As you know, we recently finished a couple of major jobs in our own reno: a new kitchen and a new floor. The photoshoots for these are imminent so I look forward to sharing the before and afters soon!
Kitchens and floors are pretty major investments but there are lots of other things you can achieve in your home for a few thousand dollars which make a huge impact. Here are some of my top suggestions:
Lighting: When we moved into our nanna house we changed all our lighting, swapping old and very dated pendants for gorgeous new brass chandeliers with LED filament-style bulbs as well as rattan pendants from Beacon Lighting. Total cost including the electrician was less than $3,000 and the difference it made was priceless!
New lights and shutters in our living room (before we changed the floors)
Window treatments: We went for plantation shutters from DIY Online Blinds which aren’t the cheapest option but they make a huge difference (in our case, hiding some old and yellowing window frames which is a lot cheaper than replacing all the windows and the window treatments!). You could probably do all new matching blinds in your home for less than a couple of grand.
Paint: We had our whole house painted internally before we moved in (so much easier than moving furniture!). It cost a few thousand but it made the world of difference. We did most of our home in Haymes Greyology 4. We are now saving up to have the red brick exterior painted. This is a more expensive job but it really will be the icing on the cake! And then there’s the driveway (it never ends when you buy an older home!).
Walls painted in Haymes Greyology 4 in our bedroom
Doors: The last job on my list before Christmas is replacing all my internal doors, and my front door, with some new ones from Corinthian Doors. I’ve found the more we update things around here, the more the older/cheaper things stand out! It’s time for some quality doors and I’m confident they will make a huge difference. I can’t wait to share them with you.
Bathroom on a budget: With all the work we’ve been doing, we sadly can’t afford a full bathroom reno (or two!) just yet. But after Christmas we’ll be embarking on a family bathroom refresh on a budget which I hope you’ll all love. The idea is to have the bath and tiles professionally sprayed, paint the walls, replace the vanity and possibly tile over the floor, all for well under $5,000.
I talk more about these ideas in this latest video with Jess Aloi from our partners Latitude Financial Services.
For help achieving your reno dreams, speak to Latitude about your best borrowing options.
So, my kitchen reno started on September 27. And it still isn’t finished! Unusual? Not really! From my own and others’ experience, these things are never as speedy as you anticipate. Four weeks from start to finish? Pah! I never really believed it! Add to that the fact we had to stop for almost a week last week to have new floors go in (was hoping it would have already been finished but hey ho!), and here we are, with an 85% finished kitchen.
I’m not going to share any new photos here because I figure we might as well wait for the full reveal now! You can see all the progress I’ve shared on my Instagram and the hashtag #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno
I’ve been lucky enough to have my friends at Integriti Bathrooms and their site supervisor (legend!) Steve coordinating all my trades. And there are a lot of trades involved, especially when you opt for a flatpack kitchen (for budget reasons). You need someone to demolish and take away the old one (or hire a skip), to organise someone to both assemble it (okay, it’s possible to DIY but Damian and I don’t rate our skills and patience in that department) and install, as well as a plumber, electrician and plasterer at an absolute minimum. We also got rid of a back door which required a carpenter, and added bulkheads, which required another visit from the plasterers. Then there’s always a wait for your stone (Caesarstone) to be cut by the stonemason although ours was ready in under a week, which is amazing!
Then unexpected things will pop up to throw you: fitting our concealed rangehood and venting it through the roof was a tricky job and we needed a different tradie for this.
We always planned to have a sliding barn-style door to our laundry but finding the right size door took a while, then we decided to do that whole wall in VJ panelling (door and all) and oh my goodness, it looks great! So this required more carpenters. And then I got a bit excited about VJ and decided to do wainscoting in the adjoining dining room. None of it is painted yet so ignore the off-white look!
