Your Forever Home: Recent Episodes
Frances Cosway
The Forever Home Podcast is for those building a new home or renovating to create the Forever Home of their dreams.
Focusing on sharing key information to ensure you’re planned and prepared for the journey, we’ll share how to ensure your home is functional, sustainable, durable, and aesthetically beautiful.
We cover the big items, like finding the right land, building, home design, interior design and decorating, but also lots of the little details that get lost along the way that can have a big impact on the end result.
Guests will join Frances to share their insight and expertise on various topics, so you’re getting well rounded information from a wide source of specialists.
Host, Frances Cosway, is an author, interior designer and Forever Home expert who has helped hundreds of people create Forever Homes that are designed for their lifestyles and reflects who they are.
A truly well-designed home should feel comfortable in every season—not just when the heating or cooling is switched on. In this episode, Frances shares the design decisions that help homes stay naturally cooler in summer, warmer in winter, and more enjoyable to live in all year round. From passive solar design and insulation to ventilation, landscaping and window design, discover how thoughtful planning creates a Forever Home™ that performs beautifully every day.
A home can look beautiful but still be frustrating to live in. In this episode, Frances explores the small home design mistakes that often go unnoticed until after you move in—from door swings and appliance placement to landing spaces and everyday functionality. Learn how thoughtful planning can help you create a home that's not only beautiful, but effortless to live in.
What makes a welcoming home feel warm, inviting and comfortable — rather than cold or clinical? In this episode, Frances explores how layering, texture, lighting, colour, natural materials and thoughtful styling choices can completely transform the feeling of a space. From timber and textiles to lighting and undertones, she shares practical interior design ideas to help you create a welcoming home that feels warm and inviting.
In this episode, Frances explores how to design your home for the way you truly live day to day — not for occasional use. From spare rooms and theatre spaces to oversized hallways, she shares practical strategies to avoid wasted space and create a home that works harder, feels better, and supports your Forever Home™ lifestyle.
In this episode, Frances shares a firsthand experience inside a volume builder's colour selection and lighting appointments — revealing how these meetings unfold, including the pressure, choice limitations, and hidden upgrade costs that often catch homeowners off guard. She compares this with the custom build process, showing how greater flexibility, expert guidance, and curated selections can transform the experience, and actually end up being a more cost effective option - even if it doesn't seem it upfront. If you're planning your Forever Home™, this episode will help you make more confident, informed decisions from the start.
Creating accessible interiors in your home isn't about ageing — it's about choice, comfort, and staying in your Forever Home™ for longer. In this episode, Frances explores practical, design-led ways to improve accessibility and flexibility, from floor plans and bathrooms to kitchens and lighting, without compromising on aesthetics.
Decision fatigue is one of the biggest challenges homeowners face during a renovation or new build. In this episode, Frances breaks down why the constant stream of choices becomes so overwhelming, the impact it can have on your project, and the practical steps you can take to reduce stress, stay focused, and make confident decisions for your Forever Home™.
In this festive episode of the My Forever Home™ Podcast, Frances walks you through how to create a Christmas theme that flows beautifully from your tree, to your table, and throughout your home. She shares how she designed her own Australian botanical Christmas and offers practical ideas to help you personalise your festive décorations, whether you love a minimalist nature-inspired look or full-on maximalist Christmas magic.
In this episode, Frances dives deep into what it really means to create cohesion and continuity in your home — and why it matters more than you might think. From consistent materials and colour tones to layout flow and emotional connection, Frances walks you through the key elements that help your home feel calm, functional, and uniquely yours. Whether you're building new, renovating, or refreshing your space, this episode will help you pull everything together beautifully (and confidently!).
If your home doesn’t work, it won’t matter how beautiful it looks. In this episode, Frances dives into why function must come first when designing your forever home. She shares what functionality really means, how to futureproof your spaces, and why open-plan retreats and missing doors might be costing you more than you realise. Practical, passionate, and packed with insights.
In this new episode, Frances dives deep into the often-overlooked but absolutely critical role of lighting in your home. She explores how strategic lighting design can elevate not just the look but also the functionality and emotional feel of each space. From task lighting to the ambience created by uplights and lamps, Frances shares practical, real-life examples (including hotel bathrooms that drive her nuts!) and actionable tips for creating mood, atmosphere, and forever-home-worthy design outcomes.
In this new podcast episode, Frances walks you through the key kitchen design trends emerging for 2025 and beyond—plus which ones are here to stay. From coloured cabinetry (hello green and navy!) to textural finishes like fluted glass and curved profiles, she shares what’s gaining traction and how to know if it’s right for your Forever Home™. You’ll hear her take on splashbacks, timber tones, sustainable surfaces, and how European trends eventually filter into Australian homes. If you're planning a kitchen or simply love design, this one's packed with insight and practical advice from Frances’ years in the industry.
In this special episode, Frances shares a personal update and explains why the podcast has been quiet in recent months. It’s a heartfelt message to her community, with gratitude and honesty at its core.
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 sustainabilty. 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 Contibutions) 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. Upcoming Free Online Masterclass Learn the key steps to get you on the path to completing the interior design of your own home. Plus kill that crushing question ‘I don’t know where to start’. Join my brand new online masterclass- "5 Essentials to Know Before You Start Designing Your Home". Choose from the following dates below: * Tuesday 1st March 2022 at 7pm AEDT * Thursday 3rd March 2022 at 12 noon AEDT * Wednesday 9th March 2022 at 6pm AEDT
Register your spot now If you can't make it, I'll send you the replay 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. * + Tiler, cabinet maker, caulker, painter, electrician, stonemason, garage doors, range hood installation, shower screens, delivery of all supplies, plus the landscaper and pool people.
- 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. * 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. * 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
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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. * 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. * Plus, the White Moroccan inspired pendant lights
Bathrooms * 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. * 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. * 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. * 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 * 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.
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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? 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. It allows you to assess 'what you need Vs what you want. It allows you to identify key priorities. 4. 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 feel * 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 * 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.
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 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 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. 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 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. 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 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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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 the space not working as you need it to.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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.