Tag: jen bishop

Can DIY measured and installed blinds actually look good? My verdict!

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date November 22, 2021
4 Comments on Can DIY measured and installed blinds actually look good? My verdict!

We recently got almost all new windows at home which left me needing to find new window coverings and fast! We had less than a week’s notice that the new windows were coming and we knew we wouldn’t be able to put our plantation shutters back on afterwards because they simply wouldn’t fit.

Our new roman blinds which we measured and installed ourselves

Roman blinds are a great way to let in maximum light in the daytime

Now I absolutely love the look of shutters and five years ago, when we first bought this house (which looked a lot different!), they were the perfect update and, frankly, a great way to disguise our crappy old windows). However, in time we came to realise that our house isn’t blessed with great natural light in the bedrooms and the living room (although we now have skylights, yay!) so we often had to have the lights on in the daytime. Shutters do block quite a lot of natural light so if it’s in short supply in your home, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them. Looks wise alone? Love ’em!

The same blinds, shown half closed, in the boys’ shared bedroom. The blockout lining is very effective!

We love seeing the greenery out of the window now which was hidden by the previous shutters

Close-up of the blinds in Cotswold Soft Grey with blockout lining

So while I was sad we couldn’t reuse the shutters, it was also a blessing in disguise as it meant we could choose something else to let in not only more light but also the lovely garden and green hedge views we have from many rooms. I gave them away on Facebook Marketplace to some very grateful renovators so they haven’t gone to waste or landfill.

Now I am a big sheer curtains lover too but they weren’t going to work in our living room for several practical and layout reasons (it’s not always easy is it?!) and in our bedrooms we have huge wide windows with beds too close to them for curtains to work in them either. Onto my next favourite: roman blinds! I do genuinely think these are an underrated options these days! While I went for a safe grey for mine (because I have a lot of colour in my home already and I like to have fun with that on a neutral base), there are so many options to add colour and pattern which can make a big statement for not a lot of money.

I ordered lots of free fabric samples, even considering patterns for the boys’ rooms and a pale pink for the master bedroom! This really helps you narrow it down.

Once I decided on romans, I got a quote from a custom blind company which ran into several thousand dollars for just four windows, and having just paid for some rather big reno jobs (like a new driveway!) I decided to go with Tuiss Blinds Online (formerly just Blinds Online) instead. I’d used them before for the navy romans in my kitchen. I remembered the price was ridiculously good and I’ve had so many compliments on them since, many from people who hadn’t considered romans before. Another important factor was that the measuring was easy (I managed not to stuff it up) as was the install (you all know my long suffering husband isn’t the handiest!).

This do it yourself blinds option, combined with the great value, really does seem a bit too good to be true and I get it if you’re skeptical. But do you know what, it ain’t rocket science, and having now used them twice, I’m very confident to honestly recommend the process.

Tuiss Blinds Online also have an insane amount of fabrics to choose from (they also do S-fold and classic curtains, roller blinds, outdoor blinds, honeycomb blinds, plantation shutters and much more, by the way). Their designer textiles include William Morris in collaboration with the V&A, Clarissa Hulse, Emma Bridgewater, Scion, Sanderson Home and Harlequin Additions. But yeah, sorry but I went for a pale grey textured choice! Mine was called Cotswold Soft Grey (fitting for someone who grew up near The Cotswolds in England, no?!).

TUISS Blinds Online roman blinds in a customer’s home

You can order multiple fabric samples online for free which really helps, and they arrive in a few days.

Another example of Tuiss’ patterned fabrics

When it comes to measuring yourself, they give great step by step instructions on the site but there really is no trick to this. You then choose between blockout and light-filtering lining (same price) and recess or face-fitting (again, this is all explained in plain English). I went for blockout in the bedrooms and let me tell you, they do their job! I’m a light sleeper and the shutters didn’t block out as much light as these do, so that’s a welcome benefit too. I didn’t choose a blockout lining for the other rooms as it really wasn’t necessary when nobody sleeps in them. This also keeps down the ‘bulk’ of the fabric when the romans are pulled up (concertina-like).

Then you can choose a manual chain system or electric smart raise (for an extra $139 per blind). The latter is powered by an integrated rechargeable battery pack. While I loved the idea of it, I know what our family is like at losing remote controls (as well as how much my kids would try and play with the blinds!) so decided to keep it simple! Incidentally, the install process of the blinds is just the same either way.

What I love about the website is that you get instant quotes by entering your width height and fabric choice etc, so you know exactly what you’re in for.

The four blinds for the living room and playroom came to just over $1,000 and blinds for our three huge (2.5m long) bedroom windows with blockout lining came to just over $1,200. This is so much cheaper than many other places and I’m thrilled with ours. That’s blinds for more than half the windows in our four-bedroom home for $2,200. Amazing, right?! And most people’s windows are smaller than our bedroom ones so that’s probably on the higher end of your average cost.

As for install, it honestly isn’t hard and Damian would back me up here! You literally need a drill and a screwdriver and you install brackets which the blinds then click into. The bedroom windows were a little trickier being so long, but the ‘normal’ sized windows were an absolute piece of cake!

We are thrilled with the look of our blinds and they fit just perfectly. They were, after all, made to measure!

Apart from shutters and Venetian blinds, the Christmas cutoff for all other products hasn’t happened yet so you still have time to order yours in time for the festive season. I’m still deciding what we will do in a few of our rooms as we are tossing up swapping playroom and office which will affect which room is the guest bedroom (it never ends here!) and the boys are currently enjoying sharing a bedroom having previously had one each (why did we move to a four-bedroom house in the burbs again?!). I like the fact I can just order the rest when I’m ready. They’re dispatched within 10-to-14 days for most of Australia.

The company has been around for 15 years (but much longer offline) and I’d encourage you to check out their online reviews which are excellent. This post isn’t sponsored although Tuiss did gift me the blinds. My views are 100% honest and like I say, I have used them before, independently, at my own cost. Delivery is free on orders over $499 with a few exceptions and there’s a free extended five-year warranty on everything.