So, was it worth doing a flatpack kitchen with the added hassle and time of organising trades myself (with help, thankfully)? A RESOUNDING YES. I couldn’t be happier with my cabinetry from Freedom Kitchen’s Essential Range. Every trade who has been in here (and my goodness there have been loads lately!) has been surprised (pleasantly) that it wasn’t a custom job and said the quality is as good as any more expensive kitchens they’ve worked with. And that’s good to hear from people who know their kitchens, but I was already very happy with what I could see with my own eyes. And I’ve been able to “pimp” my flatpack with my choice of stone, hardware, appliances etc. I’m delighted to be honest! Just want the damn thing finished!
Check out this video of me with Jess Aloi from Latitude Financial Services, discussing ways to get the luxe look for less in your kitchen reno:
As most of you know, I’m knee-deep in renovations at my house, so I thought I’d put together a list of handy online tools to help you plan and execute yours! I hope you find them useful.
Hipages
If you know tradies or have handy relatives, lucky you! I do not! When it comes to getting a job done at my house, it’s a bit like the blind leading the blind with my husband and I. This is why I love and use Hipages all the time. You hear so many horror stories about cowboys, that you want to feel secure you’re not being ripped off by rogue tradies. Hipages puts you in touch with three licensed trades for three free fast quotes for your job, whether it be painting, paving, garden maintenance or window-cleaning (I have personally used Hipages to find someone for all four things and more!). The best bit is you get to see their ratings and recommendations from other users. And Hipages make sure they are licensed for you. One less thing to worry about. I have hand on heart had nothing but good experiences hiring trades via this site. And there’s an app too which make it even easier. And in case you were wondering, the ‘Hi’ stands for home improvement! Get the app.
Beaumont Tiles’ What’s My Style app
Beaumonts What’s My Style helps identify your style from the top 10 global interior design trends based on your personal tastes and responses to a two-minute quiz.It’s like having your own personal stylist to help you nail the current trends with complete confidence, no matter your budget. It then recommends an on-trend style guide to achieve your designer look, of must-haves for each room including colours, stand-out furnishings, signature fittings, tiles and bathroomware, all curated to evoke creativity and design flair. Get the app.
Latitude Financial Services website
Latitude have some great online tools to help you work out which loan or card would work best for you and your circumstances. There’s also a personal loan repayment calculator and a handy budget planner to make sure you don’t borrow more than you can comfortably afford. Visit Latitude’s website.
If you’re thinking about financing your reno but worried you might get in over your head, check out this video with Jen and Jess Aloi from Latitude. It contains some great advice about how to borrow responsibly.
Reece Bathrooms’ 3D Planner
Reece marketing manager Belinda Geels said that making the bathroom design experience as easy and visual as possible was key to this online tool’s development. As well as allowing users to select from the entire range of Reece bathroom products and preview how they’ll look, the 3D Bathroom Planner also lets you choose fittings, lighting and tiles to complete the look. Read more.
Here’s a short video about how it works:
The Houzz app
This one’s all about inspiration! Browse more than 14 million high-resolution photos of home interiors and exteriors. Choose by style, location or room, such as kitchen or bathroom. Save and share photos with friends, family and home professionals and then even use the Sketch feature to annotate and draw directly on photos from Houzz. What’s more, you can connect with over 1.5 million active home improvement professionals, including architects, general contractors, interior decorators, repair professionals and more, to find the right person for your project. Get the app.
Findanarchitect.com.au
This tool, from the Australian Institute of Architects, helps you find the right architect for your job. There’s also lots of information on what architects actually do and why you might need to use them. Visit the site.
Naomifindlay.com
Naomi Findlay is Australia’s rapid renovation expert and a regular contributor here and on our sister site Reno Addict. Check out her site for free downloads, advice articles and to find out when she’s next speaking at a city near you. Visit the site.
Taubmans’ Paint Planner Tool
The Taubmans Paint Planner is designed to do the thinking for you. It will put together a customised list of everything you’ll need for your paint project; from what materials to buy to how long it will take. You might be surprised at how quickly your room can be transformed! There’s also online colour charts (although these should be sued as a guide only), painting tips and a paint calculator. Check it out.
IKEA Place augmented reality app
Coming soon, this app from IKEA will let you visualise what furniture will look like in your own home. We think this will be particularly useful when designing your open plan spaces. Read more.
