Folk Masterclass Full Workbook

"EVERY GREAT DESIGN BEGINS WITH AN EVEN BETTER STORY"

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

A N O T E F R O M M A R I A H

I A M S O T H R I L L E D T O B E

H O S T I N G T H I S M A S T E R C L A S S

W I T H A L L O F Y O U . I T ' S S O

L O V E L Y T O F I N A L L Y B E

M E E T I N G S O M E O F T H E F A C E S

W H O H A V E B E E N S U P P O R T I N G

A N D L O V I N G W H A T W E D O

F R O M A F A R A N D H A V E Y O U I N

O N E S P A C E T O C H A T A B O U T

T H E T H I N G W E A L L L O V E . . D E S I G N .

W E H A V E C R E A T E D T H I S

C O U R S E S O T H A T I T C A T E R S T O

A W I D E A U D I E N C E ; F R O M T H E

D I Y R E N O V A T O R , I N T E R I O R

D E S I G N S T U D E N T , T O T H E

P E R S O N I N T H E M I D S T O F

B U I L D I N G / R E N O V A T I N G

A S K Q U E S T I O N S , S I P W I N E A N D

L E T ' S B E G I N !

CHAPTER 1 PART 1

WET AREAS / PART 1. KITCHENS

PART 2. BATHROOMS

KITCHEN CHECKLIST

Kitchen Tap / Is it a pull out tap or regular spout?

Sink / Is it undermount, overmount or barn style?

Benchtop Material & Thickness / Are you having engineered stone, marble, timber, etc.? Is it 20mm or 40mm thick?

Cabinet front material / Do you prefer timber veneer or polyurethane cabinet fronts?

Fridge / Free standing or integrated?

Dishwasher / Freestanding or integrated?

KITCHEN CHECKLIST

Oven / Wall oven or base cabinet oven?

Cooktop / Gas or induction? 4 burner or 6?

Rangehood / Integrated or in full view?

Handles / Integrated seamlessly within the joinery or face fixed?

Pull out bin / Don't forget to include this in your base cabinet drawer space if you have the room!

Kitchen lighting /

Do you require strip lighting under the wall cabinets and do you want decorative lighting above the island? (if you have one)

Splashback /

Are you having tiles or does your benchtop stone continue up the wall cabinets?

Cost-effective option

Easy to clean

Available in a range of colours & finishes - plain or woodgrain look

CONS

Edge tape required and may peel off over time

Difficult to repair

FRONTS CABINET

$ $

Ability to match to any paint colour within your house, e g Dulux, Taubmans, Porters Paints

Different strength options - full, half, quarter

Different finishes available - satin, matte, semi-gloss & gloss

No edge tape required (creates a seamless finish)

Durable & easy to clean

Can have a routered profile, e g V-Groove or Shaker

Can be re-sprayed if wanting to give your kitchen a 'facelift'

Similar to most finishes, if hit hard it may chip

If using a gloss or matte finish, fingerprints may be more visible

$ $ $ $

Variety of species, colours & grains to choose from

Environmentally friendly

Can be stained to match existing timber within your house Creates a soft, warm feeling

CONS

Cannot have a routered profile as it will reveal the substrate

Must have a polyurethane clear coat added to it

Difficult to repair

Can discolour over time due to UV exposure

$ $ $ $ $ $

FRONTS CABINET

WHAT IS TIMBER VENEER?

https://gfethers com au/2021/01/27/all-you-need-to-know-about-timberveneer/

WHAT IS POLYURETHANE?

https://www harringtonkitchens com au/polyurethane-kitchens/

WHAT IS LAMINATE (MELAMINE)?

https://kitchencabinetkings.com/glossary/melamine/

“A HOUSE IS MUCH MORE THAN A MERE SHELTER IT SHOULD LIFT US EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY.”

