The Interiors Addict |
- Interior designer renovates house in two weeks while 7 months pregnant!
- How to do a bathroom renovation: how it all works and why it’s expensive
- Selling Houses Australia new presenters revealed to join Andrew Winter
| Interior designer renovates house in two weeks while 7 months pregnant! Posted: 02 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT With her first child on the way, Sydney interior designer Stephanie Ferrara was keen to move from her two-bedroom apartment into her first family home. The search was proving rather fruitless until an Inner West heritage home hit the market and Stephanie and her husband were the successful bidders at auction. "We purchased the home while I was six months pregnant, had a settlement period of a month and so had to renovate really quickly," says Stephanie. She transformed the place with just $20,000 within three weeks and while working full time (not to mention seven months pregnant). Phew!   The circa 1918 home needed a fair bit of work; not only was a lot of the timber falling apart but the home's palette was an ‘interesting’ mix of aqua blue, brown, turquoise and pink. "We bought the ugliest house on the street and all of the neighbours said that they couldn't wait to see what we would do with it," says Stephanie who wanted to carry out a relatively small renovation in the short term with a view to extending the home in a few years' time.    The renovation began outside where the home's existing rainbow of paint colours was replaced with a much more sophisticated palette of Dulux shades including Domino, Monument, Teahouse and Shale Grey. "I chose Dulux Pink Dust for the front door because I'm having a girl," says Stephanie. The home's original iron fence was replaced with a picket fence also, greatly increasing the home's street appeal.   Almost a quarter of the renovation budget was spent on the floors where the blue and pink carpet was ripped up to reveal perfect timber boards underneath. A dark stain was applied and then all of the walls were patched up and repainted in Dulux Lexicon Quarter and Vivid White. "I wanted it to be quite monochrome and clean because it's my signature style and the home also needed to be modernised to some degree," says Stephanie.   The kitchen underwent a small renovation (the doors and the bench top were replaced) while the bathrooms were overhauled with the Dulux Renovation range of tile primer and paint. "A client of mine did it as a temporary five-year fix and we've done the same thing. The bathroom is nice and fresh now," says Stephanie.   The house also needed to be completely rewired and while it was carried out by an electrician, Stephanie's brother-in-law was on hand too. "He is an apprentice electrician, so he helped with all of the more minor jobs. Even I got involved with chasing cables up the wall," says Stephanie.   "We moved in when I was eight months pregnant and I'm about to have the baby this month. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. It was obviously worth it but I'm exhausted!" says Stephanie.  90s house renovation renders it unrecognisable. In a good way! This 1980's Italian mansion extreme makeover is one of our most popular posts so when we heard the team behind it had recently completed another project, we were keen to…
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| How to do a bathroom renovation: how it all works and why it’s expensive Posted: 02 May 2021 02:00 PM PDT Bathrooms can be one of the most fun but also one of the most challenging rooms to build or renovate, due to the staging and co-ordinating of various trades, fitments and plumbing requirements. It all starts with a clear vision, brief and design, which will direct the project and team. When designing your dream bathroom, you need to understand the requirements of those using the space. One of the key elements to think about here is access for people who might have mobility issues later on in life.  Essentially, all bathrooms are about combining the following items: the vanity sink and mirror, shower, bath and toilet. Yet there are so many scenarios of how this can be achieved, it can seem like an epic task! If you are renovating, then begin by identifying where the plumbing is currently and what it is about the layout you would like to change. Moving plumbing isn't necessarily hard if you have a lot of underfloor clearance; however, if you are on a slab or in an apartment, then it may be prohibitive. If this is you, then try sketching up what you would like to achieve, and then have a fallback plan which keeps all the plumbing positions in the same location.  The trades required to install or renovate a bathroom can include carpenters, plasterers, painters, joiners, electricians, plumbers, tilers, caulkers and glaziers. Many of these trades need to come back several times throughout the process. For example, the plumber will need to rough in (put the pipes in the wall) before the plastering and then return at the end of the process to fit the fixtures. Organising the co-ordination of these trades, and having the correct materials on site when required, is critical to keeping costs down. It can be expensive and frustrating to get people back many times to do a job that is not ready, so make sure you understand the process before you start, to facilitate a speedy renovation or build!  You might have heard that bathrooms are one of the most expensive areas of the house and this is purely because you need multiple water-resistant materials and qualified trades to install them. Each trade will complete small sections of the renovation over a series of days, and every return trip adds to the overall cost, especially if your schedule is delayed by trades letting you down or materials arriving late. If you are hiring individual trades yourself, make sure you lock them in ahead of time. Conversely, if you are using a builder make sure you understand their timeframes ahead of proceeding with the job.  