Get It Right with Undercover Architect

Latest Episodes:

Choosing your bathroom fixtures with Reece - Episode 15 (Season 11 - INTERIOR DESIGN BASICS) Feb 24, 2020

Show notes

What do you need to know about choosing your bathroom fixtures? Daniela Santilli, Bathroom Marketing Leader for Reece tells us.

Your bathroom fixtures - the basin, vanity, bath, shower and toilet - are all very permanent choices in your home’s bathrooms. Getting them right at the beginning is critical to a functioning home.

Daniela Santilli is the Bathroom Marketing Leader for Reece Plumbing, and has been with the business for 11.5 years.

Heading up the bathroom marketing business at Reece brings together her passion for beautiful, functional design and architecture with her commitment to outstanding customer experience in retail.

The Reece group operates Australia’s largest plumbing and bathroom supplies business, as well as 8 others in allied industries. Reece’s plumbing and bathroom products are sourced both locally and internationally which you can find in over 600 locations across Australia and New Zealand. They’re continually expanding into fresh areas, developing new technologies and systems and pioneering innovative plumbing and bathroom products.

I’m talking with Daniela about bathrooms, and how to confidently select the various fixtures you need for your bathrooms.

Daniela is a wealth of knowledge, tips and advice when it comes to making the best selections for your interior plumbing fixtures. It’s so great to be bringing you this expertise.

I hope you enjoy this episode. Listen now.

INTERIOR DESIGN 101

Would you like to simplify your choices, and have total clarity and confidence that your interior design will help create your beautiful, functional, feel-good home?

Interior Design 101 is a self-study, DIY program. It contains the full version of all interviews from the podcast, plus extra content specifically created for Interior Design 101.

In this full interview featured inside Interior Design 101, Daniela and I talk in a lot more detail about the information in this podcast. We also discuss tapware and what you need to know to choose well, and Daniela shares some exciting information about improvements being made in specific fixtures as well. And I also ask Daniela how she suggests homeowners be confident in their decisions and balance their budget with their dreams of a luxurious bathroom.

So if you’re keen to learn more about those things, then check out Interior Design 101 as the full interview is available in there now.

You’ll also find full transcripts, videos, checklists, guides and so much good stuff to support you in the Interior Design of your renovation, new home or smaller project.

Interior Design 101 has been designed to help you gain clarity and confidence in all those selections and decisions you need to make for the finishes, fixtures, colours, materials and items you’ll be living with every day.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Learn more about the online program, Interior Design 101 >>> www.interiordesign101.com.au

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-id101-reece-bathroom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn how to draw plans and 3D models of your home - Episode 14 (Season 11 - INTERIOR DESIGN BASICS) Feb 17, 2020

Show notes

How can you, as the homeowner, draw up 3D models of your new home or renovation design? So you can be sure you’ve got it right inside a computer BEFORE you commit to building it?

You can learn Sketchup. (Check out https://undercoverarchitect.com/sketchup)

Sketchup is a great piece of software that’s available both as a free and paid version, that enables you to draw you design in three dimensions, generate views and walk-throughs so you can experience it inside the computer before committing to it for your real life, and also generate drawings from.

Clare Le Roy is an interior designer, educator and Mum of 3 boys, and her business is The Little Design Corner.

And she’s also the creator of “Sketchup for Interior Design - Beginners Course”. And now, Clare is an approved training partner for Sketchup.

Clare created this course because she wished it had been around when it had first started her business. It would have saved my hundreds of hours of searching YouTube videos and making lots of mistakes, rather than doing the fun stuff (creating awesome designs!).

This course has been made to help a range of users - the home renovator, designer/decorator or design enthusiast - learn SketchUp quickly and correctly so you can get up and running with it as fast as possible.

In this episode, we talk about how Sketchup works, all the things you can do with it, and how you can simply learn it, and use it for your project.

I hope you enjoy this episode. Listen now.

INTERIOR DESIGN 101

Would you like to simplify your choices, and have total clarity and confidence that your interior design will help create your beautiful, functional, feel-good home?

Interior Design 101 is a self-study, DIY program. It contains the full version of all interviews from the podcast, plus extra content specifically created for Interior Design 101.

So if you’re keen to learn more about those things, then check out Interior Design 101 as the full interview is available in there now.