PROS CONS

Achieve a 'natural stone' look without breaking the budget

Durable man made material that is more scratch & chip resistant than natural stone

Non-porous & easy to clean

PROS CONS

Durable natural material

Depending on supplier, you may be able to have fun with selecting different coloured shades of concrete

Custom thicknesses available

PROS CONS

No slab is ever the same! Huge variety of texture and patterns

High UV resistance

Variation of texture/pattern isn't as varied as natural stone

If exposed to intense, direct sunlight it may discolour over time

$ $ $ $ $

Similar to natural stone, it is a porous material that is susceptible to stains & scratches

Porous material that must be sealed regularly to protect from stains Can be easily chipped & scratched as it's a soft material

More expensive than other benchtop options

$ $ $ $ $ $

$ $ $ $ $ $

Varies between 600 - 900mm

Ideally the size of the rangehood is the same size as the cooktop or slightly larger

STANDARD SIZES APPLIANCES/

Varies depending on kitchen size

Varies depending on kitchen size

600 | 900mm l 1200mm

600 | 900 | 1200mm

600mm

KITCHEN TRADES NEEDED/

To demo an existing kitchen (if applicable). You may be able to take this job on yourselves, just make sure the appliances and/or gas have been disconnected by a certified trade prior

The plumber needs to disconnect your old sink and cooktop (if gas) prior to demo. Once everything has been installed, the plumber will come back to reinstall the cooktop (if gas), water and taps

If you have a builder on board for your renovation, they will organise the trades. This trade list is for those that are selfimplementing their project and hiring trades themselves

The electrician will disconnect your old power outlets (GPOs) prior to the demo and move/add power (if applicable) to areas needed for the new design. Once the kitchen is nearing completion, the electrician will come back and fit off power and install the oven, rangehood, electric (induction) cooktop.

Your joiner or flatpack company will also be able to supply this, however, if you want to shop around, you can purchase your stone directly from a stone supplier.

NEEDED /

If you are having a tiled splashback, you'll need a tiler. Check that he/she supplies grout and silicone

Find a great joiner and receive a couple of quotes. Otherwise, companies like Ikea or Kaboodle do kitchens that you can completely customise for a great price.

C O N C E P T

Create a rough idea of the look and feel you want for your kitchen Research colours, finishes, and textures for your cabinetry, benchtops & splashback You may have created a moodboard in chapter 1 - refer to this 02

Choosing your appliances first is essential as you or your chosen joiner/flatpack company will design your kitchen based on the appliances selected If you have chosen a flatpack company such as IKEA or Kaboodle, start to look at your kitchen configuration and layout limitations If your kitchen budget is flexible/beyond 20K then you may prefer to use a joiner. You will need to contact a joiner well in advance, as they are usually booked for quite some time If you are using a builder, they will have a nominated joiner 03 05

Visit local tile & stone suppliers to select your finishes. Check the lead times on each item & ensure they will arrive on time. You may want to refer to our kitchen checklist to ensure you don't miss any appliances If you have locked in a layout for your kitchen, you should get 1-2 quotes for stone as they can quote based on the floorplan you have for the kitchen -this can be very basic. 04

You may choose to do this yourself or your chosen joiner can do this for an additional cost. Make sure your old gas/water/electrical items have been disconnected prior to the demo. This means you will need your plumber to disconnect gas and water and your electrician to disconnect anything electrical

06

If this is a new renovation they will need to rough in where the new appliances will go or if you are changing power/water outlets then the plumber and electrician will need to install the correct locations/outlets It means your layout has been set even though your joinery (cabinets) are yet to be installed

J O I N E R Y C H E C K M E A

Your chosen joiner will do a final measure on-site before they begin manufacturing your joinery or you will conduct a final measure prior to ordering joinery from a flatpack company. If you ' re using a flatpack company then double-check all the dimensions now and make any final adjustments, remembering that you shouldn't be changing the layout drastically as the plumbing and electrical rough in has taken place already.

J O I N E R Y I N S T A L L / F L A T P A C K I N S T A L L

After your joiner has completed a check measure, they will manufacture (this takes a number of weeks), and once complete, they will install the joinery. If you are using a flatpack company, your order will be on its way in a matter of days, so make sure you have space to accommodate the vast amount of boxes We suggest hiring a flatpack installer who will put the kitchen together for you as it's incredibly time-consuming (if you don't want to murder your partner, we suggest hiring someone that puts together flatpack kitchens together every day)

O P C O M P A N Y

At this point, you will contact your benchtop supplier to come and conduct a check measure. All your cabinetry has to be installed for this to take place. Make sure you have your sink, tap, and cooktop on site to show them (otherwise, just the specs of each to show) Make sure you clarify an install date for the stone If you are using a joiner, they will organise the stone check measure.

