Martina Hayes

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Home Renovation where to start

Home Renovation where to start

Time to begin your home renovation where to start

Is your house in need of a sound makeover but have NO IDEA where to even start

Watch this short video, it guides you through your home renovation where to start and a process step-by-step to follow.

Make a Renovation Design check list

First of all, I’d recommend making a list of what you wish to achieve with your upgrade. Include the must-haves, for instance changes to the floor plan to accommodate an open-plan kitchen; or you would like to have an additional bedroom.

Include the nice-to-haves

Also include your nice-to-haves, for instance an ensuite to this additional bedroom. I know it’s not very exciting to create a list, but very helpful down the track to make sure you don’t lose sight of your original goals. And it’s a great document to brief your building designer.

Home renovation design

Explore your floorplan options

Your building designer will discuss the brief with you and explore your floor plan options. If you believe an architect is an overkill for the scope of your project, you might wish to consider going to a building designer or an interior designer.

Find the right builder for your home renovation

Once you have the final floor plan, it’s all about finding your builder. Get at least three builders’ quotes in and compare them thoroughly. Then make up your mind which builder works best for you.

Council approval (DA) or CDC?

Then it’s about getting council approval, if you need approval for your project at all. Alternatively to the Development Approval (DA) by the council, you might be eligible for a so-called CDC, a Complying Development Certificate issued by a private certifier. If your house is located in Sydney, check out whether you are eligible for this fast track approval. But don’t be worried, we will help you with that.

Selecting finishes and furniture

Once you have approval for your home transformation to go ahead, it’s all about the fun stuff. You will be choosing the bathroom tiles, the kitchen benchtop and other finishes. We will also develop a colour scheme for both your interiors and the house facade.

If you intend to renovate your home, have a look at our guide for complete home renovations in Sydney. It includes our very own budget confidence process, that keeps your budget in check.

If you want to get the next video straight to your inbox, please type in your email address at the very bottom of this page.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions in regards to your home renovation design.

Create a mood board online step-by-step

Create a mood board online step-by-step

If you can’t decide whether to purchase this cosy beige sofa or the stylish charcoal one, just do what the pros do: create a mood board.

Decorate like a pro

Watch this short video that shows step-by-step on how to create a mood board online.

Questions on how to create a mood board

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

How to select paint colours for your home

How to select paint colours for your home

Eight questions you should ask yourself before you select paint colours

Your eyes may have wandered around your home recently, thinking that it is time for a fresh coat of paint on your walls. This is a good opportunity to rejuvenate your interiors. But how do you select paint colours to determine a new colour scheme?

Select paint colour
Selected Dulux Milky Spearmint for the back wall of this Eastern Suburbs living room

But where to start?  Here are eight questions to ask yourself to make your painting project successful.

What direction does the room face?

With the right paint colour choice, you are able to adjust how warm or cold a space feels. For example, with a cooler hue you can take the edge of a north facing room that is baking in the sun light. But when you always reach for this thick cardigan in a room, you might select a warm colour to make the room feel warm and comfortable.

What atmosphere do you wish to achieve?

For a fresh, coastal ambiance you are likely to look for the blues and greens in the colour chart. But to achieve a cosy and homely feeling, neutral hues in the warm spectrum are ideal for you. Or you might be an eccentric character who thrives in a clashing colour scheme. Then have fun with mixing up your colours!

What is your ceiling height?

With a ceiling height of 2.7 metres or more, you can play with colour on your ceiling. A warm, dark hue gives your living area this snug atmosphere you always wanted. Whereas a bright colour has a dramatic effect on how the space is perceived. A standard ceiling height of 2.4 metres doesn’t mean you need to go for the traditional white, a pastel colour can also look stunning without weighing the ceiling down visually.

Thought of a feature wall?

If your room lacks interest, a feature wall might be the right choice for you. Check, if you have a wall that could work as the feature wall: It is ideally located opposite the entry door and has no window or large cabinetry. Paint the wall in a contrasting colour or just a couple of tones darker than the rest of the room.

