4 Tips for Hiring an Interior Designer

26.06.22

Every home needs a refresh once in a while. Not only can this bring your property’s aesthetic in line with current trends and styles, but it can also increase your home’s value.

A full revamp can be a big undertaking, though — unless you hire a pro.

Are you thinking of updating a room (or your whole space)? Here’s how to hire the right person for the job to ensure a smooth experience. 

Gather referrals: Ask your neighbors, friends and colleagues for recommendations and cross-reference those names with online reviews and ratings. From there, you can start building out a shortlist of designers to interview. 

Vet them thoroughly: Once you have a shortlist, check out each designer’s portfolio and see if their style matches the aesthetic you’re going for. You should also schedule an in-person (or Zoom) interview with them. Ask about their experience, their process, their fees and their style inspiration. 

Have the details ready: Before you hire a pro, make sure you have all the details worked out — things like your budget and desired end date. You should also have an idea of how much control you want over the process. (Do you want to approve every choice or will you give the designer some decision-making autonomy?) 

Be proactive: You want to head off challenges before they can arise, so ask the important questions, like: “When will payments be due?” “How often will you update me?” and “Will we communicate by text, phone or email?” If you’re doing renovations as well, you’ll also want to ask about the mess and disruptions you can expect.

Need guidance on updating your house to increase its market value? Contact me for more information!

Top Tips for Bidding on Auction Day

25.05.22

Bidding can be exciting but stressful. To help you through it, here are our top bidding tips:

1. Come to the auction with a positive attitude. Even if you would have preferred not to compete at auction, look on the bright side. Unlike private treaty negotiations, you will know exactly what price your competitors are offering and once the hammer falls, the sale is final
2. Bring some photo ID. This is required for you to register to bid. Your ID must be issued by a government or financial institution and show your name and address. Examples include a driver’s licence or a council rates notice
3. Bring your cheque book – you have to sign the contract and pay the deposit immediately after the auction
4. If you are among several registered bidders, be glad. Take comfort that other people also think this is a great property! If you are the sole registered buyer, don’t assume you’re the only interested buyer. Other buyers might not be able to compete on the day due to delays with finance or their own homes not selling. Their circumstances could change within days!
5. Arrive with plenty of time to spare. Being rushed will make you more stressed. Go to the registration desk as soon as you arrive to register and receive your bidder’s card. If you like, you can pre-register with us before auction day
6. The auctioneer is entitled to make one bid on behalf of the seller. This is called a ‘vendor bid’. It is often used to start an auction if no one bids, or to raise the bidding to a level that is closer to the reserve price set by the seller
7. Show confidence. Bid in a loud, clear voice and be mindful of your body language and raise your bidder’s card high!
8. If you are going to make the first bid, be realistic. The auctioneer has the right to refuse any bid that is not in the vendors’ interests
9. If the property is going to pass in, make sure you are the highest or last bidder. The highest bidder is offered the first right to negotiate immediately after the auction. If no one bids, five other people could approach us immediately afterwards and you will end up in a quasi auction anyway!

Kitchen Styling – 4 things to do before you sell

18.04.22

As they say… kitchens sell houses! As a space that brings family and friends together, it’s high on the list of any potential buyer so you need to ensure yours looks it’s absolute best before listing your home. Here’s a few tips that can be applied to any kitchen, whatever it’s shape or size. 

1. Clear your bench tops: Before doing anything else, declutter. Remove everything from the benchtops. Put small and large appliances in cupboards or storage. A clutter free kitchen will look more spacious and allow you to give it a good clean – which is also essential. Scrub every surface, including your oven and built in appliances. A clean kitchen will give the impression of a well-maintained home.

2. Make small repairs: Kitchen renovations can be expensive and take time, but some minor repairs will go a long way. Replace damaged hardware, fix leaking taps, if your cabinets are in bad condition or very dated, you may consider painting them. Likewise, a new benchtop can give your entire kitchen a new look. Don’t go overboard but make sure what you’ve got is in the best condition possible. 

3. Organise your cupboards: You also need to give attention to what’s inside your cupboards and drawers. Remove everything and cull what you no longer use or need. Replace everything neatly. Organised cupboards give the impression of ample storage space. 

4. Simple styling: With kitchen styling, less is more. Choose a few simple accessories such as a beautiful serving dish or tray, layered with utensils or napery. Play with different materials and textures to create different looks. We especially love adding greenery or a floral arrangement and if there’s wall space, an artwork in a kitchen is an unexpected and lovely point of interest. 

Article by Spatial Property Styling. For more detailed and bespoke advice regarding your property, contact one of their Senior Stylists on 9417 7193.

My Favourite Australian Artists

21.03.22

Thinking about how to decorate the walls in your home but not sure where to start? Or maybe you just need some freshening up on one or two walls and want something up and coming!

There’s no shortage of incredible talent when it comes to artists in Australia. Here’s a few of my favourites!

ZOE YOUNG

Fascinated by the simple beauty of the everyday, Zoe Young works between still life, portraiture and abstraction to capture her delight in life’s fleeting moments, turning them into something intimate, revelatory and long-lasting. The distillation of experiences and sensations is at the heart of Young’s practice. Originally trained in sculpture, her boldly feminine works are underpinned by a solid foundation of modernist theory and considered technical approaches to colour, composition and mark making.

To view more of her work click here

JANE GUTHLEBEN

Painter Jane Guthleben grew up on a Victorian sheep farm and now lives in Sydney close to the bush. Through her intimate paintings of domestic interiors, flora and kitsch, Guthleben brings the landscape in, emphasising its untamabilty, coarseness and defiant character that are at odds with the order and comfort of home. Prickly foliage, bulbous nuts and Australiana contrast with drapery and domesticity in unlikely combinations that are as familiar as they are strange

She recently launched a fantastic exhibition with MContemporary which we loved. To view more of her work click here

PETER HICKEY

Peter Hickey is a contemporary Australian artist who’s work reflects a love of nature in all its forms. Integral to Peter Hickey’s art is drawing – whether it be in a landscape etching, a still life monotype or a painting of an animal. The underlying drawing gives his work its sincerity and reflects Peter’s love of nature in all its forms. His work is included in the following collections: Gold Coast Regional Gallery, National Gallery of Australia, State Gallery of Tasmania, Art Gallery of NSW, Qantas Collection
Microsoft (Australia), Armidale Regional Gallery, Australia, ANZ Bank, Australia, Britiish, Printmakers Council, London, U.K, Kala Institute, Berkeley, California U.S.A, & Museums and Collections Worldwide.

Click here to view his works

DAN KYLE

The lyrical splendour of the Australian bush is captured in Dan Kyle’s painterly mark. Hovering somewhere between figuration and abstraction, his landscapes play with surface and texture to recreate the majesty and intrigue of the dense scrub that surrounds his Blue Mountains studio.

To view more of his work click here

I am also always on the lookout for up-and-coming young Australian artists. From abstract landscapes to detailed portraits, here is a great article on a few artists to start collecting right now!

And if you are looking to get out and about and check out some of the best public art in Sydney, take a look at this list.