A sample bathroom build might follow the following process:· Demolition or stripping out the space · Repairing any structural work or water damage to the timber – this can also include dropping the floor joists to allow for level tiles, or raised floors for inbuilt showers · Plumber rough-in – installation of pipes and services · Electrical rough-in – installation of wires to power points and lights (we like the electrician to work after the plumber as it is easier for them to run wires around pipes instead of the other way around) · Floor fit-out · Plastering and sanding of the walls and ceiling · Painting of walls and ceilings (we like to do this before tiling, but it can also be done afterwards) · Waterproofing · Plumbing of built-in bath, if you're having one. A free-standing bath will be installed after tiling · Tiling and grouting · Installation of vanity and cabinets · Depending on whether there's an underslung sink or not, vanity tops can usually be measured now. · Final fitting of electrics and plumbing including lights, powerpoints, taps, bath and sinks · Installation of shower screen and mirrors · Final cleaning and styling. Which kind of bath? The built-in versus the freestanding bath is a popular debate. People seem to be very solidly in one camp or the other. The pros for a freestanding bath are that they look lovely, they can be easier and more cost-effective to install and take less time to complete. The built-in bath creates a different aesthetic, requiring more coordination with the trades, but it is arguably easier to clean as you don't get water between the bath and the wall and it has a ledge around it, which you can use for styling. We actually like both and will often recommend either based on the available space in a bathroom or who will be using it most. That is the magic of building – there are so many wonderful options to explore. It's up to you and your values!  TOP TIP 1 A walk-in shower with a hose is a brilliant addition as it has so many uses: washing children and pets, watering plants, cleaning the shower and keeping your hair dry. Consider this type of fixture for maximum flexibility. TOP TIP 2 Place plug sockets in one of your drawers for easy access to a hairdryer and straightener without the trouble. If you use an electric toothbrush think about power in your mirrored vanity, too. TOP TIP 3 If you plan to include a skylight in your bathroom, think about its location early on in the renovation process. We like to place them over the shower where possible, but it's more important to have a natural relationship with the room as a whole, providing light where needed. -Extracted from BuildHer by Rebeka Morgan & Kribashini Hannon, out now from Smith Street Books, RRP $45   Edwardian beauty revealed under 80s facade and saved from demolition After working in oncology for 15 years, Yolanda Aarons decided to scratch the renovation itch via a home in Melbourne's Northcote that was in dire need of an overhaul. After…  Eight women team up to build houses in unique model While women are healthily represented in the design industries, it's no secret that the building scene tends to be dominated by men. Which is why we were thrilled to hear… The post How to do a bathroom renovation: how it all works and why it’s expensive appeared first on The Interiors Addict.   |
| Selling Houses Australia new presenters revealed to join Andrew Winter Posted: 02 May 2021 03:48 AM PDT Andrew Winter will be joined by new presenters Wendy Moore and Dennis Scott as production commences for the 14th season of the popular LifeStyle Channel renovation show. It’s hard to imagine not one but two new personalities on the show!  FOXTEL today announced the replacements for Shaynna Blaze and Charlie Albone after they both left the show. Production starts next week with the Selling Houses Australia team scouring the length and breadth of Australia's heartland, bringing their inspired ideas and expertise for interior and exterior makeovers. Shaynna’s replacement, Wendy Moore, headed up Australian Home Beautiful as editor-in-chief for more than 12 years, combining her expertise in interiors and design with a strength in communicating with a passionate audience. With interior design and makeover projects also under her belt, Wendy became a judge on Channel 7's House Rules for seven seasons.  More recently, she took on the role of Group General Manager of FOXTEL's LifeStyle Group overseeing all aspects of FOXTEL's iconic LifeStyle brand including LifeStyle, LifeStyle HOME, LifeStyle FOOD channels and FOX ARENA. She will reportedly continue in this role alongside her Selling Houses filming commitments. Dennis Scott will be the new resident landscape expert, bringing a wealth of experience in sustainability and a passion for designing functional and uniquely Australian outdoor spaces. Dennis owns Lush Landscape Solutions in Brisbane and previously had an NRL career which spanned ten years. It began in 1996 when he played for the Brisbane Broncos. He then joined Canterbury-Bankstown in 1999 for the next six years, then linked with Craig Bellamy and the Melbourne Storm for two seasons in 2005 and 2006. Announcing his NRL retirement following a long battle with injury, Dennis made the tough transition to a career after sport. He undertook a mature age carpentry apprenticeship at his friend's construction company. It was during this time where Dennis turned his hand to landscaping. He fell in love with it and realised his dream of starting his own business. Charlie left the show late last year and replaced Jason Hodges as the landscaping expert on Better Homes & Gardens. Shaynna followed suit earlier this year and continues to be a judge on The Block. The end of an era indeed! FOXTEL's Executive Director of Television, Brian Walsh, said: "We welcome Wendy and Dennis to the Selling Houses Australia team who will bring their wealth of expertise and their own unique personalities to our much-loved flagship series with Andrew at the helm. With people spending more time in and on their homes, Selling Houses will continue to connect and thrive with our audience after an already incredible successful 13 years.” Andrew Winter said: "I am actually a person that has always liked change… I mean I can't even keep a house that long. The timeline for Selling Houses Australia has been completely thrown with everything going on in the world, and I have been waiting impatiently and can't wait to get back out there. I am really looking forward to working with Wendy and Dennis and welcome them to the team because we are so ready to hit the road." Selling Houses Australia is produced by Warner Bros International Television Productions (WBITVP) exclusively for FOXTEL's LifeStyle Channel and returns in 2022. The post Selling Houses Australia new presenters revealed to join Andrew Winter appeared first on The Interiors Addict.   |
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