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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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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Who Are You Really Designing Your Home For?
Interiors and Design Penelope J. Herbert Interiors and Design Penelope J. Herbert

Who Are You Really Designing Your Home For?

Somewhere along the way, “timeless” became code for “please don’t notice me”. People were sold the lie that a safe, all-neutral home is the only path to good taste and future resale. The result is a plague of white-on-white kitchens, oatmeal sofas, pale timber everything, and not a single shimmering risk in sight.

Your ‘aha’ moment: The exact second you realise your “resale-friendly” home doesn’t look expensive – it just looks like every other listing on realestate.com.au.

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The Biggest Interior Design Mistake You Don’t Even Realise You’re Making
Interiors and Design, Colour Penelope Herbert Interiors and Design, Colour Penelope Herbert

The Biggest Interior Design Mistake You Don’t Even Realise You’re Making

You know that moment when you walk into your living room, scan the scene, and think, “Yeah… it’s nice,” but your shoulders don’t drop, your heart doesn’t lift, and nothing inside you says, “This is so unapologetically me”?

That, darling, is your home quietly filing for emotional divorce.​

It’s not the wrong white, the slightly-too-large sofa, or the throw cushions that look like they lost a fight with the dog. Those are amateur-hour issues. The real, gut-level interior design mistake most people make is far sneakier – and it’s choking the life out of your home.​

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Your Home is Crying Out for Help! (And No, More Beige Isn't the Answer).
Interiors and Design, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Interiors and Design, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

Your Home is Crying Out for Help! (And No, More Beige Isn't the Answer).

Your Home is Crying Out for Help! (And No, More Beige Isn't the Answer). Alright, rebels, rule-breakers, and lovers of homes with actual SOUL. Let's have a brutally honest chat. Your house? It’s talking. And if it’s whispering "safe," "inoffensive," or (God forbid) "greige," then it’s basically screaming for an intervention.

These are the Top 5 Design Demons we're slaying.

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Your Family Haven: Effortless Design for Happy Homes
Interiors and Design, Child-Friendly Penelope J. Herbert Interiors and Design, Child-Friendly Penelope J. Herbert

Your Family Haven: Effortless Design for Happy Homes

Creating a family haven isn’t about perfection; it’s about crafting spaces that balance comfort, functionality, and style, all while embracing the chaos and joy of family life. Your home should be a sanctuary where every member—from toddlers to teens (and even furry friends!) — feels welcomed and inspired. Here’s how to design a family-friendly home that radiates warmth and happiness while keeping life’s practicalities in mind.

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How To Balance Quality, Aesthetics, and Budget in Material Specifications!
Renovating and New Homes, Wet Areas Penelope J. Herbert Renovating and New Homes, Wet Areas Penelope J. Herbert

How To Balance Quality, Aesthetics, and Budget in Material Specifications!

One of the most critical steps in any interior design or renovation project is finalising material specifications. That is, are your selections the best they can be?

The materials specifications process requires a delicate balance of quality, aesthetics, and budget to ensure the end result is beautiful, durable and cost-effective. Here at Plush Design Interiors, we understand the nuances of this balance and offer you our expert advice on how to achieve it.

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Window Treatments Love: Celebrating 70 Years of Luxaflex Window Coverings

Window Treatments Love: Celebrating 70 Years of Luxaflex Window Coverings

Transforming Australian homes since 1954. Now that’s something to celebrate! Window treatments finish off a home and beautifully frame windows in a variety of ways.

Window treatments as fashion! That’s what Hunter Douglas may have been thinking when Luxaflex Aluminium Venetian Blinds were introduced to Australia in 1954. Luxaflex Window Fashions aimed to transform homes with products that delivered revolutionary style and functionality for every Australian home.

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Exceptional Kitchen Design With New Rules for Style and Function !
Renovating and New Homes, Wet Areas Penelope J. Herbert Renovating and New Homes, Wet Areas Penelope J. Herbert

Exceptional Kitchen Design With New Rules for Style and Function !

A functional kitchen is much better than a stylish one, BELIEVE ME! However, that doesn't mean you can't have both. Meld style AND function for your best kitchen yet. Kitchens are the one area in a home that must be incredibly functional. So exceptional kitchen design is not a luxury, it’s an imperative! If you can't work easily in a space, find everything you need and be cool under cooking pressure then you may not have a functional kitchen.

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Three Great Bathroom Ideas To Add Value To Your Home
Wet Areas, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert Wet Areas, Renovating and New Homes Penelope J. Herbert

Three Great Bathroom Ideas To Add Value To Your Home

Every home renovator looks for the best tips and tricks to create bigger bathrooms for less. So we’ve compiled three great bathroom ideas that will add value, and create the illusion of spaciousness, in your home. Creating an airy and fresh bathroom can come from updating select features and laying tiles in particular patterns, all of which will have guests swooning, according to Beaumont Tiles Product Specialist, Michelle Kearney.

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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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Thinking Differently - What An Interior Designer Does
Renovating and New Homes, Interiors and Design Penelope J. Herbert Renovating and New Homes, Interiors and Design Penelope J. Herbert

Thinking Differently - What An Interior Designer Does

Thinking differently in interior design means creating a home that feels like you, not a beige show home. Discover how an interior designer reads your lifestyle, sees through walls and layers texture, light and personality to craft a truly timeless, authentic space in Adelaide and beyond.

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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.