Where to look when you've run out of renovation inspiration

Lee asks:

“I’m running out of ideas for my renovation. Where can I go to find more?”

Jane says:

“There are thousands of design ideas available, but choosing which you like and what will suit your home can be overwhelming. Renovators and investors are always looking for new designs and ideas to apply to their properties, and the following tools and resources are a great place to start.

Naturally the internet abounds with websites that offer design ideas. If you are a visual person, there are a multitude of sites out there.

Pinterest allows you to browse and bookmark creative ideas, saving them to a virtual noticeboard. This site lets you choose, gather and organise inspirations for consideration later. More a tool than a specific site for design ideas, this is a really popular browsing resource.

Apartment Therapy is an international website with hundreds of renovating and design tips and tricks. This is one of my favourites!

Try searching for design or renovation blogs, and subscribe to the ones that appeal – you’ll get some great advice and see how others cope with design and property improvement challenges. Examples include The Design Files and Interiors Addict.

Download some design apps like Homestyler Interior Design. This is a decorating tool that interior designers, both amateur and professional, will love. Take a photo of the room you want to work on, remove the existing objects, then redecorate and recolour using branded furniture items and paints from the available catalogue and palette. This is a really fun way of trying out some ideas without having to live with the consequences! You may also like Sweet Home 3D and Color Capture.

Buy or borrow magazines. There are heaps of home improvement magazines available for purchase, or to borrow at your local library. Examples include Better Homes & Gardens, Country Style, Inside Out and Grand Designs Australia. And, if you don’t already watch them, take a peek at the home renovation and improvement programs available on TV.

Don’t forget real homes – ones that you can walk into and around. Gather design ideas from your neighbours, display homes and open houses. Decide for yourself what looks good and what fails. If permitted, take photos so you can capture the idea for later reference.

If you’re now feeling overwhelmed about the amount of information available, you may need to refine your ideas. Choose a style that you like, and that will suit your property.

Common errors include applying design ideas that are inappropriate for the original building, trying to use too many different designs in one house and going over the top in terms of costs of the renovation. Study what works well for houses that are similar to yours, then select some ideas that are appealing and within your set budget. A renovation design consultant will help you decide on the most appropriate styling for your particular property within the budget you have set for yourself.

Jane Eyles-Bennett is an Interior Designer & Renovation Consultant. She’s the creator and driving force behind Hotspace Consultants and has consulted on over 550 property renovations.