RENO COMMANDMENTS

DO…

✚ Your research before you purchase a property: check whether it’s heritagelisted, in a flood or bushfire zone, or has any other restrictions. “Find out if the house has the potential to be altered or added to by running it past council as a pre-DA,” says Weston. “You don’t want to make the purchase and then find out you can’t add that second storey.” ✚ Understand the architectural style of the home and let that guide you to come up with an overall style and aesthetic, rather than forcing an unsuitable look onto the property. ✚ Speak to your window and door supplier about the different kinds of glass available to make your home more comfortable. “There’s glass to reduce heat loss in winter, UV glare in summer and noise all year round,” says Taylor. ✚ Have your rangehood ducted externally rather than recirculating the exhaust, to ensure cooking smells are always confined to the kitchen.

DON’T…

✚ Contrast guttering or downpipes against exterior walls. “They’re not a feature, so don’t make them stand out,” says Taylor. Paint them the same colour (or very similar to) the exterior walls, as shown below. ✚

Use tiles from different batches as they can have noticeable variations in colour. Ensure boxes or individual tiles have the same batch number. ✚

Buy a plant just because it’s pretty. Do your research and make sure it will be in a suitable environment, inside or out, with the right amount of sun. ✚ Choose a dark floor covering if you want your home to look and feel bigger than it is. A lighter floor will trick the eye and make the house appear more spacious.