From a property ‘face-lift’ to a full-blown renovation overhaul, home improvements have varying degrees of success. Spending $50,000 on renovating your home won’t necessarily give you a better result than if you spend $10,000 - if you do the wrong things.

There is a school of thought that the more you spend, the better your renovation will be and the more value you will add. However, I’ve had plenty of clients spend no more than $20,000 with dramatic improvement to their properties. On the other hand, I’ve rescued people who’ve spent $80,000 and not added anything close to that in value.

The most successful renovations are ones that look great but don’t cost the earth. But how to achieve this critical balance – a designer look on a budget? 

Firstly, its important to use the principles of good design on your renovation. This, together with a clearly defined budget and a system to help you stick to your renovation plan and financial limit (so you don't over-capitalise) is critical. 

The Design Principles are a universal set of ‘design rules’ used by interior designers and architects to achieve that ‘designer’ look that you may often envy but are not sure how to achieve. Utilizing at least 2-3 of the design principles in your renovation is an excellent way to get a designer look from your property. And it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.

There are as many as 10-15 ‘Design Principles’ but the main three I choose to work with are Cohesion, Focus and Balance.
 

Cohesion – This is where you create ‘flow’ through your property by using similar elements, colours and details. In the context of renovating the exterior of your home, this is about creating a connection between the fence and the house and then another connection between the exterior of the house and the interior of the house. In the context of the interior of the home, its about connecting each room to one another without every room looking the same.

Focus – A focal point is an essential element to good design. On the exterior, this will usually come in the form of the entry point (the front door) and on the interior it is likely to be the kitchen splash-back, a fireplace, a bathroom vanity and mirror or even a piece of furniture.

Balance – Balance in design is when something visually looks even and this is critical for a modern, aesthetically pleasing look. You can use colour, texture and mass to adjust the 'visual weight' of something - and therefore create a balanced look with every part of your renovation.

There are infinite ways to use the design principles when updating your property - a much over-looked way to get real bang-for-your buck from your renovation. Check out the photos on our Gallery page for ways the Design Principles can be used to weave renovation magic!