations and Joinery Design here.
Episode 43: Kitchen Design Essentials – Flatpack Vs Custom Designed Kitchens
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this Forever Home Live, Frances has just been onsite and runs through the type of things she was checking on site, and why you need to negotiate with your builder to get access and be on-site at certain stages of the build to check what’s going on.
Feature walls do not necessarily mean a bold colour on one wall in a room! In this Forever Home Live, Frances chats about elements you can use to create a feature wall in your Living Room, with a big emphasis on not having the TV as the focal point. She highlights the use of texture through various materials such as wallpaper, textured paint, Unitex and stone to create impact and layers in a room.
In this episode of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances outlines some core differences to be aware of between flatpack (off the shelf) and custom-designed kitchens.
She walks through some of the core differences and what compromises may need to be made with a flat pack kitchen with its sizing constraints.
She also discusses material and hardware differences that may impact your decisions. As always, the focus is on Forever Homes, and she chats through compromises that may impact you later on, and cost a lot to rectify.
SHOWNOTES
When it comes to kitchen renovation or building a new kitchen, it can be difficult to decide what route to go down in terms of flatpack or custom kitchens. You may wonder about the difference between a custom and flatpack design, and so in today’s episode, Frances chats about the key difference between off the shelf / flat pack kitchens and custom kitchens.
A customized kitchen allows you to create a kitchen that is exactly what you what and needs as it is designed from the outset specifically for you, space and your requirements. You will generally get a better finish and a wider selection of options to choose from in terms of materials, finish, and hardware.
If you’re creating a kitchen for your Forever Home, having the design that you want is important. Compromising on design elements due to flatpack constraints can be a frustration if you’re going to live there for 10+ years.
Frances has had flatpack kitchens in two apartments she owned in London and Amsterdam. She had a top-end Ikea kitchen in Amsterdam and put her own stamp on it by adding handmade splashback tiles. However, she too at to compromise on the design outcome as cabinetry components did not go wall to wall and so she ended up with a gap at one end, which wasn’t ideal.
Flatpack * Limitations on the height of cabinetry – Flatpack has a standard cabinetry height so it won’t go as high as you would like or need. * Not all cabinetry sizes will suit the exact measurements of the kitchen which may compromise the aesthetic or functional aspect of your kitchen. * Often don’t have solid backs – Flatpack kitchens frequently have a flimsy backing board, it goes straight to wall – just like on a Billy Bookcase. Customised normally provides for a minimum 16mm backing compared to abput4mm for a flatpack. * Can be limited in choice of materials, colors, and finishes * Hinges and hardware are not as normally as good quality – They won’t have a lifetime guarantee * It’s can be time-consuming to install a flat pack kitchen. * With the additional labour cost, a flat pack kitchen may not be a cheaper option. * If ordering online – there is no room for error. You are responsible for the precise measurements to get the right size materials, so you bare the risk if it’s incorrect. Also, if ordering online, ensure to get samples of the materials as colours can be different online. * Sometimes a flatpack kitchen can be like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole to make it all work.
Custom kitchen * Built by a cabinet maker, so everything can be cut it to size and be precise. A designer and a Cabinet Maker – A designer is designing the kitchen cabinetry with a lot of consideration for functionality, flow, and owner requirements. A cabinet maker is the maker of the design, so is not necessarily considering other factors and may only be looking at cabinetry to fit the space. * Design is not just about the material and how many cupboards or drawers you can fit into space. Kitchen design is about how it works and flows and how and where you access what you need in terms of food prep, storage, cleaning and so forth, which all needs to be considered in-depth for a custom design * Fully custom + Give you more options in terms of Colour, Material, Finish and overall Design + Able to consider additional hardware features- i.e retractable pantry or bi-fold doors or other hardware features from kitchen hardware specialists + No ‘make do’ when sizes don’t fit – can be made to fit so it looks right. * Material sheet size dependent on material type. Std sizes: 2440/2700 x 1200mm. Having a customised kitchen allows you to work with different thickness of materials- i.e 16, 18, 25 & 33mm, which can be used for different aspects of your kitchen. * Add little details important to you and accessories + Specific drawer sizes, custom bin systems. * More flexibility on where you store what you need and how it’s stored to suit you. * Have the things as you want as you are involved in the design process. * Add in design features not always available with flat-pack Eg – retractable doors, BLUM pantry drawer system, customized drawer inners. * Can choose to have it made from materials higher durability, which may not be the case with flatpack materials.
Your kitchen is a space that needs to work super hard for you. It is the hub of the home where we entertain, do homework, and catch up with friends. A customised kitchen is designed to fit your needs and lifestyle which is an important element when building your Forever Home. Therefore, Frances always advises her clients to plan their kitchen carefully and get it designed as it's well worth the investment for your Forever Home.
Available Services:
Book- a-chat
If you’re thinking about renovating or building your own “Forever Home”, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her.
Kitchen Design Sanity Check
Kitchens are such an important part of any home and they need to work super hard for you. Getting the design right is critical to the functionality, flow and useability of the space ultimately affecting your lifestyle.
Want a second opinion on your kitchen plan? Book a kitchen design sanity check today.
Kitchen Bliss Package
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more.
Related Resources:
Why Internal Elevations are Critical for Your Home
Episode 41: Kitchen Design Essentials – Cabinetry Materials
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On-
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
There are many factors to consider when choosing the right cabinetry material for your kitchen. Budget, aesthetics, cleaning requirements and durability are just a few. In this episode, Frances outlines seven different materials to consider and some of the reasons they would work well in your kitchen, or if you may need to think about something different to meet your needs.
Often people resort to the products they know, rather than being aware of all that’s available and selecting a product that will really work for them and their lifestyle. This episode will arm you with information on the many options out there.
Finally, Frances chats about kickers and how they can be approached in the design of your kitchen.
SHOWNOTES
There are many factors to consider in terms of what you choose for your Forever Home Kitchen and how it’s going to serve you as you need it to.
- Durability- invest in products that are going to last
- Aesthetic- The type of door profile that you choose can impact the type of material you can choose for your kitchen cabinetry
- Door design and profile
- Colour
- Cleaning Requirements
- Easy to clean
- Budget
Types of Cabinet Materials
2pac Pros
- Has a hardened surface- it won’t peel
- There’s a wide range of colours to choose from
- Available in different sheen levels- matte, satin and metallic
- No edging as the paint wraps around the door front and sides
- Wraps seamlessly around the corners
- It is available in any door profile
- Tight and crisp edging
Cons
- Can chip easily, particularly if you are using a fingerless pull
- Not suggested for family kitchens or those with heavy user expectations
Thermal Wrap Has had a bad reputation during the nineties for peeling particularly cupboards close to heat sources. However, because of technology improvements it has also improved significantly over the years.