If you have any questions or want to check on delivery times of certain products to your area of Australia, you can call customer service on 1300 761 179 or email [email protected]

Get a free quote and browse the range online

Skylights have transformed our living room: here’s all the details

Never underestimate the importance of natural light. You should never buy a house with poor natural light because once you’re in, you can’t do anything about it. Only you can.…

Tags bargain blinds, blinds, blinds online, dit blinds, interiors addict, jen bishop, measure and install your own blinds, online blinds, plantation shutters, roman blinds, self measure blinds, tuiss blinds online

Bathrooms Jen's reno

Interiors Addict bathroom reveal: before & after

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date November 1, 2019
11 Comments on Interiors Addict bathroom reveal: before & after

You know that old cliché about saving the best until last? I think we may have just done that with our family bathroom! This was the last major (indoor) project in our house and it’s been a long wait; 2.5 years to be precise. For quite a while now, it’s no longer been the “Nanna house” we purchased but a really nice house with a terrible bathroom (and WC) and a very average exterior. Now those two rooms are one beautiful, surprisingly spacious, elegant and sanctuary-like space. It’s a dream come true and I couldn’t be happier with it!

I’ve written before about how I’m an anxious renovator. I overthink everything, not least because I’m Interiors Addict, and I shared this whole process with you from start to finish (not just the pretty after photos) so there’s some pressure with feeling like 92,000 people are watching on Instagram and the fear that something will go wrong or it may just not turn out that well!

I picked the Eden back-to-wall bath from Highgrove Bathrooms for the look and soft curves of a freestanding bath without having to clean behind it!

There really was never any question of knocking the WC and (tiny) main bathroom together, although a previous builder’s quote did suggest we’d have to keep them separate if we ever wanted to afford to get it done! I’m so glad we went ahead and did it properly though (and for less money with a different builder), because a bathroom the size it was really didn’t do justice to a four-bedroom family home.

Little details like the ceramic waste in our Duravit basin from Bathe make me happy! We have a gold waste in the bath which matches the Meir tapware.

So we knocked down the wall between them and moved the doorway so it would open into the centre of the bathroom. It still didn’t create a huge space though, and I was determined to have a decent-sized bath (regular readers will know I’m in the tub every single night!), so we needed to make the most of every millimetre of the room (2700 x 2500mm to be precise). I called on the help of my clever friend Kathryn Bamford to get the floorplan just right. It took many many revisions and I’m probably lucky I can still call her my friend! I’m also pretty confident to say (after many sleepless nights about how the 1700mm bath would fit) that we nailed that layout!

The build went like a dream, despite a few hiccups thrown up such as very wonky walls (like everywhere in our home it seems!) that needed a lot of packing out and a lot of old timber formwork under the house getting in the way of the new plumbing, which had to be cut out and removed. What I loved most about our builders was that they always had a solution and having worked on so many other older homes, none of this came as a surprise to them and they were so experienced it made me feel at ease.

The beauty and craftmanship of the vanity and cabinet from Ingrain Designs speaks for itself, not to mention SO MUCH STORAGE!

Having an open shower proved key to the layout working and feeling spacious.

The reno would have been done in an impressive six weeks, but for our vanity getting damaged by a forklift on the way from Melbourne. But listen up folks, six weeks is good! The absolute biggest misconception out there is that bathrooms shouldn’t take as long or cost as much. When you live through one (and this is my second), you see why they take so long and cost so much. You still need to make sure you get multiple quotes though! In the end, ours took more like eight weeks while we waited for the vanity to be fixed and delivered, and then final touches like silicon. As they all say, it was all worth it!

I never knew I could love a toilet, but I love this one, (and its white glass flush plate) from Bathe. I love that it tucks behind the door and when you open it, you can’t see it (but a doorstop stops the door banging into it). The fact it is wall hung gives the illusion of more space and it just, well, blends in!

The tiles couldn’t have turned out any better. I knew I wanted an organic looking, handmade tile and something a little different to the ever popular subway (did them in my last bathroom reno) so I went for a square and white grout. I was visualising walls of white with texture and light bouncing off the gloss finish, and that’s exactly what I got! Keeping the floor tile simple has definitely added to the sense of space. The design of this bathroom was a lot about restraint, like choosing not to have a feature tile in the niches, but instead going for a brass tile trim.

LED lighting in the bath niche and under the vanity (on a sensor so it comes on when you use the bathroom at night) were the builder’s idea but I’m so glad we spent a bit more on these features.

The tapware from Meir was a no-brainer as we have the same in our kitchen, but the shower really is something else!

I also wanted to show you the difference we made to the light in here by installing an Illume “skylight”. There was previously an old skylight in the bathroom. It did the job but it wasn’t exactly a looker! We put in a new, lower ceiling in this bathroom and didn’t have budget to install a real skylight. So we opted for an Illume, which is basically a solar-powered LED light which you can have on all the time and gives the look and feel (and most importantly light!) of a skylight. I am so impressed with how it exceeded my expectations, we’ve put a big one in the hallway too. I’ll share more about Illume in a separate blog post soon.

The Illumes have an isolation switch so even though they’re solar-powered, you can turn them off if you wish.

I have so much more to share with you about the bathroom, including why I chose everything I did, what has surprised me most, the things that were worth spending a bit more on, how to choose a builder and how to live through a reno, but for today I just wanted to share some of these photos with you because hooray, it’s finished!

All the best finishing touches can be found at Oliver Thom

Would I change anything? I actually wouldn’t! Thanks for coming along for the reno ride. I hope you like the finished bathroom and I’m happy to answer any questions in the comments. I’ll be sharing lots more details soon but the suppliers can all be found below. Let me know what you’re interested to hear more about too.

But let’s just remember what this space, as two separate rooms, used to look like. I can barely believe it’s the same!

