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Jen's reno RENO ADDICT

My game-changing new wardrobe doors!

As regular readers will know, we have been slowly but surely (some would say pretty quickly actually!) updating our family home from the “nanna house” we bought, for a year now. The bedrooms got off to a good start really quickly with carpet, paint, plantation shutters and new lighting. But the wardrobes were seriously letting them down. Until now!

New wardrobe doors in our master bedroom. These are huge wardrobes and the doors have made a massive difference to this room.
One of Seb’s wardrobe doors had fallen off so he’s very happy about the new additions!
Now we can access the spare room wardrobe space so much easier, we’ll be making use of this essential storage! Can never have too much!

Bedrooms are definitely a lot easier and cheaper to refresh than kitchens and bathrooms! But the old wardrobe doors, most likely original from the 60s, screamed DATED. They were wood veneer when we moved in (so much brown!) and we quickly had them painted white which made a big difference but they still didn’t exactly look great.

BEFORE: Seb’s bedroom wardrobes shortly before we moved in.
STOP GAP: His wardrobes looked better painted white but it didn’t stop the door falling off its broken tracks!
AFTER: New wardrobe doors were the last piece in the puzzle of finishing Seb’s room.

The wardrobes not only looked bad, were also really really annoying! In two of the bedrooms, the smaller wardrobes had an excessive three sliding doors which meant the space you could actually access the wardrobe through when they were open was frustratingly small. In Seb’s room they were continually falling off their runners until it got to the point that the bottom track fell out and it was game over. So what great timing it was to be approached by Sydney Doors about working together!

BEFORE: The wardrobe doors in the master were so huge and so brown, there was no missing them!
AFTER: Now they’re a pleasure to look at!

As mentioned, painting the doors white was a decent stopgap but did nothing for the functionality and usability of the wardrobes so we didn’t really use them much. And in under a year, that oil-based white paint had yellowed. Much as we weren’t in love with them, we had so many other competing jobs on our to-do list we didn’t really think about when or how we’d fix them because ripping them out and starting again seemed like such a huge and expensive task. I had no idea it was possible to replace just the tracks and doors.

Sydney Doors, who have been around for more than 20 years, offer the chance to update your wardrobe, or indeed kitchen, for a fraction of the price by simply replacing the doors only. They have loads of designs to choose from and you can have them custom colour matched (ours are Haymes White on White to match our internal doors and trim). They arrive made to your exact size specifications, which is why this works even with decades-old wardrobes like ours, and they’re spray-painted in hardwearing polyurethane with a satin, matt or gloss finish.

A kitchen made over with Sydney Doors doors

There are loads of designs but I was keen for ours to be in keeping with our internal doors and shaker-style kitchen, so the choice was easy. It only takes around three weeks for your doors to be made and then delivered anywhere in Australia. You can then install them yourself or use one of their recommended installers. If you’re not confident of measuring or installing yourself, they definitely recommend you use the services of a professional and can provide a list of people near you.

Our master bedroom wardrobes

An installer came to measure our wardrobes and he suggested we replace the three doors in the smaller wardrobes with two for better access. It was the best call ever! They’re so much more useable now. Meanwhile in the spare room, the existing three doors on the much larger wardrobe were replaced with four, which looks so much better.

I am absolutely delighted with the look of our doors, which have transformed and modernised our bedrooms; they really were the last piece of the puzzle. It’s also amazing to actually be able to use them properly. As we all know, you can never have too much storage and this has made a huge difference to us. The whole process from ordering to delivery and installation was seamless and quick and the end results have exceeded my expectations. This is definitely a great affordable option and I hope something I’ve brought to your attention if you didn’t know about it before, as I didn’t.

READER DISCOUNT 

Sydney Doors are offering our readers a 5% discount on all painted kitchen and wardrobe doors until 30 June 2018. Simply quote the code IA5OFF when ordering.

Get a free quote by submitting your door sizes at https://sydneydoors.com.au/quote-or-order/ or make an appointment for a measure and quote with one of their referred installers.