You’ll also find full transcripts, videos, checklists, guides and so much good stuff to support you in the Interior Design of your renovation, new home or smaller project.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Check out how Sketchup can work, and more about Clare’s online course >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/sketchup

Learn more about the online program, Interior Design 101 >>> www.interiordesign101.com.au

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/sketchup

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interior design for your bathroom - Episode 13 (Season 11 - INTERIOR DESIGN BASICS) Feb 10, 2020

Show notes

In my experience, bathrooms often follow kitchens as an area where a huge amount of deliberation happens as homeowners work through their interior design selections.

Many homes these days will have more than one bathroom. There may be a separate toilet or powder room as well. And so you can be juggling the selections for not one room, but several. Do they all need to be matchy matchy? Can they be different? And how does what you select here then relate to other wet areas such as your laundry as well.

In this episode, France and I talk through the various selections you’ll need to make for your bathroom, and what to know so you’re choosing things that are durable, easy to clean and will function well. We dive into detail into shower screens, freestanding vs built-in baths, and selecting all the fixtures so that they’re timeless and well-coordinated.

During our conversation, we dive into …

+ shower screens

+ freestanding vs built-in baths

+ fixtures such as your towel rails, tapware and handles, and how to coordinate

+ other key decisions you need to remember in your wet areas

I hope you enjoy this episode. Listen now.

INTERIOR DESIGN 101

Would you like to simplify your choices, and have total clarity and confidence that your interior design will help create your beautiful, functional, feel-good home?

Interior Design 101 is a self-study, DIY program. It contains the full version of all interviews from the podcast, plus extra content specifically created for Interior Design 101.

In this full interview featured inside Interior Design 101, Frances and I also talk about your joinery, and I give you more information if you’re seeking to do a groutless bathroom. I also have a lesson on bathroom design layout, and all the dimensions you need to know and how to size and arrange things in your bathroom, powder room and ensuite.

You’ll also find full transcripts, videos, checklists, guides and so much good stuff to support you in the Interior Design of your renovation, new home or smaller project.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Learn more about the online program, Interior Design 101 >>> www.interiordesign101.com.au

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-id101-bathroom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Choosing the right colour with Dulux - Episode 12 (Season 11 - INTERIOR DESIGN BASICS) Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

Is choosing the right colour for your home something you’re enjoying, or overwhelmed by?

Dulux have been helping homeowners do this with their colour forecasting for over 20 years now.

I speak with Andrea Lucena-Orr, Colour and Communications Manager for the Dulux Group, about choosing colour, and their annual Colour Forecasting.

Andrea joined the company with a strong background in colour and design. Her role at Dulux Group encompasses trends and colour forecasting and presenting her findings to trade, retail and media – and of course her recommendations play an integral part in Dulux Group marketing strategies. A member of the international Colour Marketing Group (CMG) and International Color Association (AIC), Andrea scours the globe in pursuit of her passion – colour forecasting.

Dulux has been officially colour forecasting for 21 years.

In September 2019, they released their latest: 2020’s colour forecast, which is united by the theme “Essence”.

There are 4 key colour palettes: Cultivate, Comeback, Grounded and Indulge.

Each of these palettes speak to a different idea or inspiration, and contain a range of their own stunning colours. Andrea and her team have created some amazing collateral to highlight these colour palettes.

Andrea says “Colour is an essential ingredient in everything I do. It has an amazing power to transform spaces and I love the emotional connections you can create through personalising colour schemes.”

Andrea has been with Dulux for 21 years. Her passion and eye for colour, and her skill in identifying the colours we will truly want to have around us in our homes and lives, is incredible. I can’t wait to share her wisdom and advice with you ...

I really hope you enjoy this episode. Listen now.

INTERIOR DESIGN 101

Would you like to simplify your choices, and have total clarity and confidence that your interior design will help create your beautiful, functional, feel-good home?

Interior Design 101 is a self-study, DIY program. It contains the full version of all interviews from the podcast, plus extra content specifically created for Interior Design 101.

In this full interview featured inside Interior Design 101, Andrea and I talk more about colour, including …

how Dulux have developed their colours to help us live more calmly, and access more happiness in our homes
where to start when you want to personalise your home and be braver with colour
how to choose a white … especially given how many there are to choose from
and Andrea’s advice for putting together colour schemes, thinking about cool vs warm, and how electrical lighting can impact your choices

So if you’re keen to learn more about those things, then check out Interior Design 101 as the full interview is available in there now.

