Tiles With A Pulse: How To Use Bold Tiles On Floors, Walls, Curves And Splashbacks
Wet Areas, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Wet Areas, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

Tiles With A Pulse: How To Use Bold Tiles On Floors, Walls, Curves And Splashbacks

Stop playing it safe with white subway tiles and start using tiles as architecture, artwork and attitude.

Tiles are where the renovation stops being polite and starts being interesting. Forget “just a floor” or “just a splashback”—tiles are architecture, artwork and attitude rolled into one. In this first installment of five in our finishes series, we’re turning tiles into the main character of your home, not the understudy.

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Why Interior Design Is the Couture of Construction
Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

Why Interior Design Is the Couture of Construction

If couture defines the garment, design defines the home. It’s time to stop treating interior design as decoration and start seeing it as the blueprint for how you’ll live and feel every day. Let’s start with a truth bomb: interior design is not a soft‑furnishings sideshow. It’s the beating heart of every successful build — the couture of construction. Yet time and again, I meet clients who call a designer only after their walls are up, plans stamped, and budgets blown. At that point, I’m the paramedic, not the partner.

This misunderstanding isn’t just unfortunate; it’s expensive, stressful, and limits the potential of what a home could be. Interior design should lead the conversation, because design doesn’t simply make rooms look good — it makes them work beautifully.

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How To Navigate the Renovation Process: From Architectural Elements to Landscaping
Renovating and New Homes Penelope Herbert Renovating and New Homes Penelope Herbert

How To Navigate the Renovation Process: From Architectural Elements to Landscaping

After thorough pre-renovation planning, it's time to embark on the exciting journey of transforming your home. The renovation process is where your vision begins to take shape, but it requires careful management and attention to detail to ensure success.

This comprehensive guide will cover key aspects of the renovation process, including architectural elements, lifestyle considerations, lighting, landscaping, communication with contractors, and strategies for staying on track and within budget.

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New Year, New Home: How To Turn Your 2026 Design Resolutions Into A Real Renovation
Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

New Year, New Home: How To Turn Your 2026 Design Resolutions Into A Real Renovation

New Year, new home. Stop scrolling and start designing. Discover how to turn your New Year decor and renovation resolutions into a bold, intentional home with a No‑Vanilla designer. New year is the perfect design reset.

The New Year is when people swear they’ll drink more water, go to the gym and stop texting their ex; it’s also the ideal moment to stop tolerating a home that feels beige, tired or vaguely embarrassing.

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Wellness-Led Luxury Homes: The 2026 Interior Design Trends Transforming High-End Living
Interiors and Design, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Interiors and Design, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

Wellness-Led Luxury Homes: The 2026 Interior Design Trends Transforming High-End Living

2026 luxury interior design trends are finally misbehaving, and that’s excellent news for anyone bored to death by “timeless” white boxes. The new high-end home isn’t trying to look expensive; it’s busy making you feel something.

For years, “upmarket” meant white paint, pale oak, chrome tapware and a generic slab of engineered stone pretending it just flew in from Milan business class. Cute. Safe. Utterly unmemorable.

Now, 2026 luxury interior design has kicked off its heels, ordered a dirty martini and decided that personality, wellness and atmosphere matter more than showing off square metres.​

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2026 Interior Design Trends: Neo Deco, Cool Blue and Opera Aesthetic for No-Vanilla Homes
Interiors and Design, Colour Penelope J. Herbert Interiors and Design, Colour Penelope J. Herbert

2026 Interior Design Trends: Neo Deco, Cool Blue and Opera Aesthetic for No-Vanilla Homes

The 2026 interior design forecast is full of noise, but three 2026 interior design trends have real staying power:

Neo Deco, Cool Blue and Opera Aesthetic interiors. Used well, they are bold, liveable and fiercely anti-beige—and they play beautifully in Australian homes, from city apartments to Adelaide Hills retreats.

2026 Interior Design Trends: Neo Deco, Cool Blue and Opera Aesthetic for No-Vanilla Homes

If 2025 was the year people finally admitted they were bored of beige, 2026 is the year they actually do something about it.

“Safe” interiors are quietly dying; homes with backbone, glamour and personality are stepping into the spotlight as the new standard, not the exception.

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The #1 Design Mistake That’s Keeping Your Home ‘Boring’ (And How to Fix It)
Interiors and Design Penelope J. Herbert Interiors and Design Penelope J. Herbert

The #1 Design Mistake That’s Keeping Your Home ‘Boring’ (And How to Fix It)

You may be making the #1 Design Mistake That’s Keeping Your Home ‘Boring’ … however, the solution is here!

Let’s get straight to the point: the biggest reason your home feels boring isn’t because of your furniture or paint colour—it’s because you’re playing it too safe. Too many homes are stuck in a rut of beige-on-beige, predictable layouts, and generic décor that’s about as exciting as watching paint dry (especially if it’s beige). The culprit? Fear of making a mistake.

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Pre-Renovation Advice: 10 Essential Factors Every Homeowner Must Consider
Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

Pre-Renovation Advice: 10 Essential Factors Every Homeowner Must Consider

Planning a home renovation can be an exciting yet daunting task. The process requires expert pre-renovation advice and meticulous planning. Before embarking on a home renovation project, you should always seek professional pre-renovation advice to ensure a smooth and successful transformation. If you are not a seasoned renovator, you don’t know what you don’t know… and this can be as serious trap.

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Our blog is a treasure trove of knowledge, filled with valuable insights, expert tips, and insider secrets.

We delve into a wide range of topics that cater to renovators of all levels, from the novice DIYer to the sophisticated homeowner looking to transform their space.

Whether you're in the early planning stages or about to embark on construction, our blog covers it all.

Additionally, we keep you updated on the latest building and renovation techniques, as well as innovative products that can elevate your space to new heights.

We believe that informed clients make the best decisions, which is why we take pride in sharing our knowledge and expertise with you.

Our blog is designed to demystify the interior design and renovation process, making it accessible and understandable for everyone.

So whether you're seeking inspiration, practical advice, or a deeper understanding of the art of renovation, you've come to the right place.

Join us on this exciting journey as we empower you to transform your home into a space that reflects your unique style and personality.