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DIY Designer Home Renovation & Design Course

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DIY Designer Home Renovation & Design Course

DIY DESIGNER IS A REALLY COOL ONLINE HOME DESIGN COURSE! We work WITH YOU to cre

DIY Designer is a series of courses which have been developed to meet a range of different design needs. Whether you’re about to renovate your home, thinking of building a new home or selling your existing property and need some help to bring it all together, DIY Designer has a course for you!

31/05/2024

SELLING YOUR HOME - OPEN HOUSE DAY!
The photos are done, your listing is up on the real estate website, you've cracked the back of all of the large and small tasks, and tomorrow is the big day.....your first open house!
Time to sit back and relax? Nope.....not yet.
You're nearly there, just a few very important things to get done in time for the big day.
Remember the first few seconds are critical in creating a lasting (and hopefully great) impression of your home.
One of the biggest things that lingers on a person's mind is smell.
If a home smells of dirty socks or unwashed sheets, the prospective buyers will forever hold that memory when they think back to that property.
Following are a few key pointers to remember to do on every open house day. They may at first seem like obvious things to do, but you wouldn't believe how many people overlook them!
OUTSIDE
1. Make sure the lawns are mowed and gardens weeded
2. Entry to the home is unobstructed
3. Take in all washing from the clothesline (and put away)
4. Pool is in sparkling condition
5. Rubbish bins are out of sight
6. Kids' bikes and toys are stacked neatly away
7. Dog or pet beds are cleaned and deodorized
8. Outdoor furniture is arranged in a welcoming position
INSIDE
1. Have a good diffuser inside the front door to welcome potential buyers with a lovely perfume (I try to stay away from sickly sweet aromas such as vanilla. Spices or light florals are always good)
Another diffuser further into the home is also helpful
2. Empty the kitchen rubbish bin and put in a new liner after giving the bin a good clean and hit it with a deodorizer
3. Remove timetables, photos, school paraphernalia and magnets from the fridge (they can be put back up after the open house)
4. A collection of three small pots of herbs on the kitchen bench is always a nice touch......rosemary, mint and basil are fantastic. They look great, smell even better and you can use them for cooking after the open home
5. Make sure the dishwasher is not only empty but put it through a cycle while it is empty. For good measure (and freshness) cut up a couple of fresh lemons and place them on the racks of the dishwasher before starting the cycle
6. Keep the kitchen benches clear of too much clutter. A few pots of herbs are fine, a block of knives is okay too
7. A quick tidy up of the pantry is a good idea too, as people will most definitely take a look inside. I use acrylic turn-tables for holding jars and pots, making it neater and easier to find things.
8. Make sure washing machine and dryer are empty and everything has been folded and put away
9. A good spray of a general deodorizer through the home just before you leave will keep things fresh
10. Make sure beds are neatly made (no lumps or sheets hanging out)
11. If the weather is good, open as many doors and windows to the exterior as practical
12. Toilet seats all down (both seat and lid) and fresh paper is on the holder
13. Bathroom basins are clean, as are the showers and towels folded neatly on the towel rack
14. Scatter cushions on sofas are plumped up, and rugs on the floors are straight (you don't want anyone tripping)
15. Fresh flowers! Fresh flowers always add a good lasting impression and if you purchase something as beautiful as oriental lilies, try to get them so that they open the day before your open home.
They have a beautiful perfume but they can be messy, so once they're open, remove the stamen to prevent the powder from dropping all over the place
16. One last thing....I always ask my clients to remove any photos of family, just while the inspection is on.
This is more of a safety measure than anything but worth taking into account
You've done it! Go relax for an hour and enjoy the fact that you get to do it all again next week!

28/05/2024

SELLING YOUR HOME? LET'S GET IT LOOKING AMAZING AND READY FOR OPEN HOMES!