Pinterest
And last but not least, I can’t finish an article about where to go online for help planning your reno without pointing out the obvious! Pinterest is, in my view, the best starting point for inspiration and getting ideas. You can use this on desktop or download the app. And it’s great for creating your own online moodboards which you can easily share with others. Visit the site.
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We hope you found this guide useful. Let us know in the comments if we’ve missed any great online tools!
I’m sure I’m not the only homeowner with a reno wish list as long as my arm! But with property prices as they are, more than ever, it can be really hard to afford to do everything you want to, to create your dream home. Making those mortgage payments can be tough enough!
I sat down with Jess Aloi from our partner, Latitude Financial Services, about different ways to fund your dreams! We chat about our own renos, budgeting and planning sensibly, having a contingency fund and borrowing within your means.
Kitchens can be expensive. Very expensive. I’m in the middle of one so trust me, I know! And while we all know they sell houses and they’re the heart of the home (why so many kitchen cliches, eh?!), we don’t all have unlimited budgets, much as we’d love to have the best of everything.
Today, I’m sharing some of the best ways to still achieve a luxe look without spending a fortune, with a few of my own examples thrown in.
Go flatpack
Flatpack kitchens no longer have the stigma they used to; probably because they’re a lot lot better than they used to be. A flatpack kitchen will save you a significant amount of money compared to a custom job. I’ve personally chosen a flatpack kitchen from Freedom Kitchens’ relatively new Essential Range. I could still have a satin finish and shaker profile door, which is what I wanted anyway, so I’m happy!
Freedom Kitchens’ Essential Kitchens range
Some other popular flatpack kitchens are:
IKEA
Kaboodle at Bunnings
Semble
When doing your calculations, bear in mind that if you don’t have the time, skills or inclination to put it together yourself, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a handyman or similar to help. All of the above brands suggest that they are a DIY product though, so technically, you should be able to handle it yourself. We don’t all have the time or patience though!
Pimp your cabinets
I’m talking hardware. You can buy your handles from anywhere, not just the place you got the cabinets from. So look around for something special. For a few hundred dollars you could have your cupboards looking amazing. I’m using brass Kethy handles and I’m in love! They’re going to be like the jewellery of my kitchen!
I’m having these brass handles by Kethy in my kitchen
Mix up your fronts
Just because you have an affordable flatpack kitchen, doesn’t mean you have to go for an all gloss white look. There are a lot more colours and finishes available these days and there’s no reason why you can’t go two-tone; in fact, it’s quite on trend. Think about having your top cabinets one colour and your bottoms ones another (probably darker).
Image: Freedom Kitchens
Make a splashback statement
I’m talking tiles! There are so many affordable options out there now. Yes, you can get great results with the common subway (like half the country!) and if you’re going to do this I’d suggest a more organic imperfect subway or a bevelled one, perhaps mixing up the grout by choosing black or a grey rather than white (doesn’t show dirt either!). But if you’re feeling brave, make a real statement with something colourful, patterned or textured. This won’t set you back too much in the average kitchen but will make a huge difference compared to the cheaper glass splashback. Other affordable yet impactful options might be mirror (if you can handle the cleaning) or pressed tin.
Source: DiLorenzo Tiles
Consider some open shelving
This may be as simple as some overhead flatpack cabinets without doors. Or you might decide on a few solid timber shelves. Being able to display cook books or beautiful ornaments unexpectedly in the kitchen really can add a touch of class, personality and individuality; not things we associate with a bog standard cheap kitchen!
Josh and Jenna’s Reno Rumble kitchen. Source: Caesarstone
Accessorise like a pro
A little goes a long way. Think cannisters, stacked timber chopping boards of different sizes, a marble mortar and pestle, an amazing fruit bowl on the breakfast bar. Places like Target and Kmart are you friend here! Or if you have a bit more to spend, invest in something beautiful like a handmade ceramic fruit bowl, a great coffee machine or even some framed art for the wall.
