• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australia’s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      We’re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
    • Get Your Free Ebook

      This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesn’t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • IMG_0235Kerb appeal: 3-bedder given fresh new look for retirees
    • 129A9914-EditSomething out of nothing: reading nook created in roof space
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other people’s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether you’re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • Screenshot 2025-05-13 at 3.09.43 pmBeautiful backyard transformation brings Italy to Bondi
    • Interiros,Shots,Of,A,Modern,Living,Room,In,The,ForegroundBeaumont Tiles’ best ever hard flooring range is here
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? We’re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • Copy of Cots GridWorld first fully customisable cot for the interiors addict mum
    • 250218_VZ_COCOREPUBLIC_s01_WIND_050This new Coco Republic collection is all about elevating basics
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • HighRes Image 4 – 360KCX31Z9Q Woollahra Village House by Tobias Partners – Photography by Justin AlexanderInnovative new residential architecture in Houses Awards list
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Crispy egg noodles with seafood p. 116Foodie Friday: crispy egg noodles with seafood
    • 1293660_lifestyle Crossland Pearl GL-Porc Txt Rect 597×1195 UNI_Crossland_AMB 02_Living_PearlHow to bring your favourite travel destinations home
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

The lowdown on all the appliances in Jen’s new kitchen

By Jen Bishop •

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

Sponsored by ILVE

Much as I’d love to tell you renovations and interior design are all about aesthetics (and let’s face it, that’s the fun part!), there is a hell of a lot of practicality and functionality involved too. And the designs which combine the best of both worlds are always the most successful. Nowhere is practicality more important than in a kitchen. It can look as beautiful as a magazine spread but if it doesn’t work, well you’re soon going to get irritated with your expensive makeover!

When it came to appliances, I must admit, I was a bit overwhelmed, being my first kitchen reno. I’ve never been the one to choose the oven or cooktop, for example. So I had to get my practical head on. But I knew I needed these appliances to look great too, not just now but quite possibly in a decade’s time. I quickly settled on Italian brand ILVE (God bless those Europeans, they know a thing or two about good design!) as top of my wish list. Like all things handmade in Italy, these appliances are the best! One look around their Sydney showroom and I suddenly found myself more excited about kitchen appliances than I ever thought possible! Trust me, go and look!

The Sydney ILVE showroom: oven heaven!

If the kitchen is the heart of the home then the oven, surely, is the heart of the kitchen. This was the hardest decision for me, starting with gas or electric? I love a gas cooktop and we looked into getting our new home connected to mains gas but, to cut a long story short, this wasn’t possible. In some ways I was thankful as this cut down the plethora of choices!

I personally think of ILVE as being synonymous with beautiful free-standing ovens and for a long time, I decided this was the look I was going for. Their Majestic and Nostalgie models are beautifully traditional and a big part of me always leans towards a classic look. They’re also available in so many colours and with brass, chrome or bronze fittings. I had been lusting after a navy (blue) oven with brass hardware I’d seen in the showroom months before, but alas, I was not organised enough to give myself the waiting time required for many of the non-standard colours, so bear this in mind if you’re keen. Their Quadra series are more modern and industrial; they really remind me of serious chef’s ovens.

Ultimately though, the modern classic aesthetic I was going for in the new kitchen called for the oven to just blend in a little, rather than be the star of the show; I already had a lot going on with all the Caesarstone and the gold hardware, tap and sink. This eventually led me to the built-in 90cm oven with longevity in mind and the fact my family will (hopefully) one day be bigger than three. I chose knob controls over touch controls because I’m a bit old school like that (hello, paper diary!).

Once I’d made the very difficult oven decision (you just really feel like you need to get it right, and I was really grateful for the patience and knowledge of the lady I spoke to in the showroom), it was easy to choose the cooktop. As we couldn’t have gas, it had to be induction, and now I have induction I LOVE it! I’m kind of glad we were forced into this decision. It really had to be a 90cm cooktop to match the oven, which it sits above, and although I’ll rarely use all six burners, it sure doesn’t hurt to have options! As a mum, I find the safety of an induction system really appealing and comforting. There’s even a 90cm hybrid option which has induction plus a single gas wok burner. Best of both worlds!