Photos by Jacqui Turk.

Categories
RENO ADDICT

Top 5 tips to make laundry day a breeze

With the average Australian spending at least three hours a week on laundry (three hours?! I am definitely not part of that average), it seems that an intuitive, intelligent and efficient laundry setup is a must.

“Time and style conscious families want a laundry space jam packed with functionality and storage to create the ultimate in laundry layouts,” says Henley designer Micaela Campbell.

Here are some top tips from home builder Henley for creating a beautiful and functional laundry space.

Storage

A laundry without enough storage is like navy without gold, or a cupcake with no icing. To avoid the modern family nightmare, a combination of cupboards, drawers and shelves is a great way to cover all bases. Eliminate clutter by creating custom fit storage for brooms, detergents, dirty laundry and ironing.

Style

Gone are the days when the laundry was a sad combination of a laundry sink and cheap lino/tiles. Benchtops and built-in cabinetry that match or complement your kitchen create a look of consistency and style. Although built-in washing machines aren’t a trend (yet?), cupboards are a far better option than open shelves to keep the laundry looking neat and streamlined.

Details

Floor-to-ceiling feature tiles aren’t just reserved for bathrooms; they can create opulence and stylish function in an often overlooked laundry. Built-in solutions such as washing and ironing hampers will keep the room feeling organised, even when the laundry pile is high. Air dryers are also a chic add-on that saves energy and money, while an extended benchtop can make sorting, folding and stacking a breeze.

Colours

While white is often the go-to colour choice, light greys and teak trimming can add interesting texture and visual appeal. White and stainless steel appliances will pop against hints of colour in the tiles and benchtops.

Store, sort and stack

The laundry doesn’t have to be a tiny cubicle; larger families will benefit from a larger laundry, as the extra space is perfect for storing assorted items from family members (think cricket bats and dirty soccer boots). However, smaller spaces don’t need to skimp on functionality either, with creatively designed cupboards making good use of odd and awkward spaces.

Doing the laundry might not be fun, but it doesn’t have to be an all-day chore either.

Want more on laundries?

Categories
Bathrooms

The latest ways to maximise bathroom storage

Bathroom storage can be a bit of a nightmare. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have cupboards overflowing because of both a lack of storage and a rather unnecessary accumulation of toiletries! So when it comes to designing your bathroom it’s very important that you optimise every centimetre of space.

Blum Tandembox antaro-bathroom-1
Blum Tandembox antaro

Thanks to some of their clever options, Lincoln Sentry can help you increase existing storage space by up to 55 percent!

According to program manager Alicia Draper, this new set of smart solutions utilises previously dead space, such as corners and undermounted basin surrounds, whilst also using all the existing space in drawer and cupboard areas. “Blum’s TANDEMBOX intivo and antaro, for example, offers customised drawers to house all items in the most compact manner – everything is kept in its place and is easily visible on first glance. Systems such as ORGA-LINE create a designated place for even the most oddly shaped items, making sure no space is ever wasted.”

Blum Tandembox antaro
Blum Tandembox antaro
Blum Tandembox intivo inner drawer-bathroom
Blum Tandembox intivo

Traditionally wasted space in bathrooms, such as the  the corner of an L-shaped vanity, are seen as prime opportunities by Lincoln Sentry, with customised drawers available, including inner drawers that create two separate drawers within a deeper cavity.

Cupboards for storing towels and larger toiletries and accessories can also get a makeover, with the combination of TANDEMBOX and ORGA-LINE plus ease-of-motion options such as SERVO-DRIVE – the drawer requires only the lightest of touches to open smoothly and effortlessly – and BLUMOTION for easy-glide soft closing.

Blum Tandembox antaro-bathroom-5
Blum Tandembox antaro

Irrespective of the limited space or awkward angles in your bathroom, Lincoln Sentry believe there is a storage solution for everything that will both optimise the space and offer aesthetics that will compliment the rest of the bathroom.