Once your benchtop is installed, it means that your tiled splashback can be installed (if you are using tiles here). The tiler can come the day after the stone has been installed (the stone glue should dry before anyone continues work in the kitchen, hence why you should wait a day)

Organise a plumber & electrician to connect your new appliances/kitchen lighting; try and schedule this in for the day after the splashback has been installed

If you are using a flatpack company, we suggest not using their tapware, stone, splashback, handles, and appliances. Simply use them for their cost-effective cabinetry and customise everything else Some of the most beautiful kitchens circulating on the internet are flatpack kitchens with beautiful finishes. If you are using a joiner, make sure you specify your own handles and choose your own stone benchtop, leaving this to a trade isn't always the best idea

Which cabinet front appeals to you?

Do you want handles or no handles on your cabinets?

Which benchtop do you want to include in your kitchen design?

What benchtop edge detail and thickness do you like?

Now, let's see if you were paying attention... What is the 1st and 2nd step in the timeline when designing a great kitchen? No peeking!

Name the trades/suppliers needed to self implement a kitchen reno?

OUR TIPS AND TRICKS

This will save you money by not having custom sized joinery.

-Keep in mind freestanding fridges will protrude out as they're usually greater in-depth than your benchtop.

- If you ' re after a seamless look, opt for an integrated fridge as it will be concealed within your joinery.

- We prefer to have integrated appliances in smaller kitchens so that the appliances don't become the feature of the kitchen If you have a smaller kitchen, you don't want a large stainless steel fridge to be the focal point. If your budget allows, aim for an integrated fridge and dishwasher.

- If you are keeping your freestanding fridge, try and place the fridge on either end of your kitchen that is the least visible when you first walk into the space

Choosing engineered stone is a great way of spending less yet still being able to achieve the same look and feel of a natural stone without breaking the budget!

If you ' re happy with the current layout/configuration of your existing joinery and would prefer to just upgrade your finishes - contact your local joiner for a quote to re-spray your cabinet fronts & arrange for a quote to change your stone benchtops By keeping the kitchen carcass /changing the cabinet fronts, updating the stone, and changing the tapware, will save a huge amount of money. If you ' re happy with your cabinet fronts but you have an outdated splashback (A glass Bunnings splashback - no thank you) then simply have this removed and choose a beautiful stone or tile to be installed in its place.

Another face-lift suggestion would be to remove 1-2 overhead wall cabinets and replace these with floating timber shelves, this adds a personalised touch to a kitchen and allows you to display some of your treasured items or a beautiful hanging plant.

F L A T P A C K

OUR TIPS AND TRICKS

FLATBACK & CUSTOM JOINERY

We suggest using Ikea Kitchen Planner. Again, we suggest purchasing stone elsewhere and not at Ikea. We also suggest purchasing your tapware and kitchen splashback elsewhere too You would then purely be ordering cabinetry from Ikea and all the kitchen accessories/statement pieces elsewhere

Ikea Kitchen Planner: https://www ikea com/au/en/planners/ikea-kitchen-planner-pubdf9bf290

F L A T P A C K H Y B R I D

We suggest using Ikea Kitchen Planner and ordering the Carcass (the interior of the cabinetry) and purchasing the cabinet fronts elsewhere. There are companies now that will create custom cabinet fronts to match Ikea carcass sizes.

Ikea Kitchen Planner - removing the cabinet fronts, any tapware, sinks and handles that are automatically applied in the planner and ordering the carcass only

Then you will order the cabinet fronts separately, stone, tiles, tapware and handles

Cabinet front companies that match Ikea kitchens: https://www.customea.com.au/contact https://www.doorsanddrawers.com.au/

Contact a joinery company and have them come to the site and conduct a 'check measure ' and run through the design. You'll need a Pinterest board, have your appliances confirmed, know what stone you want and a general idea of the layout you want. They can then assist you in drawing a kitchen layout

CHAPTER 1

PART 2: BATHROOMS

DESIGN BATHROOM

The bathroom is often a relaxation zone, and often the location to our morning and bedtime rituals. You want your bathroom to feel like a spa. Invest in a couple of pieces that truly spark joy and hunt for a tile, a light, or simply towels that are unique - don't play it too safe.

At Folk, we are suckers for good bathroom lighting We never design bathrooms without wall lights. This allows you to bring a bit of personality to the space and will ensure your bathroom feels warm and inviting and not clinical

The key to a great bathroom is including luxurious details We suggest adding soap holders or hand towel holders, beautiful body washes, soft towels, and room mists. Allow some room in the budget for these finer details, as they make the world of difference

Our Adams st Project Bathroom

BATHROOM CHECKLIST

Tap / Bench mounted or wall mounted?

Vanity / Floating or freestanding?

Toilet / Wall hung (concealed) or freestanding?