If there are two things I didn’t want to make a feature of, they were the rangehood and the dishwasher. I really didn’t want my flight of overheard cabinets broken up by a big range hood so the quickest appliance decision I made was to go for the 90cm concealed rangehood. You just don’t know it’s there. I later decided not to put brass handles on those overhead cupboards either and I love the way they look so sleek and simple. You can choose to recirculate or duct and I opted to duct ours out through the roof as it just feels healthier to me. And it works a treat! We never have stale cooking smells in our house.

As for the dishwasher, it was always always going to be fully integrated. Luckily, ILVE keep it simple and only have one option, so that was an easy choice too! I love this dishwasher. It has a light inside, as well as a cutlery basket that pulls out above the one for cups and glasses (I’m embarrassed to admit it took me a while to realise it was there!). It’s really easy to program and I love that you can delay the start time by up to 24 hours. Another clever feature is the light which shines down onto the floor so you can see when it’s on (because everything is otherwise hidden by a cabinet front). It’s whisper quiet too, so this is quite necessary! It certainly beats our old, brown and beige museum-piece dishwasher which tripped the electrics most days!

Having actually lived with and used my new kitchen for a few months now, I am really happy with all my choices. The oven is a dream to use (and clean) and I love the size of it (it came into its own at Christmas!). It has nine modes including pizza, fan assisted and fan forced. And like the induction cooktop, the cool touch BIO-safe triple glazed glass door is another reassuring safety feature with a cheeky toddler around!

So, my top tips for picking appliances?

  • Take your time and start early as there’s more to it than you think!
  • Visit showrooms and speak to the experts. Don’t be afraid to ask the stupid questions!
  • Consider the look of your appliances in the scheme of your kitchen design as well as the practical side, before you plan your cabinetry.

For more information about ILVE or to find your nearest showroom/stockist.

Photography by Jacqui Turk.

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

January 25, 2018

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Innovative new residential architecture in Houses Awards list

  • Australian bathroom standards: dimensions explained by an expert

  • This new Coco Republic collection is all about elevating basics

  • Our top picks from Satara’s stunning and biggest collection yet

  • Beaumont Tiles’ best ever hard flooring range is here

Follow us on Instagram

This small backyard makeover is NEXT LEVEL. @jone This small backyard makeover is NEXT LEVEL.

@jonesandco_ founder Jennifer Jones wanted an Italian vibe for her North Bondi semi and wow did @landart_home_garden_beyond deliver her vision. And then some!

Comment 'Positano' for the link to read all about it, including the antique terracotta Italian roof tiles around the curved pool, firepit, olive and lemon trees and lavender!🪻 Chef's kiss👌🏼

Size is NOT everything!

#smallpool #smallpools #smallbackyard #firepitdesign #smallgardenideas #crazypaving
Swipe for the rear of this gorgeous Woollahra home Swipe for the rear of this gorgeous Woollahra home. Heaven!

It's a finalist in the Houses Awards 2025. Head to the blog via link in bio/stories to see more of the shortlist. There's some absolute BEAUTIES.

Project by @tobiaspartners 📸 @justinalexanderphoto

#housesawards #housesawards2025 #woollahravillage #woollahra #woollahrahomes #australianarchitecture #australianarchitect
To celebrate @sataraliving's beautiful and biggest To celebrate @sataraliving's beautiful and biggest ever new collection we're giving away a $500 voucher! Comment 'satara' for the link to the easy entry form and more info on this everyday luxury range!

This giveaway is in no way associated with or endorsed by Meta.

#australianfurniture #australianfurniture #australianinteriors #relaxedluxury
I always LOVE a new IKEA STOCKHOLM (widely known a I always LOVE a new IKEA STOCKHOLM (widely known as the IKEA best of) collection and 2025 is in Australian stores NOW.

I'm getting that floor lamp at a minimum.