Styling or staging your home has become very popular, and there's a good reason for that...........it works!
I've recently staged properties that have achieved record prices in their areas, and a large part of that was due to their presentation.
A good stylist will bring out the very best features of your home while making the not-so-good features blend into the background.
By the time you get around to the staging in readiness for the photos and first open home, you should have taken care of the list of tasks, both inside and out.
While no home is perfect, there are a load of great ways of helping your home more appealing to more potential buyers.
The first three seconds is the most critical for forming a great impression, so start with the front exterior.
Street appeal is everything when it comes to creating that great first impression.
Your stylist should make sure this happens, however if you're going it alone and using what you already have, look at everything inside and out as a staging item and how it can be used.
If the front of your home has a small balcony or terrace, think about arranging a pair of small chairs and a table there, to show that this is somewhere else to sit and unwind. Lush, healthy plants at the front always give a feeling that this is a home that is taken care of.
(nothing screams uncared-for more than half-dead plants struggling to survive in a pot).
This may sound odd, but the colour of the outdoor light bulb you use can also have an instant effect on potential buyers.......and here's the reason.
If you're doing an evening showing is the middle of summer, you'll want your home to give a cool, breezy feeling, right?
Having your lovely garden and front entry glowing with warm yellow lighting will immediately create a warm feeling.
Change ALL outdoor lightbulbs to cool white for summer and it will change the visual temperature of your home straight away.
The reverse is applicable for colder months. This is where you need to create a warm, cosy feeling that will draw people to the door.
Once inside, make sure that there is NO clutter.
Furniture should be arranged so that it looks welcoming and not a visual barrier to entry. By this I mean arrange sofas so that you could walk straight up to them and take a seat......not have to circumnavigate the room to sit down. Backs of sofas aren't what you want to see when entering a room.
This doesn't mean you have to plaster the sofas against the wall....not at all, however if your only other option is to do this, then grab an armchair and form an off-set right angle with it. It will keep the traffic flow open and create an illusion of space.
The same with beds......if you have a large bed with a bed head and a bed foot and it's in a large room....great! If this bed was in a small room, it will instantly make the room look small and overcrowded. Ideally, if you can remove the foot-end all the better.
While on the subject of beds, try to use beds that aren't too wide for the room. Going down one bed size will make the room appear larger.
Accessorizing - remember the old rule "less is more". Not every surface needs to have something on it.
For good balance, I always accessorize in odd numbers....it just works.
Artwork - your home could be in the most peaceful setting in the world, but if you have a lot of artwork inside and it's all sitting crooked it creates an atmosphere of chaos.
A simple spirit level and some blue tack will work wonders.
I always use the 3M picture tapes. They sit flat behind picture frames and don't damage the paintwork when you remove them properly.
There is so much more to list but this is a good start. I'll be back tomorrow with more.

27/05/2024

DESIGNING WITH WHITE
There seems to be something peaceful about an all-white home.
Clients have often mentioned that they think it's an easy scheme to design....you just pick one colour and that's it, right? Wrong.....
While white looks easy, there are SO many shades that it could really do your head in if you're not aware of a few simple rules.
There are cool whites, warm whites and neutral whites and each one comes with its own set of challenges.
Every colour (and white is no exception) will vary in shade at different times of the day or night (depending upon the lighting) and available natural light.
Whenever I'm doing an all-white interior, I tend to use three shades of that particular white.
To create a sense of a higher ceiling, try using a quarter shade (in flat finish) to that of the walls. I usually include the cornices in this as they're also plaster and the flat sheen makes any irregularities fade away, whereas a sheen paint to the ceiling or cornices will definitely highlight them.
At various times of the day and night, the shade difference is barely noticeable, although the effect is smoother.
By a smoother effect, I'm referring to the obvious divide between a particular wall colour and a very white ceiling and cornice.
Another point to take into consideration is using "ceiling white" with "off-white" walls. This can be dangerous territory as the ceiling white can appear slightly blue which in turn can cause the off-white walls to appear murky.
And the beautiful thing about an all-white scheme (monochromatic) is that it makes for a fabulous back-drop to art, rugs and greenery.
Happy Designing!