Wall Storage /

Do you require storage or prefer a fixed mirror?

Lighting /

Will you be having any wall lights or LED lighting?

Wall Tiles /

Are you having a feature wall or are all tiles the same?

Basin /

Are you having an undermount or above bench basin?

BATHROOM CHECKLIST

Towels / Will you have hooks, heated or non heated towel rails? Add items to your checklist that are suitable for your design:

To demo an existing bathroom will require a skilled trade as there is heavy machinery required i.e. jackhammer.

TRADES NEEDED /

The electrician needs to disconnect your power prior to demo. The electrician will come back for rough in and fit off.

The plumber needs to disconnect your water prior to demo The plumber will come back for rough in and fit off.

T I L E R

You may purchase your vanity from a bathroom supplier or you may also want a custom vanity made by a joiner You also may have additional storage/joinery required in the bathroom that has to be made.

TRADES NEEDED /

BATHROOM

You will need the glass supplier to come to site and measure the fall so that the glass mimics the fall on the floor (if you have a builder, they will measure this for you). The 'fall' refers to the degree to which the tiles slope for the water to run toward the waste.

If you have a builder on board for your renovation, they will organise the trades. This trade list is for those that are self implementing their project and hiring trades themselves

R E N D E R E R

Once the tiles are removed from the wall you may require a renderer to come and smooth out the wall if there is a lot of remaining glue.

If you would love samples of different finishes, ABI Interiors has some great samples However, you may be after more aged finishes, for this, suppliers like Astra Walker or Sussex are better suited.

TAPWARE FINISH

"IBELIEVEMY ROLEISTO PROVIDE CALM. BECAUSEI MYSELF HAVEANEED OFPEACE"

We often like to choose large scale floor tiles, this means you have less grout lines which means cleaning is minimised.

If you ' re on a tight budget, we suggest a large format wall tile to be on your walls. Large format plain tiles are very cheap in comparison to handmade, mosaic tiles.

All your walls in the bathroom can be tiled in a feature tile, however, if you ' re on a tight budget we suggest leaving the wall behind your vanity as the 'feature' wall. This is when you choose a tile you absolutely adore and feature it on one wall only If you prefer/your budget will allow, you can have all the walls tiled in this beautiful tile

When choosing your tiles, it's important that the floor and wall tiles complement one another

If you are on a tight budget, we suggest choosing a large format tile (they are large tiles that are usually very cost-effective) for most of the walls in your bathroom and having one feature tile (usually a more expensive/statement tile) for one wall When selecting a feature tile, you may choose a different colour, texture, or scale People often think a feature tile has to be a colour but this is certainly not the case. For some of our projects, it means we may specify a simple white tile on all walls but one, and the feature tile is a beautiful handmade white mosaic with a raw texture.

Have a look at the mood board you created for your bathroom. What type of tiles are you drawn to? Does the imagery you have included in the mood board have a feature tile or are the tiles consistent throughout?

A great insight into various tiles and slip ratings: https://surfacegallery.com.au/helpful-facts

MORE TILE LAYOUTS

If you ' re on a tight budget, we suggest only tiling your shower area/any wet areas and leaving the other walls painted.

If you ' re on a tight budget, we suggest a large format wall tile to be on your walls other than one. Large format plain tiles are very cheap in comparison to a handmade, mosaic tiles.

MORE TILE LAYOUTS

Many people do this if they love a statement tile but don't want to overwhelm the space and aren't fans of a feature wall We suggest tiling 1200mm up from the floor on all walls other than the shower area (of course, this has to be fully tiled).

You may want the space to be fully tiled. We often love this option if you want your tapware to take a front seat, as having a fully tiled bathroom creates a beautiful base for stand-out tapware.

H A L F T I L E

If you are installing clear glass or reeded glass screens into your bathroom, make sure the glass panel clips match your tapware http://www.abiinteriors.com.au/product/kason-shower-screen-clip-brass

What is a glass panel clip?

We pair it with white/grey tiles

We pair it with white tiles

We pair it with terracotta/clay tiles

We pair it with green tiles

We pair it with dark grey tiles

There are many grout colours, however, these are our ' go to' colours

Look up:

https://ardexaustralia.com/tools/grout-colour-selector/grout-colourselector-fg-8/

An essential light in every space! This type of lighting is perfect for task lighting. There are 2 main types of downlights available: recessed which are concealed within the ceiling, however, if you ' re unable to have this within your home e.g. concrete ceiling, then the alternative option is surface downlights which are fitted to the surface L

This form of lighting is purely used for aesthetic purposes, with an added bonus that it gives a lovely glow to the space! It can be installed around the perimeter of your mirrored cabinet, or alternatively underneath your vanity (if it's floating).

