Interior Design Archives

Interior renovation Sydney – before and after

This house was in dire need of a complete interior renovation to bring out the best of it. Being conveniently located in Sydney’s lower north shore the 60 year old duplex had a lot going for it:

Good bones
Beautiful North facing backyard
Charm of a small 2-bedroom house

Narrow hallway prior to renovation — *^{A bit of drama was added to the narrow hallway}*

Narrow hallway with dark ceiling — *^{A bit of drama was added to the narrow hallway}*

For more inspiration, head to our Gallery of completed projects.

Internal flow needs improvement

The layout was awkward and didn’t take advantage of the sunny backyard at all. Instead, the bathroom was located in the most beautiful part of the house. It had an old bathtub cramped into the tiny space and a basin barely large enough to wash one’s face. In addition, the property’s kitchen was impractical and lacked storage. Located on the outside, the laundry forced residents to walk over uneven ground and face trip hazards just to do their laundry.

Flowers on vanity top — *^{The new bathroom became a sanctuary}*

In case you had any doubt, this property needed a complete overhaul. We started the process by planning the new layout and recommended relocating the bathroom towards the bedrooms. Increasing functionality and flow we were also able to allocate space for a small indoor laundry.

Colour samples for interior renovation — *^{Neutral colour scheme for a rental home}*

Building permit for interior renovation

The plans required the relocation of a structural wall and therefore a building permit. We recommended applying for a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) as opposed to getting Council approval because we wanted to speed up and simplify the planning process for the interior renovation. Hence, our team developed the necessary drawings and documents for the certifier to grant the building permit and the construction work to begin.

Old bathroom before interior renovation — *^{Ample storage in the new bathroom}*

Renovated bathroom with vanity — *^{Ample storage in the new bathroom}*

Relocation of existing bathroom

With the bathroom being relocated, we opened up the house towards the backyard to take advantage of this lovely lush view. Because of that, the residents have now an abundance of natural light flowing into the kitchen, dining and living room.

We transformed the bathroom into a small sanctuary with a modern walk-in shower, toilet and vanity with a mirrored cabinet on top to provide ample storage. The colour scheme looks welcoming and ties in with the new kitchen.

Kitchen before interior renovation — *^{The new kitchen is light-flooded and inviting}*

New kitchen after internal makeover — *^{The new kitchen is light-flooded and inviting}*

Complete interior renovation

The kitchen now includes all appliances and smart storage solutions you would expect from a modern kitchen. We recommended a light and classic colour scheme combining oak timber with white. Saving valuable space, we butted up the dining table against the island bench where space is at its premium. In addition, we created a bar to the spacious deck inviting the residents to enjoy a snack and drink outdoors. At the same time, the new awning window protects the residents conveniently against any weather conditions.

bar with fruit basket — *^{New outdoor bar with awning window}*

Being an investment property, the entire transformation was carried out keeping an eye on the cost involved to maximize return on investment. Furthermore, we selected all the appliances and finishes to be solid quality and hardwearing while oozing out the desired cottage atmosphere.

New kitchen with flowers — *^{Oak and white for a cottage feel}*

Facelift for the timber flooring

The existing cypress pine timber flooring needed some replacement patches here and there. To ensure that the transitions are hardly noticeable, the builder’s tradespeople sanded back and resealed the entire floor. The treated floorboards turned out beautifully. As a result, it’s now nearly impossible to distinguish between the old and new boards and where the previous walls have been located.

Transformation into a cosy home

What a transformation from an unloved rental property to a cute little cottage home. Not only is the house now functional and beautiful, but the makeover also added significant value to the property.

If you have an older home in Sydney that needs an interior renovation, feel free to contact us for an initial chat. Feel free to book a suitable time for you in the table below.

Alternatively, email martina@martinahayes.com.au or call me on 0434 498 450. You can also use this contact form.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Open Plan Kitchen Design

Lifestyle of Open Plan Living

An open plan kitchen design is on top of many homeowners’ list to have. This is because open plan living is the new way of life, everyday living that brings your family congregating together.

What is Open Plan Kitchen Design?

Open plan kitchen design is being referred to when the kitchen is combined with the dining and living area creating one large space. The opposite is a kitchen that is tucked away in a separate room.

Why is Open Plan Kitchen Design so popular?

Even being on kitchen duties, an open plan kitchen includes you into the family life. Allowing you to keep an eye on your kids while preparing meals makes this design very popular with families.