Pros
- Vacuum sealed
- Has great durability
- Ideal for family kitchen as less susceptible to chipping
- Available in multiple array of door profiles
- It wraps around the door edging providing a seamless edge
Cons
- Profile doors may not have profiles as sharp as with 2Pac
- Not suitable for particularly high cabinetry doors because it can warp overtime
Laminate Pros
- Available in different finishes- natural, satin, gloss, matte, fingerprint and chemical resistant finishes, wood grain or embossed finishes
- Can be cost-effective depending on the finish you are choosing
- It is available with a matching ABS edging tape to match the door fronts
- It comes in a wide variety of colors and finishes
Cons
- Unlike 2Pac and Thermal wrap, it doesn’t wrap around the door front for seamless edging.
Timber Veneer A premium product that has a very thin slice of real timber on furniture grade MDF.
Pros
- Sustainable and natural product.
Cons
- High-end premium product - requires a higher budget for high-end kitchens
- It is not as durable as other materials, as it can absorb moisture
- Higher maintenance than other products as needs gentle cleaning
- Can scratch more easily than other products.
Dekton Dekton by Cosentino is a product that can be used for anything. From floors to façades to benchtops and cabinetry fronts.
Pros
- Pretty much indestructible
- Graffiti proof- Your kids can draw all over it
- Very Durable
- Scratch-resistant
- Sun resistant.
- Suitable for outdoors
- Comes in different industrial style finishes- iron, burnished metal
Cons
- Higher price point compared to thermal wrap and laminate
Glass Pros
- Can break up the aesthetic of solid cabinetry fronts.
- Appealing for those who wish to showcase cupboard contents
- Glass comes in various types for different looks eg, clear, frosted, fluted
Cons
- Not great if you want to hide cupboard contents
- Can be expensive
- Requires frequent cleaning - streaking
Kickers Kickers are the piece of material that runs from the bottom of the cupboard to the floor. They are generally between 100 and 150 mm high and rebated back from the cabinetry front.
- Different materials can create a different aesthetic and contrast to the cabinetry.
- Some considerations: Stainless steel, stone, thermal wrap, 2Pac or laminate
Available Services:
Small changes to your home’s floor plan can completely revolutionise its functionality. A ‘sanity check’ can give you incredible inspiration or confirm you’re on the right track with your new build or renovation.
Book a Floor Plan Sanity Check with us and have one of our team look over your plans.
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional and durable kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer kitchen design packages that include joinery design and material selections for a complete kitchen design. Click the link here to find more.
If you’re thinking about renovating or building your own “Forever Home”, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her.
Related Resources:
Episode 39: Kitchen Design Essentials – Splashbacks
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops-
In this Forever Home Live, Frances shares her story as a Small Business owner during Covid 19 Stage 4 lockdown and what it means for her business White Pebble Interiors. She outlines how as a small business she has been able to adapt, be flexible and still serve her clients, and use the processes and systems that are already in place from serving regional and interstate clients for several years now.
She is super grateful and proud, that she can has not laid off any staff, and is proud to employ a team during this time.
Splashbacks can be a key feature of your kitchen and create a real point of difference. In this episode Frances outlines several splashback materials including glass, stone, windows, mirror and porcelain, that can be used, including her favourite – tiles. Further, she discusses how a splashback is a wonderful opportunity to inject colour, texture or shape into your kitchen. She is a real advocate in the splashback being a chance to reflect your personality and create a point a difference.
SHOWNOTES:
Adding a splashback is a great way to make a statement and inject some of what you love into your kitchen. A splashback is a great opportunity to inject, colour, shape or texture to differentiate your kitchen and make it a reflection of what you love.
Different types of Splashback options; Stone
- Seamless between benchtop and splashback.
- Unified and seamless look
- Easy to clean
Types of Stones
- Reconstituted Stone (e.g Caesarstone, Silestone, Smart stone)- It's not something that can be used as a Splashback with a stovetop that has a naked flame due to the resin used in its production.
- Natural stone is not bound by resin or polymer so it can be used close to a naked flame.
Porcelain/Dekton
- Same aesthetic as stone for a seamless finish.
- Fire-resistant, so able to be used with a gas cooktop
Glass
- Maintenance: Needs to be cleaned regularly – may look streaky
- Can be a bland aesthetic
- Not as cost-effective as other options
- Colour changes behind the glass due to the green tint in the glass
Mirror
- Sophisticated
- Creates an illusion of space, so great for small kitchens.
- Bronzed or tinted mirror add an additional level of sophistication
- Maintenance of regular cleaning
- Cleaning can also make it look streaky
- Quite expensive
Window
- Ensure there is a view out from the window (greenery, landscaping), so there is something to look out to.
- Great for bringing the outside in
- Maintenance- needs daily cleaning
Tiles
- Adds personality, colour, shape and texture to your kitchen.
- A lot of variety to choose from at varying price points.
- Amazing choice and variety to choose from
- Creates a beautiful point of difference
-
Can be more -effective
-
Grout – can be spray sealed or use epoxy grout that is nonporous and won’t discolour.
Metaline
- Great for makeovers when you don’t want to strip out your current splashback or want simple cost effective option.
- Slight reflective metallic finish 3mm applied directly over current splashback.
- Can be easily cut and installed by a cabinet maker
- Limited colours
- Has a similar effect to glass type look
Things to consider; * Think about GPOs in splashback and how they impact the aesthetic.
Are there any other options available? Do you want to use Pop up GPOs?
- Budget, your style, colours, maintenance have it as a feature or not.
Available Services;
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating stylish, functional and durable Kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit space, and your requirements.
We offer several kitchen design packages to assist with your kitchen design – be it a makeover, renovation or new kitchen. Click the link here to find more.
Get the help of an expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes with a free Forever Home chat. White Pebble Interiors provides the vision and direction you need, offering innovative solutions that will maximise the floor plan, space available and colour scheme. Book a chat here;
Related Resources:
Episode 38: Kitchen Design Essentials-Benchtop Criteria and Materials – Part 2
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this episode, Frances continues the benchtop discussion outlining an additional 10 benchtop materials to consider. She also outlines the criteria to assist in deciding what benchtop material is going to be the best for your kitchen.
SHOWNOTES
In the last episode of the Kitchen Design Essential (episode 36), 3 key materials were discussed with Laura from Cosentino;
- Dekton
- Reconstituted Stone
- Natural Stone
In this episode, Frances cover other benchtop materials including Recycled glass, porcelain, Paperock, Timber, Solid acrylic surface (Corian), Concrete, stainless steel, laminate.
Key criteria for choosing your benchtop;- * Budget
| Product | Cost | | Laminate | Low | | Porcelain | High Low | | Paper Rock | Low | | Timber | Medium Low | | Stainless steel | High Medium | | Solid acrylic surface (Corian) | High | | Polished Concrete | High | | 100% recycled glass | High | | 85% Recycled glass | Medium High |
- Durability
- Type of cook and you are
- How else you use your kitchen –
- Type of entertaining
- Homework
- Casual eating
- Aesthetic
- How it fits in the home
- How aesthetic will reflect the kitchen you have
- Details that are important to you – no joins, thickness – 40mm or more
- Maintenance
- Durability
- Material size - Standard slab size: 2800-3200mm x 1000-1200mm
- Overhang
- Overhang on island bench – 300-400mm – not all materials allow for overhang more than 300mm (eg, Dekton), so check.