A great way to create mood lighting within a space, especially at night. It's also more of a forgiving light on the face due to the warm effect it creates.

VANITIES

If you aren't moving your plumbing, check where your waste is situatedchecking if you have a floor waste or wall waste. Older bathrooms usually have floor wastes. This means that your plumbing will be shown if you have a wall-mounted/floating vanity If your plumbing is indeed coming from the floor, ensure you choose a vanity that goes to the floor. If you are redesigning a space, we suggest ensuring your plumbing is inwall, so you have the ability to hide plumbing and have a floating vanity and wall-hung tapware

L O A T I N G V A N I T Y

The plumbing for the sink is coming from the wall (not floor) and concealed in the vanity.

R V A N I T Y

Our Adams st Project / The plumbing for the sink was coming from the floor, therefore the plumbing is concealed in the vanity However, we moved the plumbing in the wall to allow for a wall-hung tap/mixer.

F L O O

F

Whether you have storage in your mirror or not is completely up to how much you may need to store/how many people are using the space

If you have ample storage in your vanity, aim to have a non storage mirror. There are more beautiful options to choose from when it comes to non storage mirrors.

Bathroom mirrors don't have to be the traditional rectangle white/mirrored boxes we are used to seeing in bathroom showrooms; this is your chance to add some warmth, colour, or texture to your bathroom. Think about introducing a mirror with a timber or brass frame to match your tapware? Whether you need extra storage or happy with a standard mirror, don't waste the opportunity to make your mirror another beautiful feature of the bathroom

D E M O

01

02 03 03

P L U M B I N G R O U G H I N

Rough-in refers to the bones of the plumbing works Concealing water pipes, plumbing wastes, and frames behind the wall and in the floor.

E L E C T R I C A L R O U G H I N

Electrical rough-in includes all the cables and wires that sit behind the wall. Your electrician may need to make holes in the plaster to allow for feeding through wires.

04

R E N D E R E R

Any last touch-ups to imperfections such as repairing any cracks in the walls or ceiling, to ensure a smooth finish for painting/tiling

W A T E R P R O O F I N G

Here is where the team will start prepping your bathroom for the job Demolition will take place as required and the early building phase will commence. 05 03

The waterproofer will prep and prime the area, before applying at least two coats of material. It is important to use a licensed professional to ensure this step is done properly.

06 T I L I N G

Floor, wall, and any niche tiles will be laid This involves proper placement, spacing, grouting, and may necessitate cutting off some tiles to fit. 07

08 09

V A N I T Y I N S T A L L

E L E C T R I C A L F I T - O F F

Your electrician will install light fittings, exhaust fans, heated towel rails, and other electrical items

P L U M B I N G F I T - O F F

Your plumber will complete the installation of toilets, tapware, showers, and drains

S H O W E R S C R E E N

If your vanity has a stone benchtop, the check measure can now be conducted by your stonemason. 10

The installation of your shower screen will include measurement and checking before final installation. 11

A C C E S S O R Y F I T - O F F

Final touches to the bathroom include towel rails, hooks, toilet roll holders, and shelving.

Bathrooms should feel like an oasis, a space where you feel incredibly relaxed in. What are you going to include in your bathroom that gives this space a sense of luxury?

Why is it important to have a wall light in your bathroom?

Name your top two tapware finishes i.e. brass, chrome, matte black?

Name three words that describe the style of your dream bathroom?

TIPS AND TRICKS

Changing your plumbing location is an expensive exercise! We highly recommend leaving it where it is unless necessary.

When you re-tile your bathroom, your builder (if you have one) may ask you if you want to lower the floor so it's flush with the hallway To be cost-effective, allow for the small step

The last thing you want to do is have your lighting placed incorrectly, creating unappealing shadows when you look in the mirror Consult with your electrician to discuss what works best within your space.

If you have a small bathroom, a hinged door into the space takes up a lot of space, we suggest a cavity slider or an external barn door to maximise the space within your bathroom.

Make sure you come up with a game plan of where you may stay for a couple of days, as there will be a few weeks that you you don't have any running water in the bathroom, so you'll need to rely on friends to use their showers

TIPS AND TRICKS

L

I V E I N A N A P A R T M E N T ?

