My ideas
If your site comes with existing challenges – such as a steep slope or drainage issues – cheap, cobbled-together solutions will rarely solve the problems and can lead to larger issues (and bigger expenses) down the line. It’s wise to invest in the right solution upfront. Adding retaining walls to this sloped front yard in Denver, USA, solved an awkward grade change and enhanced the home’s curb appeal. Dustin Farmer of Stems Garden Design and Maintenance, who designed the garden, used the retaining walls to showcase a selection of low-water and native plants.
Small decks surrounded by walls can feel boxed in, but you can reduce this feeling by enhancing the walls around the deck. With this enclosed terrace by Chicago Roof Deck & Garden in the USA, brick walls have become a backdrop for an installation of pale birch trunks along one side and metal screens along another. Vines such as clematis (Clematis spp.), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) or Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) can be planted on outdoor walls to create a lush green backdrop.
Work in a window seat With a view like this, it’d be criminal not to find some way to sit and enjoy it. Wickenden Hutley, who designed this home in Cornwall, UK, has created a calm space with a muted palette, which doesn’t compete with the wonderful nature beyond the window. It’s also practical to include micro-lounging spots like this in a home where lots of visitors come to stay (which was the case with this project), so guests are able to have a comfortable moment to themselves away from the main living areas.
To create bathroom bliss We love the way the designers thought outside the square here by offsetting the basin from the vanity and the taps from the basin. It’s one of the most sophisticated interpretations of the notion of bathrooms comprised of furniture rather than fixtures that we’ve seen. Plus, it makes full use of the narrow dead space to the left of the vanity.
Hide the TV Hiding the TV is a subject dear to many people’s hearts – and this Melbourne home has one of the cleverest solutions around. When the TV is not in use, it’s hidden by mirrors on rolling barn tracks. This also means the relatively narrow living area appears larger, as light from the mirrors is bounced around the room.
Flexible shelving These moveable open shelves slot into grooves in a kitchen in Oxfordshire, UK, so the owners can choose where to put their display items and change up how many shelves they’d like to have at any time. This shows great use of an otherwise under-utilised wall without compromising on aesthetics. Plus, the gorgeous benchtop and splashback are made of PaperStone, a recycled post-consumer paper product mixed with resins and natural pigments.
Planter gardening To give a more modern look to built-in container plantings, you can limit the colour palette and plant forms. For example, consider this rooftop planting in Sydney, NSW. You’ll notice that all the plants – save the olive tree in the large wooden planter – are low-growing, emerald-green ground covers, with the only height variation coming from the planters. This restraint in colour and height brings a modern edge to the design and focuses all the attention on the plants’ textures. The soft, moss-like carpet of zoysia grass under the olive tree looks almost irresistible to touch.
Built-in seating is great for small kitchens as it provides a spot for casual meals without swallowing up precious floor space. Adding in curves, as the interior designer has done here, is a genius touch as it not only allows the eye to travel and makes the room feel bigger than it actually is, but it also makes the seating more comfortable and inviting.
Finding unique display opportunities can be a challenge in a small house or apartment. Here, the designer has added bijou open shelving at the end of the kitchen island that follows the line of the steps – it not only adds charm and interest to the open-plan space, but also provides a home for the owner’s collectables.
And how do I detract attention from the TV? Farrow says: Place furniture in positions that allow people to face each other, rather than just the TV. Offer alternative focal points to the television, such as a beautiful artwork, a fireplace or a window with a garden view. Hide the television in plain sight by painting the wall behind a dark colour such as Haymes Black Olive. Surround the television with art and photos to create a gallery wall. Conceal it inside a television cabinet with a sliding door (leaving the other panel open to display collectibles is a nice touch). Consider upgrading to a television that doubles as art such Samsung’s The Frame TV.
While some negative space (the empty space in a room) is good as it allows your eye to rest, too much will make your room feel empty. Make sure you measure your living room and create a basic floor plan before buying anything. As a guide, allow 75 centimetres between furniture to walk around comfortably and 35 to 45 centimetres between sofas and tables so you can place a drink down with ease. Also, assess whether the scale of a sofa is right for the people who will be seated there. Does it have enough depth and height for all members of your family to sit comfortably? Is it low and comfortable or upright and formal? The best way to assess this is to visit the showroom and sit down together for a while before you buy.
Frame a beautiful outlook with a supersize black-framed window and it suddenly resembles a work of art. Keep the rest of the decor simple to keep the focus where you want it.
Account for lid storage In some kitchens, storing pot lids can be a nightmare, especially if you stack your pots and pans inside each other or if your drawers or cupboards are too shallow to store these bulky items with the lids on. There are many ways to solve this problem, but my favourite is to create a divider in a pull-out drawer, as shown in this photo.
Define the zones Think in terms of preparation and clean-up zones when planning your kitchen. If you have the luxury of two sinks – one for preparing food and one for cleaning dishes – position the prep sink where you perform other food prep tasks, and locate your clean-up sink in a separate zone near your dishwasher and crockery.
Hide the dishwasher Whether or not you hide your fridge by choosing an integrated model, consider using the same technique with your dishwasher for a clean, harmonious look. In this kitchen, the dishwasher is positioned to the left of the sink, but because it’s fully integrated, you’d never know.
Introduce task lighting The primary purpose of under-cabinet lighting is to illuminate the countertop. Task lighting – as opposed to ambient lighting – makes food preparation easier because it spotlights your primary work surface instead of shadowing it. Always install the task light toward the front of the cabinet, not toward the back. If the light is stationed closer to the back wall, it primarily highlights the backsplash and not the countertop, defeating the purpose of the lighting.
Create a charging station A plethora of devices need charging these days. Create a docking drawer with a hidden charging station or power points so you can keep your smartphones and iPads out of sight.
Go for pop-up power points Another option for a power point-free backsplash is a pop-up power point that disappears into your countertop. These are especially useful in places where there are no wall-hung cabinets to hide a strip of power points below.
Hide strips of power points below wall-hung cupboards One option to achieve an uninterrupted backsplash is to install a strip of power points in under-cabinet moulding. When done well, if you bend down you’ll see the sockets, though at eye height they can be perfectly hidden if you recess them beneath your wall-hung cupboards or create an overhang with your cupboard doors.
GOODMANORS Pool + Garden Timber battens and screens Timber battens pack a powerful punch when it comes to noise reduction as well as making a strong statement. Battens can be used to create privacy screens or space dividers, to clad garden bed walls, or add texture to balcony ceilings and exterior walls.
An oversize artwork will not only hide a plain wall, but the compelling visual will lend a more spacious feel to your room.
pull-out bench that provides extra work space
A pull-out preparation surface-cum-dining spot that provides extra bench space then vanishes from view when not in use.
A deep drawer with dedicated storage for bottles and sharp knives located right next to the stovetop – right where you need them when you’re cooking
Undersink rubbish compartments
Pull-out shelf for coffee machine
Colour
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