Author: apollo

If you are building or renovating your home, you must have considered the following question: what is the best flooring for the kitchen?  First, it is crucial to understand that kitchen flooring decision goes far beyond aesthetics and decoration. When selecting new flooring for one of the most used rooms in the house, a number of factors must be considered. As specialists, we are frequently asked this question. The truth is that the best flooring is the one that meets the requirements of your family home.  One common question in the planning phase is if it’s practical to go for a polished finish floor? They add elegance and beauty to any space. However, they are not the best option for a location where oil, water, and fatty foods are frequently used.  In order to guide you in making your decision, we've compiled a list of options to consider when selecting the finest

When it comes to designing a home and living space, whether it is for a new build or renovation, the kitchen can require the most attention in the design phase.  Kitchens are mostly functional, and their space has always been structured according to an industrial logic. The advancement of household equipment, as well as the precise description of the layout, ensure a functional design and the most efficient use of kitchen space. Kitchens require a wide range of furniture with specialised functions, appliances, electrical and hydraulic points, and, most importantly, a diversity of tasks to be considered. In addition to choosing floor and wall coverings, the kitchen benchtop, which plays an important role in the family's daily life, must be carefully chosen in order to have a functional and appealing kitchen.  The Apollo Kitchens design specialists have combined several factors that you must take into consideration and be aware of when you

A well-designed kitchen is one of the most desirable features in a home, as it improves the owners' quality of life, allows them to make better use of the space, and increases the value of the property, in addition to providing sophisticated and personalised decoration. It is essential to consider three factors in order for this idea to come true in the best possible way, meeting all expectations: functionality, aesthetics, and quality. Kitchen cabinets as part of the kitchen design can be the focal point of the room. Its primary purpose inside the room is to organise goods and utensils, but it may also give your kitchen the style you desire. Picking the right cabinet type is one of the most important decisions to make when furnishing and decorating a room. This will have an impact on all of your subsequent design selections, from your layout to your finishing. Choosing a custom

Who doesn't like to live in a space designed according to their needs? The fact that people have spent considerable time inside their homes in the past couple of years, has contributed to becoming increasingly common to value a space that matches their own profile and lifestyle. This can be easily done through planned environment projects. Bespoke kitchen joinery allows you to improve the appearance of your kitchen, optimise space and give personality to one of the most used rooms of your home. The combination of these benefits positively impacts your daily routine, providing comfort and well-being. Planning is different from decorating because it requires care with aspects that go beyond aesthetics. In this type of work, our team of design experts will consider items such as a routine, habits and even the sensations valued by the people who are going to be using the space. The objective is to

When the housing market begins to cool in Sydney, homeowners begin to reflect on how they can renovate their home for current living and future sales. Your kitchen makes the ambience of the entire house more functional and organised. It gives a more sophisticated look to your house, making a great impression on anyone who enters and this adds value to the property. It is very common for people to question if kitchen renovations increase home values enough to justify their expense. In order to actually increase value, it needs to be well planned. If you are looking to sell your home, then an average kitchen renovation will definitely pay its costs, but a great one could give your property distinction amongst others. Imagine you entered a house for inspection. Everything looked great. It seemed like an amazing opportunity for you and your family. When you arrived at the kitchen it

Kitchen splashbacks have benefits that go beyond the aesthetic or design. Moisture on the plaster wall will not seem like a big deal but eventually, it will be exposed to constant humidity and it will start to mould. This can be demanding and costly to repair later on. We have noticed kitchen splashbacks becoming a meaningful part of kitchen planning. More than that, a lot of the kitchen's design is based on what type and style of kitchen splashback have been chosen. Read on to see what is trending in 2022.   Tiled splashback Kitchen tile is no longer an item that is limited to fulfilling a functional role, such as preserving surfaces and facilitating cleaning. With the increasing demand for coatings that also accomplish a decorative role, the market has numerous models with different formats, colours, sizes and materials. If you intend to use tiled splashbacks in your kitchen, first check where

If you’re looking to sell your home in the short-to-medium-term future, a well-planned kitchen renovation can add value to your home – and then some.  As a central element of any home, a functional, stylish kitchen is on many buyers’ wishlist. So, if your kitchen is starting to feel dated or look a little worse for wear, it can be worth the upfront costs to renovate as this can significantly increase your home’s overall value in the eyes of prospective buyers.  While it may be tempting to head down the flatpack route for a quick update before bringing buyers through, these solutions can often stand out for all the wrong reasons.  A bespoke joinery solution not only creates a seamless space, but also helps buyers to envision themselves using your kitchen every day.  Here’s why buyers will appreciate the value of custom joinery in your home, and how to maximise the return

The decision to commit to a kitchen renovation is an exciting one. Knowing that pain points and wishlist items you’ve been mulling over will finally be addressed is all the motivation you need! 

After deciding to actually go ahead with your kitchen renovation, you’ll need to decide on an equally important factor – your renovation budget. While it’s easy enough to determine an initial number, it’s important to spend some time up front crunching the numbers to avoid headaches down the track. 

So, how do you come up with this number – and just as importantly, how do you stick to it? Having worked on countless Sydney kitchen renovations in our fifty years of experience, we share our tips to manage your project budget.

Decide which type of kitchen renovation you want 

Not all renovations are created equally, and understanding more about what you want to update will help to narrow down your budget much more quickly. 

Broadly speaking, there are two types of renovations: 

• Cosmetic: If your kitchen just needs a refresh, but it’s structurally adequate, you may only need to invest in some new cabinet doors, upgraded appliances and materials (like benchtops and tiling). This type of project is typically cheaper, as you’re not creating new cabinets or amending the foundational layout of your space. 

• Full renovation: More typical for older homes or as part of a wider home extension, a full kitchen renovation involves structural changes like new walls, custom joinery, additions (such as an island bench or butler’s pantry) along with the design and aesthetic elements touched on above. While this project will cost more, you’re also able to completely customise every element of your new space without being limited by its current layout. 

Once you know which type of renovation you’re looking to complete, you can set a rough price range for your project. 

Break down your total figure

Armed with an initial figure for your renovation, it’s time to flesh out the scope of your project a little further. This will not only help you to identify any gaps in your planning, but also to check your total budget against what you’re wanting to achieve. 

Here are a few elements you’ll want to account for: 

-Design fees

Unless you’re an experienced renovator or tradesperson, it’s recommended to work with a kitchen designer for your project. While this does add a cost to your project, their services do also buy a peace of mind that your renovation will be completed to the standard, timeline and budget that you expect. 

A designer can also help you to shape the rest of your budget, including recommendations on where to splurge and where to save, along with taking care of the installation and trades component of the project for you. 

-Custom joinery

The cost of your cabinetry will vary depending on the number and size of cupboards, the door profile and opening mechanism you opt for, along with any custom features such as pull-out racks or swivel shelves for corner units. Include concealed/integrated appliances under this line item, too. 

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