You'll need to get strata approval and they will simply need to know what trades you have involved (business names), your budget for the bathroom, and the general scope of work. You'll need to obtain the tilers trade certificate and the 'waterproofing' certificate too I'd aim to get approval 2-3 months prior to construction.

T H E M A G I C D I M E N S I O N

Save on materials and labour in bathrooms by tiling only 1200mm up from the floor - except for the shower area of course.

There are so many great online tapware suppliers now so you should take on that responsibility yourself by finding the items you love and ordering them direct, rather than the trade. This removes the mark-up your tradie would have passed on to you as well as their charge for the time spent sourcing and purchasing the tapware

P R O J E C T M A N A G I N G

You may not have the finances to hire a builder to organise all of the trades for your bathroom reno (To Project Manage). Project managing isn’t for everyone though – it’s very time consuming and can be stressful juggling all of the trades and as you can see, there are a lot of trades involved in a bathroom renovation. If you want to manage the reno yourself, I would suggest asking your friends and family if they know any good trades and reach out to them As well as this, start getting comparative quotes using apps like 'HiPages' which makes it very easy to get quotes from a number of different tradespeople in your area.

CHAPTER 2

STYLING DECORATIVE LIGHTING PAINT

STYLING

Less is more. We collect furniture pieces, we inherit pieces, and we buy pieces we don't love simply for their function over aesthetic... We all do it You need to purge and think about every item as serving a purpose Some have only function, some only have aesthetic, and some have a dual purpose. Whatever its use or look, you need to love it. This is when your space becomes an extension of yourself, not a mixmatch of pieces that aren't truly adored We would also like to mention that yes, some pieces are only aesthetic and that is ok. It's been drilled into us that this is not ok, but yes, this is what makes a house a home, it's having a mix of pieces that serve different uses and purposes The sole purpose of a vase or chair can be its viewing pleasure.

When we reference 'artwork' people often think of a large-scale painting or print. We can actually mean having something in your space that's impactful, sculptural, unique, and thoughtprovoking This can be through the use of a sculptural plant, ceramic, lighting, or mirror. If your budget doesn't allow for a painting or print, think about introducing an incredible wall mirror or a show-stopping/sculptural floor lamp

Look back at your concept board as referencewhat is the mood and style that has been created? Use this as the basis of choosing all your decor and furniture. Does your mood board evoke a sense of calm and the feeling of cosiness? Then ask yourself, is this lamp, coffee table, vase, etc all going to assist in the creation of this feeling?

Your base colour is usually depicted by the floor and walls If you have white walls and timber floors, you have a fairly natural pallet and your base colour is white and brown/beige If you like to play things a little bit safe/want to ensure you love the base tone of your room for years to come, people often decide to match their sofa (usually the largest piece in a living room) to the base colour This means they work along the lines of white, brown, beige, and grey Your accent chair and coffee table should also work in with the base colours, meaning they should be in similar tones to the greys, browns, whites, and beiges.

Have fun with this! Our clients with children, tend to lean towards making their statement pieces an artwork, a beautiful wall-hung mirror, or an incredible armchair - pieces that aren't touched/used as often as other living room pieces If you don't have kids, then we suggest introducing your statement piece through the means of an incredible sofa or unique rug

STYLING

As mentioned above, you have a base tone for the living room, which basically sets the colour of your canvas The best way to add accent colours is through interchangeable items i e decor We suggest using cushions, rugs, ceramics, coffee table books, and plants to introduce pops of colour. Choose 3 colours you want to introduce as your accent colours and you can have various tones of the same colour throughout the room ie if a burnt terracotta colour is one of the accent colours, then you can also introduce a lighter or darker tone of this through different decorative pieces Some people decide they want a piece of furniture to highlight one of their accent colours and they do this with armchairs, lighting or their sofa.

There are so many ways to introduce texture to your living room! Try introducing a stone or textured fabric into the space The easiest way to do this is by choosing a coffee table or side table with a stone top (maybe it's concrete or marble) or having beautiful linen curtains as your window coverings. Another way to easily introduce texture is through a rug or cushions. Your rug could tick both of these boxes, it could have a beautiful texture and also have a subtle pattern

Many people forget how important scent is when it comes to styling. You want to appeal to all of the senses, so make sure you choose a scent that fits the style/feel you are trying to create

ACCESSORIES

When styling your coffee table or shelving, try the trusty triangle method. This showcases different treasured items in the perfect formula:

1x-2x books stacked

1x taller styling accessory to sit on the books

1x shorter accessories like a candle or low bowl.