SUPPLIERS

Build and project management: Coolibah Building & Design

Tapware, shower, robe hooks, toilet roll holder, floor waste, bath plug, all in Tiger Bronze from Meir

Brass tile trim from Tile Stone Paver

Tiles (Avalon Gloss Large Square White and Noosa Matt Travertine Look Grey Tile) from TileCloud

The Oak vanity and Mirror Mirror cabinet from Ingrain Designs

Eden Freestanding Bath 1700mm from Highgrove Bathrooms

Duravit Luv washbowl 600x400mm from Bathe

Duravit Me by Starck rimless wall mount pan from Bathe

Viega Visign white glass flush plate from Bathe

Solar-powered ‘skylight’ by Illume

Frama body wash, hand soap, shampoo and conditioner, Nova2 gold shower wiper and Tiny Frey white resin tray from Oliver Thom

Gold spot succulent pot from Angus & Celeste

Towels: Aura

Painting: Eco Lux Painting & Decorating

Floor plan design: Kathryn Bamford

Photography: Jacqui Turk

My last bathroom reno | The rest of the projects in this house

How long does a bathroom reno really take and why?

Tags bathroom reno, interiors addict, interiors addict home, jen bishop

Expert Tips

Find much more than products at AGHA Sydney Gift Fair!

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date February 19, 2019
No Comments on Find much more than products at AGHA Sydney Gift Fair!

Jen Bishop — Jen in her gorgeous kitchen

My new deck: the big reveal!

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date December 6, 2018
No Comments on My new deck: the big reveal!

Photography by Jacqui Turk

It finally stopped raining long enough in Sydney for us to shoot these photos of the finished deck and I couldn’t wait to share it with you. I also can’t wait to spend as much time out here as possible over the holidays!

When we bought this house, although it needed a lot of work to bring it up to the 21st century, we loved the size, the flat block and the backyard which had both an entertaining area –now decked– and a lawn for the kids. Although we still have a few things to finish, seeing it come together like this makes me so happy. We intend to live here for many years and I am thrilled that we now have an outdoor area that really does function as extra living space and an outdoor room (or two). It’s also brought the exterior up to date in a big way!

My husband Damian and I agree it’s now our second favourite space in the house after the kitchen. This may sound like a half-baked compliment but when you consider it’s not actually an enclosed room, I think it’s high praise indeed!

Although the new Trex deck is no bigger than the paved area was before, it feels so much bigger. This is due to a few things: the planks laid horizontally give the illusion of a wider space, the deck comes out from the French doors at the same height which gives great indoor/outdoor flow, we’ve removed the old timber pergola which was about halfway down, plus the light grey composite deck gives a modern, clean aesthetic.

The addition of the steps down to the lawn give it a really slick, finished look and nicely separate the two distinct areas. They’re also great to sit on and put pots on! I’m really glad I went with the grey colour, Island Mist, of the Trex Transcend decking collection, because it has toned down our sixties red brick house and it looks modern (while still in keeping), light and bright.

Because we no longer have a big back step, we can make use of extra space near the French doors, so we now have two distinct areas: one off the dining room for lounging with a coffee or a glass of wine (this was always my dream!) and the other further back for the barbecue and large dining table for entertaining friends. We can look out onto the lawn from wherever we’re sitting and there’s still room for the paddling pool if needed. What more can a girl ask for (maybe a spa, Santa?!)?

If I had to say what I love best about our Trex deck apart from the aesthetics, it would be the low maintenance aspect. And the fact it is hardwearing means I don’t cringe every time Seb rides his scooter over it or drops food on it, knowing it won’t scratch and I can easily hose anything off it. We’ve had plenty of rain (too much!) lately so I can see it drains well and dries off in the sun. While it does get quite hot under direct sun (we’re getting a retractable awning soon), so does any hard surface, including timber. This is the only minor negative I can find but the many other advantages of a composite deck far outweigh it in my honest opinion. I don’t make habit of hanging around in direct sun anyway!

In a nutshell I am absolutely thrilled with the finished product and the process of having it delivered and built was exceptional. The new deck has massively improved the use we can get out of our outdoor area for entertaining, eating as a family and just simply relaxing, right in time for summer. But we love it so much I think we’ll be out there even when it’s colder, huddled around our firepit!

Our al fresco’s now almost finished with new lighting, retractable awning and vertical herb garden still on the list. The new life that has been breathed into this backyard with our Trex deck make the mortgage repayments and living out in the ‘burbs seem more worthwhile than ever!

And before I sign off, here’s a little reminder of what it looked like when we bought it!

Why I chose Trex

More about my deck build

Baby number two’s modern and unisex nursery reveal

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date August 1, 2018
4 Comments on Baby number two’s modern and unisex nursery reveal

Photography by Sam McAdam-Cooper

There’s a new room in our house which is calm, serene and incredibly tidy… because nobody uses it yet! I like to leave the door open and gaze smugly at its peaceful perfection, even if the rest of the house is increasingly becoming a bomb site as third trimester tiredness kicks in! It’s our future baby boy’s nursery and I’m thrilled to share it with you today.

Everyone jokes about how the first baby gets the best of everything and the subsequent kids are lucky to get a brand new anything! This second baby was always going to have a nice room though because I obviously love interiors, and baby rooms are so fun and special to create, and part of the getting ready process (although I’m still in denial!). But I have to say, I wasn’t in the crazy rush to have it all finished and perfect before the baby arrives because I know he’ll be in a bassinet in our room for the first few months.

Goodness knows when I’d have got round to actually doing this room because I’m even busier and tireder than I was last pregnancy, so when west elm and Pottery Barn Kids announced their first collaboration it was like a sign! west elm are one of my favourite furniture and homewares brands and Pottery Barn Kids are my go-to for kids’ decor (Seb’s last three rooms, in three homes, have been mostly PBK).

This collab was a chance for me to step outside my uber classic nursery style. I loved the idea of a less obvious nursery look and even though I knew we are having a boy, I wanted to try something more unisex. I firmly believe baby rooms should be calm and serene places, for both baby and sleep-deprived, nursing Mum (and Dad, of course). The colour and the fun can come later when they’re older, and in our house, we’re lucky to have a separate playroom where basically anything goes!

I immediately fell for the Audrey collection with its luxe style, lacquer finishes, brass accents (anyone who has been to our place knows I have a lot of those!) and glam geometric textures. I also happen to have bought the navy Audrey bedsides from west elm recently for our master, so it was like it was meant to be!