Select paint colour
Selected Dulux Blue Quarry as the feature colour for this Eastern Suburbs master bedroom

Which colour to choose for a feature wall?

Get some inspiration from looking out of the window. What about the greyish green of a gum tree? Or the deep blue of the sky? Or the colour of the blooming plants in the backyard? Alternatively, look around in your room. Is there a colour in your rug or in your cushions you fancy? Then go for it!

Select paint colour for this particular space

Get yourself some matching swatches from the paint shop or handware store and order A4 brushouts online from the paint manufacturers’ websites (Dulux, Taubmans, etc). Place the sheets against the wall, step back and compare the hues at various times of the day and at night with the lights switched on. You will soon know what colour is the right one for you.

What about wallpaper in your interiors?

Don’t limit yourself to a solid colour for your feature wall while there are so many beautiful wallpapers out there. Subtle fabric wallpapers add extra texture to your space for this comfy atmosphere. And a bold pattern can transform your room from boring to absolutely stunning.

How to match the colour of the remaining walls?

Once you made your choice, keep the remaining three walls fairly neutral. Look for a similar undertone to your feature wall. For example: If you have chosen a purple, opt for a neutral with a slight purple undertone to create a harmonious look.

If you have questions on how to select paint colour or wallpaper for your space, please contact me.

 

Customised furniture design | TV unit

Customised furniture design | TV unit

My clients asked for furniture design.

They were after a custom made TV unit that fitted precisely into the available space while providing storage and smart cable manage­ment.Furniture Design

TV unit with storage

With 3 drawers and 1 compart­ment the TV unit offers ample storage. The compart­­ment in the centre accom­­modates the BlueRay/DVD recorder.

It has a flip-down door which conceals the recorder. The furniture design incorporated apertures in between the timber slats, so that my clients can operate the recorder via remote control.

Furniture design accommodates for cable management

Cut-outs in the TV unit and a cavity space at the rear conceal the cables of the TV and record erentirely.

Solid timber furniture

The unit is made from Tas­manian Oak which has been stained in the client’s preferred timber colour. ‘Tassie Oak’ is an Australian hard­wood timber with ideal pro­perties for manu­fac­turing indoor furniture.

Furniture made in Australia

The TV unit has been manufac­tured in Sydney’s metro area.

If you are looking for furniture design made exactly to your liking, please contact me.

 

TV-Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Drawing-Sydney
Drawing
TV-Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney 2
TV unit in solid timber
TV-Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney 3
Additional storage
TV-Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney 4
Full height drawer
TV-Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney 6
Compartment for recorder

Custom made furniture design | media unit

Custom made furniture design | media unit

My clients asked me for a custom made furniture design of their media unit.

They were after a mini­malist media unit that ac­com­­­mo­dates the stereo system, large speakers, books and deco­ration items.Furniture-Design-Sydney-939

Media unit with floating shelves

I designed a base media unit with simple floating shelves installed on top.

Custom made furniture design

Two flip-down doors conceal the speakers behind. To ensure that the sound can travel freely through the doors, speaker fabric lines the timber slatted doors.

Besides that, several timber pieces have been cut-out. This allows the stereo unit and speakers’ cable to be connected invisibly inside the cabinet.

Media unit in solid timber

The furniture is made out of Tas­ma­nian Oak that is stained in the client’s preferred colour. Because Tasmanian Oak is a relatively light Australian hardwood timber, it is ideal for manu­fac­turing furniture pieces.

Custom made furniture in Sydney

All items are made in Sydney, Australia.

If you are looking for custom made furniture, please contact me.

 

 

Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Drawing-Sydney
Drawing
Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney-959
Media Unit
Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney-931
Lined with speaker fabric
Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney-929
Speakers are hidden
Media-Unit-Bespoke-Custom-Made-Furniture-Design-Sydney-939
Slatted doors

 

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