Get It Right With Undercover Architect

This episode is about the second living space in our homes. It goes by lots of different names, but most homeowners planning a renovation or new home want to create one. So, let’s learn more about how to get it right.  This episode may also be a little controversial, as Amelia challenges you to consider whether you really need a second living space in your home. As you stretch your budget and your space to accommodate all the dreams you have for your new or renovated home, you may end up compromising everything.  She's not here to crush your dream. If you want a second living room, can afford one and want to know how to create one that works, then this episode is for you. There are also some suggestions for alternatives if you’ve been weighing up whether you can create this space in your home.   Australian homes are among the biggest in the world.   And, in Amelia's experience with renovating and building, there’s a great mismatch between homeowner expectations

The question we’re asking today is: How do we make our living and dining rooms, great spaces in our new or renovated home? We spend a huge amount of our time in our homes in our main living and dining rooms. In fact, these spaces, along with our kitchen, get prime use in our homes. So, getting it right in these rooms can and will have a significant impact on how our home feels and functions overall. In this episode, Amelia shares some amazing research that will help you understand where to place the lion’s share of your effort, energy and budget in your renovation or new home. It’s a game-changer. She also shares detail about how to achieve the four “F’s” in your main living and dining space. She'll uncover how to tailor this learning to your own design, so you can create a great living and dining space in your home. There’s 3 key mistakes Amelia sees many homeowners make when creating their living and dining rooms. She’ll go through these in detail so you can a

Let’s get down to the fundamentals. This episode introduces the "four F"s Amelia likes to consider when designing any room in your home. And in designing your home overall.  What are these four Fs? They are:   Functionality  Flexibility  Furnishability  Flow  (There’s a secret fifth F too!)  Amelia will share with you what each of these mean, and how to use them to create a home design that suits you now, and always.   She'll also outline what ‘design’ actually means. This isn’t an elite, unrealistic or unachievable design. This is the design that makes your everyday life in your home better, simpler, more convenient and more fun. Sometimes the measure of it is that it’s so good, you don’t even notice it.   This episode sets the stage with the core info you need to know before we dive into the rest of the season. As we move forward to discuss each room or space individually, you’ll have a framework to

"What makes you think you're qualified to design your own home?!"  Many of Amelia's industry colleagues will think this when a homeowner designs their own home.   Amelia can understand why homeowners do this, though. It’s your home. Your budget. Your needs. Your family. Your site. Your life. Your future. Your dreams.   Because there's so much at stake, you want to control the outcome as much as possible. At least ensure you'll get it right, and achieve the home you dream of.  At Undercover Architect, Amelia will always recommend you work with a designer to create your home design. Even though it’s not legally required in Australia, Amelia thinks when you find the right designer for you, it helps your home reach the best possible outcome.  However, if you want to design your home, or at least get a head start on it, how can you know you’re getting it right?  That’s what Season 02 of the “Get it Right” podcast is all about …

This is Episode 11 of Season 1.    In this last episode of Season 1, Amelia uncovers the 4th tool we have available to create spaciousness in our homes: Indoor / Outdoor Connections.  This first season of the “Get it Right” podcast has been taking you through what matters most.   These are the first and most fundamental choices and information you need to get it right in your new home or renovation. When you put these decisions first, then it simplifies the rest of the journey. It also helps you create a home that will feel great – and that you’ll feel great in.   As a client of Amelia’s once said “The wall costs the same, whether you put it in the right place, or the wrong place!” The same can be said for design generally. Great design isn’t any more expensive. It’s about having the knowledge to make the right choices, and making those choices first so you get to a great home at the end of your journey.  So how

This is Episode 10 of Season 1.    In this episode, Amelia shares how great storage creates spaciousness. This is the third tool we have in our toolkit to create spaciousness in our homes.  Storage can be fundamental in creating a physical sense of spaciousness. However, it is also key in creating mental spaciousness. That sense of calm that comes from feeling organised because there’s a place for everything, and everything is in its place.  The aim is to design our homes to support us, and our lifestyles, all the time. Especially at those hectic moments of the day that test the calm in any family home.   Did you know, many homeowners move house due to a lack of storage in their homes?   This isn’t only about decluttering. This is about creating storage solutions that improve the management of your everyday life. It’s the streamlining of our daily routines to make life more convenient, and our homes more relaxing. How you design your home can make

This is Episode 9 of Season 1.   In this episode, Amelia shares how light to can create spaciousness. Light is the second tool we have in our toolkit to create spaciousness in our homes.  Amelia will take you through both natural and electric night. After all, you want your home to feel spacious during the day, and after dark, don't you!  Many homeowners, when describing how they want their homes to be, use the words 'airy' and 'light' or 'light-filled'.    And we know intuitively that filling our spaces with light will make them feel great. And we also know that natural light does wonders for our moods and sense of comfort in our home.   We can create a feeling of relaxation that we can tap into almost the moment we walk into our homes. That helps us create that emotional connection with our homes, that make us feel 'at home'.    There are specific ways you can use light to create spaciousness, both during the day, and at night.   Amelia will i

