Bathroom makeover
Being au fait with the construction world,
Jen had a good understanding of the order in which everything should happen.
What did you do first? I figured that living here while renovating would be messy so I started with the messiest task: ripping out my bathrooms. Once they were rebuilt (I did one at a time so I could still shower) I looked at the rest of the project.
Did anything slow down the process? There were a few delays on the bathrooms due to custommade shower bases, needing consent, and the Christmas/New Year break in the middle. I’ve learned for next time!
How did you choose your tiles? The hexagonal tiles I used in the showers are quite popular but they’ve been around for ever so I didn’t think they would date quickly.
Are those the same floor tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen? Yes, I made the decision just a few hours before flying to Sydney, so I bit the bullet and fronted up the cash. But it was worth it.
What did you learn from this renovation? Because I work in the industry, I didn’t learn anything technical, but I did learn that I need to switch off mentally from projects – it felt like I was never away from work because if I wasn’t managing my large expansion project for my job, I was managing my own one at home. I couldn’t relax. I also struggled to separate the emotion from my home renovation, even though I was trying to treat it like a professional project. I enjoyed the design element but should have handed it over to my builder to manage the execution.
Financially, I had to live here or with my parents (for free) while I did it. For my next project, I have made the decision to rent and complete it from afar – I’m in a better position to do it that way now.
Style secrets
What’s your advice for making decor choices? Keep your decisions practical at least half the time – for example, rather than buying a Moroccan pouf for a foot rest, I purchased one of Tim Webber’s bigger poufs that are quite solid on top so it works as both a footrest and a coffee table of sorts. I also chose a straight couch rather than an L-shape – I wanted the ‘L’ but that won’t necessarily work in my next house so I had to compromise and find a suitable alternative.
What choice gave you the best value? Buying all my furniture, fixings and equipment
(tiles, joinery, tapware, etc) upfront. Because I purchased these all in one big transaction, I managed to get a decent discount because of the size of the sale.
Favourite room in the apartment? The lounge. It felt so cold before and wasn’t a nice place to be, but now it’s very warm and inviting. I splashed out on some pretty cushions and throws from Citta Design for the couch, which made it a super-cosy hangout last winter, whether I was reading a book, writing an essay or working from home. Before, I used to just stay cuddled up in bed on cold days!
What’s your top piece of design advice? Choose a theme and stick to it. I used one type of timber and my theme colours (black, pale pink, white and army green) throughout, with handles, throws, linen, towels and artwork in those colours, too. •