You can repeat this on shelving creating various heights and shapes.

“IFYOUWANTA GOLDENRULE THATWILLFIT EVERYTHING,THIS

NOTHINGINYOUR HOUSESTHAT YOUDONOT KNOWTOBE USEFULOR BELIEVETOBE BEAUTIFUL.”

ISIT:HAVE

PLANTS

Here in Australia, we love bringing the outdoors inside The best way to do this is to bring green life into your interior spaces. We have listed some great indoor plants we often use in our interior projects, however, lighting/placement of the plant is crucial. There are some hearty indoor plants that we often include in interiors.

WEEPING FICUS RUBBER LEAF FIDDLE FIG DEVILS IVY *hanging plant*

SOFAS & RUGS

If you have a small living area aim to purchase sofas that are off the ground/have legs. This will create the illusion that the space is larger than it is because you can see more floor space

If you have a larger living area, modular sofas that don't have legs are better suited.

Every designers pet hate When the rug is too small for the furniture. You have to consider what items you need to frame Most likely you need to frame a sofa and a coffee table and sometimes you may also have to consider framing an armchair. Our rule of thumb is for a rug to sit halfway under a sofa and come out approx 400mm on each side

Remember to first measure your sofa and have a coffee table chosen before ordering a rug. You want the rug to come out enough so that it frames the coffee table

Purchase Rug underlay from Bunnings or Ikea, this will ensure your rug doesn't slide around

DECORATIVE LIGHTING

Consider having additional mood lighting in your living space and master bedroom. You don't want downlights shining down on you when you ' re watching a movie at night, nor do you want it to be pitch black, therefore decorative lighting gives you more options to create various moods in these rooms Decorative lighting can also be seen as an opportunity to introduce another colour, form, or texture We view decorative lighting as a crucial element in styling any room - have some fun with it!

T A B L E L A M P

We often like to add a side table next to a sofa (if you have the room) and style it with a table lamp. This is great if your sofa is quite long and you need additional table space, therefore a side table and lamp is a great option in addition to a coffee table. A side table lamp is a great decorative option and enables you to add some added texture or potentially a colour to the space

We often suggest introducing a floor lamp to sit next to your sofa (if you have the room) This will add a sculptural element to the space too

We love using wall lights in our projects, they can be artworks in themselves. If you are fully renovating your home, then plan the position of the wall light early on so the electrician can rough-in. This means you should have a good idea of what furniture you ' re using For example, if you are planning on having a wall light next to your sofa above a little side table, you will need to know the length of your sofa or if you plan on having a wall light above your bedside table in your bedroom, then you will need to know what size bed you have, as well as the bedside tables height/width.

For those that don't want something so permanent, the best option is to introduce a wall light that doesn't have to be hardwired into the wall and can simply be plugged in See examples on the next page

L IGHTS PENDANT

When purchasing pendant lights, make sure the pendant comes with the cord and ceiling rose. If you have high ceilings (higher than 2.7m) you may have to order another 'cord set' that is 3-4m and your electrician can then cut the cord to the length required

If you don't want to pay for the labour of changing the pendant light location, you can think about putting a hook in the ceiling and looping the pendant over the hook and hanging it this way Sometimes we do this simply for the look - if you ' re going for an understated/raw aesthetic this may work well for your home.

What comes first, the coffee table or the rug?

What larger pieces can you introduce to style a space instead of artwork?

What is the base tone of your living area?

It may be difficult to answer this now, but what would your ideal statement piece for the living room be?

Choosing the perfect white is a difficult task for many (after a while all the swatches start to look the same ... no fun). We have listed our ' go to' interior wall colours below.

PAINT

WARM WHITES

Warm whites assist in softening spaces that don’t get much sun We use warm whites in many of our interiors because warmer whites pair nicely with raw materials, such as timber and concrete Warm whites often have a pink or yellow undertone

COOL WHITES

Cool whites are perfect for modern, crisp spaces. Most Cool White paint colours have a blue undertone and are best used to soften bright light. We love using cool whites in interiors that have a fresh, coastal vibe.

When specifying paint, the colour name and code are important, however, the sheen level can determine the durability of the paint as well as the way the colour is reflected back into the space The same colour specified in different sheens can have varying differences

Generally, when a high gloss is specified the surface can reflect elements and even expose flaws in the surface of the wall The flatter the sheen, the less reflection occurs Applying a flat or low sheen finish to older, heritage walls or ceilings can be beneficial as they can hide any defects in the existing wall surface.

https://www dulux com au/services/paint-calculator

https://www dulux com au/inspiration/the-design-files/choosing-whites

PAINT

Here are our ' go to' paint colours and finishes for walls, ceilings and trims.

