Undercover Architect

Helping homeowners get it right when designing, building or renovating their family home.

Interior design for your bathroom

Interior design for your bathroom, ensuite and powder room can involve a LOT of selections.

Many homeowners get overwhelmed or forget all the various items to choose and consider (and get included in their drawings and contract!)

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, Frances 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.

ID101-Course-Clickable

INTERIOR DESIGN 101: GAIN CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE FOR THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF YOUR FUTURE HOME

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 a 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:

Bathrooms, ensuites and powder rooms >>> Check out this Podcast
To learn more about the self-study, online program, Interior Design 101 >>> CLICK HERE


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

Dulux has 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.

Completely entrenched in the findings from trade fairs including Milan Design Week, Andrea with her colleagues Davina Harper (who is the Colour and Design Specialist for Dulux New Zealand) and Bree Leech (who is the Creative Director for Dulux Colour Forecast), work together to solidify their concepts and insights for the Dulux Colour Forecast.

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.”

Dulux has been officially colour forecasting for 21 years.

Andrea Lucena-Orr, Colour and Communications Manager, Dulux Group
Andrea Lucena-Orr, Colour and Communications Manager, Dulux Group

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 speaks 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.

I really encourage you to check them out (see the images in this blog). It’s a range of stunning muted neutrals and gentle tones, inspired by nature, with some richer colours giving warmth and nostalgic references.

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’ve personally used Dulux paint on my own homes, and in my own projects, for over 20 years now. They’re my go-to for colour schemes and paint products.

It was such a buzz to be able to speak to Andrea, and in particular to ask a question I’ve wondered about for SO SO long … how do they come up with all the colour names! (Haven’t you always wanted to know that??!)

I really hope you enjoy this episode. Listen now.

Check out the individual colour palettes here:


Dulux Colour Forecast 2020 | Cultivate
Styling by Bree Leech | Photo by Lisa Cohen
Image Source


Dulux Colour Forecast 2020 | Comeback
Styling by Bree Leech | Photo by Lisa Cohen
Image Source


Dulux Colour Forecast 2020 | Grounded
Styling by Bree Leech | Photo by Lisa Cohen
Image Source


Dulux Colour Forecast 2020 | Indulge
Styling by Bree Leech | Photo by Lisa Cohen
Image Source

ID101-Course-Clickable

INTERIOR DESIGN 101: GAIN CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE FOR THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF YOUR FUTURE HOME

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.

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:

To learn more about Dulux, head here >>> https://www.dulux.com.au/

For more information on the 2020 Colour Forecast >>> ESSENCE

And you can check out 2019 Colour Forecast here >>> https://www.dulux.com.au/colour/colour-trends/2019

And you can check out 2018 Colour Forecast here >>> https://www.dulux.com.au/colour/colour-trends/2018

And you can check out 2017 Colour Forecast here >>> https://www.dulux.com.au/colour/colour-trends/2017

To order Dulux A4 Colour Swatches, head here >>> COLOUR SWATCHES

To learn more about the self-study, online program, Interior Design 101 >>> CLICK HERE

What do you need to know about shopping online for tiles? We talk with Floss Kelly, co-founder, about TileCloud.

If you’re selecting and ordering tiles, there are key things to know so you don’t run into issues on site. Shopping online can be a great alternative.

Florence (or Floss as she first introduced herself to me!) is the Brand Director and Co-Founder of online store TileCloud, and she is one of three faces, of the tile store that Australian’s love.

And Floss is definitely the design savvy of TileCloud. She has a Bachelor in Design from the College of Fine Arts in Sydney, majoring in Ceramics. Using her design and ceramics background and impressive history in global retail – she and the TileCloud team have changed the Home Renovations and Interior Industry.

Floss Kelly, Brand Director and Co-Founder of TileCloud

If you haven’t come across TileCloud yet, you’re going to love (love!) it. TileCloud is an online tile supply business. With a beautiful website, an incredibly gorgeous, curated collection of tiles to choose from, and the ability to order samples through to much bigger quantities, all from the comfort of your lounge room, TileCloud is such an incredible way to source tiles for any project.

Anyone ordering tiles normally will know that lead times are an issue – the fact that it may take sometimes 16 weeks for the tile you love in the showroom to actually get into the country in the quantity you need. TileCloud have got around this by pre-ordering batches, and only showing online what they can deliver in stock straight away.

If you’ve been to a tile showroom, you’ll know of other frustrating issues. First is that you often have to sift through a mountain of not-so-great tiles to find the gem you want. TileCloud have done such an amazing job of curating a stunning collection, it’s easy to find something you love. And the site is set out so you can sort by pattern, by colour, shape, material, room … plus you can also access design help as well.

Plus you can do this all from home. The website presents the tiles fantastically, so you can understand scale, see them in finished projects, and you can order samples of anything as well.

The prices are all displayed on the website, so you can immediately know what it will cost in the tile and freight for your project. There’s a huge range to choose from.

This ISN’T sponsored content … I just think TileCloud are awesome! I hope you enjoy this episode. Listen now.

ID101-Course-Clickable

INTERIOR DESIGN 101: GAIN CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE FOR THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF YOUR FUTURE HOME

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, Floss and I talk on some other great tiling topics, including …

  • Why epoxy grout is not common in residential projects
  • Recommendations regarding sealing your tiles
  • Managing batching and stock amounts when ordering tiles at different times
  • What else to order with your tiles to get a great result
  • Tips for getting it right with tile selection

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 everyday.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

To learn more about TileCloud and book a design appointment >>> HEAD HERE
To learn more about the self-study, online program, Interior Design 101 >>> CLICK HERE

How can you use colour psychology to choose colours in your home, and help it (and you) feel great?

