An eye for style
After 10 years at the helm of Home Beautiful magazine, Wendy Moore knows a thing or two about stylish homes.
And as a judge on Seven’s popular home-renovation show House Rules, she’s excited to see the current season’s teams reach their potential.
“I thought the reveal of Ben and Danielle’s house in Queensland was really the moment that changed for the teams,” Ms Moore said. “They really got what they were trying to do and understood the difference between getting it done and making it look great, and that’s when they did some good design.”
Ms Moore also has been enjoying the rise of the butler’s pantry — the kitchen within a kitchen that allows you to prepare food and make other kitchen mess without it being on display.
“I love the idea of the butler’s pantry — it sounds so decadent but it’s actually a growing trend that’s driven by the movement towards large open-plan living spaces,” she said.
“Big open-plan spaces are fabulous for lifestyle but reality is a bit messy and the idea you can just tuck away the working part of your kitchen and have all your mess hidden while you live in a tidier zone is a really practical concept.”
Ms Moore has been impressed by the bathrooms created throughout the series.
The team’s bathrooms also had been a highlight. “The bathrooms are looking really great and the tile choices, and the way that they’re working with feature tiles, especially encaustic tiles, that have been used quite a lot — they’re just so beautiful,” Ms Moore said.
After making a strong start, WA’s Karina and Brian need to think of the big picture, according to Ms Moore. “I think they’re starting to lose themselves in the competition a bit and forget what the homeowners really need but they did a really good lounge room in Victoria,” Ms Moore said.
“The way they came up with the idea of the fireplace was just fantastic.
“Everyone is starting to hit their stride — it’s anyone’s game because they’re all showing glimmers of talent.”
Don’t miss the 40-page House Rules special in the July edition of Home Beautiful, on sale now.
Ms Moore praised WA team Karina and Brian’s lounge room in the Victorian house.
Wendy Moore’s top tips for planning a renovation
1. Have a clear idea of what you want
“It’s not really about style but about lifestyle and you need to have a strong sense of what rooms you spend the most time in,” Ms Moore said. “That’s why it’s good to live in a house for a good amount of time before you renovate because then you’ll know what you like about the house and what doesn’t work, and you’ll be more likely to create something that you’ll really love.”
2. Do your research
“Read magazines, tear out pages that you love and collect as much information as you can,” she said. “Doing that, you’ll start to see what the common threads are and what catches your eye — and you’ll start to realise what colours and features you consistently like.”
3. Keep the numbers to yourself
“Always have a contingency in your budget and never tell anyone what it is,” Ms Moore said.
“As well as being for things like termites or having to repair any big structural things that you often don’t know about until you start renovating, it’s also to cover any change of mind — and this happens a lot. I would say more than half of reno budget blowouts come down to you changing your mind or increasing what you want along the way.”
