TOP 10 DESIGN TIPS TO LIVE BY

10 design tips to live by

ACCORDING TO

Dani Wales

The process of designing a home isn’t so much about how you want it to look, but how you want it to feel according to interior design expert, former contestant on The Block, co-host of Healthy Homes Australia and owner of Red Door Project, Dani Wales. Discover her 10 essential design tips and find your ‘why’ behind the design.

Colour trends

Don’t think too literally about how you should use and apply “trend colours”. On-trend colours could be incorporated in other areas of the space through internal joinery, decorative items, artwork, soft furnishings, and more.

Let there be light

Window furnishings should be considered as early as possible if you’re building or renovating and are just as important as all the other fittings in your home. Window furnishings create softness, movement, warmth, and light diffusion, and help to finish the overall space.

RED DOOR PROJECT

If you’re about to begin renovating your home, designing a space or simply re-styling, Red Door Project are there to bring your vision to life, with a glass of red wine in-hand!

Visit the Red Door Project website reddoorproject.com.au or email them at ohhey@reddoorproject.com.au to find out more.

Finding inspiration

Creating a home is about designing a space that reflects your personality and celebrates you! And magazines, Pinterest and the likes are great referencing points to gain inspiration. We love the use of plants and art to really bring personality out in a space. Find pieces that speak to you and invoke a sense of “you’ness”.

A nod to tradition

Consider reinstating period features and elements back into the home when redesigning, renovating or even redecorating.

Celebrate character

Too often we see people stripping character and not celebrating the history of a home – don’t be afraid to work with what’s already there (unique features etc).

All in the layers DIY ambiance

Create colour and depth through layering in your bedroom – this is the space you want to feel the most relaxed in, where you want to feel that you are escaping the world – so it should reflect a space that can be considered your sanctuary. Lighting: it’s not about illuminating a space, it’s about creating an ambiance and correct use of functional lighting.

Plan ahead

For spatial planning and functionality purposes, work with a home and lifestyle organisation expert to really understand what you have, what you need, and why you need it.

Real vs faux

There are misconceptions out there that natural stone automatically costs more than reconstituted stone. This isn’t always the case. Explore this with your designer or stone supplier. Who wouldn’t prefer a natural stone over the faux stone?

TOP 10 HOUSEWARMING GIFTS THAT THEY’LL ACTUALLY USE!

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10 A personalised welcome home mat A wooden chopping board that can double as a kitchen-styling piece A Nespresso coffee machine Some plush bath towels

Monogrammed wooden coasters

A housewarming hamper in a basket that can be reused as homewares and includes: tea towels, a photo frame, a candle, a selection of delicious Lindt chocolate from the Lindt Clearance Store and a succulent

An eco-bag or two (you’d be surprised how handy these are!) A set of celebratory wine glasses

A Nunawading Homemaker HQ gift card and a day out shopping for their new home, with a coffee and cake stop at Big Cafe of course! A set of amber glass handwash bottles. You’d be surprised how chic they look in a bathroom and it’ll feel like an indulgent mini-spa for their hands every time they use it