When we’re choosing colours for our homes, and especially for our interior design, we rarely think about ‘colour psychology’.

I think the conversation about colour psychology is a big missing piece in how we navigate the interior design of our homes. And more than this: an understanding of colour psychology has such far-reaching benefits for our lives overall.

Karen Haller is the leading international authority in the field of Applied Colour Psychology – how colour affects and influences our behaviour. With over twenty years of experience, she teachers, consults for businesses, interiors, healthcare and wellbeing; and has worked with prestigious global brands.

As an author, a speaker, a teacher and a consultant, she’s helping us see the transformative power of colour in our environments and lives.

KarenHaller
Karen Haller, Colour Psychologist (and author of The Little Book of Colour)

I was personally researching colour psychology, and came across Karen’s newly published book, “The Little Book of Colour”. It has the subtitle: How to use the psychology of colour to transform your life … which is a big promise, but the book totally delivers.

I devoured it in a couple of sittings and it was like a new door opened up to me. One that actually rekindled memories of art classes from school, and that also joined the dots on a lot of other thoughts and feelings I had floating about in my professional and personal brain!

Karen has a beautiful and clear way of unpacking how we can choose colour, what it can mean to us, and how it can impact our emotions, wellbeing and lifestyle.

The-Little-Book-of-Colour-Book
Click for more information on The Little Book of Colour

I’m so excited to be speaking with Karen in this episode of the podcast, and sharing her wisdom with you. Because when we can harness the power of colour, it’s an opportunity to truly enrich our homes, and our lives, so they really align with our personalities and families.

Colour Psychology is a BIG topic, so this episode will give you a great introduction to it, and if it’s something that’s interesting to you, I’d highly recommend checking out Karen’s book, and her other resources. I’ll pop all those links into the episode resources.

Karen and I talk about …

  • What prompted her to write “The Little Book of Colour”
  • What is colour psychology
  • How to understand the positive and adverse impacts of colour on your behaviour
  • How to combine colours together effectively
  • Understanding your colour personality across all aspects of your life and environment
  • Using colour in your home and why it can fail
  • And working effectively with colour in your home

I hope you enjoy listening to this episode!

ID101-Course-Clickable

INTERIOR DESIGN 101: GAIN CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE FOR THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF YOUR FUTURE HOME

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.

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 everyday.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Purchase ‘The Little Book of Colour’ >>> CLICK HERE
Or get a free download of the first chapter here >>> DOWNLOAD
Karen’s ‘The Colour Club’ >>> CLICK HERE
Learn more with Karen’s Colour courses >>> CLICK HERE
Or access Karen Haller’s consulting >>> CLICK HERE
Find her on Instagram >>> CLICK HERE
Or on Facebook >>> CLICK HERE
To learn more about the self-study, online program, Interior Design 101 >>> CLICK HERE

What are the important details you need to know for your kitchen interior design?

There are a lot of choices to make in any kitchen design, and it can be overwhelming for many. Tune in to learn the important details to not overlook.

In the last episode, which was Part 1 of our Kitchens Interior Design conversation, we shared a lot of information about the componentry of the kitchen. The cabinetry or joinery, and what you need to know so you can choose for performance and durability.

Because, as I said last time, I see many homeowners get focussed on the aesthetics of their kitchen, and seeking to create a specific look or design style, and then not know how to ensure their kitchen is actually going to perform and be durable for family life.

In this episode, we go into more detail about some of the other materials and fixtures you’ll need to choose for your kitchen.

You’ll learn how to assess these choices not only for their aesthetic appeal, but more importantly, for how they’ll handle the punishment they’re about to endure in your family kitchen!

Frances and I talk about:

  • Benchtops
  • Choosing for durability
  • Tapware
  • Your kitchen sink
  • And how to choose your appliances well

I hope you enjoy listening to this episode!

ID101-Course-Clickable

INTERIOR DESIGN 101: GAIN CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE FOR THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF YOUR FUTURE HOME

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 in more detail about flatpack kitchens, and we also talk about hinges, handles and other hardware, and how to choose well for these items … and especially what handles to avoid!

Inside Interior Design 101, I also have a detailed presentation on your kitchen layout with specific dimensions and drawing requirements so you can control the outcome in your finished kitchen. Having seen a lack of drawings cause homeowners SO MANY HEADACHES, I know this presentation will be super helpful to many of you trying to work out how many drawings you need, and what they should look like.

And exciting news is that my super popular, 5 Day Kitchen Design Challenge, is now living inside “Interior Design 101” as a special bonus. It’s a great burst of info that takes you through the practical formula to creating a kitchen you’ll love spending time in, and that will work for you and your family.

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 everyday.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

Find White Pebble Interiors online >>> CLICK HERE

And on Facebook >>> CLICK HERE

And Instagram >>> CLICK HERE

All things kitchens (including butlers, walk-in pantries and appliance cupboards) >>> Check out this Podcast Episode

Frances Cosway’s book, “Your Forever Home” >>> CLICK HERE

To learn more about the self-study, online program, Interior Design 101 >>> CLICK HERE