Most home renovations, revamps and new building projects call for multiple design, renovation and trades to get the job done. So how do you know who to hire for which room? And how can you tell which tradespeople and professionals will deliver on time, on budget and to a high standard? Houzz’s helpful...

If you’re renovating or building, much of your home’s success will come down to one simple yet essential consideration: measurements. The durability, sustainability, quality and style of your materials are, of course, vital as well. But if you’re after a fabulous design, free of frustrations, this introductory...

Handles, it seems, are going out of fashion, replaced by drawers, cupboards and doors that are unencumbered by hardware and that can be opened with a tap, touch or pull. It’s a modern, simple and elegant solution, especially for streamlined or minimalist kitchens. But does handleless joinery pass the...

After a long hard day, whether at work or at home looking after the children, nothing beats the feeling of kicking off your shoes and retiring to bed for the night. Regardless of what you use your bedroom for – working, reading, sleeping – it’s important to create an environment that you feel comfortable...

As a renovator, one of the most valuable things to know is what not to do. Here, we visit each room in the house, and canvas the professionals who specialise in designing and building these spaces in order to share the best advice on scenarios to avoid, important aspects to take into consideration,...

Have you ever walked into a room and it just felt right, but you couldn’t put your finger on exactly why? Chances are that proportion was a key factor – whoever designed the room would have paid careful attention to getting the size and scale of the furniture and accessories just right for the...

There is nothing worse than walking into a beautiful bathroom and crinkling your nose at the horrid smell emitted from somewhere within the room. At some point, you will come across varied smells within bathrooms. Many homeowners can feel embarrassed when their bathroom has a smell, but it’s important...

It’s hard enough coming up with a design you know will work in the space you have allocated for your kitchen, let alone choosing the best tiles, taps and benchtop materials for the job. If you don’t get the lighting right, however, you’re likely to seriously regret it – kitchen...

A home without a television is like a castle in the clouds – it exists only in fairy tales. And that’s only a slight overstatement. In my experience, over the course of hundreds of home construction projects, I can’t recall a single instance in which one of our clients designed a home without the television’s...

Bathrooms come in second to kitchens as places where considerable attention is given to layouts and finishes, and size shouldn’t limit the quality of their design. Learning a few key bathroom dimensions and common fixture sizes – and understanding that a compact space can work to your advantage – will...

It’s the million-dollar question on the lips of every fixer-upper: ‘How much do renovations cost?’ The somewhat infuriating answer, of course, is that it depends on your project. This begs the question, ‘How do I control my renovation costs?’ which, in turn, comes with practical answers that you’ll find...

Decluttering your home is a satisfying but time-consuming project. What you may not realise ahead of time is that sorting through your belongings can bring up a number of emotions, from guilt to nostalgia to feeling overwhelmed.
These emotions are a completely normal part of the decluttering

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Loving an architect’s work is not the only consideration when choosing a professional for your renovation or home-building project. There are other equally important factors to consider too, including qualifications, experience, working style and whether you can picture yourself working comfortably together...

Our wardrobes are used numerous times a day. Yet when it comes to walk-in ’robes, we don’t always measure up and plan their layout with the same attention to detail as we would for, say, the kitchen or bathroom. I advise clients to take into account some standard measurements and the mix...

Have a doorway that’s an unusual shape or opens into a narrow space? Don’t despair. From sliding and pocket doors to bi-fold and barnyard styles, here are eight alternatives to traditional designs. Take a look at this selection to see if any would work as your awkward door solution.

Australia has some of the harshest climates in the world, and the last couple of years have been particularly brutal with parts of the country ravaged by bushfires, flooding, cyclones and high temperatures. Devastatingly, many homes have not been designed to cope, which has resulted in lost or badly...

In this episode of Houzz TV, interior designer Larissa Davis of Lewisham Interiors gives a tour of a large contemporary home she helped renovate for a family. The home features lots of glass walls, clean lines, circular accents,...

When it comes to designing our homes, happiness can feel like quite a subjective thing to ask for, but more and more architects and designers are looking to science for proof that buildings impact our mental health. In fact, neuroarchitecture...

In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation, redesign or new build. Here, Justin Robertson, builder and director of Everlong Constructions, reveals how he added more...

By the time you’ve calculated the cost of renovating your bathroom into the sanctuary of your dreams, you might find the job is well outside your budget. But there are many ways to update an existing room without breaking the bank. In fact, with a budget as low as $5000 you can achieve a really...

Wash. Dry. Fold. Repeat. It can be a weary cycle at times, especially when every step in the process is held up by one in particular: drying. If you’re searching for better ways to dry your laundry, look no further. These 16 functional and style-savvy designs have you covered.
And remember,

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Squeezing a pool, deck, and dining and play areas between this house and garage was no easy feat. “This was a super tight space – it’s actually even smaller than it appears in the photos,” says Kelly Daacon of Texas Tiny Pools, whose firm sited and installed the pool and its very clever pool cover. Next,...

Adding plants and trees to your inner courtyard can be a great way to incorporate the natural landscape into your interiors. Doing so blurs the inside/outside boundaries while adding a focal point to your home – it’s simply a matter of choosing species with fabulous flowering qualities, interesting foliage...

Hiring a bathroom designer to renovate your bathroom can save you a whole lot of headaches – they have expertise in designing this all-important room in the house, as well as knowledge of materials and access to trades that the average DIYer can only dream of. We spoke to three bathroom-design experts...

It’s one thing having a small bathroom to wash and get ready in; it’s another to have a small bathroom where you have had to forgo your own personal essentials. After all, a bath is a refuge, somewhere where you can luxuriate in warm water of an evening. In the hope of showing you that a small bathing...

Marie Méchin and her husband were born and raised on Île d’Yeu, an island off the coast of western France, and when the time came, they wanted to make their own home on the island. Deterred from renovating an old building due to high prices, they found a solution thanks to Méchin’s...

Rises and dips in a landscape’s topography can draw the eye, creating a dramatic, dynamic view and (perhaps counterintuitively) often improve the usability of an outdoor space. Many of us, however, have an almost flat garden, since the typical urban or suburban space doesn’t feature much in the way of...