zoubuild – The Interiors Addict

I often assume everyone else is following the same Instagram GOLD that I am, but I’ve realised that’s not always the case. I don’t want you to miss out, so I’m going to start sharing five of my faves each month. I hope you love them, and find them as inspiring and enjoyable as I do!

Abigail Ahern is a fellow Pom and an interior designer with a really brave, authentic, interesting style. She makes no apologies for following her own rules, and I absolutely love her regular Instagram TVs where she talks through what she has done in certain rooms in her amazing London home, giving great tips and showing you how you can make your own interiors more exciting, in a really easy to follow and inspiring way. I also love the fact that her super cute dogs often jump into shot too, with hilarious results.

She’ll teach you how to be brave with darker paint colours (including the ceiling!), that you can fit more lamps than you thought possible into one room and it’ll look amazing, and how it’s all about adding drama and friction. I love it! While my aesthetic and hers aren’t obviously similar, I love everything she does and I take a lot of tips from her videos and implement them at home.

If you love what you see, Abigail runs an online styling masterclass which you could easily jump into, even from all the way over here in Australia! Speaking of which, Abigail loves Oz, and was due back here for Decor + Design until it was sadly postponed. Hopefully we will see her on our shores again soon!

Steve Cordony is one of Australia’s most talented stylists and my love of his work (and him, because he also happens to be a delightful and genuine person) is nothing new, but lately his Instagram Stories are some of my favourites. The poor guy (that’s sarcasm) is in lockdown at the ridiculously beautiful farm he has been renovating with partner Mike in Orange and he has been sharing styling tips, his favourite things and glimpses of his home and ever-growing menagerie!

As a bonus suggestion, you’d better follow his Rosedale Farm account too. Steve’s recently announced October styling masterclasses at the farm sold out super quickly, but stay tuned as I hear he may announced new dates soon!

Bondi Kitchens is a relatively new follow for me, but I have to say, I’ve not seen so many gorgeous kitchens in one feed for a long time! Everything they do seems to be so modern and fresh, but at the same time quite classic.

ZouBuild This husband and wife team’s feed is before & after gold, and you all know how much I love a good before & after. The Brisbane pair transform some of the most ordinary houses into spectacular homes through clever renovation and extension. Chris and Christal’s (I know, cute!) projects are always popular when we feature them on the blog.

Tiny Homes Australia I’ll level with you: I don’t think I could ever live in a tiny house (maybe if I ditched the husband and kids, but can’t see that happening any time soon!) but I love seeing how other people do it. The whole concept fascinates me and this account is great for inspiration and a nosey inside people’s little homes!

I hope you’ve discovered at least one new must-follow among these! I’d love to know who your favourites are too?

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Save money, stay realistic and remain on budget in your home renovation with these top tips from Zou Build’s Christal Fysentzous.

While embarking on a home renovation is likely to be one of the more expensive investments you will make in life, it doesn’t have to be the most stressful. 38% of Australians reported to be starting renovations in 2020, a 14% increase from 2019, and in a market where every little bit counts, it is important to be practical in your approach. Going in with a firm understanding of your budget, a carefully thought out plan and a realistic view of your long-term objectives for the property will help you to effectively decide how best to utilise your funds.

With opportunities to add value, create a more comfortable daily living and give a stronger return on investment, where should you spend and where should you save in your home renovation or build? Christal, founder of Brisbane-based Zou Build, shares her key insights on what to consider when planning your new build or renovation.

SPEND

Invest in foundations
Research what products best suit your needs and invest in trusted brands for foundations like walls, floors, ceiling, electrical and plumbing. This adds an improved level of protection and value to the longevity of your property.

As Australian families hold onto their homes for longer, Zoubuild is focused on creating homes for the future, taking longevity and quality into key consideration when planning new projects. When it comes to the walls on our recent Brisbane 60s renovation, we needed a quality product that delivered great noise suppression and plenty of impact resistance for tiny feet running down hallways, or school bags being thrown against the walls. Gyprock Superchek was perfect for this. It is a much denser board than the standard sheets most commonly used, so a young family never needs to worry about potential dints and scrapes caused by little ones.

Spend on common values
Investing in aspects of your home that are most often seen as important or commonly used is both a smart and valuable decision. This includes timeless, quality benchtops, fixtures, fittings and tapware that won’t date, and specific living spaces, like rumpus rooms. The latest Zoubuild property was designed to meet the needs of any growing family. The property was centred around the open plan ground-floor living and dining space. Durable style was a driving factor behind the renovation. For example, the Queensland lifestyle is all about outdoor entertaining. Large format windows provided direct visual access to the outside area, which was appealing to buyers.

Lighten the mood
Access to natural light should never be compromised. Ideally, your first point of call in any renovation or build would be to maximise natural light available. This creates warmth, depth and space. We maximised outdoor visuals and light using oversized windows throughout the home.

We wanted to keep the look simple, so went with white coated aluminium frames that made the walls almost melt into the vista. If you’re unable to alter your windows, alternatively, you could look to update your doors. Swap traditional wooden doors for glass or French-style. This can make a hallway feel more open and brighten spaces.

Widening doorways will also increase light in a home. This can create more open plan formats, which, when complimented by an oversized mirror, can help to disperse natural light. Quality lighting features are also a must-spend. A chandelier or quality pendant light will add wow factor to any room.

SAVE

Sort-of do it yourself!
Whilst it is important you outsource the big jobs, one of the most effective ways to save money on a build or renovation is through doing things yourself. Whilst you may not be able to put up plasterboard or lay a tile, there are ways you can save time spent on paying tradies by the hour by preparing spaces in readiness for their arrival. Demolish areas yourself, clean up, prep surfaces and paint.

Small cosmetic fixes
Cosmetic fixes are quick, easy and cost-effective, and often one of the first things people notice in a home. Rather than paying to re-do your kitchen, change the door handles and paint the cupboard doors. A bathroom can be transformed by simply updating the tapware and shower screen, and a living room refreshed with a few new cushions and a set of curtains to frame your windows.

When flipping, you always need to keep the end buyer in mind, so it’s important to not put too much of your own personal style into design. I find it’s best to pare the aesthetic back to inspire the new owners to make it their own.

Source seconds, first
One of the biggest money savers on any renovation will be refurbishing the old or sourcing ex-demonstrator furniture, appliances and whitegoods. Melamine wood from old flatpack furniture can be reused to build shelves or storage units, and chairs can be easily reupholstered to reflect new interiors. Change the doors of cabinets instead of the framework. Ask stores about floor stock, factory seconds and previous season styles. You can often get good discounts on items with small mistakes.

CSR Gyprock has introduced an all-new, reformulated DIY product range, Gyprock Less Mess. Made for large repairs, like covering windows or doorways, Gyprock Multi-purpose Joint Compound can be used across all three coats of the plasterboard jointing system, with Gyprock Topping Compound formulated to finish the jointing. Semi-lightweight in formulation, it simplifies the jointing process and the mess that goes with it, reducing the effort required to sand the job and generating 80% less airborne dust in doing so. High-traffic areas, like living rooms, family rooms and hallways, are more susceptible to knocks and bumps.

Gyprock DIY Rapid Plaster Repair kit is perfect for both large and small repairs, like touching up unused electrical points, moving a light fitting or patching a dint in the wall from a stray door handle. It comes complete with sanding block, tape, broad knife and the Rapid Patch setting compound – everything you need in one bucket.

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