Source: Freedom Kitchens
Paint and wallpaper
So you can’t afford the navy kitchen of your dreams. You can have navy walls! There’s generally not much spare wall in a kitchen which makes it easier to be brave with your colour choice, especially if you’ve kept it simple elsewhere. I’m intending to paint the sliding barn door from our kitchen to our laundry navy. You’d think I was obsessed with navy or something…
Source: Little Greene
Don’t forget your window treatments
Like accessories, window treatments can make a real difference to the look of the end product and really finish it off. Think about plantation shutters for a high end look (they won’t cost you much for just this one room) or how about having a Roman blind made in an amazing linen or patterned fabric?
Image: Shutters from DIY Online Blinds in Bec and George Douros’ latest reno
You hear the words reno or renovation and you immediately think: expensive! Am I right?! As regular readers will know, a few months ago we bought a family home, the “nanna house,” and boy, does she need some making over! I have a wish list as long as my arm and while some things (like the next on our list: new kitchen!) undoubtedly require serious cash and a lot of tradespeople, you’d be amazed at how some smaller, easier and cheaper upgrades can make a huge difference. Today, I’m giving you some ideas of what you can do with $1,000, $3,000 or $10,000 in your home to get maximum bang for your buck, no matter how flush you are.
You can’t do anything for $1000 these days, right? Well, no. Of course, you can’t do any major work and it’s unlikely you can pay a trade to do any of it for you, so we’re definitely talking DIY. But there are plenty of little makeovers that can be achieved at this budget.
For around $500 you can carpet your average bedroom (including installation). And you don’t need me to tell you what a difference new flooring can make. Game changer! You’d have money left over for a few litres of paint to paint the room yourself and perhaps even an affordable change of window dressing; say a roller blind. Just think what a nice blank canvas that would give you for a guest bedroom, or perhaps giving your older child a fresh tween space.
Don’t neglect your exterior! For a $1,000 you could could buy a new letterbox, house number, welcome mat, a couple of great pots and plants for either side of your entry and paint your front door in a show-stopping colour.
$3,000
Kitchens cost a lot of money (I know because I’m about to do mine!) but if you don’t have it, there are plenty of DIY products out there and they get better all the time. You’d be amazed what you can do with things like tile and laminate (for your cupboard fronts and bench tops) paint, vinyl floor and a new light fitting (you’ll need an electrician for this). Check out some budget kitchen makeovers here.
AFTER: This kitchen makeover cost just over $2,000 for new splashback tiles, cupboard and benchtop paint, blinds, oven and lights.BEFORE
Personally, I recently changed all the old nanna light fittings (think a mix of 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s glass pendants!) in our home for around the $3,000 mark including an electrician. I went for high impact chandeliers in the living room and more simple, rattan drum shades in the bedrooms. This instantly modernised our home. I couldn’t believe the difference.
This is something I plan to do in our home soon: replace all the internal doors. Dated doors with dated hardware really let your home down. We painted our horrible brown ones white and they’re still pretty meh. Internal doors can cost from as little as $28! Did you know that? And for a bit more, there are some really gorgeous, designer-look feature doors available. Many of these are pre-hung so with a bit of effort and patience, you can install them yourself.
Don’t forget to add some money to the budget for paint and handles (which can cost more than the doors). But depending on your taste and budget, you can replace all the internal doors and handles in a 4-bedroom home for between $1000 and $3,000 and you’re likely to have some spare change. External doors cost more (expect between about $200 and $500).
Even in a bathroom, you can achieve a fresh new look for around the $3,000 mark. While it won’t be anywhere near as slick as a full bathroom reno, which is likely to cost at least $25,000, it might last you until you can save up! And it will save you looking at awful dated tiles and fixtures every day, which we all know is bad for our mental health! We plan on doing this sort of thing with our en suite and spending the big money on our family bathroom later this year. The en suite can get a proper reno in a few years’ time (hopefully!). For around $3000 you could replace your shower screen with frameless glass, get a new budget vanity and taps, paint or tile over your existing tiles and get a new blind.
