Q+A: YOU ASKED, WE’VE ANSWERED
Hey lovelies, do you want to know the answers to your top 10 most-asked questions from our social shout out? Here goes…
Which white paint shall I choose?
This is, hands down, the question we get asked most! And, TBH, there’s not one ‘correct’ answer. #soz
It’s no secret that when it comes to interior whites we’ve got a girl crush on Dulux ‘White on White’. It’s your quintessential cool white paint that gives your space both a timeless essence and a contemporary feel. That said, we always try samples of a few different shades on the walls of the house we’re painting to be confident that we’re making the right choice for that house. Lighting can totally change the appearance of white paint, so make sure you try before you buy… painting an entire house a colour you don’t love can be an expensive mistake! Here’s how we decide.
We always recommend tinting ALL your paint the same white - that’s right, we even tint the ceiling paint the same shade! We find that this not only gives you a gorgeous, seamless look but also minimises the different whites throwing different coloured undertones.
Here’s which whites we chose for some of our whitest houses:
Lana’s House #house6
Bonnie’s House #house8
Sophie’s House #house10
How did you start out renovating and decorating? Are you university qualified?
We’ve been best friends for almost 20 years and, in 2014, we took a leap of faith together, quit our jobs and created Three Birds Renovations in pursuit of a more fulfilling life - working for ourselves, doing something we loved, and with more family time. Bonnie was the only one who actually had any experience in this field, coming from a family of renovators, but Erin and Lana were up for the ride and brought different skill sets from past careers in Event Management and Marketing. We are qualified… just not in renovating or designing!
We pooled our funds and within a few short months of starting out we had successfully bought, renovated and sold our first property. Fast-forward to today and we have transformed loads of properties, amassed a gorgeous group of followers (that’s you!) and Reno School students who make it all worthwhile. We continue to love and learn with every new project.
What’s your best advice for aspiring renovators and designers?
We get lots of questions from aspiring renovators asking how we started out and we always recommend that, no matter what career you’re in at the moment, to do the very best you can and learn as much as you can. There are so many learnings you can take from any job that are transferrable to renovating… or any business pursuit for that matter! To get into renovating or designing, you really have to start by gaining some first hand experience. Document your journey, perhaps share it on social media and start to build your knowledge and following.
We took a leap of faith into something we’d never done before, mid-career. There’s really no age barrier to following your dreams. Don’t fear failure, but be terrified of regret.
Where should I splurge on my reno and where should I save?
In our forever homes, we (Bonnie & Lana) both chose engineered timber floorboards & engineered stone benchtops as priorities. They’re definitely splurge items but the quality and how they look and feel in our homes is well worth it in our opinion.
One of our favourite bargain buys is the French doors from Bunnings - they’re a fraction of the cost of other places but look just as gorgeous. IKEA wardrobes are another saviour for a reno budget. You can add boutique handles to make them feel special and unique.
We rely on our cost-saving tips and tricks to get us through our projects without blowing the budget. We’ve learnt so many tips over the course of our renovations that we now teach these to our students in the Reno School.
How do I choose the perfect flooring, colours, finishes for my home?
We start every project by creating a Vision Board. It’s our first step in any reno project, no matter how big or small, and it becomes the style guide for the entire project. It’s one of our main teachings in Reno School and we refer back to it in everything we do.
When it’s time to choose your flooring, colour and finishes, you should be able to pull out your VB and the answers will be there on the page (or screen).
I feel overwhelmed about where to even start my reno. Help!
Overcoming the overwhelm is all in the planning! It’s never too early to start to plan a renovation and the more you have mapped out in advance, the less daunting it will be:
1. Start planning your reno or build as early as possible – we recommend starting Reno School at least a year out from your build date. Plenty of our students start before they’ve even bought a property to renovate.
2. Always build in a 10-30% contingency budget – cost blowouts are certain to add to your overwhelmed feeling, so try to minimise the impact of those!
3. Be guided by your Vision Board – it will become your bible for reno success.
And, at the end of the day, don’t delay starting your project because you worry it won’t be perfect. If you do that, you may never start and never get to enjoy your home. “Done is better than perfect” is a motto we love.
Can you show us the floor plans of your houses?
We share our floor plans with all of our Reno School students as part of the course materials.
I am struggling to find the perfect rug for my home. Where do you shop?
For rugs, we love Freedom, Miss Amara, Early Settler, Marr-Kett… so many goodies out there!
Did you know that we list all the products we use in our projects on the ‘Get the Look’ pages on our website? If ever you need inspo for colours, furniture, fixtures and fittings, all the ones we have used ourselves in our projects are listed there! If you see something you love on our socials, we always hashtag the house number so you know where to start your search on the Get the Look pages.
We want to put in a pool. Concrete or Fibreglass?
We like to think we’re well-qualified to answer this question because we Aussies are experts at purchasing pools! Did you know that we have more pool owners per capita than any other country in the world?
But, until we (Bonnie & Lana) came to choosing our own pools, we had no idea what a HUGE decision this is! A pool will likely be the most expensive single item you put in your home, so it’s important to get it right… for your family.
Why Lana chose fibreglass:
Cheaper: they cost around 20% less than a concrete pool to install, and ongoing costs are lower due to fibreglass pools requiring less maintenance, chemicals and energy consumption.
Faster: installation takes only 3 weeks instead of 3 months. In fact, we’ve heard that they can be installed in just 3 days! (Surely not!)
Gentler: the non-abrasive surface is softer on feet (no torn-up tootsies) and fibreglass is not as rock-hard as concrete if your kids accidentally hit the bottom.
Warmer: fibreglass acts a natural insulator so it holds in the heat for longer.
Cleaner: the gel-coating is smooth and non-porous, preventing growth of mould and algae.
Greener: less cleaning, fewer chemicals, reduced energy consumption = smaller carbon footprint.
Stronger: it’s hard to believe anything is stronger than concrete, but fibreglass is very durable and can withstand movements in the earth better than concrete.
Why Bonnie chose concrete:
The look: it’s hard to beat the look of a concrete pool and there are so many options when it comes to surface finishes (glass bead, pebble or tile). The sky is the limit with your design.
Flexible shape: you can make the pool ANY shape you want.
Custom colour: you can make the pool ANY colour you want.
Custom additions: you can add ledges, alcoves and swim-outs wherever you want them.
Pool-scaping: concrete pools allow you to create a natural poolscape if you’re after a freeform pool that dovetails in with the landscape.
Waterline tiles: if your heart is set on some stunning waterline tiles, you’ll need to opt for a concrete pool in order to achieve that premium finish.
So, which will you choose? #teamLana #teamBonnie
What’s next for Three Birds? When will we see House 12?
We’re feeling so lucky that we’ve been able to keep our projects moving through COVID-19, with increased restrictions and safety measures for our staff and trades, of course.
We’re busy working on Houses 12, 13 and 14 at the moment and you’ll see House 12 on YouTube later this year.
Can’t see the answer to your question here? You might find it answered in our previous Q+A.