Karin Gustavsson, creative leader for STOCKHOLM, IKEA Sweden, said: “The purpose of the STOCKHOLM collections has always been to prove that high quality doesn’t need to come at an intimidating cost. We have worked to create a no-compromise kind of collection where every piece tells a story."

Check it out on the blog now via link in bio and stories.

Don't hang around as these pieces always sell out fast.

#ikeastockholm #ikeastockholm2025 #ikeaaustralia #ikeahack
Building new isn't the only way to get a climate f Building new isn't the only way to get a climate friendly home. CSIRO research indicates that over half of the houses Australians will live in by 2050 already exist today. And those homes — from our 1950s weatherboards to mid-century gems — offer one of the most exciting opportunities to slash emissions, cut energy bills, and reimagine home design for a low-carbon future.

Welcome to the rise of retrofit culture: a movement that’s proving you don’t need to knock down to level up.

We're having this discussion on the blog today and sharing examples of two older homes given new, more sustainable, leases on life.

Head over via link in bio and stories.

Love to know your view on knockdown rebuild vs. Renovating older homes and what you have done and why in the comments!

@reneworgau

#sustainablehousing #sustainablehome #sustainablelivingaustralia #climatefriendlyhome #passivhaus #passivhausdesign
Swipe for the before! You won't believe it! This Swipe for the before! You won't believe it!

This upcycle started with a freebie off Marketplace and with some vision, elbow grease and chalk paint, became a beautiful shelving solution for Home Beautiful stylist @style_by_lucy 

Lucy's a bit of a Marketplace pro and she even found the Samsung Frame TV on there 😯

Tell us about your best marketplace finds in the comments?

All the details of how she did this including paint colour on the blog now, via link in bio and stories.

#upcyclefurniture #upcyledfurniture #upcycledsideboard #marketplacefinds
A year in, this reluctant soccer mum has realised A year in, this reluctant soccer mum has realised 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'!

So, as I start thinking about the boys going into separate rooms later this year, I've been researching non-ugly soccer-themed linen, rugs, art, wallpaper and more for Seb's room, which I'll be as happy with as he will! 

Head to the blog via link in bio/stories for all the details and links to buy. My favourite is the wallpaper mural from @oliveetoriel 

#soccermom⚽️ #footballbedroom #boysbedroomideas #kidsroomart #kidsroomstyling #kidsroomwallpaper
We have 5 copies of @murdochbooks' new The Baker's We have 5 copies of @murdochbooks' new The Baker's Book to give away featuring this delicious (swipe) delicious honey joy slice recipe  by @misstrixiedrinkstea 

Comment 'joy' to get the recipe and the competition entry form.

Happy #iafoodiefriday🥳🍰

#honeyjoy #honeyjoys #australianbaking #australiancake #newcookbooks #recipebooks #bakinginspo
Set off on a spontaneous trip to Balmoral despite Set off on a spontaneous trip to Balmoral despite it being dreary and grey because the kids wanted the beach (and it's our favourite). Then BOOM! The weather decided to turn it ON 🙌🏼☀️

Thought about trading in our house for an apartment as we often do 😜 and reminisced about our Lower North Shore days pre-parenthood. Sigh.

Wouldn't change our lot though 🥰
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: Just One Thing To Elevate Your Interior, featuring Australia's top design talent.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Jen Bishop

About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. She founded Interiors Addict in 2011. Jen also works as a copywriter and comms consultant to small business owners and brands, helping them with their own content as well as working out what will make them appealing to the media.

More from Appliances

Jen’s kitchen styling tips and must-haves: pretty meets practical

Win a RYOBI 18V ONE+ Brushless Wet & Dry Hard Floor Cleaner

Kmart’s new collection in collaboration with Indigenous artist

Win the latest Tineco cordless stick vacuum in time for Christmas

Is this Melbourne’s most expensive kitchen?

Affordable designer lamp from Assembly Label and McMullin & co.

Joseph Joseph chopping boards

Joseph Joseph celebrates 20 years with new space saving cookware

Hygge home: how to add a touch of Swedish to your Aussie…

Blending new & old in interiors: Newstalgia is here to stay

Promo Area

Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2025 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in