Designed by Arna

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Designed by Arna Newcastle Renovation Expert. Professional guidance for major renovations. Planning - Budgets - Build Coordination. Design Expertise Included.

17/09/2026

A visit to the Louvre, where looking up was every bit as inspiring as looking at the art.

The ornate ceilings, layers of history and extraordinary craftsmanship throughout the building were breathtaking. Napoleon III’s Apartments took opulence to another level—gilded detailing, marble and decoration on absolutely everything.

While this level of grandeur may not be making its way into my clients’ homes, the design principles certainly will: considered details, beautiful material combinations, strong focal points and spaces that create a feeling the moment you enter.

Spectacular artwork, divine sculpture galleries and endless inspiration to bring home to my own client work.

09/07/2026

“We need more space.”

It’s one of the first things I hear from homeowners.

But more often than not, the problem isn’t the size of the home.

It’s the way the space has been planned.

For Project Tierra, we didn’t add a single square metre.

Instead, we rethought the layout.

We removed wasted floor space, reorientated the kitchen to capture the harbour view, introduced a 3-metre island, and designed a feature TV wall that balanced the living space.

The footprint stayed exactly the same.

The way the home feels completely changed.

Before you start planning an extension, ask yourself this:

Do you really need more space… or do you need a better plan?

Professional guidance isn’t about making your home look beautiful.

It’s about helping you make the right decisions before construction begins.

🤎 Project Tierra

Interiors: Arna | Newcastle Renovation Expert
Built by: DESIGN // BUILD // RENOVATE //

Photography: Sophie Tyler

SpacePlanning

07/07/2026

Everyone notices the feature tiles.

I notice the planning.

The most impressive kitchens aren’t created by choosing expensive finishes. They’re created by making hundreds of thoughtful decisions long before the stone is installed.

When the layout flows, the proportions feel right, storage actually works, and every detail has been considered… that’s what makes a kitchen feel effortless.

Beautiful finishes are the icing.

The planning is the cake.

What’s the first thing you notice in a kitchen? 👇

Interiors: Arna | Newcastle Renovation Expert
Built by: DESIGN // BUILD // RENOVATE //

Photography: Sophie Tyler

Professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠⁠It's protection for the outcome.⁠⁠One of the biggest misconceptions in our indust...
15/06/2026

Professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠
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It's protection for the outcome.⁠
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One of the biggest misconceptions in our industry is that designers are hired to choose colours, cushions and finishes.⁠
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While those decisions matter, they're only a small part of what I actually do.⁠
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My role is helping homeowners navigate one of the largest investments they'll ever make.⁠
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👉️Planning.⁠
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👉️Budget strategy.⁠
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👉️Decision-making.⁠
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👉️Risk reduction.⁠
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👉️Coordination.⁠
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And making sure every decision contributes to the overall outcome.⁠
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Because when you're investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into your home, the cost of a poor decision can be significant.⁠
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A layout that never quite works.⁠
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Storage that wasn't properly planned.⁠
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Materials that don't feel cohesive once installed.⁠
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Lighting that looked good on paper but feels wrong every day.⁠
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The larger the renovation, the more expensive mistakes become.⁠
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That's why many of my clients choose to invest in professional guidance.⁠
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Not because they can't make decisions.⁠
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Because they want confidence they're making the right ones.⁠
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Professional guidance for major renovations.⁠
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Interior Design expertise included.⁠
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✨ Arna⁠
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15/06/2026

If you’re investing $50,000 into a bathroom, why would you want it to look like everybody else’s?

One of the biggest misconceptions about renovating is that beautiful spaces happen because someone selected beautiful tiles.

They don’t.

Beautiful spaces are the result of hundreds of intentional decisions made long before construction begins.

The difference between a bathroom that feels ordinary and one that feels exceptional is rarely the budget. It’s the level of thought behind every single detail.

For this bathroom, nothing was accidental.

Every decision was carefully considered to improve how the space looked, felt and functioned.

• Alternating the handmade Moroccan tiles around the perimeter of the room to visually expand the space and create movement.

• Introducing a border detail around the window that transformed a construction constraint into a design feature.

• Softening the room with a curved vanity to improve circulation and create a calmer, more inviting feel.

• Simplifying the tapware so the handmade tiles remained the hero rather than competing for attention.

• Designing a custom fluted glass door to allow natural light to flow into the dark hallway beyond.

This is the part of renovating that people often underestimate.

Great renovations aren’t created by copying Pinterest or chasing trends.

Pinterest is a source of inspiration, not a design strategy.

Because saving a handful of beautiful images doesn’t automatically create a beautiful home.

The magic happens in the hundreds of decisions that connect those ideas together — balancing proportions, solving constraints, considering how you move through a space and ensuring every element works as part of a bigger picture.

That’s why professional guidance isn’t a luxury.

It’s what protects your investment.
Because when you’re spending $50,000 on a bathroom, the goal shouldn’t be to create something that looks good for today.

It should be to create something that still feels thoughtful, timeless and uniquely yours for years to come.