24/05/2024

STYLING OR STAGING YOUR HOME FOR SALE
- a few tips that will really count (and save you time and panic as the first open home approaches!)
Whenever I visit a home that is about to go on the market, I always do a thorough walk through with the owner or the agent (or both).
I always make a verbal and written list with the client of what needs to be done as a priority and what needs to be done closer to the time. Taking photos of each item is a good idea too, so that you have a visual reminder of the task.
To get a great price and a fast sale it's important to make sure it's presented at its very best.
Little things are often overlooked when you've been living in a home for a while, but I can guarantee you a prospective purchaser will not miss them.
If you have a few weeks leading up to the marketing campaign, it's important to take care of these things before even thinking about staging and styling (I will get to that part next.....promise!)
Here's a short list of little projects that can be done during the lead up to the first open house -
INSIDE
- Clear out clutter from cabinets, bookshelves and wardrobes
- In wardrobes remove large items such as suitcases from top shelves as these give a closed-in, not much space feeling
- Repair chipped paint to corners, skirtings, architraves and doors
- Try to touch up any small areas of wall that needs painting
- Make sure that all hooks are in the curtains so that they hang well without the bulges of unsupported fabric falling forward (bad look)
- Tighten up any loose door hardware such as hinges and handles or k***s
- Replace light bulbs that have stopped working - and make sure they're the same colour of light (warm white for example) and strength as the lights that are already there
- Try to avoid having electrical cables running everywhere and if you can't do this, purchase the little cable hooks that will keep everything in place
OUTSIDE
- Clear out weeds from garden beds and trim trees
- Remove weeds from driveway and paths
- Repair any parts of fences and gates that are needed
- Remove spider webs and any insect nests that have built up over time (please don't get bitten!)
- Have the gutters cleaned
- Have the exterior of the home washed
So, while these are just a few suggestions, there are loads of small projects that may need doing.
If you start looking around for them before you call an agent it will make your home more appealing to the agent, stop the feeling of panic if you leave it to the weekend before the open (don't do that.....you'll really regret it) and your home will look better for the first open house.
THE STAGING PROCESS
- Once the agent has locked in a date for the first open home, they will want photos to be done about a week beforehand.
This is when the home needs to be styled or staged (really the same thing).
The best way to handle this is to contact a designer who met with you when you first thought about listing your home for sale. He or she will be familiar with the property and be able to either take over the staging part or work with you to see it through to the day of photos.
The best outcome is if they can use your own furniture for the staging. Sometimes it's just a simple re-arranging of the pieces to show each room at its best.
Often there will be a mix of your furniture and some hired pieces, and a good designer will be able to source furnishings and accessories that will compliment your own.
Occasionally there may be the need to hire a full package which is not as expensive as you may think. These usually include all furniture, bedding, rugs, lamps, art and as many accessories as are needed.
Below is a collection of Before and After photos to give you an idea.

19/05/2024

One of the things I love about living in Australia is the clarity of natural light, and utilizing windows for framing a beautiful view is better in my opinion than spending thousands of dollars on expensive artwork.

This view will change with the weather, the time of day and the season......it's your own living art gallery!

I'm also particularly in love with this room because of the absolute simplicity in its design. Timber and white.....nothing simpler yet so beautiful.

There is no need for fussy accessories or design elements here....the view does all of the work.

The high ceilings allow a beautiful timber feature without visually bringing it down and the floor to ceiling glass opens the view to the max! Love it!

Keep following for design inspiration and reno tips!

27/12/2022

Welcome to our new look DIY Designer Page!
Very soon we'll be launching a new DIY App and website where you'll be able to create the home you've always wanted, and we're there to help you all the way!

02/01/2016

Let DIY Designer help you create your own beautiful home online in just a few short and very fun sessions! Contact us today at [email protected] to get started!

23/12/2015

We aim to help you achieve a beautiful flow throughout your home. We thought we'd share a couple mood boards created online with DIYDesigner and our home owners/renovators and decorators....enjoy!

22/12/2015

These are some of the homes designed online with DIYDesigner! Take a look at these VIRTUAL MOOD BOARDS!

Address

PO Box 1247
Brisbane City, QLD
4064

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Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

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Website

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