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Design Inspiration
How to decide on a kitchen layout
Week 5: Emma and Ben
The room: Living and dining spaces
Cash spent: $22,269 (Budget: $20,000)
Score: 22/30 (fourth place)
“I am really fond of the architecture in this house; I love that pitched roof and the way they have treated it with all those skylights,” said Darren Palmer.
A soft and considered colour palette from Emma and Ben created a comfortable and cosy living and dining space
Emma and Ben kept their colour palette muted with a soft and cosy design for their living and dining spaces, with a view to being the backdrop of the kitchen to come, which will be their wow factor.
Starting with a base of a subtle and pared-back herringbone timber floor, the centrepiece for their room was a curvaceous Venetian plaster fireplace. The fireplace was offset by a custom-made bench seat with a rustic timber benchtop, under a huge wall-mounted television screen, a choice the judges applauded.
These houses are large and lend themselves to strong styling decisions and furniture choices. Emma and Ben chose a dark and dramatic dining table that was a sleek oval shape, surrounded by comfortable chairs.
The space of House 1 was generous (judge Shaynna Blaze said it had “grandeur”), with high ceilings flooded with light courtesy of a bank of skylights in the pitched roof.
A wall of softly draped curtains framed the soon-to-be revealed rural views, while a huge soft green sofa and pair of armchairs created an inviting, luxurious living hub for their home.
Design tip
Don’t have the budget (or the expertise) for Venetian plaster? Try using specialised paints to create a textural element, such as a concrete or chalk-like finish.
Create the look yourself with these D.I.Y. projects
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Health & Safety
Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.
Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.
Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.
Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.