If entertaining is your favourite weekend activity, an open plan kitchen is a must. You can finalise the food preparation while chatting with your guests. More often than not the kitchen island bench becomes the centrepoint of the party where everyone congregates.

White-kitchen — White open plan kitchen with industrial touch in Mosman

How to achieve an Open Plan Kitchen Design?

Lucky you when your house has already a large kitchen-dining-living area. If not, you might wish to consider removing or relocating an existing wall to open up the space.

Open Plan Kitchen in Willoughby: Case Study

Grey-Open-plan-kitchen-design — A warm and welcoming open plan kitchen in Willoughby

Our clients in Willoughby wanted to create an inviting atmosphere in their home. So we developed an open concept kitchen in their desired style of simple, modern and sleek. The end result is a kitchen that promotes a warm and welcoming atmosphere while being functional and practical.

What makes an Open Plan Kitchen Design?

Kitchen Island Bench

In this kitchen design we made the island bench act as the focal point of the space. The space in which the eye is naturally most drawn to. The island bench is not only a feature to be looked at but very practical for everyday use. It acts as a preparation area, breakfast bar as well as creating space for additional storage underneath which comes in handy in this mid-sized kitchen.

Benchtop and Cabinetry

The benchtops in this particular kitchen design are made from Caesarstone. Caesarstone is a man-made manufactured quartz stone that is durable providing its surface with exceptional properties of heat, stain, scratch and chip resistance.

The cabinetry has a Polyurethane finish (also called two-pack) in a light grey and a charcoal tone for the island bench.

Practicality

As well as creating a beautiful kitchen design practicality must also be implemented. In an open concept kitchen, the elevated dishwasher goes easy on the back while packing and unpacking the dishes. Therefore creating a beautiful looking kitchen while also making an everyday task very simple.

Lighting

Kitchens can sometimes come across as hard and harsh due to the abundance of hard surfaces. All this means is that you need to create more atmosphere. In this design we added texture in the shape of Abaca pendant lights to hang above the striking island bench. They are a beautiful texture adding lots of warmth to the space. The light globe adds a soft glow as well as the organic shape of the pendants creating character in the form of free flowing art.

These are all great elements that go into creating a great kitchen design.

If you have any questions about your open plan kitchen design, please call me on 0434 498 450 or email to martina@martinahayes.com.au. If you prefer, you can also this contact form.

Standard dimensions for Australian kitchen design

When you intend to renovate your kitchen, you wish to work towards the standard dimensions for Australian kitchen for optimum ergonomics and functionality. In addition, don’t forget to grab some kitchen design inspirations in passing.

Please find your expert guide for optimal kitchen design measurements below.

Kitchen Design Lower North Shore Sydney — Standard kitchen dimensions ensure functionality and sophisticated looks

Benchtop

Height

Standard benchtop height is 900mm. However, depending on your stature it can range from 850mm to 1000mm.

Depth

Standard depth of a benchtop is 600mm. But have a look at your fridge’s depth first. If you don’t want the fridge to protrude out of your kitchen row, adjust the depth of your benchtop accordingly. See standard fridge dimensions below.

Thickness

The most popular benchtops in Australia are made of engineered stones (e.g. Caesarstone, Quantum Quartz, Essastone, Smartstone) and laminate finishes. The average thickness of the latter one is around 33mm, whereas engineered stone usually comes in 20mm or a multiple thereof. If you wish to choose an engineered stone, our recommendation was to go with a thickness of 40mm as this looks well-proportioned and classy.

Island Bench

Distance

Galley kitchens with an island bench are still going strong in 2021. For its installation allow for approx 1200mm between the kitchen row and the island bench. If this space is too narrow, it becomes awkward when more than one person is working in the kitchen or the kids are running around your legs. Installed too far apart from each other, the kitchen becomes less efficient to work in.

Width and depth

The size of your kitchen island bench can be as large as your space allows. The only restriction is the width of the slab, if you opt for an engineered stone. A standard slab size is 3060mm by 1440mm, but some suppliers offer oversized jumbo slabs which eliminate the need of an unsightly joint between two slabs.

A good island width to work with is 1200mm, especially if you plan to place some barstools on the other side. In this case you wish to accommodate for the necessary leg room.

Leg room

An island bench is a great place to sit on bar stools while having your breakfast or a snack. Allow for 300mm of leg room underneath the benchtop to sit comfortably. You need to check with your kitchen manufacturer how big an unsupported benchtop overhang can be based on your chosen material.

Walkway

Plan for 1000mm walkway either side of the island bench. This will allow enough space for people to move around without having to turn sideways.