W A L L P A I N T

Colour/Name: Choose a colour from our above list

Finish: Low Sheen

C E I L I N G P A I N T

Colour/Name: Dulux Ceiling White

Finish: Flat

Colour: White Dulux Aquanamel® (water based - interior only)

Finish: Low gloss

If you ' re on a tight budget, think about only having the walls painted and not the ceilings or window trims. Any timber work, such as window trims, door trims, doors, etc will increase the cost dramatically as woodwork/trims are more labour intensive for painters. You can always start with your walls and/or ceiling and leave the window trims and skirtings for stage 2.

CHAPTER 3

BUDGETING/SCHEDULING

ALLOCATION BUDGET

Labour Materials

Decor

Mr & Mrs Black are renovating and have a $150,000 budget The pie graph below shows how they have broken up this amount into each area. Depending on what your budget is, it's recommended to follow the percentages as a guide.

Wet Areas

Flooring

Painting

Lighting

The Unexpected

HOW MUCH MONEY DO I NEED?

KA full kitchen renovation will cost about $30,000 and upwards. if you look at the Kitchen checklist, this is a good indication of all the moving parts and trades/suppliers you will have to pay to achieve the look you want Joiners, Tilers, Plumbers, Benchtop suppliers, appliances, etc

If you are on a tight budget, then you may consider a flatpack kitchen from companies like IKEA or Kaboodle For a flatpack kitchen, you will be paying upwards of $6,000 depending on the size/range you choose

BPeople are often surprised at the price of a bathroom renovation. Bathrooms are the most expensive room in the house to renovate, even if you have a small bathroom. This is because bathroom renovations require nearly every trade under the sun - plumber, tiler, electrician, painters, carpenter, etc Our rule of thumb is that whatever your budget is for a bathroom, half of this will be spent on labour, so if you have $20,000 to spend, $10,000 of that is materials and the other half is for trades This means that your tapware, glass, vanity, bath (if you are including one), mirror, toilet, and tile choices will have to be very costeffective options to maintain that $10,000 allowance for materials.

We often say that $20,000/$22,000 is the minimum spend on any bathroom if you are outsourcing all of the work

TIPS AND TRICKS

T R A C K Y O U R B U D G E T

Before you begin your renovation, set up an Excel document or Google Doc so you can track how your budget is going. If you'd prefer an app specifically made for budgeting, jump onto the App Store and download one that suits you best You can also assign someone in your household to manage this to ensure you stay on track.

Note - this may not apply to you if you already have a builder, as they will organise this for you. You may also not require these trades for your renovation. We recommend doing this for the following trades/services: joiner, floor sander/staining and painter.

In the provided schedule template is a 'Price' column. Ensure you add the price in once you have confirmed the amount with your supplier. This is especially important when it comes to tiles! After purchasing your supplies, highlight what has been purchased and what hasn't, seeing this visually always helps

C

R I T I C A L P A T H I T E M S

You will see on the provided schedule template we have highlighted 'critical path items'these are items that should be ordered first and prioritised in terms of your budget Whatever is left after these items have been purchased should be put towards styling your space

P R E P A R E F O R T H E U N E X P E C T E D

Renovations unfortunately don't always go to plan, so keep aside 10% of your allowance for any unexpected occurrences. This will help you to stay within your estimated budget!

S

T I C K T O T H E P L A N

If you decide to change your mind about certain aspects of the renovation, prepare for the timeline of events to go off course. Installations may be delayed and additional labour time may be added depending on the change so always try and stick to the plan to avoid any disappointments.

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE

THEPOWERYOUR ENVIRONMENTHAS ONYOURMENTAL ANDPHYSICAL WELLBEING.DESIGN WITHPURPOSEAND UNDERSTANDTHAT YOURHOMEISAN EXTENSIONOFYOU.

CHAPTER 4

POT OF GOLD

SUPPLIERS

Our supplier list has taken years to create. Of course, we only work with like-minded, organised and generally great companies, therefore, it has taken years to curate a list of suppliers that we trust and love. Finding different suppliers that suit different price points is incredibly time-consuming and is the most valuable resource we have as designers - we often tell people that as designers, our main job is to be the Yellowpages for all interior items