- Waterfall edges
- Good for durability – hardier material as gets knocked into a lot with kids.
- How thick do you want the benchtop?
- May like thinner and have shadow lines
- Solid acrylic surface can be as thick as you like it – no limit
- Laminate – difference thicknesses with square or rolled edge (bullnosed)
- Concrete – no limit and cast to suit requirements like solid acrylic
- Reconstituted stone – 20mm and then thicker is achieved with a piece added to the face.
Benchtop materials – Part 2 * 100% recycled glass– Newish Product available in the market. + Heat-treated + Compacted and looks like stone + Sustainable
More expensive than a reconstituted stone
-
Only available in limited colors
-
85% Recycled glass– It is bound with bio-resin so the glass particles are visible – like a terrazzo.
Can be mixed with different colored glass or one colour, and you can make it a big feature.
- Porcelain– a ceramic material made by heating materials
- Can have a thin profile - 6mm thick
- Very durable and resistant to wear and tear
- Stronger than granite – can be compared to Dekton – but not made of minerals.
Not made of minerals but a porcelain product
- They come in big slabs so they can be tricky onsite
-
Paperock– layer upon layer of renewable paper sources and bonded with resin and heat/pressure cured.
- It is a remarkably strong composite building material suitable for wet areas
- Sustainable
- Most cost effective than stone
- Timber –
- Sustainable
- Natural product
-
-
- Needs maintenance- sanding, and sealing. Special sealer available via Ecotimber than makes suitable for wet areas.
-
- Solid acrylic surface -It is made with a mold, can make any shape or thickness.
- Great for curved benchtops and illuminating
- Has technology to create charger in benchtop
- No joins
- Repairable
- Non -porous and hygienic
- The darker color are more susceptible to the scratches being visible compared to a lighter color.
- A little bit more expensive than a reconstituted stone.
- Concrete- freeform concrete is often made on site. It is made with a mold so it can be any color or shape
- any shape or colour
- no joints
- Very durable
- Will chip and crack – can be fixed
- Not completely stain resistant
- Stainless steel-
- Anti-bacterial
- Stain resistant
- Heat and fire resistantsurface
- Easy to clean
- Timeless
- Can scratch and smear when cleaned
- Not a cost -effective option
- Laminate
- Cost effective – lots of different finishes mimic stone, concrete
- Different edged finishes
- Not heat resistance and can stain
- Not water resistant if water gets into particle board under surface - it will expand
- Can’t have undermount sink with it.
- Cost effective – lots of different finishes mimic stone, concrete
There are so many choices for your benchtops. We encourage that you do your research and ensure you have the right benchtop to suit all your needs. Look at your objectives, the things that are important to you, and any sustainable criteria.
Engaging with an interior designer might help you determine what’s best for you, when there is so much choice available.
Available Resources:
Overwhelmed by the number of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional, and durable Kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit the space, and your requirements.
We offer several kitchen design packages to assist with your kitchen design – be it a makeover, renovation or new kitchen. Click the link here to find more:
If you’re thinking about renovating or building your own “Forever Home”, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her.
Events
We have a full calendar of Webinars throughout the year, so be sure to view our Events page to find out about upcoming events.
Related Resources:
Episode 36: Kitchen Design Essentials – Benchtops part 1
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this Forever Home Live Frances discusses the reasons for opting for good quality upholstered furniture and the options it provides you over decades of use. She discusses fabric considerations, construction, the sustainability considerations, and outlines what reupholstering can provide and the impact on your choices today.
She walks through solutions for families and how to maximise the life of your good quality furniture,
If you’re in the market to buy new or replace your upholstered furniture, this gives you some great advice and insight about your purchase.
In this episode, part 1 of benchtops in the series, Frances welcomes her guest, Laura Neville from Cosentino to discuss three main benchtop applications – reconstituted stone, natural stone (by Cosentino), and Dekton.
They outline the differences between the 3 products and why you may choose one over the other, considering functionality, durability, budget, and aesthetics. Fabulous insight is provided on manufacturing differences, cost differences, and application.
SHOW NOTES
Things to consider when choosing for benchtops
• Think about how you are going to use the kitchen 5-10 years’ time
- Are there cooks in the family?
- Do you have a large family?
- Is budget a constraint?
• Durability and longevity of the product
• Budget
• Natural light in the kitchen space
• Finish preference for the benchtop
- Polished finish
- Matte Finish
- Suede Finish
• Color and Design of the overall kitchen and home
• Maintenance
Reconstituted Stone
Depending on the brand, reconstituted stone is a mix of different minerals that are bound together with an acrylic resin to create a workable surface. It is guaranteed to maintain consistency in aesthetics throughout the slab, so if you are after consistency, this is a great choice. The customization of your kitchen is stone to the look of your stone through choices of colour, texture, and composition.
Cosentino treats nearly all of their reconstituted stone slabs with a coating called N-boost. Its a technology they’ve developed to minimise the porosity of the stone, preventing the absorption of everyday kitchen liquids (including red wine and lemon).
Silestone brand reconstituted stone
- Minimal amount of resin which does not discolor the slab over time
- Offered in 12-20mm slabs
- Flexibility in the thickness
- Has N-boost technology
- Cosentino offers a 25-year warranty on all of their product
- Has a beautiful suede finish option made in Spain
Other brands of reconstituted stone
- High percentage of resin - Will discolor the slab over time
- Not available in all finish types – particularly matte or suede finish
- May not have as many colour options available
- Warranty not as long
Disadvantages of reconstituted stone
- Not able to be used outdoors
- Can’t be used behind gas as a splashback
- Not heat resistant
- Can change colour over time if high quantities of resin present in the product
- Can stain if stain in left for a period of time
Dekton
A mix of different natural minerals that are liquified, compressed, and baked. It often compared to porcelain but is a different composition. Dekton is classified as an ultra-compact surface. It is more durable as it is completely solid the whole way through. It can be applied to any surface such as kitchen benchtops, stair treads, swimming pools, cabinetry fronts, floors, saunas, and facades.
Pros
- Durability- Dekton has virtually zero porosity
- Heat Resistant
- No issues with discoloration when heat touches the surface
- Low care and maintenance, perfect for cooks and families
- Graffiti proof
- Available in 6mm,8mm,12mm
Cons
- More costly for a stonemason to prepare than stone.
Natural Stone
Sensa by Cosentino
Sensa by Cosentino is a natural stone that consists of granite and quartzite. It is treated with a coating developed called Senguard.
Pros
- Virtually zero porosity
- Heat resistant up to 300 degrees
- Can be used in exterior applications
- It has a Dekton finish that is durable and hard-wearing
Cons
- Expensive- starts at the mid-range of Dekton
You can find Cosentino’s showroom in every major city in Australia. And you can find different colors and sampling across all the products i\on their website. https://www.cosentino.com/
Available services;
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional, and durable Kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit space, and your requirements.
