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| Apartment overhaul |
| A renter buys her flat, and makes some much-needed changes. |
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Angela Beal has just bought the flat she had been renting for a few years. It's getting a bit dated and the carpet is a mess, so it's time for a new look. Something stylish, light and modern with some clever storage designs using the $7000 first home buyers grant combined with some savings.
The first priority is to lay floorboards after ripping up the dirty carpet. Angela has chosen True Grid flooring to lay Keruing which is dark reddy-brown in a satin finish. The True Grid range has several positive attributes in it's range of timbers including tolerance to climate diversity, prolonged life span with lifetime warranty, no floor noise, easy installation on almost any surface and responsible forest management. True Grid can be Do-It-Yourself if you're an experienced handyman but installation is reasonably priced.
The kitchen is being remodelled with a more open feel between the lounge and kitchen space and the addition of white Corian bench tops. The couch will also be getting a makeover with a couple of cans of Vinyl Guard, a spray which rejuvenates and enhances vinyl products.
Angela has chosen the Sunscreen Roller Blind which, when full down in the day allows sunlight in and a view to the outside with total privacy. There are basically two styles of mountings for blinds — Top Fix which sets the blind inside a window frame/reveal, and Face Fix which is above the window.
- When measuring your window, measure the sides at the bottom, middle and top, and either end at the top and bottom to make sure your window is a even shape
- Once you've measured once, set those dimensions aside and measure again
- Make sure there is enough room for the blind to hang freely with an unobstructed path when being repositioned up and down — handles, latches can get in the way, and if mounting Face Fixed make sure there are no beams, or other wall features in the way.
- Make sure the reveal is deep enough for the style of blind in mind.
- If measuring for more than one blind in a room, pay attention to the levels of the windows to make sure they are the same level.
- If measuring for a door blind, the blind needs to be fixed to the door and not above if the door opens in.
The ceiling in the apartment is very high and low wattage bulbs have been used in the lights for more subtle effect but Angela favours lamps. So we're going to make a light which is also a sculpture and will compliment her modern retro style with a splash of colour. It's a simple cube shape, but the result is very effective.
Step by step
1 Cut six squares of polypropylene 40cm (adjust to the size you want)
2 Cut rectangular tabs 3cm x 6cm, and lightly score them across the middle so they fold in 3cm halves. Be careful not to cut too deep or the polypropylene will split.
3 Using a hole punch, cut a small hole 10cm in from each side of the squares. The hole should be just big enough for the documents pins to fit through.
4 Line the tabs up under the punched hole so the fold is in line with the edge of the square, mark a dot through the hole onto the tab, and punch hole.
5 When all the squares and tabs have their holes punched start constructing your cube with the documents pins.
6 Before securing the last side of the cube, cut a hole just large enough to accommodate the light fixture and put in the bulb — secure the last side.
7 The cube can sit back on the cork as a prop.
8 The open sides keep the light well ventilated, and the cube should be made so that there is at least a few centimetres distance between the polypropylene and bulb. The melting point of polypropylene is very high, but the light should not be left unattended.
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Materials
Orange Polypropylene 1200mm x 700mm
Light fixture kit (with cork stopper)
Low watt bulb (25watts)
Brass documents pins
Small hole punch (multi sized hole punch available from hardware stores)
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Total Cost
The renovations cost around $25,000.
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More Info
True Grid Flooring, visit their website www.truegridflooring.com.au
email: info@truegridflooring.com.au or call 1800 111 086 for your nearest showroom.
Floor Installation by Absolute Flooring 7 Curlewis ST, Bondi PH: 02 9300 0600
Peter Meyer Blinds, visit their website www.petermeyerblind.com.au
email: petermeyerblind@ozemail.com.au or contact them nationally on:
NSW/VIC/Canberra PH: 02 87621900
QLD PH:07 3397 9988
SA PH:08 8277 3081
WA PH:08 9382 3833
Corian benchtops, supplied and installed by Advance Solid Surface Ph: 02 9584 0111 or for more information and your local stockist call Corian Hotline 1800 267 426
Vinyl Guard from White Knight, call 131686 for more information and your local stockist but available from most leading hardware stores.
Paint for Walls, Dulux Wash and Wear White phone 13 2525 for more information or your local stockist.
Polypropylene is available from Plastic Signage stores or Reverse Garbage
Ph: 02 9569 3132 (availability varies) and from Network Marketing Ph: 02 95544122 in a variety of colours and thicknesses.
Building/Decorating - Samuel Herren of Geneva Building Ph/Fx: 02 9310 7242
Mbl: 0414 310724
Dennis Stools from Ikea, Ph: 02 9418 2744 for more information and your local store or visit their website on www.ikea.com and for mail order Ph: 02 9636 9222
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Disclaimer
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