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Lockdown Over – Time to Lock Into Your Home Renovation Plans

With extra time spent at home in the past two months – tidying the garage, playing with the kids and turning a hand to bread making (FYI did you know bread maker sales have increased 1184% between March – April). And with all that time spent at home, you might have also thought more intently about future reno plans. And that’s a good thing! Why? Because it’s good to give all renovation dreams serious thought before you go jumping into them down the track. Mulling over, jotting down and coming to grips with all the ins, outs and whys of alterations in your pad, ensures that money’s well spent and time invested when push comes to shove.
We know that everyone will have different reasons for wanting to bust through walls and expand spaces – or shrink rooms.

Here’re just a few points that might sway you towards changing up your space . . .
– Nothing flows together – i.e. the kitchen’s jammed next to the main bedroom, which is down the other end of house, miles away from the lounge, which is facing the road instead of north towards the backyard, which means the front deck never gets used.
– It’s locked up – i.e. the kitchen, dining and lounge are all packed into a space which are hidden away from each other with wall, after wall – which means you run a rabbit warren just getting from couch to kitchen sink.
– Old bones playing up – i.e. remedial works might be needed if you’ve sprouted a roof leak, the cladding’s coming away or joinery needs replacing.
When it comes to getting the most out of any reno – big, small or in between – speak up, ask questions and don’t be afraid to keep talking.

The right architect will have a listening ear, great communication pathways and expertise to ensure a job well-done from beginning to end.

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Lab Rats – Studying the Science Behind Your Home

Many of us opt to ‘aim high’ when renovating or designing our space. Tall windows, walls and ceilings – they create impact and strengthen acoustics. But, did you know there’s more to those 3metre studs than meets the eye. In the name of science, your architecture choices are doing much more than meeting design expectations – they’re promoting performance and improving your conceptual thinking.

What does neuroscience have to do with building my home, you say? Think design choices that effect the way we live, work and function . . .

Sky high: The story of Jonas Salks, an American medical researcher, still remains the most cited example of the unique tie between architecture and the brain. In the 1950s, Salks – struggling to discover a cure for polo – moved to a monastery in Umbria, Italy. He claims the high ceilings and Romanesque arches enabled him to clear his obstructed mind, inspiring his solution – a vaccine was founded.

Research suggests that higher ceilings promote greater performance and strengthen conceptual thinking. On the flipside, lower ceiling spaces have been toted to improve our mathematical thinking. Think higher – think expansive, opt lower – think focused and contained.

Plant space: Research tells us that our visual connection to the outdoors also impacts our cognitive behaviours. Just being able to see a plant, a slice of the sky or a water view from the kitchen bench or dining table, influences our stress levels and mindset.  

Colour waves: Warm colours promote longevity and warmth – we want to spend time in rooms that exude softer lighting and hues. Calm and serenity on your list? Aim for blues and whites, say colour palette experts.

Lighting fix: Every aspect of home design – right down to the lighting position – can evoke mood and feelings. Wanting less formality in your home? Lighting below eye level livens the mood – think low wall lighting down hallways and corridors, and lighting above eye level creates spaciousness and deepens the mood.

Science or no science, when it comes to your home – it’s what’s on the inside that is going to count towards how you live, play and feel. www.coalesce.nz

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Blender Bender – Stir don’t shake your architectural styles . . .

Oriental Warehouse LoftArchitect: Edmonds + LeeLocation: San Francisco, California

What we want in our 20s isn’t always going to fare well in our 30s, 40s – and beyond – it’s just life. Same, goes with architectural design, those white walls and spiral staircase options or New York loft-style apartment living visions, may fade out as family come to the fore. Which is why knowing how to blend your architectural styles from one life stage – or taste change – to the next is paramount for a job well done and home enjoyed.

So, before you go transforming your 1940s villa into an industrial estate, sit down with pen, paper and conscious thought.

  • Building new? Enter the 80/20 rule – think of it as a style casting – two different aesthetics shouldn’t have equal representation – you don’t want to end up with a 50/50 split personality look. So, for example, if you’re going for the modern country and industrial aesthetic. Preference either 80% modern country and 20% industrial – or vice versa. This makes for a logical following – especially when choosing big ticket items like your window types, cladding materials, roof pitch – you opt for the 80% design influence. And when it comes to your secondary options, like your fixtures, hardware and trims, this is where you call on your 20% design preference. Voila!

  • If you’re updating / renovating your existing home, aim to respect the integrity of the bones of the house and only initiate ‘big moves’ if you think you can pull it off i.e. busting down walls to create greater open spaces. Get the design to work – but don’t force it i.e. a new large glass sliding door can work to create an industrial feel in a rustic barn.

  • Simplify the design elements you like of each aesthetic – and then incorporate. For example, rectangular roof and gable ends (geometric style), combined with large exterior windows (modern edge).
  • Find your common thread – you’ll be surprised at just how many design aesthetics share similar styles. i.e. Rustic and industrial styles both embrace natural materials, earthy colours, handcrafted textures. Once you have your thread, work on weaving that ‘connection’ through your architectural design i.e. in the case of hybrid between rustic and industrial they could meet at ‘parred back, organic environment’.

It’s okay to dare to be different but ensure your home style blending is stirred not shaken, reach out to us for a no obligation chinwag.

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Take the Long Road – Design for timelessness, not just the here and now

Living Coral may be the colour of 2019 but when you’re planning on living in your home beyond Christmas, the love and goodwill may be hard to muster in amongst a pink headache. It’s true, our tastes change and our needs change – what we sort five years ago in a lounge suite isn’t going to cut it with the two-year-old. When it comes to art there are no rules that say we have to stick with one particular style – some of the most inspirational artistic people out there make the biggest shifts – Frank Gehry for example.

However, when it comes to architectural design, there are a few timeless choices we can implement first and foremost, that will provide the necessary platform to shift with our lifestyles, mould with our latest furniture purchases and accommodate our on-trend must-haves.

So, if you’re in the business of a new build or renovating a home, apartment or office space, here’s where we think timeless decisions will serve you better than trendy . . .

Height – A featured ceiling with a high stud will never date.

Clean lines – In terms of architecture, a ‘clean line’ in a building emphasises strength and provides a sharper contrast between other elements in the space.

Flooring – Black and white kitchen tiles, solid wooden floors – both will look good in five, 10 and 20 year’s time.

Nature – High-quality materials never go out of style. Wood, stone, leather exude a comfortable classic look and develop a natural patina over time.

A favourite timeless architectural design example of ours . . . The Conversation Pit – think Mad Men – popularised in the 1960s and 70s. In a world where everyone’s starring at screens, a designated spot that brings everyone together for a good ole yak has got to have ageless appeal.

Ready to start your architectural conversation? Let’s coalesce!