We offer several kitchen design packages to assist with your kitchen design – be it a makeover, renovation, or new kitchen. Click the link here to find more:
Get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her.
Upcoming Event;
Gain essential insight and avoid costly mistakes at the ‘Forever Home Kitchen Masterclass’ Webinar presented by leading interior designer and author of ‘Your Forever Home’, Frances Cosway of White Pebble Interiors. It will be on Thursday, 30th July 2020 at 7:00pm- 8:00 pm AEST.
Click here to register;
Related Resources;
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this Forever Home Live Frances discusses the option of having a mirrored or window splashback and their advantages and disadvantages. The ability to create extra light, to create a sense of space, yet also the high requirement of frequent cleaning.
This episode brings back our guest Fabieli Fontana, from White Pebble Interiors. She and Frances discuss some of the key design mistakes they have seen (and mitigated). Windows in a location that compromise design and functionality, the consideration of materials, and how they affect design outcomes. Some big-scale issues with pantries, using corners, right down to little details such as lining up cabinetry, power point locations, picture windows, and visual bulk mitigation. They discuss how the rationale of the kitchen design is critical to understanding how it works. That your desires may not be a functional choice, so understanding the rationale of the design is crucial in the process.
Finally, they cover why elevations are so important to design details and discuss how not having them leads to big issues later on.
SHOWNOTES
Frances and Fabi discuss some of the key design mistakes they've encountered while working as interior designers and the impact they have on kitchen design.
In many instances, if design mistakes are picked up early on , they can improve the aesthetic or functionality of the kitchen.
In this episode, they share the design mistakes and what changes they suggested to improve the outcome for the client.
Key Kitchen Design Mistakes
Windows
No openable windows- Make sure you have openable windows as kitchens need natural ventilation.
Window Locations Consider window frames aligning with cabinetry, centre sinks and taps on centre panes of windows, and balance splashbacks with windows for correct proportions. An example Fabi and Frances discuss is that of a kitchen with a highlight window not centred above the cabinetry, and the window being too low that it affected the cabinetry height – making looks stumpy, but also affecting storage. This was picked up early allowing discussions with the architect to have the window moved and the size changed
Wish list Vs practicality – You may desire an open island bench for seating at one end, but if space is tight, storage is scant and the dining table is close by – functionality over a wish list item may not be a smart design option. Looking at the kitchen design as a whole, not in isolation makes for a better overall outcome for the home.
Stovetops under windows are not everyone’s ideal. They may look amazing, but cleaning the grease off the window each day is not everyone’s idea of fun and is not regarded as low maintenance.
Internal Elevations and Joinery Design
Sometimes people feel they will save money by not getting elevation drawings done for their kitchen, and rely on the floorplan and talking to the cabinet maker.
This is a dangerous route to take and will inevitably lead to big mistakes, little mistakes and regrets. Precise details will be unknown, exact layouts uncertain, and details for proper construction and quoting incredibly limited. As Jeremy Gates said on the previous podcast (Builder’s Insight” – {MICHAELA _ ADD LINK}not having proper drawings is one of the biggest mistakes leading to under capitalisation on your overall kitchen outcome.
Fridges
Fridges are deeper than standard cabinetry depth, so clearance for door operation needs to be factored into the design. Allow enough clearance between the wall and the back of the refrigerator for adequate air circulation. And if a flush fridge with cabinetry is desired, benchtops and cabinetry will need to be altered to allow for this.
Place fridges to the outer edge of kitchen design for easy access. Ensure you have space between the fridge and bench. Ideally 1.1 metres.
Material Selection
Some materials may not be suitable for your design. Thermo doors may warp if too long, sheet sizes may not be large enough for cupboard doors.
Galley kitchens, pantries and laundries link up in a linear fashion. Flooring considerations for aesthetic purposes along with wet area functionality need to be determined. The mistake of breaking the floor line leads to be substandard finish. Minimal flooring types in a home make for a more refined finish and continuity across spaces.
U-shaped Pantry
Dealing with corners in a U-Shaped kitchen can be tricky. Both Frances and Fabi use a design solution for dealing with corners that allows for a step-in pantry, that also uses an otherwise underutilised corner.
Powerpoint Locations
Imagine having a stunning splashback, but then see a white powerpoint popping out. This is something that can be avoided, with planning and using alternatives that allow your splashback to take centre stage.
Designer Rationale
A lot of detailed planning and thinking goes into a professional kitchen design. It stops many mistakes happening as a detailed analysis of space is going on in the design process. Don’t underestimate the mistakes that can be avoided due to this. You should be able to ask your designer for their rationale and thinking behind the design they have created. There is likely to be many aspects they have been considered that may not be obvious to you, so understanding the rationale behind the design lets you understand this process.
Design is thinking and planning, so your designer should be able to explain their rationale for something being the way it is. Your designer will pick up things that you hadn't even thought about or realised made a difference.
Available Services
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating stylish, functional and durable Kitchen? What materials to select, what colours will co-ordinate together, what design is going to best suit space, and your requirements.
We offer several kitchen design packages to assist with your kitchen design – be it a makeover, renovation or new kitchen. Click the link here to find more:
If you’re thinking about renovating or building your own “Forever Home”, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her
Related Resources:
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 32: Kitchen Design Essentials – The Builder’s Insight
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
In this Forever Home Live Frances is on holidays, and chats about holiday homes in general and what they represent to her. She references how holidays during Covid 19 are a different beast, and how people are now diverting their holiday funds to improving their home. She chats about the implications of Covid 19 lockdown 2 for Melbourne and how her business has pivoted to service clients in the ‘new normal’. She also references the great desire by many to paint original timber accents and features in a home and her view on this.
This Kitchen Design Essentials episode has special guest, Jeremy Gates from Gaia Construction chat with Frances about some of the key mistakes people make when embarking on creating a new kitchen – and not really understanding the impact of these decisions. Jeremy shares his vast experience as a carpenter and builder on how to avoid mistakes when designing your kitchen, and how a builder can really assist you to meet expectations if engaged early on in the process. A very insightful discussion for getting your kitchen right.
SHOW NOTES
Jeremy Gates Managing Director of Gaia Construction joined Frances in this episode to discuss kitchen design and mistakes, from a builder’s perspective.
The biggest oversight that creates problems for builders from a kitchen design perspective;
- When somebody has a concrete floor and it’s difficult to get the plumbing in, or there will be damage to the current floor.
- If you put it in a induction cooktop, and depending on what your fuse board, you may need to upgrade it.
- Communicating you have a water point for the fridge
Anything can be done but the implication is the cost. Being informed allows you to make the right decisions that matter to you.
When designing kitchens, builders look at it from the practicality point of view and how it can be constructed.
The best way to approach designing your kitchen
Decide on a budget as it often decides which direction the kitchen is going to be.
- What are the finishes?
- Have you got a young family?
- How are you going to use the kitchen?
- Is it the hub of the home?
- Do you do lots of cooking?
- What are the appliances you want in there?
Have a look friends kitchens and what may also work for you.
Work out on the appliances you need
- Do you need a wine fridge?
