Latest news with #renovation
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
From layout to lighting: an interior designer's non-negotiables
There's an overwhelming amount of design advice out there, from influencers and endless online tips to ever-changing trends. It can be hard to know what to trust. But when it comes to renovating a home, not all advice is created equal. To help cut through the noise, I'm sharing a few of my non-negotiables: simple, often-overlooked design principles I rely on in every project. These details consistently make the biggest difference to how a home looks, feels and functions. Avoid corner units Linear kitchen design by Optimise Design Avoid corner units wherever possible when planning cabinetry or built-in joinery. Whether it's in a kitchen, walk-in wardrobe or utility room, corners are rarely your friend. They tend to be awkward to access, inefficient to use and often end up as dead space. In kitchens especially, L-shaped and U-shaped layouts are common, often because people feel they need to use every available millimetre. But in reality, trying to fill every corner can lead to a layout that's harder to use and more frustrating day to day. A simple linear kitchen run is often far more effective. It may sound counterintuitive, but removing the corners can actually increase the amount of usable storage and workspace. With everything laid out in a clean, straight line, access is easier, the flow is smoother and the design looks more polished. READ MORE When planning a linear layout, think in zones. Place the fridge and larder at one end to group food storage. Locate the wet zone, sink and dishwasher at the opposite end. Position the hob in the middle of the run or, if space allows, on an island or peninsula to keep the main run uninterrupted. This kind of layout doesn't just look sleek, it's intuitive to use, easier to keep tidy and allows for clear movement through the space. So don't be afraid to leave the corners out. You'll gain more than you lose. Pay attention to 'door swings' Bedroom by Optimise Design It might seem like a small detail, but the direction a door opens can have a big impact on how a room feels and functions. Ideally, internal doors should open against a wall, meaning when you push the door open, it swings toward the wall beside you, not out into the middle of the room. This allows you to enter naturally, without having to walk around the door or lose usable space. In many period homes, the opposite is true, where the doors swing into the room, often interrupting the flow and usability of the space. Historically, this was intentional. In grand homes, doors were designed this way to offer privacy from household staff. But unless you're keen on preserving traditions of the past, there's no need to hang on to that quirk. Keep heights consistent One of the most effective, yet often overlooked ways to bring cohesion to a space is by aligning the heights of doors, windows and built-in joinery. When these elements line up, they create strong horizontal sightlines that naturally guide the eye and give a room a sense of order and balance. Conversely, when heights are mismatched, it creates visual clutter and a sense that something's not quite right, even if you can't pinpoint why. For example, if you're designing a living space with built-in joinery, aligning the cabinet tops with the height of the internal doors gives the space a clean, cohesive look. Similarly, in a room with a mix of doors and windows, matching the head heights will visually tie the elements together and make the space feel considered and intentional. It's particularly important in renovations, where old and new elements often meet. And if you can't do it everywhere, focus on the high-impact view lines: what you see as you enter a room, or along a hallway. Match your metal finishes Choosing one metal finish and carrying it through across all your hardware, from door handles and hinges to light switches, sockets, and fittings, brings a sense of unity and polish to your home. Whether you go for brushed brass, matt black, or polished chrome, the key is consistency. When finishes are mixed, say a chrome light switch next to a brass door handle, it can feel chaotic and visually jarring, even if everything else in the room is beautifully curated. Worse, it can cheapen the look of an otherwise high-quality scheme. There is one exception that works well both visually and practically, however. Opting for white sockets, switches, and downlights. This can be a clever way to streamline the look and reduce costs, allowing you to invest more in higher-quality hardware where it really matters, such as your door handles, hinges, and cabinetry fittings. Colour-match your lighting One of the most common mistakes I see is ignoring the colour temperature of your bulbs. Colour temperature is measured in Kelvins (K). At one end of the spectrum, you have warm white (around 2,700K), ideal for creating a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. At the other end, cool white (4,000K and above) emits a brighter, bluish tone, which can feel crisp and clinical. Most good bulb brands will display these ratings on the box. Mixing different colour temperatures within the same space is a common pitfall. It creates visual inconsistency, throws off your paint colours, and can make the room feel disjointed and uneasy, even if everything else has been carefully considered. Warm white lighting, ideally between 2,700K and 3,000K is the ideal choice to use throughout the home. It creates continuity from room to room and gives the overall effect of a softer, more welcoming, and relaxing atmosphere.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
City greenlights more funds for Vancouver Aquatic Centre renovation
Vancouver city council has unanimously approved the park board's request for additional funding to renovate the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. As CBC's Michelle Gomez reports, some swimmers are not happy about the changes.