The cot is an understated design but its textured end panels and brass legs give it that little something-something. A toddler bed conversion kit is available too if you want to use it later. The three-drawer change table offers smart function with its removable topper that fixes firmly to the back but can be removed as baby grows to be a toddler (or you perhaps decide you want to steal it for your own grown-up bedroom…).

With this statement dresser and cot, I didn’t want to have too much else going on in this room, but I knew I wanted wallpaper, and settled on Love Mae’s Sleeping in the Woods design from Queensland-based Milton & King. It adds that essential bit of whimsy every child’s room needs! Wallpaper is an investment, especially when you factor in hanging it (although this can be DIY-ed if you have the skills, time and confidence!), but a single wall is pretty affordable and makes a serious impact for the money. To give you an idea, this wall required less than two rolls and the labour cost $300.

The Graham Glider chair (a matching ottoman is available too) is ridiculously comfortable and I love the Frankie side table (again, featuring brass) as somewhere to put bottles and all that other baby paraphernalia (let’s not kid ourselves, the plant will soon be moved elsewhere as I clutter it and run out of space!) so I love that it has a shelf underneath too. The Mongolian Lamb Stool (currently on sale) adds some texture and is so cute-looking and super soft.

The white picture shelf (from IKEA) was already there when this was mine and Damian’s bedroom, and it just worked to put it back above the cot so we could safely add some wall art (the frames can’t fall off because there’s a ledge at the front). The gold frames add to the sophisticated theme and we can change them up with family photos, big brother Sebastian’s “art” and prints as the mood takes us. The fluffy white rug feels gorgeous underfoot and adds to the relaxing feel. Anything to make those middle-of-the-night wake-ups more comfortable, right?!

I picked the key pieces for this room and shortlisted some wallpaper options, then happily handed over the reigns to the experts. Jodi Hall, Design Crew lead for the Williams Sonoma brands in Australia, came up with a moodboard which we tweaked together, and she brought it all together on the day of the shoot. I couldn’t have loved it more and it certainly feels more real now the room is sitting there finished and ready!

The brass mirror was a wedding present and before you ask, could not be more professionally or securely attached to the wall (safety first, always!). I wasn’t planning on keeping it in there but when everything else went into the room, it was perfect!

I am so happy with this room. I love how peaceful and uncluttered it is and I’m so happy I went with something a bit different for this baby as I’m not planning on having anymore (famous last words!). It’s so great to have it sitting there ready for 12 weeks’ time (give or take) and even though he won’t sleep in there for a while, we’ll still do plenty of changing, feeding and playing in the nursery.

So, what do you think? I’m happy to answer any questions you have in the comments.

If you’re struggling to pinpoint your nursery or kids’ room style, why not take advantage of Pottery Barn Kids’ free design service?

Disclosure: I was gifted some of the items from this shoot.

See more of Jen’s home

SHOP THE LOOK

west elm x pbk Audrey Convertible Cot in Parchment

west elm x pbk Audrey 3-Drawer Change Table

west elm Frankie nightstand (as side table)

west elm x pbk Graham Glider in dove grey Performance Velvet

west elm x pbk Honeycomb Baby Bed Linen in Horseradish

west elm x pbk Organic Stamped Owl Fitted Cot Sheet

west elm x pbk Unicorn Plush

Pottery Barn Kids Nursery Faux Fur Plush Fawn Rocker

Pottery Barn Kids PBK Blocks

Pottery Barn Kids Jumbo Elephant Plush (borrowed from Sebastian, who has had it since he was born!)

Pottery Barn Kids gold gallery frames

west elm Baby Souk Wool Nursery Rug

west elm Mongolian Lamb Stool in Platinum

west elm Roar + Rabbit Ripple Ceramic Table Lamp in Cool Grey

west elm Spun Metal Planter (borrowed from my living room).

west elm Waffle Weave Throw in Platinum

Pottery Barn Kids Change Table Insert and Belgian Flax Linen Cover

west elm Graphic Printed Basket

Cream and black alpaca wool cushion on chair from Pipsqueak Home via Etsy

Tags Audrey, baby room, change table, cot, graham glider, interiors addict nursery, jen bishop, jen bishop nursery, kids room, nursery reveal, pottery barn kids, west elm, west elm x pbk

Interiors Addict

Jen on Sky News Real Estate discussing her lust list!

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date April 3, 2018
No Comments on Jen on Sky News Real Estate discussing her lust list!

Jen was recently asked to share her favourite homewares finds with Sky News Real Estate. Have a watch below.

It was lots of fun chatting with the hosts, my friend James Treble and the lovely Sophie Hull. I’m looking forward to doing more segments like this in the future.

Brands mentioned:

Early Settler

I Love Linen

Kimmy Hogan

Heatherly Design Bedheads

Haymes Paint.

Tags james treble, jen bishop, sky news real estate, tv

Bathrooms Interviews RENO ADDICT

Bathroom trends 2018: video with Jen & James Treble

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date March 30, 2018
No Comments on Bathroom trends 2018: video with Jen & James Treble

jen bishop and James treble talk about bathroom trends Australia 2018

Being that Kitchens & Bathrooms is one of the most popular categories on Interiors Addict, we thought you might like to hear about the latest bathroom trends, especially if you’re planning on renovating this room in your home soon. It takes a lot of time and money to renovate a bathroom and it’s a room you’d like to still be loving in a decade’s time. So it’s important to get it right and avoid it looking dated too soon. I sat down with my good friend James Treble, celebrity interior designer, to talk all things bathroom trends 2018. James is a regular visitor to the design and tile fairs in Milan an Bologna (tough gig!) so is well placed to tell us about what’s in vogue.

I hope you enjoy the video!

Video production by The Story Of Us

If your brand would like to discuss video content creation with Jen, please contact us.

Tags bathroom, bathroom decor, bathroom renovations, bathroom trends 2018, bathroom trends Australia 2018, bathrooms, interview, james treble, jen bishop, video

Interiors Addict

Jen’s ‘ask me anything’ Facebook Live: 26 Feb 2018

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date February 27, 2018
No Comments on Jen’s ‘ask me anything’ Facebook Live: 26 Feb 2018

Did you miss Jen’s latest Facebook Live chat? You can watch it here!