You’ll also find full transcripts, videos, checklists, guides and so much good stuff to support you in the Interior Design of your renovation, new home or a smaller project.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Learn more about the online program, Interior Design 101 >>> www.interiordesign101.com.au

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-id101-dulux-colour

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to design a home without an architect Jan 27, 2020

Show notes

Join the free 5 Day Home Design Challenge (it’s running from 29 Jan - 2 Feb 2020) >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/challenge

And check out Home Design Masterclass for more help and support in your floor plan design >>> www.howtodesignahome.com

It can be common for homeowners to get really caught up in worrying about the finishes, the builder, the quality of construction. But one thing I know for sure is this: you can have a home with all the high-end finishes, built by the most amazing builder to the highest quality, and still have a terrible design that makes the home horrible to live in on a day-to-day basis.

I firmly believe that those lines on a page, the drawings that you’re creating either by yourself, or in working with someone, will dictate how you get to live, feel and function both in and beyond your home for years and years to come. And I think it can be the most frustrating and slow part of the renovating or building process for homeowners, for a few reasons.

Sooo … is it possible to design your home without an architect? Well, in a lot of places around the world, and especially in Australia, it is. In fact, in Australia, the only part of the process you need a professional for is to prepare your approval drawings, because there are certain benchmarks you need to satisfy to present your plans for council and building approval.

However, you’re planning to, or currently creating your design for your new home or renovation … whether you’re working with a professional or not … I did want to share the key ways to approach and work through your design process so that you get it right. So, you can make sure this happens if you’re designing your home yourself OR you can keep your designer accountable to providing this level of service to you as they work with you.

There are 3 main investigations I see missing from the design process when a homeowner does it themselves, or they work with a professional who doesn’t use a holistic design approach. And remember I said the things that happen when a home isn’t designed well, it can mean the home is ...

uncomfortable to live in,
expensive to heat and cool,
lacks flexibility for family life over the long term, and
completely waste the opportunities available for their site and their budget

When certain investigations don’t happen during the design process, it’s, unfortunately, more likely to end up with a home that doesn’t work. Because if you don’t include these 3 things, these methods of examination or investigation, then you completely miss crucial information to inform your design with.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Join the free challenge (running 29 Jan - 2 Feb 2020) >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/challenge

Learn more about ‘Home Design Masterclass’ >>> www.howtodesignahome.com

Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-how-to-design-a-home-without-an-architect for the transcript of this podcast.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Designing your home? How to know what it’ll cost. And Velux skylights. - Episode 05 (HOLIDAY Q & A) Jan 20, 2020

Show notes

Hello! In the last of our special Q & A episodes, Brett has a brilliant question about working out costs early in his project, and Patricia wants some info on skylights. So, let’s dive in.

Want to get it right in your home design? Watch my free online workshop, where I share 5 key ways (plus lots of other tips and strategies) >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

THIS EPISODE’S QUESTIONS ...

Brett has this question:

“Good day Amelia, my name's Brett. I'm from Perth in Western Australia. We've got a young family, two little kids, and we're in the process of planning and designing our future forever home.

Being a mechanical engineer, I'm big with planning, designing and quantifying decisions. While the technical stuff I'm comfortable with, what I'm having trouble with is the costing side.

There's a lot of information out there on general square meterage cost of a typical home for this and that what I'm wondering what resources and how would one go about getting a bit more detail in initial first pass costing for the different concepts and building systems and approaches to building a home.

Not looking for high level detail that you'd get from a quantity surveyor, but I'm keen to be able to get a feel for myself as to the differences in costs to use brick over timber framing, using slab floor over timber flooring, and different ways of doing roof systems and the implication of costs.

Just so I can get a feel for the implications of these different designs and building systems and ideas that I've got. And how they're going to change the costs. So I can make these very early stage basic conceptual decisions about where to head with the design of the home before I go jumping in with a desired approach that completely doesn't suit budgets.

Hope you can help. I love your podcasts, have listened to everything single one - extremely beneficial. Keep up the great work.”

And Patricia wants to know if she can get more light from her Velux:

“Hello, Amelia. My name is Patricia from Victoria. We are planning to build, but in the meantime I would like more light.

There is a Velux in the living room ceiling, 50 centimetre by 1.3 metre. It's not flush with the ceiling. Is it possible to enlarge the casement to provide a wider angle of light, and how much more light could we get? Thank you.”