Fridge

The sizes of fridges vary significantly. For a single door fridge allow around 800mm width and 780mm depth. A double door fridge is around 1200mm wide and 850mm deep. If you have selected a fridge, check its required ventilation space in the manual to incorporate this space into your planning.

Oven

Whether you go for a wall or under bench oven, the standard width is 600mm. For large families and for entertainment standard options include 700mm and 900mm.

Overhead cupboards

Clearance between benchtop and overhead cupboards to be a minimum of 600mm. However, if you wish to install a gas cooktop, you need to allow for at least 650mm. Read the manual of the cooktop and rangehood manufacturers and follow their requirements. If uncertain, please check with a licensed electrician for the safety of your family.

Dishwasher

Dishwashers and dish drawers are usually 600mm wide, but they also come in 450mm suitable for an apartment or studio.

Sink

Sinks come in all shapes and sizes. For a double sink allow for a length of around 800mm and a width of 480mm plus drainage area on the benchtop. The depth of the sink is around 200mm.

If you wish to plan your kitchen sink with a single bowl allow for a length of 550mm and a width of around 500mm.

Kickboards

Kickboards height is usually between 90mm and 150mm and set back from the cabinet’s carcass by around 50mm.

We hope this information helps you with the design of your new kitchen. In addition, here are some kitchen design ideas up for grabs.

You can get a pdf version of the Standard Dimensions for Australian Kitchen emailed for you to print out. Please type in your name and email address below:

If you have a question or need help with your kitchen makeover, please send an email to martina@martinahayes.com.au or call 0434 498 450. Alternatively, you can use this contact form.

Choosing paint colour

Choosing paint colour is not as easy as it sounds.

Have you found that your eyes have wandered around your home recently, wondering what a fresh coat of paint could do to your walls as well as the vibe and aesthetic of your home. This is fantastic opportunity to rejuvenate your interiors.

Choosing paint colour scheme

But what often troubles us all is the how. How do you select paint colours, what vibe am I trying to create or change? The answer is to find and then determine a new colour scheme.

Many of us are ready for the change but are just stuck at where to start when choosing paint colour.

This short video below is a great start for you to put you on the right path a determining a new colour scheme for your home.

Key Points from the Video

1. Ceiling height important for choosing paint colour

The first step towards choosing paint colour is to measure the height of your homes ceiling. If your ceiling measures less than 2.7 metres it’s best to choose a lighter colour. This is to create the illusion of a larger space avoiding cramped and squished.

2.4 metres is the standard ceiling height but you are not limited only to white, you have the opportunity to add pastel hues which can create a truly stunning and really quite unique space.

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 desired.

2. Size of the room critical for choosing paint colours

When choosing your paint colour it’s especially important to consider the size of the space. Different colours create different effects depending on the square footage of the room. If your space only measures a few square metres, be aware if choosing a dark colour of the effects they can portray. A darker wall colour can often make a space feel smaller, tighter and more enclosed than it actually is.

The smaller a room, the lighter the colour you should choose as it is making the most of the space, but if you do have a large room it’s a fantastic opportunity to use darker colours with added moody tones and drama to your space.

3. Natural Light critical for choice of colours

Lighting is incredibly important when selecting your hues. Colours are very perceptive to light and can look completely different at certain times of day depending how light is affected in the space. It’s a good start to determine how much natural light your space receives as well as determining whether your space is warm or cool in tone.

Two paint swatches — For the interiors of an Epping house I recommended Dulux Antarctica Lake 1/8 for the walls and Vivid White for the doors and trims

If your room is flooded with natural light, you are spoiled for choice when choosing paint colour. You can choose paint colours from the cooler spectrum of the colour wheel such as blues, greens or turquoise. These colours may otherwise may make a room seem smaller if your space does not have as much natural light.

This cooler hue on your walls may just take the edge off on a hot summer day in Sydney. It is a fabulous solution for Northern facing bedrooms. It goes without saying that the wall colour can’t change the temperature in reality, but your perception may be changed.

If you’re after a stunning space, but don’t want to bother about all this colour gibberish, have a look at my colour consult service.

Feature walls add interest

If you’re finding that the space you want to update lacks any particular interest, a feature wall could be the way for you to go. The idea is that of a wall, ideally located opposite the entry door and has no window or large cabinetry whose design differs from those of the other walls in the space. They are intended to break up the room and add interest and definition to the space.