AFTER: This bathroom was spruced up for under $3000 by Cherie BarberBEFORE
Now for the big bucks! While it isn’t enough for a full bathroom or kitchen rip out and re-do, there is so much you could do with $10,000 to make a difference in your home. This is when we can often start talking about whole homes rather than just rooms. Depending on the size of your home, it is quite possible to be able to install hard flooring throughout or have your whole interior professionally painted. These are the two things we did before moving into our previous apartment and oh my goodness, that was money well spent and transformed the place, which was previously carpeted and painted a nice warm white (I have an aversion to warm neutrals!).
Something people often don’t prioritise but can make so much difference to how you live, the look and indeed tidiness of your home, is storage! Custom, built-in storage is a real luxury. I recently had a huge floating bookcase installed and it really made the living room. A carpenter could also create you something amazing to house your TV and all your books and trinkets, for less than $10,000. The permanence of built-in or wall-hung furniture will really add to your home.
While it won’t improve the look of your home per se, air conditioning could really improve your comfort and your power bill! You could get a ducted system installed in your average home for less than $10,000.
It may be that your home’s floorplan isn’t working for you. Maybe you want to create a more open plan home. $10,000 could enable you to do this with professional help, as well as any painting or flooring that doing this work will probably necessitate replacing.
One of the biggest changes we have made in our home so far has been installing plantation shutters throughout. They give a really modern, light, luxurious look. For $10,000 you’d probably struggle to get a whole house done but you could make a big difference by doing key rooms and perhaps giving the bedrooms a miss.
If these ideas have inspired you, make sure you enter our biggest competition EVER to win $10,000 towards your reno with Latitude Financial Services by 30 July 2017. All we need is a photo of the space that needs a makeover and for you to tell us how you’d spend the money and why you deserve to win. All the details and entry form here.
We’ve been teasing you on social media for days but today it’s finally time to reveal our biggest competition EVER, offering you an amazing $10,000 towards that home reno project you’ve been dying to get done but couldn’t afford to. We’ve teamed up with Latitude Financial Services to bring you this, our biggest giveaway ever!
Whether you put the money towards a major project (or something that has been waiting to be finished!) or use it to completely cover the cost of a smaller project, there are so many things you could achieve with 10 grand, from a bathroom or kitchen refresh to new window coverings or flooring throughout your home, that dream custom built-in entertainment and shelving unit in the living room, a new deck…
This is your chance to Better Your Home in our competition of the same name!
Here are some of our top ideas for what you could spend the money on, depending on the size and age of your home/room and complexity of your project:
Create a walk-in wardrobe
Built-in custom shelving for your living room
A bathroom refresh with new vanity, shower screen, bath and toilet
Install skylights to let more natural light in
Completely make over a room with paint, flooring, window coverings, furniture and homewares
Replace all/some of your flooring
Replace all your lights with new ones/have downlights installed
A new front door and porch
Plantation shutters installed in key rooms
New/custom built-ins in bedrooms
Replace all your internal and external doors
Have older doors replaced with bi-folds/French doors
Replace your laminate kitchen benchtop with stone and a new splashback
Have the exterior of your house painted
Have the interior of your house painted
Knock down a wall to create an open plan space
Replace your ageing windows
Create custom, built-in storage for a multitude of uses
Makeover your laundry with new floor, paint, cabinetry, benchtop and sink
Create a basic outdoor kitchen
Update/create a deck outside
Turn your garage into a workshop/studio
As someone who is currently planning renos, I know firsthand that everything costs more than you think it will, especially when you get trades involved and have to factor in labour. With house prices as they are, by the time you’ve struggled to buy your home, there’s often not much left over to get it looking how you want it. This is such an amazing opportunity for someone and I can’t wait to see what the winner does with the money. We’ll be sharing the before and after with you here too!
Is your bedroom more drab than fab?Would you love to TRANSFORM it like this?
For your chance to win, we’re simply asking you to share what you’d do with the money and why you deserve to win, and send us a photo of the space you’re looking to make better.
The winner will also get a Skype call with me and our resident renovation expert, the extremely talented and experienced Naomi Findlay, with more than 100 renos to her name. We can’t wait to bounce ideas around with you!
Please ensure you read the terms and conditions carefully. Entries close Sunday 30 July 2017 at 11.59pm AEST.