Please comment below what you’d like Jen to take questions or chat about next time and which days and times work best for you to tune in!

Tags ask me anything, facebook live, jen bishop, video

House Tours Jen's reno Kitchens

The big kitchen reveal

Impressive Ultra in classic oak beige in my own kitchen

Photography by Jacqui Turk

I am so excited to finally share my new kitchen with you today! Seeing these beautiful pictures makes the last two months of mess and chaos seem more than worth while!

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home and in this house, it really is. Not just because everyone hangs out in this room, but because it really is in the middle of our home. And the light here is the best in the house. It used to drive me nuts that people gravitated towards this room because of the light when it was unrenovated, as we had much nicer spaces to entertain in like the living room! Now I am no longer embarrassed of my kitchen, I am happy for people to congregate in here and admire it whenever they want!

This really is my dream kitchen. I’m going to blog about some of the finer details separately, but today’s post is just the first overview of what we chose, what we did and why. In terms of layout, this has not changed drastically, but we did get rid of the back door (see before pix at the end of this post) to allow the cabinetry to go right to the end of the kitchen. We were also able to move our fridge freezer into the kitchen (it’s the little things, right?!) because previously there was nowhere to fit it and it lived in the dining room!

The starting point for this room was the cabinetry from Freedom Kitchens. I always knew I wanted white shaker style doors so when I found out this was possible using their new, more affordable flatpack option, the Essential range, I was thrilled. I saw flatpack as an opportunity to make great savings, which would allow me to still have the other things I dreamed of like stone benchtops.

My good friend, TV interior designer James Treble, sketched me out a rough layout I loved over dinner one night and we were off! I then worked with Freedom Kitchens design consultant Nina Hughes to turn that sketch into a detailed plan, taking into consideration the flatpack options available. This in-home service is included for everyone buying from their flatpack range, as well as a site check to make sure nothing has slipped through the net, before your cabinets are made. This really made me feel confident. I think buying a kitchen off the shelf with no professional advice or checks would have made me worry myself sick!

The next thing I chose were the handles. Anyone who knows me or has been to my home knows I just love a brass accent! I was always going to have gold handles and I sourced these from Kethy (available through The Block Shop) after seeing similar in Julia and Sasha’s beautiful Block kitchen. It was a winning combo from the start. I didn’t look at another handle so this proved to be one of the easiest decisions!

Then benchtops: through my job, I know Caesarstone by reputation and I loved their designs. I had three samples on high rotation but I finally went for the most subtle, Noble Grey, for a few reasons. I liked the contrast of the grey with the white cabinetry, and while the Calacatta marble-look designs have been hugely popular recently, I wanted something a little different. Then I saw blogger Briar Stanley from Sunday Collector use Noble Grey in her amazing kitchen and that sealed the deal.

Of course, then I needed to decide on a complementary splashback. I absolutely love tiles but trying to choose some left me paralysed by indecision! There were just too many amazing choices. I could have opted for subways, and I am a fan, but again, I wanted something a little different. So I decide to carry the Caesarstone up the splash as well; a decision I have not regretted for one second! The splash behind the cooktop is really quite deep so it makes a real feature. When the light through the opposite window hits it, it really shows off the veins in it. I also think the streamlined look it has created has allowed me to add my other, more bling touches, without it feeling cluttered or over the top.

Speaking of bling, the gold tap is from Meir and I am so in love with it! Taps really are like jewellery in a kitchen. You can’t miss them so you might as well make a statement! Their new Tiger Bronze colour was released at just the right time a few months ago and I was lucky enough to be one of the first to get my hands on it! Would a gold sink as well prove too much? I must admit, I did really worry about my decision, but in the end, it all came together beautifully. And nobody can believe that sink came from Bunnings!

Of course, a kitchen can (and should!) look beautiful but it needs to function too! Having room for a fridge freezer was a great start! But I needed to think long and hard about the appliances, which I chose from Italian brand Ilve. I was really excited to get an integrated dishwasher from an aesthetic perspective but this one works brilliantly and even has a light inside, plus one which shines onto the floor so you know it’s on (being that it’s hidden behind a cabinet door). I just love how it seamlessly blends into the kitchen.

Choosing an oven was a lot harder than anticipated and something I’ve never done before. I eventually decided on a 90cm electric oven and having that extra space is already proving a Godsend when entertaining. I can’t wait to give it a really good workout on Christmas Day.

Then of course you have to match that with a 90cm cooktop even though I’m not sure I’ll ever use all six burners at the same time! We first wanted gas but had a delay finding out if we could get connected, which led us to opt for induction. I’m so glad we went this route because I bloody love it! I cannot believe how quick it is to heat up, it’s a dream to clean and, importantly, it’s safe, which when you have an adventurous climbing toddler around is one less thing to worry about. I’m also thrilled with our hidden rangehood which allows me to have an uninterrupted row of overhead cupboards.

So, we had the bones of a great kitchen, but there were two other things I needed to achieve: replacing the dated sliding door to the laundry, with a modern take on a barn door and black hardware was the first. I wanted the door to have VJ panelling so we did this by cutting Easycraft panels (I’m in love with this product) to size and fixing them to the front of a very cheap, plain door. We then decided what the hell, why not panel the entire wall and wow, wasn’t that the best call? This wall has become a real feature of the kitchen. We also did the back of our breakfast bar in the same paneling and colour.

Secondly, I wanted to tie in the dining area, which adjoins the kitchen and previously had a cork floor, much better. I did this by adding VJ wainscoting to this room and painting it in the same grey (the panelling is in Haymes Paint Chinchilla Fur and the walls are Haymes Paint Greyology 4). It has made a huge difference. Of course, having the same floor helped massively too.

The icing on the cake of all this was our new Quickstep Impressive Ultra laminate floor (more on that next week) which we have also laid in the living room, hallway and my home office. Once that went down, we were finally finished!