Choosing the paint colour then for a feature wall should be something that inspires you or that brings out others colours in the space such as the hues of rugs and cushions.

Wallpaper can transform your space

Don’t limit yourself to a solid colour for your feature wall. There are so many beautiful and inspiring wallpapers to choose. Subtle fabric wallpapers add extra texture to your space for comfy hygge atmosphere. If your daring and really in need of change a bold pattern will transform your room from boring to absolutely stunning.

One supplier we often use is Eurowalls with a showroom in Sydney’s suburb Alexandria. But there are many other wallpaper shops to choose from.

If you find it difficult to settle on a paint colour, feel free call me on 0434 498 450 or email to martina@martinahayes.com.au.

Alternatively, you can use this contact form.

Bathroom Layout Planning

Many people dream of a bathroom design and layout that feels like a sanctuary. Some people love their bathroom design to include sleek clean lines, others indulge with a farmhouse style bathroom with dried flowers and decorative knick-knacks.

Irrespective of what your personal bathroom style might be, your dream bathroom begins with a great cutting edge bathroom layout.

Industrial style bathroom with a black freestanding bathtub — Bathroom design in North Sydney

What is a cutting edge bathroom layout?

Cutting edge design is the latest most advanced creation. It is one that best conquers the space implementing energy and artistic design in your home.

A great floor plan is all about achieving great functionality while also creating aesthetic design. It puts the beautiful items on show, e.g. vanity or freestanding bathtub which then has the ability to become the focal point of the space. The focal point is the place in the space which the eye is naturally most drawn to. On the other hand, the toilet pan should be hidden as much as possible and not to be the focal point of your bathroom.

Whether you wish to construct a new home or update an existing, it’s imperative to get the layout right.

This short video (below) explains key points to consider when planning your bathroom layout.

Key Points to Remember when creating your bathroom layout

Leave sufficient walking space

A successful bathroom layout allows for sufficient walking space in-between your bathroom items. It should never feel like a tight squeeze moving from your shower to your wash basin.

Spacious Counter Top and Wall Mounted Vanity

Great bathrooms always allow for a luxurious and spacious counter top. This then leaves plenty of space around the basin to place your cream pots, perfume bottles and personal items you wish to keep on top. A classic combination is incorporating a stone bench top on a wall mounted vanity with the basin sitting on top. Standard vanity widths are 900, 1000 and 1200mm incorporating a single bowl, and 1500, 1600 and 1800mm for double bowls.

Contemporary bathroom with turquoise tiles — Wall mounted vanity with basin on top of the benchtop

Accessible Windows

Any windows should be easily accessible, allowing you to open and close it as required without the need to bend over or stepping into the bathtub to reach the handle.

Balanced Bathroom Design

A successful bathroom design comes down to achieving a well balanced bathroom layout. This means the vanity should ideally stretch wall to wall avoiding cutting short. Everything sits snug in place as if it belongs right here in exactly this spot. This will wow your visitors and make you feel good every time you use the space.

Placement of Fixtures

Shower Placement

Walk-in-showers with a simple glass screen and no door are state of the art. But unless you wish to dry the floor after every shower session, I’d recommend selecting a glass panel of at least 1.4 metres in width. This way the water splashes onto the screen and not onto the bathroom floor.

Towel Racks

Once you have decided your bathroom layout, don’t forget to find a good convienient place for your (heated) towel rack.

Bathroom layout to consider

When planning your bathroom it’s important to consider how the layout will affect the space. A traditional bathroom layout is when fixtures are placed along the walls. This is a great way to design, but be aware there are newer layout of design to consider.

A state of the art bathroom layout should be largely in consideration if you are building or renovationing to resale as it could result in a higher resale value of the property. Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses!

Bathroom-Design-Latest-Layout-Trend-traditional — Traditional bathroom layout – placement of fixtures along the walls

Floorplan showing bathroom layout — Cutting edge bathroom layout

To make this layout (above) work, the bathroom spaces needs to measure at least 3.3 by 3.6 metres.

Even with a smaller space than the above measurements there are endless design combinations. Designs and layouts are created to look fantastic as well as being functional for you.

Additional bathroom

If your dream is an additional bathroom for you to say good-bye to the queues in the mornings, have a read on how to add an ensuite to your master bedroom.

Get yourself some inspiration for your new bathroom and other projects I recently completed.

I can help you to create and develop your own bathroom layout, I would love to help.

Contact me here or send an email to martina@martinahayes.com.au. Alternatively, pick up your phone and give me a call on 0434 498 450.