- Coffee machine
- Steam oven
- Double oven
- Cooktop size
Think about storage and make sure everything is in the right place Engage with an expert
- Get people on your job that are going to share the journey with you, that put your priorities first. If you want something that they don't really think works properly, that's fine. Understand their reasoning, so you can make the right decisions.
- They need to listen and really understand what you're trying to achieve because it is your kitchen, not theirs.
The best time to engage a builder
Engage with a builder early on so you can start seeing realistic costs compared to your budget. It's good to have an idea about what's realistic in terms of what your expectations are.
Avoid building a kitchen without joinery design
The cabinet maker’s job is to build what is drawn. To do their job properly it has to be drawn properly as joinery drawings, so it’s easy to review, quote accurately, and adjust if needed. The drawings are essential to provide details such as drawer handles, depth of our drawers, exact measurements, and materials.
Best way to work with a builder
For Jeremy, the first meeting is at no charge. Once you engage the builder it will be for a fixed fee treat your builder as a professional. Ensure they are qualified, and consider their vested interest when giving advice.
Things that clients can do at the detriment to themselves and the end result
- They design the kitchen themselves and end up paying \
- They under-capitalise in their kitchen, which is just as bad as over capitalising! Eg. Not making the best use of space in your kitchen. Not being aware of products that are available, that can improve the design, functionality, durability, and aesthetics of the kitchen.
Number one tip for those who want to renovate or build a new kitchen
Find a designer and a builder that have the same priorities as you. Somebody who is on the same journey with you and your kitchen. You have to be comfortable with the people you're working with. You've got to keep focused on the fact that it's your journey and that you are able to relate to the people on your team. If you don't actually get along with them or relate to them, you're never going to get the proper outcome anyway.
Learn more about Gaia Construction and Jeremy’s Services here
Available Services
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating stylish, functional and durable Kitchen? What materials to select, what colours go with eachother? We offer several different kitchen design packages to assist with your kitchen design – be it a makeover, renovation or new kitchen. Click the link here to find more.
If you’re thinking about renovating or building your own “Forever Home”, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her.
Related Resources:
A Beginner's Guide to Reading Building
Episode 14: Forever Home LIVE- Joinery Drawings and Why Do Them Early On
Episode 30: Kitchen Design Essentials -Kitchen Design Layouts and Location
Episode 31: Forever Home LIVE- Styles - and how a brief determines the outcome
The five building stages
What you need to know before you build
The building stages and what to expect
In this Forever Home Live, Frances discusses the outcome of projects and how they are determined by the brief for the designer. She chats about how the style created in a place is the outcome of the brief, and that as a designer, she may not necessarily like everything personally herself, but as long as it’s cohesive, has flow, and colours, tones and materials all relate to each other – this is the important part. And most importantly, the client loves it. She gives some examples of recent clients, and their briefs and how that will determine the outcome they create for the clients.
Where your kitchen is located in the home, and getting the layout right is critical to good kitchen design. In this episode, Frances, and guest Interior Designer, Fabieli Fontana talk about the different locations of a kitchen in the home, along with different layouts and what some of the advantages and disadvantages are of each. An interesting discussion between two interior designers on optimum kitchen design!
SHOW NOTES
When it comes to kitchen design, there really is more to it than meets the eye. It is important to know how to determine the best location and design layouts for your kitchen to make sure that your space is functional in a way that suits you and your family's lifestyle needs.
Things to consider in choosing the right location for your kitchen
- Good access to natural light
- Other rooms that you are designing
- Personal preference for kitchens to be located
- Internal position
- How can you make things work the best way it can be with the conditions you have
Discussion in this episode covers
South Facing Kitchen
Possible issues with west and east facing kitchens
How your kitchen is located in terms of access to the outdoors
Use of servery windows, outdoor dining, views to garden, play areas and possible pool
Orientation of your kitchen
Consider where you are going to prepare food or where you're going to be standing when you have guests – how does this affect your vision of what's going on in the rest of the house.
Views and Windows
How they impact your kitchen design – in terms of capturing views, access to ventilation, and impact on cabinetry.
Floor plan is king!
It's important to get the design and layout of the kitchen right, while it’s still on paper, as it's very difficult to change it later without going through large expense Spend the time analysing how your location and flows are going to work before you even start getting into details of joinery design
Key Design Kitchen Layouts overview
-
Galley Style Kitchen
- Can be one wall or dual-sided
- Space-saving option
-
L-shaped
- Works well in terms of storage and an easy layout to work with. Provides a lot of design flexibility
- You can also move around the kitchen
- Butler’s pantries easily flow from these designs
-
U-shaped
- Designed with either attached benchtop or floating island bench when attached, can make flow and access less than ideal.
- Have more corners to deal with
When we’re designing kitchens, we always conduct a Kitchen Deep Dive, to consider and design around our client's unique lifestyle and personal requirements to come up with a solution that would meet their needs, takes the whole home into consideration so flow and the overall design is integrated.
- Kitchen Triangle
- The kitchen triangle is not something to get fixated on.
- Ideally, the triangle needs to be up to seven meters cumulative so that you're not working more than seven meters between key elements of the kitchen.
- Key is not to have key components of a kitchen, such as an oven or pantry, crossing a thoroughfare
Available Services:
Will your floor plan, and particularly your kitchen, work for you for years to come? Get a second opinion from an expert team. Find out more about our Floor Plan Sanity Check.
Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating a stylish, functional, and durable Kitchen? What materials to select, what colours go with each other? We offer several different kitchen design packages to assist with your kitchen design – be it a makeover, renovation, or new kitchen. Click the link here to find more.
Related Resources:
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
Top 5 tips for selecting benchtops
Top 5 ways to make best use of your floorplan
Creating “Forever Home” floorplans and getting them right
Kitchen Design Essentials - Season Overview
Kitchen Design Essentials - How to Determine What You Need in Your Kitchen
Frances recorded this Forever Home Live during the Covid 19 isolation period, when many people were working from home for long periods of time. She talks about what you can do to create a working from home space that is productive, personal and allow you to work in a happy environment. Lots of tips to allow you to carve out your own space!
In this Forever Home Live, Frances outlines reasons why having a door on your walk in pantry is a good idea. She talks about the ideal door scenarios too!
What do you need to do before you start designing your dream kitchen? In this episode, as part of the Kitchen Design Essentials Season, Frances outlines how you determine what you need in your kitchen (rather than worrying about what everyone else has) and how to determine the what, how and where for your storage requirements, critical to the foundation of your overall kitchen design.
Frances also discusses the importance of your lifestyle, and your cooking requirements to really determine what you need in your kitchen and how you need it to work for you. Being the hub of many family homes, kitchens need to perform many roles, and be many things, so thinking about how you live and what you need out of your kitchen is critical to getting a design that works.
SHOWNOTES
As kitchens are the main hub of a family the home, they have multiple functions. From cooking to casual eating areas, breakfast bars to entertainment zones homework areas and workspaces. All in all, your kitchen needs to be designed around your needs and work super hard for you.