A few other things I’m really glad we did and are worth a mention were:

adding bulkheads for a more finished, streamlined look (and no dust or clutter accumulating on top of the overhead cupboards)
putting a power socket in the back of the pantry so I could hide the Nespresso machine and toaster away in there
making sure there was a space for the microwave under the breakfast bar out of sight, so it didn’t have to use precious benchtop space
making one of the five powerpoints (you can never have too many) a USB one (we use this every day to charge a phone or laptop and it has proven really handy)
opting for a pullout double bin under the sink so there’s no ugly bin on show or in the way (I obviously need to get out more but I really love this!).

I could rave about my new kitchen all day but I’ll focus on some other aspects in future blog posts.

Overall, I am thrilled with kitchen and that it is finished before Christmas! I’m just waiting on my blinds (Romans) and looking for the perfect new kettle! A huge thank you to our friends at Integriti Bathrooms who helped project manage this reno.

Now, we could finish this without taking a look back at the before photos!

What do you think of the transformation? If you have any questions, please write them in the comments below and I’ll get back to you.

Want more? Take the VIDEO TOUR with Jen.

Listen to my husband Damian interview me about our kitchen reno in this podcast!

More kitchen and bathroom inspo.

Kitchens RENO ADDICT

New podcast: Damian interviews Jen about the kitchen reno!

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date November 29, 2017
No Comments on New podcast: Damian interviews Jen about the kitchen reno!

It’s been about eight weeks since we started our much anticipated kitchen reno and it’s near as damn it finished. Yes! We’ve done a photoshoot and will be sharing it with you very soon. In the meantime, I thought it would be fun for my husband Damian to interview me about the process and what we have done in this week’s podcast!

Listen on SoundCloud here:

Or on iTunes here.

Enjoy!

Tags interiors addict, jen bishop, kitchen, podcast, reno, renovating

Bedrooms House Tours Jen's reno

Jen’s new house room reveal: the master bedroom

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date September 14, 2017
28 Comments on Jen’s new house room reveal: the master bedroom

Even though our “nanna house” is nowhere near finished and very much a work in progress, I thought it was time to share some of what we’ve done with you. And sometimes, when you have a seemingly endless list of jobs and expenses ahead, it’s really important to stop and look at how far you’ve come. It’s only been six months, after all!

So, today, I’m sharing the master bedroom. Only it’s not actually the master bedroom as per the floorplan. This brings me to a point about living in a new home as is for a while, if you can bear it, before getting stuck in. We immediately moved into the master bedroom (there are four all up) of this house because, well, the floorplan said so, it’s the biggest, and we are the grown-ups, right?! It also has an en suite, which is a very functional but dated eighties addition.

But the room just didn’t work. It’s all wrong with the feng shui and the only way to fix that will cost money. The same goes for the en suite. It’s hardly the stuff of sanctuary! So we made the call to move into a smaller bedroom at the front of the house. It just feels better for now! And I’m not that fussed about having a big bedroom, just a nice one! One day, when we have the money, we will rip out the robes in the ‘real’ master bedroom and reconfigure it, re-do the en suite and move the en suite door. But for now, we are in our ‘new’ room. And the master is a spare room.

I’m still in two minds about whether artwork will work above the bedhead or fight with it. This framed photo is of my treasured navy wedding shoes. The bedsides are last season’s west elm and came from the old place. I love the warmth of the timber.

Because it’s not that big, I didn’t want to clutter it up, so it was always going to be all about the bed. We started with a neutral base of grey carpet, grey paint (Haymes Greyology 4), white plantation shutters (from DIY Online Blinds) and the rattan pendant shades we have in all the bedrooms, from Beacon Lighting. We didn’t have carpet in the bedrooms at our old place, and I’m really glad we decided to have it in the bedrooms here. It’s also much cheaper than hard floor! And I knew this room would feature my favourite colour: navy. And what goes perfectly with navy for a little luxe factor? My favourite gold accents!

The ink art on the left is by Melbourne’s Casey Freeman, who I met through Instagram, and was in our previous bedroom.

I had been drooling over Heatherly Design Bedheads’ work for years, since we first featured them on the blog. When I saw the Sibella design it was love at first sight but I had to think about it for a while before I committed. I tend to play it safe and when I go a bit “out there” it doesn’t always work! But months later, I still loved Sibella so it was time to order her! Even better, Damian also loved Sibella (which I was not expecting, to be honest!). I was careful not to overdo it, but the Galleria lamps from Lighting Lighting Lighting were just the perfect complement.

This Freedom ottoman is completely surplus to requirements but it just goes so perfectly, it had to come in here from elsewhere in the house.

The mirror was a wedding present that lived in the dining room in our previous home. The white linen quilt cover is from Sydney brand Major Minor and it feels beautiful, I’m telling you! But it was too stark in contrast to the bedhead so I layered on this fab navy coverlet from my friend Naomi at Silk Home (she has her own made for staging). Rather than Euros, which would hide some of my statement bedhead, I chose kingsize pillows from The Pillowslip Store with their classic white cotton covers (they have some amazing patterned ones too, including gingham). Most of the cushions and the throw are from Adairs (their range is amazing, check it out).

Damian’s side of the bed, which always has flowers, honestly… The small bowl was from kikki.K.

There are built-ins opposite the bed (not pictured) and we have plans to replace them one day, as well as the skirting throughout the house. I’m still working out whether and what kind of rug this room can take. This room is right next to a large walk-in cupboard which we may turn into a walk-in one day, but for now, we just love having somewhere to store all our, well, crap!

This large mirror is on the wall to the right of the bed

So while this room does not have the sheer size of our old one, as stop-gap master bedrooms go, I’m really happy with it, and find it a restful space which is easy to keep tidy because of its simplicity and lack of stuff. I have resisted adding my usual pop of pink and I think the all-blue scheme works nicely. I am considering a wallpaper feature wall (perhaps the window wall). It would of course have to be quite subtle. But we’re almost done in here!

Love to know what you think (please be kind!).

Coming soon: home office and living room!

Photography: Jacqui Turk.

