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Three Birds Renovations’ six top kitchen design rules

November 12, 2018 2 Comments

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โ€œOf all the spaces you renovate, the kitchen can be the most challenging. Itโ€™s usually the heart of the home and whether youโ€™re a master chef or reluctant one, itโ€™s a major feature of your space, so you want it to look good,โ€ says Three Birds Renovationsโ€™ Bonnie Hindmarsh, who explains that designing a kitchen is a high-stakes enterprise.

โ€œThere are ways to renovate a kitchen on a budget, but it is still usually one of the most expensive rooms in a home, so you need to be happy with the end result. And if all that wasnโ€™t pressure enough, we know that kitchens sell houses, so this is a real reno moment where you can add some serious value,โ€ says Bonnie who, along with her business partners Erin Cayless and Lana Taylor, abides by six golden rules when it comes to designing a kitchen.

Three Birds kitchen
The green cabinetry, in Three Birds Renovations’ latest kitchen, is an inspired choice

Timeless design
โ€œThere are two places you can start โ€“ ย how it works or how it looks. Truth be told, it doesnโ€™t really matter which of the two options you start with because both intersect pretty quickly as you move through the design process. Youโ€™ll need to toggle between these two things constantly,โ€ says Bonnie who is a big proponent of using a vision board to formulate her ideas.

โ€œWe like to bring to life the overall vision for the home in the kitchen, referring back to our vision board for finishes, cabinetry style plus the colour, thickness and profiles of the bench top and splash back.โ€

Three Birds Renovations kitchens

Be selfish
โ€œDesign your kitchen for you, not others. How will you, as the owner, live in the space? How do you like to cook every day or entertain? Everyone is different so meet your needs,โ€ says Bonnie.

Quality appliances
โ€œA builder is only as good as their tools and the same can be said for the appliances in your kitchen. Choose appliances that look good, fit into your layout and offer the functions you need,โ€ says Bonnie who specified an Electrolux integrated dishwasher in this kitchen so as not to break up the lovely green cabinetry of the island bench.

The integrated dishwasher ensures a seamless finish
The integrated dishwasher ensures a seamless finish

The Three Birds Renovations team also selected an Electrolux induction cooktop, steam and pyrolytic oven, a built-in microwave oven and French door fridge for this kitchen.

Electrolux induction cooktop
This Electrolux induction cooktop fits seamlessly onto the kitchen bench top

Alfresco access
โ€œThe best kitchens will meet our outdoor connector test. All kitchens should be connected to, or very close to the outdoors, even if it’s only a courtyard,” says Bonnie who likes to be able to pass food from the kitchen to the outdoors with ease. “It doesnโ€™t matter if itโ€™s through a window or a door – you just need to have that access. Thatโ€™s the test. An indoor/outdoor servery is a great solution for this and suits our Australian lifestyle perfectly,โ€ says Bonnie.

Alfresco access
This kitchen has great outdoor access

Natural light
โ€œWe are skylight obsessed. Theyโ€™re great practical additions that bring in another layer of light and no room in the house benefits from this more than the kitchen, which requires both ambient and task lighting. We canโ€™t tell you how much a skylight changes the absolute look and feel of any room,โ€ says Bonnie.

Electrolux fridge

Beautiful styling
โ€œA place for everything and everything in its place is our rule. In other words, donโ€™t let your lovely new kitchen become a dumping ground for paperwork and overflowing fruit bowls, and fruit flies! A great kitchen has a place for everything โ€“ even your mail pile, bills included,โ€ says Bonnie

For more | Check out the Electrolux appliance line-up

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Want to try a different tipple this weekend? Toda Want to try a different tipple this weekend?

Today's #iafoodiefriday recipe is a lemon and pink peppercorn spritz by our friends at @thewholefoodsrefillery ๐Ÿธ 

They'll give you 20% off your first order with our code. Find everything you need on the blog now via link in bio.

Cheers! 

#pinkpeppercorn #spritzlife
Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! 

@kethy.australia, whose cabinet hardware I've used in my own kitchen, laundry and on my recent sideboard glow up, are passionate about bringing you the latest design and finishes from around the world!ย 

Their stunning timber knobs and handles from Denmark add texture, warmth and an organic feel to yourย projectsย that can only be achieved by using natural materials.

Whether you're embarking on a new build, renovating an existing kitchen, bathroom or laundry or updating a piece of furniture, Kethy have something for you in their huge range.

See it all online and find your local re-seller at their website via link in @kethy.australia bio.

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Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping ALL the character!

What a great example this is by @huntingforgeorge 

See all the details, and the laundry, on the blog now, via link in bio.
The patient has very much bounced back! Letterbox The patient has very much bounced back!

Letterbox kinder egg deliveries from a friend, dressing changes without a flinch and refusing to nap despite all the bribes (check the face on him in pic 3!).

Thanks for all your care and messages/comments for this tired and shaken up mama! Now very relieved and grateful ๐Ÿ™
Before & after It's not just the award winning de Before & after

It's not just the award winning designer houses that get us excited here. It's also the beloved family homes which are renovated and extended to make them fit for purpose so people can continue to live where they love ๐Ÿค—

@inspiredspacesaus helped her clients with teenage kids transform this house in Sydney's Hills District inside and out, making it their forever home. 

Due to the nature of the block they could only extend sideways and then gave it street appeal with render, new windows and doors.

See inside on the blog now, via link in bio. It was completely overhauled!
Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into tiled steps ๐Ÿค•

Oh what a night. Thankfully Hornsby Hospital were as amazing as always and we avoided stitches. All taped and glued  back together and now to keep him calm for the next few days (๐Ÿคช) and watch for signs of concussion. 

Bravest little patient ever. Yes I've had a ๐Ÿท

Funny how we go into super organised mama mode in times like these. Grabbed dinosaurs, textas and scrapbook on the way out in case we had a long wait!

UPDATE: thanks for all the love! Charlie is so well this morning after a big sleep!
Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressi Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressive!

The new @studio.xox ONLY sells Australian brands. Like @nood_co coloured basins, lead-free eco brass from @faucetstrommen and @lindseywherrett's  ceramic basins made by hand in Tassie.

And as for their Sydney showroom (they also sell online): WOW.

See and read more on the blog now via link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop
#creatingbeautifulspaces #homestylingdesign
#designbywomen #homestylingtips #sydneycreatives
#homestylingsydney #interiorstyling #interiordesignsydney
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#interiorinspiration #myhomedesign
I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new @madeinaustshow in Sydney this August.

๐Ÿฆ˜๐ŸจForget every tacky association you ever had about touristy Australian made and prepare to see a showcase of the best of home, lifestyle, fashion and beauty made right here. If the pandemic has made you appreciate buying local even more, this is for you.

It's the first business to business trade event connecting retailers with Australian made products to champion our local makers๐Ÿ™

Apply to exhibit or find out more at their website, via their bio, now!

Are YOU buying more Australian made post covid?

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Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
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Amy Collins Walker

About Amy Collins Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarSuperior Renovations says

    November 14, 2018 at 9:48 am

    We’ve been following Three Birds Renovations blog for a while, I’m glad to see it mentioned here! great write up and loving the photos used!

    Reply
  2. AvatarSara says

    January 28, 2019 at 10:27 pm

    I love Threebirdrenovation, Bonnie has so many great ideas !

    Sara
    http://www.thefrenchcountryliving.com

    Reply

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