In this episode Frances walks through the essential elements to consider when you are determining what you need in your kitchen.
She emphases the point that your Forever Home should be designed for yourself, your family and what you need, not what other people's expectations are.
This is also the beauty of creating your own Forever Home kitchen, as it’s all about you and what you need and want from your kitchen. This is where an external party can assist you to think outside the box and provide solutions you haven't even thought of or knew were available.
Things to think about when determining what you need in your kitchen.
What type of cook you are and how you need the kitchen to work.
- How often do you entertain?
- Do you bake often, make jam and preserve food?
- Determine the space you’ll need for food prep and the appliances you’ll need.
How does the kitchen needs to perform for you and your family.
- If cooking infrequently, perhaps it will be more of a show kitchen.
- How much lateral space do you need for food prep
- Entertainment zone, casual dining area and breakfast bar.
For your storage think about what, how and where you need to store items. Eg, appliances, tea and coffee station, kids prep area, baking,
- Bins, chopping boards, cookware, crockery, glasses, and mugs.
- Plastic containers, pens/paper, tea towels.
- Do you want anything on show?
Available Services:
The Kitchen Deep Dive mentioned in the Podcast is available to clients designing or specifying their kitchens with White Pebble Interiors.
If you need assistance, get in touch! We are here to help you get the best out or your kitchen.
Get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her
Related Resources:
How to Choose the Right Bench Top
The Art of Decluttering Podcast
To black or not to black – that is the question often asked of interior designers regarding black tapwear and accessories. Will they date, and should you use them? Frances discusses this topic in this Forever Home Live, putting her view forward, along with industry experts she’s chatted with too. And if you do decide to use black – how to buy quality.
In this FB Live Frances chats about rugs and how to choose them. She discusses the use of rugs to anchor a space, and creating a soft space to relax on. She outlines their other uses for noise mitigation, creating layers in your room and adding texture and colour.
Kitchen Design Essentials is a podcast series to provide all the information you need for your kitchen renovation, new kitchen or kitchen makeover.
Frances provides an overview of what to expect in this specialised Kitchen Design Season and outlines all the areas that will be covered in this multi episode podcast. All you need to know to complete your kitchen will be covered, from layout, design considerations, materials, lighting, storage, pantries, taps, sinks and appliances.
SHOW NOTES
Kitchen Designs need to work hard for all families. They are your entertaining space, a family congregation space and the hub of the home. Therefore, it is important to get it right. In this episode of the podcast, Frances outlines the Kitchen Design Essentials Season. What’s in store, who will be joining her, what will be covered, and why you should listen in!
In this special Podcast Season – Kitchen Design Essentials, Frances will discuss every element to do with Kitchen Design, as well as inviting amazing guests onto the show to go into detail on different topics. A common mistake often made is joinery made for the space, rather than the people that will be using it. A square peg into a round hole scenario, which is not the best approach to creating a kitchen that is designed around how they're going to live.
The Kitchen Design Essentials Podcast Season is created for those who are:
- Thinking of, or in the process of doing a kitchen renovation
- Creating a kitchen from scratch for a new home
- Looking at a kitchen makeover instead of a full renovation
- Interested in kitchen design
- Wanting lots of knowledge to plan for your kitchen in the future.
Guests on the show
Experts from all areas such as material manufacturers, builders, lighting designers, and appliance representatives, will be joining Frances to share their insight and expertise on various topics, so you’re getting well rounded information from a wide source of specialists.
What the season will cover:
- When’s it best to do a makeover Vs renovation
- Where best to locate your kitchen
- Design layouts
- How to assess your design
- Custom design and flat packs
- Cabinetry materials
- Benchtop materials
- Details – handles and hardware
- Taps and sinks
- Splashbacks
- Butler’s pantries, WIP & appliance cupboards
- Key measurements & kitchen triangle/work area
- Appliances
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Colours and decorating
- Storage & bins
- Makeovers
- Outdoor kitchens
Frances will cover the best location for your kitchen in your home, the orientation of kitchen, advantages and disadvantages of certain layouts and key considerations to think about when choosing your kitchen layout.
Assessing designs and how to know if the design presented to you is going to work for you. Frances will also talk about custom design kitchens and flat pack kitchens cabinetry materials and their advantages and disadvantages material types.
Frances will also cover benchtop materials, including new products coming onto the market, splashbacks and regulations, handles and hardware details, and other elements that really complete and finish your kitchen off, making it unique to you.
The differences between tap and sink types and what to look for, and where to spend.
Butler's Pantry, Walk-in-Pantries and appliance cupboards will also be discussed to allow you to determine what will work best for you.
Frances runs through appliances, how to assess what’s best for you, and understanding key measurements.
Finally, Frances will discuss the importance of good task lighting, decorative lighting and how to avoid glare and shadow, plus the ever important (and often forgotten) element of good ventilation.
Decorating and choosing colours can be fun, and Frances will outline key considerations when selecting colours, as well and how to decorate your kitchen.
Available Services:
If you’re thinking about renovating or creating your kitchen get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a 15 minute chat with her.
Do you think you may need help to make sure you don’t miss anything with your Kitchen Design? Check out Kitchen and Bathroom Bliss Package. With our help, your kitchen and bathroom renovations will be far less stressful and the results will stand the test of time.
You may also book an initial consultation to start the process of renovating or building your new home or get one-off advice to finish your home.
Got big plans for a new home or renovation that you can start preparing for? Your Forever Home- The First Step might be the perfect course to ensure your planned, prepared and informed, right from the outset, to create a home of your dreams. The EOFY Sale is saving you $300 off the Your Forever Home – The First Steps Online Course. Now only $197 instead of $497. Only valid until 15th July 2020
Storage in bathrooms cannot be overlooked. This Forever Home Lives goes through the importance of storage in bathrooms for them to function adequately. Bathrooms should not only look fabulous, but they need to work for us too. Frances runs through storage solutions for all bathrooms.
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
In this Forever Home Live, Frances chats about choosing tapwear, showers and bathroom accessories and how they need marry in with each other for a cohesive scheme. What taps are best for the kitchen and laundry and how they don’t need to match all the other taps in your home!
Join the '5 Costly Bathroom Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them' Webinar
If you like this and want to learn more, I've got a webinar coming up on 24th November from 7PM-8PM AEDT. Click here to find out more and register.
Confused about all the different types of carpets available and how to select the right one? In this episode, Frances outlines different carpet types, from twist to plush to loop pile, along with carpet weights and fibres and how to choose one over another. Further, she chats through the important aspect of what colour carpet to choose, and dispels all the misnomers about having a dark carpet to hide stains.
There are so many different options available when it comes to choosing benchtops for kitchens, laundries and bathrooms. With new materials launching all the time.
In this Forever Home Live Frances runs through the main considerations when selecting your benchtops.
Frances runs through the criteria and parameters around the Australian Government’s Home Builder Scheme, and who is eligible for the $25K grant.
She also discusses window splashbacks for above a stove. The likes and dislikes about this scenario.