Tags bedhead, bedroom, Heatherly Design Bedheads, home, interiors addict, jen bishop, jen bishop at home, master bedroom, reno

Bathrooms RENO ADDICT

20 things I learned from my first bathroom reno

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date January 11, 2017
2 Comments on 20 things I learned from my first bathroom reno

I recently shared the pictures of our beautiful finished bathroom and WC with you. And while we’re delighted with it, you know I like to keep things real, and we all know that renos are rarely smooth-running and stress-free! So while there were some hiccups behind the scenes, I thought sharing what we learned from these might be useful information for anyone about to embark on their first reno too. So, read on for my top learnings from the experience, warts and all!

There is SO MUCH involved in a bathroom reno. From the amount of decisions to make (starting with who will do the work and ending with things like grout colour and whether or not you want a robe hook!). It is totally overwhelming. And by their very nature, bathrooms are pretty permanent so you want to get it right. Don’t rush anything!

The more planning you can do the better (see above!) to help you finalise your style, the practicalities and your fixtures and fittings. Plan, plan and plan some more to minimise the chances of things going wrong. Use Pinterest, rip things you like out of magazines, make lists, whatever works for you. The more you get down on paper, the better. Make sure you look carefully at any 3D renders or builders’ drawings you’re provided with where you can see it all come together in a more finalised way. Don’t be afraid to ask for changes (and more changes) to get what you want.

Get everything in writing. Make sure you have a contract, a scope of work, a cost, your builder’s licence details, every decision/change you make, all in black and white. This not only saves confusion but covers you if something goes wrong. Likewise, at the end, make sure you get the all-important waterproofing certificate and a certificate of completion (your statutory guarantee period starts from the date of this).

No matter how much you love interiors, you need expert advice with a bathroom. Listen to your trades, engage an interior designer (or be lucky enough to have them as friends!) and be open to their advice because they know what they’re talking about. I’m an interiors blogger, not an interior designer, and I know it, so I was always asking for a second opinion from someone who really knew their stuff.

Don’t choose fixtures and fittings online without seeing them in real life. We nearly did this with taps. When we saw them in the store, we changed our mind. If you’re getting a bath tub, actually get in it at a showroom to make sure it is big/comfortable enough. Things like the angle to lie back and read against are important!

Not all trades are created equally. Make sure you get three quotes (I think we got five!). Ask your friends for recommendations, use online services like HiPages and make sure you check licences. The company we went with were extremely professional in terms of the paperwork and managing our expectations which was important to us. Likewise, when you see a plumber spend hours making the plumbing fit in your tiny WC vanity you will have a new found respect for what they do. Seriously, it’s a work of art in there!

If, like us, you haven’t done a reno before and you don’t know any trades, it is a great idea to find a company who can manage the entire job for you. We wouldn’t have known where to start and I’m sure I would have had a nervous breakdown had we not gone down this route.

Try not to be too trend-driven. While there’s always something new and exciting out there, remember bathrooms are with you for years! I looked at so many great tiles, but when I kept coming back to to the white subway tile and marble penny round combo I’ve loved for years, I knew there was a reason for that. And I’m not sure I wouldn’t use the same tiles in my next bathroom too! The same goes for furniture; if you love something for years, you won’t regret investing in it.

Renos rarely finish on time. We were quoted four or five weeks and ours took eight. And even then there were a few outstanding things. Everyone (and their wife!) will say things to you like “Four weeks?! Really?!” and “We did in ours in three days and did it all ourselves,” and “But why does it take so long?!” and it wears really, really thin! Every reno is different but what they all involve, if done properly, is a lot of different tradespeople and processes, some of which need literally days of time (like waterproofing). Add to this the fact that everyone else’s jobs are also running over time and you’ll find the chances of your plumber, waterproofer and tiler all lining up perfectly are seriously unlikely, no matter how good the planning or project management.

You may well have to move out. We did, for four weeks, then lived through the last four weeks with a half-finished bathroom and WC. Be realistic about this from the outset. Can you live with your in-laws? Can you afford to rent an AirBnB? Even if you have a second bathroom, if you have small children, is it practical and safe for you to continue to live in your home during the reno (I work from home so the answer is no, definitely not during the noisy bit!).

You need to consider your neighbours. Renos are really noisy, messy things. There’s no getting around it. But you can’t never renovate because you’re worried about annoying the neighbours. It’s just one of those things. What you can do is make sure you, and your trades, are as considerate as possible. We put a note through every mailbox in our apartment building informing people when the renos were starting, when they were expected to end and a contact number to call if they had any concerns. You then need to make sure your trades (and there will likely be contractors involved so you might want to leave this information printed out in your home) know any building rules, where they can and can’t park, etc, etc.

In addition to the above, if you live in a strata building, like us, you will likely need to get a bylaw before you can commence work. Effectively, this means asking permission from the owners’ corporation. It is really just a piece of paper, but you have to have it. If you don’t, you could get in a lot of trouble, especially if, for example, your trades damage common property or, for example, there’s a leak into the apartment below you. You’ll need a strata lawyer and it costs around $1,000. Make sure you leave enough time for this to go through strata; I’d advise at least two months before you intend to start work.

Bathrooms renos are not pretty in the between stages, they’re actually quite brutal! As a total neat freak, I hated looking at our bathroom during demolition stage. Stripped back to bare brick, you soon realise there’s no going back and think: “God, I hope these guys know how to put it all back together again!”

Make sure what you ordered for your bathroom is actually delivered. Open boxes, check, check and check again. We learned this the hard way. Our bath arrived without a waste, we ordered one of our taps wrong and we didn’t realise our rain shower wouldn’t come with an arm to attach it to the ceiling. These were all small mistakes which led to delays. They all add up.

Think practically, not just about what will look nice. I wish, for example, we had not centred our bathroom basin. This would have given a large space to one side for hair straightener, hand soap etc, rather then two smaller benchtop spaces either side.

Make sure you consider the basin/vanity relationship. We slipped up twice here. Firstly, we left it to the last minute (because we were busy with other things and it seemed like it was a simple job) to source our WC basin and it proved to be pretty stressful because hardly any basins were small enough to fit it! We love the extra storage we have in the WC vanity (12 toilet rolls and counting, Toilet Duck and air freshener, compared to no storage at all before!) but finding the right basin? A nightmare! The one we got in the end is beautiful but let’s just say I wasn’t planning on having a $700 tiny basin in a room which is pretty much just a toilet! And did I mention we ordered the wrong tap so it wasn’t tall enough? Gah! Amateurs! When it came to the main bathroom vanity (also custom timber from Ingrain Designs), when it came to installing the original countertop basin it would have meant cutting so big a hole out of the top it would have damaged the integrity of this beautiful (and expensive) piece of furniture. Was it worth the risk? No way! So off we went (last minute again) to source a more suitable basin. Sigh.