LISTEN TO MY ANSWERS NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Watch the free online workshop now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com /podcast-question-and-answer-home-design-budget

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do we renovate or sell? - Episode 04 (HOLIDAY Q&A) Jan 13, 2020

Show notes

Want to get it right in your home design? Watch my free online workshop, where I share 5 key ways (plus lots of other tips and strategies) >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

THIS EPISODE’S QUESTION ...

Laura’s question:

“Hi, Amelia. My name is Laura. I live in Perth in Western Australia. Firstly, I just want to say thanks so much for your podcast. I've gotten a heap of great information and ideas from it. I guess we've got a bit of a situation where we would really love your advice or just thoughts on best ways to move forward.

We bought our house six years ago in Perth, right before the market crashed. We bought in a high point, it's since crashed, hence we have no equity in our home. We also bought our home sight unseen, which sounds crazy, but it was actually built by my husband's Pop (grandfather) in 1949. We always used to drive past the outside and we kind of thought how bad can it be inside. Well, let's just say it needs a lot of love, attention, and money spent on it.

We're at the point now, after getting married, having our children, where we would like to do some updates to the house. It really needs work. It's full of asbestos, it's tiny, lots of things going on. The first thing we actually wanted to do was pop in a new kitchen. So I recently did your Kitchen Design Challenge, which was awesome. However, just to get our room to the point where we can put in a new kitchen, the quotes I was getting ... I was just blown away. I just thought "this is the start of a very long and difficult process".

So we're just sort of weighing it all up. Considering we don't have equity in the home, do we just do these renovations tiny bit-by-bit? It's honestly, I know how much work and money it's going to take. I'm pretty realistic about that. However, we do love our home. We love our block, we love our suburb.

There is the option to actually build, because we have a wide frontage, (so we could) build new next to our existing house and then knock down. However, we are in a bushfire-prone area as well, so those costs need to be taken into consideration and I feel we would actually overcapitalise a little bit. I'm not sure, but all I know is that would be quite a few years away, to be able to do that.

Option number three is what my husband is sort of pushing for, and that's to actually just sell and cut our losses. In doing that though, we would have to move back in with his parents, which is fine, they're amazing. But obviously we're in our 30's, we have three kids. It's not really the ideal situation, but we would have to do that in order to save for a deposit for a new home because I feel we would probably actually take a loss on this home just considering how the market's gone.

So those are our three options at the moment. I have gone round in circles so many times about what the best course of action for our family would be. I know that you can't answer that for us, but I would just really appreciate your thoughts on this and any advice you might have for us. Thanks, Amelia. Bye.”

LISTEN TO MY ANSWER NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Watch the free online workshop now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-question-and-answer-do-we-renovate-or-sell

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Understanding biophilic design. And high level windows that work. - Episode 03 (HOLIDAY Q & A) Jan 06, 2020

Show notes

Want to get it right in your home design? Watch my free online workshop, where I share 5 key ways (plus lots of other tips and strategies) >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

THIS EPISODE’S QUESTIONS ...

Teri has this question:

“Hi, my name is Teri Mason. I'm in Oklahoma in the United States, and we are building a family and event centre, and we're wanting to do it in biophilic design. We've done a tremendous amount of research. It's been quite a process, but with it being a little more unknown, obviously, the resources are a little more scarce, and I would love to hear your input as far as what would you do to bring in more natural elements? Looking for shapes or inspiration areas or resources or just anything you could just speak to that, just make it a great place, I would truly appreciate it.”

And Felicity is curious about her windows:

“Hi, I'm Felicity from Victoria, doing a renovation. Just wondering whether or not cathedral or highlight windows up high facing north to south should open or just be fixed. The other window in the area is double-hung window across in the living room. Thank you.”

LISTEN TO MY ANSWERS NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Watch the free online workshop now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-question-and-answer-biophilic-design-windows

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key things to know about Prefab, and designing a south-facing home. - Episode 02 (HOLIDAY Q & A) Dec 30, 2019

Show notes

Want to get it right in your home design? Watch my free online workshop, where I share 5 key ways (plus lots of other tips and strategies) >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

THIS EPISODE’S QUESTIONS ...

Meredith’s question:

“Hi, Amelia. My name is Meredith. I'm really enjoying your podcast. Thank you so much for sharing all of your knowledge.