Why is flooring so important? In this Forever Home Live Frances discusses why choosing your floor first is critical to getting all your material choices right. Floors take up a lot of budget, cover a large area and need to work super hard, so get the low down on floors in this episode.
In this Forever Home Live Frances discusses the topic of a sink in your kitchen island bench and outlines the advantages and disadvantages of a sink in the bench. This episode will allow you to make an informed choice on which is the best option for you.
SHOW NOTES
In this Forever Home Live Frances discusses the topic of a sink in your kitchen island bench and outlines the advantages and disadvantages of this as an option in your kitchen design.
Things to consider with a sink in an Island Bench;
Water Splashing
A sink inevitably means water splashing, which is not ideal for a food prep area, or when people are sitting at your bench.
Visual Dirty Dishes
Having the dirty dishes for all to see and "in the face" of someone sitting at the island is not ideal. The clean up area around your sink is not conducive to a lovely clean island bench aesthetic
It obstructs a large lineal area
Island benches serve different purposes- a buffet, breakfast bar andfood prep area. With a sink in this large lineal space, it obstructs your largest lineal area in the kitchen. Additionally, it prevents people from being able to sit at the bench where the sink is, so you’re losing seating too
Not all kitchen designs have the luxury of having enough space for the sink to be off the island bench. It’s that’s the case, keep the sink to one side of the bench rather than in the middle. Retain as much lineal space as you can.
Available Resources
Need help with your Kitchen design? Book a Chat with Frances to see how we can help. or you may check our Kitchen Bliss service.
Related Resources
How to Choose the Right Benchtop
Top 5 Tips for Selecting Benchtops
Toilets may not be the sexiest subject to discuss, however they are still an essential element when renovating or creating your Forever Home.
This episode covers the differences between toilet styles and types of toilets so you can decide on type of toilet is the best for you. Not all toilets are the same, and Frances covers rimless, back to wall, hidden cistern and floating pan options.
Back to Wall toilets
Back to Wall toilets have a visible cistern. It's entire toilet system that goes back against the wall, hence why it's called back to wall. Available with a ceramic or plastic cistern. This type of toilet most cost effective toilet systems, however they do come in a wide variety of styles and budgets.
Rimless toilets
Rimless toilets allow for easier cleaning, as well as having a more internal streamlined and simplified aesthetic. Being rimless, they are easier to clean, and more hygienic as dirt does not get trapped under the rim, Most rimless toilets use a direct flush technique which means flushing doesn't come from underneath the rim.
Rimless toilets are generally more expensive than a standard back to wall toilet, particularly if you’re after a particular brand. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars more for a rimless style toilet.
Hidden Cistern
Hidden cisterns are normally hidden within the wall cavity. The pan is exposed but the cistern is hidden with flushing operated via a flush plate on the wall. It requires less space so their shorter length makes them ideal for smaller style powder rooms or tight spaces.
Compared to traditional back to wall toilets, they are more expensive with the different elements purchased individually- pan, flush plate and cistern. In addition, they also require additional work to install which can increase the installation cost.
Some people prefer the aesthetic of a hidden cistern, making the overall look of the toilet less bulky, but this is a personal preference.
Floating Pans
Floating Pan operate with a hidden cistern. Instead of the pan being on the floor, it is wall mounted and floating off the floor. It again created a more steamlined look, and makes floor cleaning easier.
Floating pan and hidden cistern are the most expensive option.
Things to consider in choosing Toilets;
Price
Toilets can be anywhere from $300 upwards of $2000 depending on its, brand, components and and aesthetic.
Interchangeable seats
Most toilets have interchangeable seats. Make sure you get one that has a click mechanism to easily take them off for cleaning.
Size and height
For easy accessibility some clients prefer toilets that are a little bit higher than standard. It makes it easier as you get older to get back up, and also for tall people.
Available Services
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that need to be made when creating stylish, functional and durable bathrooms.
With our help, your bathroom renovation will be far less stressful, and the results will stand the test of time. Interested? Book a FREE 15-minute chat with Frances today!
You may also book an initial consultation to start the process of renovating or building your new home or get one-off advice to finish your home.
Related Resources
Australian House and Garden Top 50 Rooms Award
In This Forever Home Live Frances discusses the importance of spatial planning and how it affects other choices and selections in your home. She discussed the importance of conducting this at floorplan stage and the reason why. #foreverhome #newhome #newbuild #renovation #homeplanning #ownerbuilder
Don’t leave your joinery drawings until you’re part way through the build. Frances outlines why this is not ideal, and what you can achieve in completing internal elevations and joinery drawings before building. She outlines how you can save money, compromises you can avoid, and why you’ll get a much better result with them.
#foreverhome #newhome #newbuild #renovation #homeplanning #ownerbuilder
Choosing internal and external paint colours for your home is not as easy as it seems. There are many factors to consider to ensure you get it right and asking an online forum is not the ideal method to getting the right colours for your home. Frances chats through what to consider to get it right and how not all colours are the same.
In this Forever Home live, Frances outlines her view on the top 3 trends for 2020 and what will be with us to stay.
#foreverhome #newhome #newbuild #renovation #homeplanning #ownerbuilder #trendsin2020
#style
There are a number of specialists required to make your Forever Home a reality.
In this episode Frances outlines key specialists she believes make a big difference to the overall outcome for your home. Engaged early on, each one is able to add their expertise to the project, and work together, rather than in silos. Ultimately, they add massive value to your overall Forever Home Master Plan.
SHOW NOTES
Architect and/or Draftsman
An architect designs the concept for the home, including the building envelope and floorplans. All structural requirements are part of the architect’s remit.
A draftsman prepares structural technical drawings and is also able to draft floorplans and the building envelope, however comes with less design training. Choosing who will suit your project more is a personal decision and often comes down to referrals, expertise and exactly what’s required for your home.
Landscaper
Engaging with a landscaper early on means you have your whole site considered, not just the home itself. Landscapers provide the plan for your external zones including entertaining areas, garden and pool. It makes sense that the landscaper is involved early on so that the flow to the outdoors and the way the outdoors is in tune and relates to the indoors is taken into consideration at floor plan stage, so nothing is missed. You don't necessarily need to have the plan executed until later, but at least having a plan ensures nothing is left out or forgotten.
Interior Designer
An interior designer will look all internal areas of your home for functionality, flow, durability, and aesthetics. Hiring them early on can help you avoid costly mistakes that will not only help you save money but can increase the value of your home. An interior designer will get into the ‘nitty gritty’ and details of space planning, too. They will review space planning, flow and create a furniture layouts for each room to ensure windows are in the right location for your interior layout, and that key furniture pieces will fit where you want it to go. Interior designers also recommend and select all the materials, fittings and fixtures for the home ensuring continuity, flow and correct proportions. The alleviates stress, overwhelm and makes the process quicker and easier.
Sustainability Expert
Sustainability experts often work closely with the passive house principles, ensuring you maximise the energy efficiency of your home They review plans early ono recommend products that are going to make your home more energy efficient, and sustainable.