ABC News
9 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
St Georges Road mansion in Toorak destroyed by blaze
A home under renovation on St Georges Road in Toorak has collapsed after a fiercely burning blaze.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sea pool set to reopen after tide issues
An outdoor pool is set to reopen this weekend after bosses were forced to shut the attraction because high tides failed to refill it. Shoalstone Pool in Brixham, south Devon, relies on the tide for its water. But this week's calm sea conditions meant the water did not travel high enough. David Thomas, operations manager, said: "We had a pool clean on Monday, but the tide didn't come over as expected. "To address this, we've installed a sea pump to fill the pool at high tide and we're working hard to ensure the pool is ready for the weekend." Shoalstone Pool, operated by a charity, remains free for public use. The attraction will undergo significant renovations later this summer. "We'll be closing the pool in August for essential upgrades," Mr Thomas said. "Thanks to a government grant, we'll be installing a new deep end, a raised deck, replacing railings, and reinforcing the walls to ensure safety for future generations." More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Mother nature blamed for empty seafront pool Funding boost for seawater pool repair project Councils pledge £120k to save Devon seawater pool Sea pool damaged by stormy weather Shoalstone Pool
CBC
12 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Council approves extra $22.5M to move forward with Vancouver Aquatic Centre reno, 25-metre pool
Vancouver city councillors have voted to approve the park board's request for an additional $22.5 million in funding to renovate the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, bringing the price tag for the controversial project to $175 million. The decision came Wednesday night after several speakers, including multiple children, shared their opposition to replacing the existing 50-metre, Olympic-sized pool with a new 25-metre one, citing impacts to competitive swim training. After considering the potential impacts of a delay and the building's seismic safety, councillors voted 10-2 in favour of approving the funding. Coun. Peter Meiszner was absent, and Coun. Peter Fry abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest. "We're kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place right now," said Coun. Rebecca Bligh after the vote. The aging Vancouver Aquatic Centre made headlines in March 2022 after a large piece of the building's facade fell off. The centre has served as a premier sporting venue in Vancouver's densely populated West End since it opened in 1974, drawing swimmers, synchronized swimming teams, water polo players and divers for training and competitions. Recently, however, the pool has been described as being at "the end of its functional lifespan." A majority of voters in the 2022 municipal election supported the aquatic centre's renewal, but the first mention of a smaller 25-metre pool didn't come until February of this year — revealed in the design proposal brought forward by city staff — sparking outcry from the swimming community. Park board staff said it wasn't feasible to deliver a 50-metre pool within the existing building footprint while also meeting industry standards for maintenance and accessibility. The Vancouver Park Board approved the design the following month, subject to city council agreeing to an additional $22.5 million for the project — a request swimming advocates asked city council to reject, earlier this week. During the Wednesday meeting, one speaker said the park board has "lost the trust and confidence of the people of Vancouver and especially the swimming community." "No one voted for a lazy river and a 1,300-square-foot hot tub," said resident Scott Lear. "Vancouver just needs a 50-metre pool, it doesn't need a fancy designed building. It needs something functional first, and form second," he said. WATCH | Dozens speak out against aquatic centre proposal: Dozens show up to Vancouver Park Board meeting on controversial aquatic centre 4 months ago Duration 1:44 Dozens of people lined up to speak at Monday night's Vancouver Park Board meeting over a controversial new aquatic centre. The proposed redesign would replace a 50-metre pool with one half that size. As Meera Bains reports, swim clubs and other users are upset with the plan and loss of training space. One 10-year-old, Georgia Neill, who trains with the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club at the aquatic centre, appealed to councillors to "please think of other ways to keep our 50-metre pool, not for me or my teammates, but for all the people who signed the petition to say this is not what we want in Vancouver." Another young swimmer, Geoffrey Mu, said relocating the club and training to the Hillcrest Aquatic Centre, as park board staff have recommended, would make it difficult to attend practice, or force other members to consider joining another swim club. "If you support VAC's plan to change our 50-metre pool, you'll be taking away the future of many young swimmers including me," said the 12-year-old. WATCH | 50-metre pool not feasible, staff report says: City staff say 50-metre pool at Vancouver Aquatic Centre impossible without more money 3 months ago Duration 10:21 In the latest twist to the saga of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre renovation, park board staff released a final report that went back to the 25-metre pool that was initially proposed. While park board commissioners had directed staff to try to include a 50-metre pool in the renovation, Green commissioner Tom Digby says that it would be impossible without at least $50 million in funds that the city has not provided. Addressing the speakers after the vote, Bligh said she's not in favour of doing away with a 50-metre pool, but that she understands the need to upgrade the aquatic centre. She thanked speakers for their advocacy and acknowledged their concerns. "This is an impossible decision for me on the topic.... We have to get to a better solution here," Bligh said. "I'm not sure we're going to find it today, but I'm absolutely in your corner for what you shared and what you brought to the conversation today." The Vancouver Aquatic Centre is scheduled to close for the renovations in 2026 and reopen sometime in 2029.