There are some things you just can’t plan until the very end, like exactly where to put your towel hook. But that’s okay!

Sometimes you have to compromise on your dream bathroom as a sensible financial decision for the longer term. In our case, we knew we planned to sell our apartment in the next year, so I couldn’t have the brass tapware I wanted. I love our bathroom, don’t get me wrong, but I would have made some less safe choices if this was our forever home. And I don’t regret it. Bathrooms are expensive things and if they’re going to help you sell your home for the best price, you have to be smart about it.

Styling will make all the difference. A plant, great towels (a new bathroom demands brand new towels!), fancy soap (even my husband invested in new American Crew body wash, shampoo and conditioner!) and the odd brass crab (in my case) are the things which finish it all off nicely; the icing on the cake!

Communication is everything. With your trades, or whoever is managing your project. The fact that I could pick up the phone and speak to one really helpful and articulate person, kept me sane and calm (ok, most of the time!). It’s also smart, and just good life advice, to be friendly and respectful to your trades.

It will all be worth it in the end. Even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time!

I know I’ll feel a lot more confident going into our next bathroom reno thanks to taking on board all the learnings from this experience.

–Our bathroom and WC were renovated by Integriti Bathrooms. Their MD, Andrew Stenos, regularly shares his bathroom advice on our sister site Reno Addict. You can see the finished rooms here.

Tags bathroom, bathroom reno, bylaws, integriti bathrooms, interiors addict, jen bishop, reno, reno advice, reno tips, renovations, strata

Bathrooms

Be among the first to learn latest tile and bathroom trends

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date October 19, 2016
No Comments on Be among the first to learn latest tile and bathroom trends

Please note we have had to cancel these events due to media commitments. We hope to reschedule for early next year. All ticket purchases have been refunded in full.

Do you want to be among the first in Australia to know what the absolute latest is in tile and bathroom design?

Alongside interior designer James Treble, star of Channel 10’s The Living Room, I’m delighted to announce two LIVE events in Sydney and Melbourne next month.

James has just landed back from CERSAIE, The International Tile and Bathroom Fair in Bologna, Italy. Along side over 100,000 visitors, he and his team spent over a week at this massive trade fair, documenting through photography and film, some of the most beautiful new products, finishes and designs from around the globe.

This is your chance to view the latest trends, whether it’s for your interior design clients or for your very own renovations. These events are proudly supported by Australia’s leading bathroomware specialist CAROMA.

James, in discussion with myself, will provide an in depth presentation on everything he saw and learnt, as well as his own insights, while you’ll get to enjoy food and drink and meet fellow interiors addicts and interior designers. You’ll also be able to touch and feel some of the most stunning tiles thanks to Di Lorenzo (Sydney event) and Byzantine Design Gallery (Melbourne event).

Plus there will be plenty of time to ask James your questions too.

As if that weren’t all exciting enough, you’ll also head home with a great gift bag, and we’ll have some great giveaways during the event.

Don’t delay, book your tickets today! Limited to 100 tickets at each seated and catered event.

Tags bathroom, bologna, byzantine design gallery, caroma, cersaie, di lorenzo tiles, event, james treblew, jen bishop, meblourne, sydney, tiles

Expert Tips RENO ADDICT

Watch Jen in these 2 weekend paint project video tutorials

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date September 8, 2016
No Comments on Watch Jen in these 2 weekend paint project video tutorials

Video: Jen chats about her bedroom makeover with west elm

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date May 16, 2016
No Comments on Video: Jen chats about her bedroom makeover with west elm

In this video, I chat to the super talented west elm stylist Brendan Nash about my recent bedroom makeover and show you around a bit more. It’s really fun to see it all come together in time lapse!

Heres’ the moodboard Brendan put together for my room after my brief. As you can see, almost everything made the cut!

If anything took your fancy, you can find the links to where to buy everything in the original post, where you can also enter your details for a chance to win your very own $1,000 west elm giftcard.

Would you like more video content on Interiors Addict? Let us know in the comments.

Tags bedroom, brendan nash, competition, jen bishop, makeover, stylist, video, west elm, win

Bedrooms Competitions Styling

My bedroom makeover + win a $1,000 west elm voucher for yours!

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date May 11, 2016
76 Comments on My bedroom makeover + win a $1,000 west elm voucher for yours!

Hear Jen speak at the 2016 Home & Giving Fair in Sydney

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date February 19, 2016
No Comments on Hear Jen speak at the 2016 Home & Giving Fair in Sydney

Taking place this weekend, the Home & Giving Fair is the ideal trade event for retail buyers, store owners, interior designers, stylists and event planners.

With over 350 exhibitors across the gift, home, fashion, jewellery, kitchen, outdoor and stationery categories, it promises to be an exciting event filled with the latest and greatest in interiors.

“As the only industry led gift and home trade event in Australia, retail buyers can expect the best buying environment possible to source new season ranges,” says Wayne Castle, CEO of the Australian Gift & Homewares Association, the company running the event.

Popular in past years, visitors can expect to see the Design Life Sydney exhibition and the Fair Trade Zone where retail buyers can source handmade and artisan items from across the globe.

Plus, our very own Jen Bishop will be imparting her expertise with two sessions in the Retail Seminar Series tomorrow (Saturday) and Monday. Other presenters include stylist Megan Morton, Di Swinbourn of COLOURDOT and the Sydney Design School and Marketing Funnel Specialist Grace Lever.

From PR to e-commerce, business growth funding, visual merchandising, trends, marketing, styling and customer service, the sessions are a great offering for small to medium businesses.

A trade only event, the Home & Giving Fair runs from tomorrow until Tuesday at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. You do not need a ticket for the seminar series. Click here for more.