Make a list of the important elements for you, as this will assist you in finding the right team of people to design your home. Ask friends or family about experts they’re engaged for their home. A personal referral is a great place to start.
Available Services:
Ready to renovate or build but not sure where to start? Get the help of a property expert and save yourself from making costly mistakes. Book our FREE Forever Home chat and we’ll discuss your biggest challenges and talk about some possible ways to move forward.
You may also book an initial consultation to start the process of renovating or building your new home or get one-off advice to finish your home.
Related Resources:
Finding an Architect or Draftsperson
Why Engage an Interior Designer Early
In this Forever Home Live, Frances outlines some of the preliminaries to consider when planning your Forever Home, and the timelines to allow for them. There is a lot to plan for in advance of getting your home designed, which is outlined in this episode.
SHOW NOTES
Lifestyle
The design of your home should incorporate all aspects of home life that are important to you and your family. Think carefully about current family lifestyle, and how that may change over time. Ensure your interior designer has a good understanding of how you would to live and relax in your home so lifestyle requirements are part of the design and flow naturally.
Access to local amenities
Think about access to local amenities when choosing the location for your home. How important are commuting distances to work, access to public transport, schools, shopping, recreation facilities, hospitals, church, open spaces?
Land and your site
Selecting the ideal site on which to build your home is an important decision and impacts many aspects of your design and build. Think about the land orientation, size, garden requirements, outdoor living and ultimately how the site needs to serve you.
Timelines
How long does it take to build or renovate a house? It's a question often asked by clients before going through the building process. To give you an idea, Frances mentions some of the factors that might affect the building process.
Floor plans and Elevations- Your feedback and any changes have a big impact on timing and having your plans completed.
Planning permit- Getting a planning permit from the local authority can add many months to the design and build process.
Internal Specifications- Engaging an interior designer early on can make the process quicker as they can pull all the materials, fixtures and fittings together in a timely manner. They know where to go to source what you need.
Some delays in any build is to be expected, but many can be managed, and knowing what to expect can mitigate the stress.
Available Services:
If you’re thinking about renovating or building your own ‘Forever Home’, Your Forever Home- The First Steps Online Course is the perfect course to ensure you’re planned, prepared and informed, right from the outset, to create a home of your dreams. To join, click the link here.
Related Resources:
The Five Building Stages
What you need to know before your build
Internal doors are an often overlooked as an important design element when creating your home. They have many purposes, and critical to good performance and flexibility in any home.
In this Forever Home Live, Frances discusses the importance of doors and the many benefits they provide in your Forever Home design, including their purpose in different scenarios.
Noise Mitigation The use of doors is critical for noise mitigation. It hampers noise traveling throughout your home, both along hallways and up and down stairs
Privacy How a home is laid out is also important in terms of bedrooms zoned away from living spaces and laundries. The use of doors allows for the creation of privacy, for a study, bedroom, lounge, and retreat area.
Energy Efficiency Creating zones allows for energy efficiency, and the ability to close of certain rooms in a home, meaning unutilised areas are not heated or cooled unnecessarily.
Multifunctional The problem with rooms not having doors is not being able to use that space for make something else. Having doors also for flexibility in what a space can be used for.Doors can be opened up to create an illusion of space whether it’s double cavity sliding doors or a hinge door.
Services Available Will your floor plan work for you for years to come? Have one of our team look over your plans so you have the peace of mind that you’re on the right track with your new build or renovation. Find out more about it here.
Related Resources Three Ways to Future Proof Your Home A Quiet Life with Noise Mitigation
Learn all about Forever Home Podcast host, Frances Cosway as she shares her journey from Corporate Marketing Executive to Interior Designer to Forever Home Expert. She openly and honestly reveals how she left the corporate world and how she started in interior design to follow her passion.
SHOW NOTES
Frances' unique style and influences developed from working on interior design projects in Europe, where she lived for over a decade in Amsterdam. Ljubjlana, Antwerp and London. She purchased her first apartment in Amsterdam which she renovated and infused her own cultural aspects from Australia (like adding a bath and a decent kitchen) and combining that with elements from Northern Europe, like bright colours. Frances then moved to London and bought her second apartment which she also renovated, injecting what she loved into add, and adding her treasured pieces from Amsterdam. It was in London when she started doing interior projects for her friends that she fell in love with the process of creating an idea and executing it, so decided to study interior design
She came back to Australia in 2009 and started White Pebble Interiors in 2010, leaving the corporate world behind. From then on, she has never stopped following her passion of helping others create their own Forever Home.
She built her own award-winning Forever Home in 2014, managing the build from lock up stage and published her first book, ‘Your Forever Home’ in 2017. She has presented at dozens of national conferences, writes for numerous publications, been interviewed on TV, and has had her projects featured in House and Garden, Houzz and Design Homes Australia. She is incredibly passionate about creating Forever Homes that will stand the test of time and reflective of the home owner’s personality and life story, rather than a cookie cutter approach.
Frances is driven to make sure people create homes that they love and are not about trends. Her passion is to give people the confidence to choose elements that are reflective for themselves and create homes that are so functional, sustainable and adaptable.
Frances will continue to share all her insights, passions and things that can help you create a Forever Home- A home that you are going to love Forever.
Services Available: If you’re thinking about renovating or building your own “Forever Home”, get in touch with Frances directly, by booking a chat with her.
Got big plans for a new home or renovation that you can start preparing for? Your Forever Home- The First Step might be the perfect course to ensure your planned, prepared and informed, right from the outset, to create a home of your dreams. With so many people now in social isolation, we have opened up the Bonus Bundle adding $900 of bonuses to the course. Click here for more info.
Frances built her own award winning sustainable Forever Home in 2014. Here she runs through what was done with her home to make it sustainable, comfortable and energy saving.
Frances chats about how connecting with your interior designer (and other specialists) on many levels is so critical to your project.
SHOW NOTES:
Your home is the place that should reflect your personal style as it’s where you spend a lot of time, and where you should feel comfortable, without necessarily paying an arm and a leg. Like anything that matters, finding the right interior designer and the right service requires some research.
In this podcast, Frances shares this helpful guide on finding an Interior Designer that's right for you.
FIT WITH YOUR PERSONALITY
It's important to have a connection with the people that will be working with you, be it your interior designer, architect or landscaper. You need to know if you relate to them and how they understand your requirements.
One way to know is by having an initial consultation to give you an insight into how that person operates, how professional they may be, how they speak with you and how they are provide ideas and solutions. You get a feeling for them and if their personality and style is the right fit with you..
FLEXIBILITY IN SERVICES
Many interior designers offer a range of services and pricing structures. You shouldn’t feel completed to sign up for an all inclusive package if that doesn’t fit your requirements. A professional interior designer should be able to tailor their expertise to fit with what you actually require.
Available Services:
Feeling overwhelmed or don’t know where to begin? Book an initial consultation to start the process of building your new home or renovating, or get one-off advice on finishing your home upgrade project.
Related Resources:
Why Engage an Interior Designer Early?
How an Interior Designer Can Mitigate Mistakes
Finding an Architect or Draftsperson