Five ideas for finding home renovation inspiration

Once you know you’re ready to embark on a home renovation, it’s time to find inspiration and on-trend ideas to create your dream space. To get your project off to a flying start, here are five ways to find inspiration, new ideas and home-renovating advice with some designer flair.

1. Dream it up: Make a list of all the elements that would come together to create your ideal space – everything you love about your current Melbourne home, and what you’d love to create in a dream home renovation. Think about what you’ve seen that works and appeals to you most in other newly renovated homes. Once you’ve created your list, see how it matches your current space and start thinking about what you want and what could be integrated into a home renovation. While you’re listing ideas, it’s handy to ask others about what works / doesn’t work in their homes, especially friends or family who may have recently renovated.

2. Kitchen and bathroom ebook: The Makeover Group’s free download, 101 Kitchen and Bathroom Design Ideas for Renovations, is a good place to begin, especially if you’re searching for an inspiration board of images. It features international kitchen and bathroom designs, and ideas to help you create a kitchen and bathroom that suits your lifestyle. Enter your email address for the free renovation design ideas ebook here.

3. Go visiting: Allocate a day to visiting display homes or showrooms in your area of Melbourne to get a good idea of the latest design trends and materials/finishings being used. This is one way to check that your own ideas are current and to guide you in creating a modern space. If you have family/friends/neighbours who have recently renovated, ask if you can visit their home for design ideas and chat to them about what they love about their home renovation and if there is anything they would do differently if they had their time again.

4. Street presence: When it comes to facade inspiration for your home renovation, start in your own street. Notice the newly renovated homes in your Melbourne neighbourhood and the looks you like most. Also take note of colours that appeal, plus materials used and various styles that could work at your home. For more ideas on updating your home’s street appeal, see here.

5. Ask an expert: Once you’ve done some of your own design inspiration research, seek expert advice by consulting a Melbourne building designer or kitchen/bathroom design specialist. This will give you an opportunity to explain your ideas and visions for your space, and then see how an expert thinks these could be integrated into your existing design. A house designer brings his/her own inspiration and ideas plus years of experience to the table and can offer you new ways of creating space/light/comfort and adding those extra on-trend elements to your home renovation.

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• For more home renovation inspiration and design expertise, Melbourne clients can contact The Makeover Group on 1300 768 464 or visit www.themakeovergroup.com.au

Richard Armstrong is a Director of Melbourne firm The Makeover Group. He has more than a decade of home renovation experience, including kitchen and bathroom design and build. He has helped hundreds of Melbourne clients undertake renovations to create their dream home.