the Panel’s advice

Andrew Benn Architect and director, Benn + Penna Architecture, bennandpenna.com

This is a grand old house indeed. I love the soaring ceilings and beautiful plasterwork, but the 1980s extension is a disappointment. Although it adds a huge amount of space, it looks as if it was done cheaply and does nothing for the character of the home. If this is their forever home, Kate and Tim should take it off and start from scratch. This would be a great opportunity to build something of a superior quality and design, plus they can make a master plan for the house. The simple way to approach it is to put the bedrooms at the front with the formal living room, the bathrooms in the middle where it tends to be darker and the new living areas out the back with a seamless connection to the garden.

Wayd Munro Builder, Focusbuild, focusbuild.com.au

Kate and Tim need to think about futureproofing their home. I’d suggest a floorplan that works now, but can change once the kids leave home. Planning that now while thinking about the structural aspects of the build will make it easy to change the floorplan as the kids get older. Technology is hard to plan for as it’s constantly changing, but I’d install solar panels. I wouldn’t buy a battery just yet, but get a battery-compatible system for when the time comes. It’s a good time to assess requirements for the future. You could put in an oversupply of conduit for plumbing and electrics now – it’s cheaper to do when renovating because everything is ripped out anyway. Just get a drawing of where you put everything so you don’t forget!

Lisa Koehler ISCD educator, stylist and interior decorator

Oneis to thinkway to carefully future-proof about the the new flooring. extensionTim and Kate have two labradors and there isn’t a timber in the world that will take that kind of wear and tear. Polished concrete will last forever and looks fabulous, as long as the furnishings can soften the effect. When choosing furniture, purchase items that are built to last. Look backwards for inspiration and choose classic pieces that will stand the test of time – unlike the bathroom, which is a symphony in peach. Kate asked me what I believed today’s equivalent of peach would be – was peach ever considered timeless? I’m not too sure. But it’s difficult to see clean and simple white looking dated to quite the same extent in 20 years’ time.