Today I’m sharing one of my favorite contemporary home designers I follow on Instagram. Her and her husband build homes in Australia, and I am never disappointed with the homes they design.
It seems like over in Australia, they have designs that you just don’t see in the United States, or at least you don’t see them in more modest homes. These homes are definitely more contemporary, and I love how clean the designs are.
kitchens
This picture actually inspired our kitchen design! I love how bright it is for a kitchen with black cabinetry. We tried finding this countertop around our area (it’s engineered Super White from Talostone), but I wasn’t having any luck since it appears that the US doesn’t carry this supplier. The closest match we could find was Super White dolomite marble, with Eclipse by Vicostone being a close second. Seeing the Super White marble in person was no disappointment. It truly is a breathtaking stone, and I’m so glad I found it through this account!
Another view of the gorgeous kitchen. I love how well the countertop goes with the black and white cabinets!
Quite the contrast from the black kitchen, I love how bright and airy this kitchen is. The white cabinets, counters, walls, curtains, even light fixture! It really makes the flooring stand out, which is exactly what you’d want to do if you’re paying extra for herringbone floors.
One Aussie phrase I learned from following @builderswife is bulkhead! I think this word would be the same as soffit in the US. I feel like soffits have a negative connotation in the US with a design preference to take cabinets to the ceiling or capitalize on any extra storage opportunities. I personally love how this design makes the cabinets (although likely standard size) look custom by having the ceiling lowered to to meet them and also how the back wall of cabinetry looks built in. The horizontal window is also very interesting, and not something you commonly see in our country’s designs.
Another view of this kitchen. I love the lower cabinetry color and how the handles blend in. Brandon and I have tried this type of handle before, and I’m not sure it’s our favorite from a practicality standpoint. That said, it definitely looks seamless. I am also a big fan of the paneling on the upper cabinets and the interest that it adds. The countertop veining is beautiful, and while I know it’s just styling, the wooden serving boards look great against the slab backsplash. Finally, I just overall love how calming this color palette is.
bathrooms
Fun things I’ve learned from following this designer is that cabinetry is referred to as joinery, backsplashes are splashbacks, those skinny tiles are kit kat tiles, and medicine cabinets are frequently called shaving cabinets! The picture above features the Super White countertop I like, and I love the ribbed detail on the vanity cabinet. The wood tone goes great with both the dark terrazzo tile and the lighter countertop.
I’ve heard some designers say that Schluter trim (the black metal strip you see in this picture) is tacky. However, I love the contrast it provides in this shower design! It’s cost effective because it allows you to use tiles that don’t have finished edges. I also love the gray kit kat and lighter terrazzo tiles. Honestly the colors are walking a tight line between lavender and gray, and I love that.
Another notable thing about @builderswife’s home designs is that bathrooms usually have walls that are fully or at least halfway tiled, depending on budget. This bathroom is her primary bath in the same house with the black kitchen, and as you can see, the design flows very well between the two spaces.
exteriors
A lot of the home designs done by @builderwife and her husband’s company are boxy and modern. I do like this style of home, but it wouldn’t really fit in with the home styles in our area and likely wouldn’t appeal to any potential buyer (if we would ever sell a nice home like this). Overall, I really like the color palette of this exterior. The light wood on the garage door, cement accents, and overall white stucco or cement board are all materials I’d like to incorporate into our future home. The black windows are also gorgeous!
I hope you enjoyed reading! Let me know if there were any designs you liked or if there any other designers I should check out! Thanks!
Davien
fluted wood & marble 
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