Kitchen Renovation - 2026

 We started this year off with our kitchen renovation. As soon as the school holidays were over the kitchen was ripped out and the renovation started!

We built this house 24 years ago and in that time we have given the kitchen a mini makeover about 15 years ago when we changed the bench top, replaced appliances as needed and refreshed the cabinet colour. The structure and internals of the cupboards never changed nor did the layout.

The footprint of the kitchen had to be kept as it worked best for the flow and space of our home but it definitely needed improvement and updating.

We knew we wanted something neutral and classic in colour and style. 

We wanted all appliances integrated and we wanted a white oven. 

We chose a Billi tap with boiling, filtered, chilled and sparkling water and the main item to bring it all together was the bench top and backsplash.

We knew that would be the main feature and interest and we spent a couple of months looking at marble, sintered stone, engineered stone, porcelain etc. In the end we chose Calacatta Royal Ultrasoft from Neolith.

We liked the colour, pattern and hardy nature over marble as we didn't want to be precious with stains etc when cooking. 

We went with a slim shaker door profile and white handles to blend in and create a seamless look.

The whole kitchen took about 4 weeks from beginning to completion which was quite good really although it was hard going at times without a kitchen! Uber eats & the bbq worked overtime for a while ;)

Although we had a temporary kitchen set up in the living room!

We are so happy with the finished result! 

Everything looks so fresh and blends in well with the rest of the house.

 We are thrilled with the extra storage, bigger pantry and fridge and seamless look of the cabinetry.

 Everything flows easily when cooking and having a few people in the kitchen at the one time.

I'm so glad we kept the kitchen shelves to style and add interest and break up the colour palette.

We also added lighting under the cabinets which looks lovely and warm at night.

Our suppliers -

Kitchen company - Kitchen Connection - Belrose

Stone supplier - Marble Hub

Appliances - Harvey Norman

Tap - Billi

Handles - Momo - Keeler Hardware

Let me know if you have any other questions! x

Our office space/studio apartment reveal.

For the last 5 months or so we have been working on building a studio apartment/office space on top of our detached garage at the front of our home.

During all of the changes that have happened in the first 6 months of 2020 with the bushfires, floods and COVID 19 this has been our constant. It has been great in a way to have a project to focus on in uncertain times. Simon was front and centre and did a lot of the design and construction himself.

We also employed a lot of friends and utilised their trades and skills which made it a pleasant and smooth process. It was nice to have familiar faces on the job.

We wanted to utilise the space (about 58 square mtrs) to maximise every possible inch and corner.

We wanted to fit in an entry way, laundry space, bathroom, kitchen, office and living area and lots of storage. We wanted it to feel light and airy and a nice place to be.

Spiral staircases helped us get to the next levels with only a small amount of space taken up. 

White walls, floors and minimal furnishings with a neutral palette kept the space feeling bright and spacious. 

We added hints of brass, rattan and plants to bring in colour, texture and add interest.

For the forseeable future it will be our Real Estate's office space and eventually it will be a space for our boy's when they want to move out. At the moment the boy's are enjoying using the space for study (Finn has his HSC this year) after hours. 

Now that we have the t.v, wifi and Foxtel hooked up I can imagine they will love it as a place to hang out and catch up with friends as well!

I've popped up a few photos of the interiors and details below. I will do a bigger post on the whole build once we complete the landscaping at the front of the house.

The Entry Way

We kept the slab downstairs and painted it with Dulux Luxafloor in Vivid White.

This is what we did with the floors in our house so we knew it would look great and be low maintenance.

We made the console table to fit the space and hung the kombi artwork to identify it as an office space. The citrine crystal signifies wealth and prosperity, the apples add freshness and a pop of colour and the forever flowers were made from bits n pieces from Barefoot Gypsy Homewares and Feathers.

Spiral Staircase - Spiralworks

Lounge Area

Upstairs we kept the palette neutral and calming. The use of white paint, floors and furnishings really opens up the space and creates an airy feel. Plants were a must!

I've tried to keep the space very simple and pared back.

Again we signified the room as a work space with the surfboard with The Beaches Real Estate on it.

An old surfboard painted white with craft letters stuck on. It's hung on the wall with 3M picture strips. The company logo is repeated on the t.v with the kombi.

Walls - Dulux Vivid White - Wash n Wear

Floors - 130mm cypress pine painted in 2 x coats of Feast Watson proof seal and 5 x coats of Feast Watson flooring paint in white.

Mirror - West Elm

Sofa - Ikea

Coffee Table - Freedom

Rug - Miss Amara Loves

Floor Lamp - Beacon Lighting

Side Table - Hope and May

Fiddle Leaf - Foley's Nursery

Pot - Bunnings

We wanted lots of storage for office supplies and eventually when someone lives in the space.

We replicated what we have in our home with a wall of storage and shelves.

I styled these with home and interior books and bits n bobs in the same tones. 

Again plants were used for colour and life. I love a trailing plant on a shelf!

