Wendy’s design rules The HR judge shares her tips for reno success
THE LUCKY WINNERS OF HOME INSURERS ALLIANZ’S MAKEOVER COMPETITION WILL TAKE HOME $100,000 AND EARN A DESIGN SESSION WITH HOUSE RULES JUDGE, HB’S WENDY MOORE. HERE, SHE SHARES HER TIPS FOR RENO SUCCESS…
Hot tip: Don’t forget to update your home insurance regularly so it keeps up with the increasing value of your home
BE PRACTICAL
Before starting, have a clear idea of how long you’ll live in your home – the average is around 10-11 years. Talk to like-minded people who are 10 or so years ahead of you to get an idea of what to plan for. Also, map out your storage. Lay your small appliances out on the kitchen bench and think about how to arrange them, or consider how many people live in the home and how much space for towels you’ll need. It’s things like this that will help you create a home you’ll feel comfortable in for years to come.
MAKE A MOODBOARD
Renovating can be quite overwhelming, especially as there are so many style choices out there. A moodboard can help you identify which looks appeal to you. Once you start to rip pages out of magazines, dominant styles will emerge and you’ll soon realise which ones make you happiest. It’s fine to like two styles, such as Art Deco and mid-century modern, but you need to be aware of their attributes so that you can make informed decisions and get them to work side by side.
CHOOSE QUALITY OVER TRENDS
Homewares trends are a lot slower moving than fashion fads. By all means use a trend to inform your style, but don’t let it dictate your whole look. Most people don’t renovate for profit, they renovate to improve their lifestyle, so choose good-quality items that will still be relevant in five years’ time. Always go for better quality where you can afford it.
DON’T BLOW THE BUDGET
Make sure you assess what the overall value of your finished home is likely to be. Understanding this is the key to ensuring you don’t overspend, and allows you to borrow smart, so that you won’t end up compromising something you love because you underestimated the cost. Secondly, draw up a wish list with the absolute must-haves at the top. You will have to compromise somewhere along the line, so knowing what’s essential and what you can cross off will help you make those decisions.
SELECT YOUR STATEMENT PIECES
Statement pieces can be any design aspect, not just furniture. Your island bench can be a statement piece, and how you want it to look can inform the rest of your space. In my renovation, it’s a curved window – I want curves repeated throughout the home in walls and floors. Identify your statement and let surrounding items complement it.