Project Tierra 🤎

Planning • Budgets • Design • Build Coordination

Most homeowners don't regret what they spent.⁠⁠They regret the decisions they didn't know they were making.⁠⁠The layout ...
09/06/2026

Most homeowners don't regret what they spent.⁠
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They regret the decisions they didn't know they were making.⁠
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The layout that never quite worked.⁠
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The storage that wasn't properly planned.⁠
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The lighting that looked good on paper but feels wrong every day.⁠
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The beautiful materials that don't feel cohesive once they're installed.⁠
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These aren't construction mistakes.⁠
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They're decision-making mistakes.⁠
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And the larger the renovation, the more expensive those decisions become.⁠
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That's why my role isn't simply choosing finishes.⁠
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It's helping homeowners confidently navigate the hundreds of decisions that shape the final outcome.⁠
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Because when you're investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into your home, professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠
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It's protection for the outcome.⁠
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✨ Arna⁠
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This home wasn't designed for resale.⁠⁠It was designed for them.⁠⁠When this family came to me, they weren't looking for ...
07/06/2026

This home wasn't designed for resale.⁠
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It was designed for them.⁠
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When this family came to me, they weren't looking for a particular style.⁠
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They weren't asking for a Hamptons home.⁠
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Or a white kitchen.⁠
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Or the latest trend.⁠
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They were creating their forever home.⁠
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A husband whose work is grounded in alchemy, symbolism and storytelling.⁠
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A wife who loves colour, texture, antiques and beautiful collected spaces.⁠
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A property filled with horses, dogs, family and memories.⁠
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So instead of designing around trends, we designed around them.⁠
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🦚Their interests.⁠
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🐆Their personalities.⁠
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🐝Their way of living.⁠
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That's why you'll find copper, wallpaper, texture and layers of meaning woven throughout the home.⁠
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Because the best renovations aren't the ones that look like everyone else's.⁠
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They're the ones that couldn't belong to anyone else.⁠
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Design for how you live.⁠
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Not for future owners. 🤎⁠
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One of my recent clients invested around 10% of his renovation budget in professional guidance.⁠⁠Some people will read t...
04/06/2026

One of my recent clients invested around 10% of his renovation budget in professional guidance.⁠
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Some people will read that and think that's expensive.⁠
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He saw it differently.⁠
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He works away for long periods at a time. Managing selections, suppliers, quotes, budgets and builder coordination simply wasn't the best use of his time.⁠
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Could he have done it himself?⁠
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Absolutely.⁠
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But that wasn't the question.⁠
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The question was:⁠
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Who was protecting the outcome?⁠
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While he focused on work, we focused on the renovation.⁠
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👉️Planning.⁠
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👉️Documentation.⁠
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👉️Selections.⁠
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👉️Procurement.⁠
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👉️Builder coordination.⁠
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👉️Problem solving.⁠
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The larger the renovation, the more valuable confidence becomes.⁠
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Professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠
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It's protection for the outcome.⁠
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✨ Arna⁠
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People often assume I started my business because I love design.⁠⁠And while I do love design, that's not the reason.⁠⁠Be...
02/06/2026

People often assume I started my business because I love design.⁠
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And while I do love design, that's not the reason.⁠
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Before starting Designed by Arna, I worked within large kitchen companies where I watched homeowners invest significant amounts of money into their renovations.⁠
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👉️The products were often beautiful.⁠
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👉️The trades were often skilled.⁠
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👉️Yet clients still ended up disappointed.⁠
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👉️Not because anyone had done a bad job.⁠
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👉️Because nobody was responsible for guiding the bigger picture.⁠
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Nobody was pulling together the planning, budget, documentation, design decisions and overall vision.⁠
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That's what frustrated me.⁠
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And ultimately, that's why I started Designed by Arna.⁠
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Today, my role goes far beyond selecting finishes.⁠
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I help homeowners confidently navigate major renovations from concept through to construction.⁠
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Because when you're investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into your home, professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠
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It's protection for the outcome. 🤎⁠
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You're investing $500,000 into your home.⁠⁠You'll hire a builder.⁠⁠You'll engage trades.⁠⁠You'll choose products, finish...
31/05/2026

You're investing $500,000 into your home.⁠
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You'll hire a builder.⁠
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You'll engage trades.⁠
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You'll choose products, finishes and fixtures.⁠
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But who's responsible for protecting the overall outcome?⁠
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After more than a decade working in renovations, I've learned that the biggest regrets aren't usually construction mistakes.⁠
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They're the decisions homeowners didn't realise they were making.⁠
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The layout that never quite works.⁠
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The lighting that feels wrong.⁠
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The beautiful materials that don't feel cohesive once they're installed.⁠
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The budget that slowly creeps beyond what was originally planned.⁠
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Every trade can do an excellent job.⁠
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But someone still needs to guide the overall vision, budget and outcome.⁠
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That's where I sit.⁠
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Not just as a designer.⁠
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As a renovation professional helping homeowners confidently navigate major renovations from concept through to construction.⁠
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Because when you're investing half a million dollars into your largest asset, professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠
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It's protection for the outcome.⁠
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✨ Arna⁠
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Newcastle, NSW

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