Natural Stone Interiors: From Benchtops to Back‑Lit Onyx Drama
Wet Areas, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Wet Areas, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

Natural Stone Interiors: From Benchtops to Back‑Lit Onyx Drama

Natural stone is that person who walks into the room and suddenly everyone else looks underdressed. Yet too many homes still treat it like a timid little benchtop instead of the lead character. This is not a “safe Carrara on the island and call it a day” article; this is about wrapping your home in stone with depth, veining, translucency and attitude. Take a breath drama queens, because in my third installment of gorgeous finishes for your home, we delve into luscious, uncompromisingly beautiful, and swoon-worthy natural stone! If you’re new here - welcome, and thank you. Catch up with the first two fabulous finishes we discussed in ‘Tiles With A Pulse’ and ‘Wallpaper on Every Surface’.

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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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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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