Bookcases - Billy Bookcases - IKEA. 

We also used the IKEA Oxberg doors and extender pieces. 

We had our carpenter build them in with a kickboard and pelmet to finish them off nicely.

Decorating items were a mix from Target, Adairs, Kmart and Typo.

The desk space fit nicely in the corner and the rattan cupboard holds the printer, paper and other office supplies.

Table - IKEA

Chairs - Temple and Webster

Rug - Miss Amara Loves

Cabinet - Freedom

Cushions - Target

Kitchen

For the kitchen we chose a Kaboodle kitchen carcass, doors and kickboards from Bunnings.

We chose the Alpine profile in Macaroon.

The kitchen is about 5 metres long. At the moment we have kept it simple with just a sink and fridge space.  The other appliances will be added at a later date once it is utilised as a living space.

Sink - Hardware + General - A Blanco undermount sink

Tap - Phoenix tap in brushed gold

Cupboard handles - IKEA

Bench top - Quantum Quartz in Michaelangelo - Set in Stone, Brookvale

Shutters - Plantation Shutters - I Seek Blinds

Forever flowers - a mix from Feathers + Barefoot Gypsy Homewares

Vase - Adairs

Kombi - Riot Art Shop

Rainbow - Target

Coffee machine - Breville Oracle Touch

Bathroom

Glass shower screens to come...

Tiles - 600 x 600 - Beaumont Tiles

Toilet - Hardware + General - Parisi in wall toilet

Tapware/Shower head - Phoenix

Vanity - Hardware + General - Marquis

Other items throughout the space...

LED downlights

Daikin ducted reverse cycle air conditioning

Windows - Bradnam Signature Series. Double Glazed

Frameless Glass balustrade - Hardware + General

Below is a peek of the exterior in progress. 

I will share more of the build in another post once the exterior and landscaping is complete.

I hope that answers any questions you have regarding the interior of our studio apartment and office space. Thank you for following along!

I've kept some videos of the finished space on my Instagram under my saved stories.

Let me know if there is anything else you would like answered x

Latest home inspo from The Three Birds - Kitchen + Laundry

The Three Birds are back with their latest project, a collaboration with Sophie Bell (@peppahart) to build Sophie's "Hinterland Hidewaway" in Northern NSW. 

The inspiration is mediterranean farm house with lots of white render, arch ways, natural materials and green space outside. I love it and can't wait to see the rest of the house once it's revealed.

Laundry 

I love all of the bright, white spaces , individual touches and attention to detail.

What do you think? Are you watching along?

House Tour - Lauren Conrad's California Home

I loved these photos of Lauren Conrad's California home. 

It looks light and airy filled with cool furniture and pretty touches. I especially love the flowers, books + crystal vignettes around the place. All of my favourite things! 

The house is gorgeous and styled beautifully but also feels warm and lived in. 

How amazing is her glass bottle collection?!

I've popped a few photos down below but pop over here to read all the details........

What do you think? Is it your style?

I could move in tomorrow! So many things I love about it!

All photos via My Domaine

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Drinking more water with SodaStream.

After our indulgent Easter weekend I felt like we all needed to bring some balance back into our lives. More water, fruits and vegetables were needed asap! I know I always feel happier and have more energy when I'm eating healthily and drinking lots of water. 

First thing yesterday after I dropped the boys off at school I headed to the greengrocers and stocked up on fresh fruit and vegetables. The veggies went straight into the pot to make a veggie soup and the fruit was chopped up to go into some sparkling water for the boys afternoon tea. 

Tap water is great but sometimes you need bubbles in your water to make it a little more appetising. 

I pulled out the SodaStream and made some fizzy fruit waters when the boys got home from school. So quick and easy!

SodaStream has easy-to-use Sparkling Water Makers to suit every countertop, and each machine comes with everything you need to make sparkling water anytime you like.

Each Sparkling Water Maker comes with a plastic BPA-free carbonating bottle. All bottles are safe, reusable, uniquely designed, and can save the average Australian family up to 2,190 bottles and cans over the three year life of the bottle. Every Sparkling Water Maker also comes with a C02 Cylinder which carbonates up to 60 litres of sparkling water. Once empty you can swap them at any Woolworths, Coles or Big W.

Fill, fizz and enjoy!

Everyone wanted to press the button. 

We like "high" fizz so we press the button 3 times and everyone gets a turn ;)

I made up a few combinations, orange & mint, lemon & lime and mixed berry. They were delicious and so refreshing. So much more flavoursome and thirst quenching than soft drink.

I find I always use my kitchen appliances more when they are in easy reach. 

I love that the SodaStream is compact enough to sit under the kitchen benches and blend in.

I've got this one here

You can find out more information and how SodaStream works here

Have you got a SodaStream? 

What are you favourite ingredients to add to your sparkling water?

I'd love to hear them x

I was given my Sparkling Water Maker from SodaStream but all opinions are my own.

I would never share a product that I didn't use myself and believe in.