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Design Inspiration
Cody Weightman: Inside my home renovation
Week 5: Robby and Mat
The room: Living and dining spaces
Cash spent: $21,225 (Budget: $20,000)
Score: 29.5 (with bonus gnome)/30 (first place)
“This room feels so much more spacious, functional and inviting,” said Darren Palmer.
Robby and Mat’s winning room is a great example of a well-considered floorplan, creating generous spaces to gather, entertain and eat
The boys had a bit of cash to splash out on their living and dining spaces, and they used the money to great effect, as well as stashing some away for their secret wine cellar. And it was a good investment, securing them a win from the judges.
The success of the rooms in House 5 was largely due to careful planning. Robby and Mat reworked their floorplan to give the living area even more space. The boys are designing what they call an “entertainers’ home”, so the focus was on creating opportunities for large groups to gather, including a huge corner sofa (labelled a “conversation pit” by Darren Palmer) and a dining table that seats 10 people. They even spent time distressing and “ageing” the new table to make it look as though it was an older piece of furniture.
“Wow. This is exactly hitting the brief,” said Marty Fox on entry, adding that “no matter where you are sitting in this room, you get to actually appreciate the architecture, the views and the liveability of it”.
The rich colours of the oak flooring won praise from Shaynna Blaze, who said it was “absolutely divine”, and a perfect match with the sheer curtains that framed the room.
Design tip
A high ceiling poses lots of problems when it comes to lighting choices. The best idea is to go big – aim for oversized and dramatic pendants to give the space a sense of purpose, supplemented by strategically placed downlights for extra illumination.
What colour paint did they use?
The paint colours that Mat and Robby used in their living and dining rooms were ‘Tokyo Snow’ and ‘White Beam’ by British Paints.
Get Mat and Robby’s tiles from Beaumont Tiles
Bedrock Beige Travertine Natural Product Tumbled
Create the look yourself with these D.I.Y. projects
How to restore wooden furniture
More D.I.Y. Advice
Health & Safety
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. 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 or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.