We're currently living in Queensland. We plan on building a retirement/holiday home on acreage in Victoria in the next couple of years.

We've been looking at the option of building a modular home and wondering if you will be covering this subject (modular and prefab homes), in any future podcasts.

Also, at any particular things I need to look out for when designing and planning a modular home. Thank you.”

And Gabrielle had this question:

“Hi Amelia. My name is Gabrielle. I live on the South coast of Victoria. We've recently bought a block, a beautiful block. It is South-looking, it overlooks a river. It's gorgeous, and we'd love to build our dream home on there.

I've looked through and heard all your podcasts and look through lots of the information about building south and we'll certainly incorporate plenty of your suggestions about bringing north light into the home.

However, where we live is quite cold much of the year. We only get a handful of really hot days, and so then, when we're designing our living and alfresco spaces, I'm wondering whether we should be designing to the southeast or the southwest.

When you're in a really cold climate, is western afternoon, evening sun still the devil, or is it something we can actually utilise to warm up our living areas in the evening? Any recommendations would be gratefully appreciated.”

LISTEN TO MY ANSWERS NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Watch the free online workshop now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-question-and-answer-prefab-homes-south-facing-design

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are SIPs any good? And what kitchen trends are on their way out? - Episode 01 (HOLIDAY Q & A) Dec 23, 2019

Show notes

Want to get it right in your home design? Watch my free online workshop, where I share 5 key ways (plus lots of other tips and strategies) >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

THIS EPISODE’S QUESTIONS ...

Elizabeth got in touch:

“Hi Amelia. My name's Elizabeth. I'm in Castle Hill in New South Wales.

First up, thank you for producing such a fabulous podcast, and providing so much fantastic, informative, entertaining and helpful information. It's made a huge difference to how I'm approaching the design of our new home. And that new home we're planning to build in 2020, just as soon as we settle the sale of our current home, and find the right block of land.

I will be living in that home with my husband and our three boys who will be 16, 14 and 11 by that stage, and our two very boisterous Standard Labradoodles, and six budgies live in a large cage in our house.

I'm very passionate about this home, embracing all things sustainability, and I'm quite intrigued by some of the alternative prefabricated panel constructions that I've seen on Grand Designs over the years that seem to be more prevalent in Europe than in Australia.

I know there are concrete, and structural insulated panels and cross-laminated timbers and a whole lot of other acronyms, but I don't know much more than that. So, I'm wondering, what are the benefits of using the prefabricated panels, and the different types, and how they stack up against regular brick and timber construction? Do they impact the flexibility of the design, the durability of the design, cost, time to build and sustainability, and can they be used to achieve a Passive House status?

Thank you. That's a lot of question, but I'm really looking forward to hearing your answer. And once again, thank you for such a great podcast, and all the information you provide to all of us.”

And Nicola had this question:

“Hi, I'm Nicola. I live two hours north of Auckland in New Zealand. I've been listening to your podcast from day one. Fantastic.

We've just downsized and bought a three bedroom, two bathroom home. We had moved from a five bedroom plus study plus three bathroom home, thanks to your podcasts. And we've been able to renovate.

So my question is … everybody was talking on Houzz (and some of the architects on Houzz), saying that walk-in pantries were so yester-year, and also sort of breakfast bars and bar stools were yester-year. And we actually put in a black kitchen with French Oak laminate drawers, and white around the fridge and the oven. So we've got big black benches, and a couple of those cupboards are black ... so wood and black and white is our kitchen.

Have you found with clients that black is staying? It's a very kind of 'out there' colour because it came in a few years ago, and we didn't ever use it in the 1980s. Is black still in and will it stay in for a wee while?

And also this breakfast bar idea. We have a table that we sit at, as well. We don't just perch up on stools. It seems like polls that they do on Houzz and places like that ... half and half people love breakfast bar or they don't. I love mine. I'm happy with it.

And if you think walk-in pantries or butler's pantries, we don't have a sink in ours, it's just a walk-in pantry, are like yesterday's news? I don't think they are. I think they're fantastic, but they seem to be going out of fashion, as well. So just your thoughts on them. Thanks very much. Bye.”

LISTEN TO MY ANSWERS NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Watch the free online workshop now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/5ways/

For other links mentioned on this podcast, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-question-and-answer-sips-and-kitchen-trends

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.