This is Episode 8 of Season 1.   This season has been all about what matters most in designing your new home or renovation.  Many homeowners dream of a home that feels spacious. And they fall into the trap of believing that this means their home has to be bigger.   And it's understandable. Especially when we're renovating or building family homes. Often the need to renovate or build will be brought about because we feel we need more space. This might be because of the addition of new family members. Or it will be because our existing family members are growing and becoming more active.  So 'spaciousness' becomes about creating 'more space' or 'extra space'. Bigger rooms, and extra rooms.  There are a few ways to achieve spaciousness. Even in the most compact of homes. And not all of them are about 'more space' or 'extra space'. In fact, it’s worth knowing that 'more space' won't necessarily bring a feeling of spaciousness to your home.  Amelia believes that when our ho

This is Episode 7 of Season 1.   In this episode, Amelia shares some of the other assets you have available that can add great value to your home. At no cost to you. It's simply about knowing what they are, and choosing them first in your design.  So much of designing for new homes or renovation is about unlocking what is possible. About understanding the potential for your home and land, and enhancing it. About realising the potential of the natural assets and enhancing what's already freely available. Bringing these natural assets to the fore so they can make your home and your land really enjoyable. Which in turn, enhances the quality of your everyday life.  So what are these natural assets for your home and land? And how can you maximise them as an asset, or minimise them if they're a drawback?  These natural assets exist in all locations … from the most rural to the most urban. And they can be optimised to enhance the quality of your home. They are:  Sunlight  S

This is Episode 6 of Season 1.   This episode will give you some free and low cost online resources to help with designing your home for your climate, and the movement of the sun. As well as some others to get you started on your project.  Only a couple of these resources are Australia only, and most can be used globally.   These online resources and apps will help with:  Understanding more about your local climate and how to design for it  Getting specific information about the movement of the sun over your home or site  Using the 4 special days each year to provide information to make your home better  Creating floor plans of your existing home  Designing new floor plans and experimenting with your project  Seeking inspiration and ideas for your renovation or new home  Keeping track of all your ideas and information in a digital filing system  Also managing your budget and expenses for your project – even on the go  Keeping track o

This is Episode 5 of Season 1.   This episode is the last of our four orientations. Over the last 3 episodes, we've talked about north, east, and south sunlight and orientations.   In this episode, we’ll talk about all things WEST.  This will help you get it right if you’re seeking ways to make your home feel great, and also if you have you have a west-facing home.  So what do you need to be aware of with western sunlight?   This can be the most challenging orientation to deal with. West is the direction our sun sets in, and even in the cooler months, it can still be a harsh quality of light. Yet, there are still ways we can create homes to manage it, and respond to it.   Let’s dive deeply into:  What western sunlight is like  What’s not great about western sunlight  How we need to shade and shelter from western sunlight   You’ll understand in detail:  What rooms need to be facing west  What rooms don’

This is Episode 4 of Season 1.   So far this season, we've been exploring the idea of orientation. And the importance of knowing yours when designing, renovating or building your home. We've talked about northern and eastern orientations and sunlight.  In this episode, we’ll talk about all things SOUTH.  This will help you get it right if you’re seeking ways to make your home feel great, and also if you have you have a south-facing home … or a home that faces south-east or south-west.  So what do you need to be aware of with southern sunlight? (And is there such a thing, given that in the southern hemisphere, our sun moves through the north?)   A southern orientation can be challenging to work with if you want to maximise northern sun in your home.  Amelia will outline 5 specific design strategies you can implement in creating your new home or renovation, that will bring northern light into a south-facing home.  Let’s dive deeply into: 

This is Episode 3 of Season 1.    In this episode, we continue on our adventure of uncovering what matters most, and what decisions to prioritise when designing your new or renovated home.   In this episode, we’ll talk about all things EAST.   This will help you get it right if you’re seeking ways to make your home feel great, and also if you have you have an east-facing home.  So what do you need to be aware of with eastern sunlight?   And how should you optimise this to make your home feel great?   This podcast will teach you how to understand morning sun at your home, and manage it effectively year-round.  Let’s dive deeply into:  What eastern sunlight is like  What’s not great about eastern light  How we need to shade and shelter from eastern light  Something you may not know about the sunrise everyday  You’ll understand in detail:  What rooms need to be facing east  What

This is Episode 2 of Season 1.   We continue to explore what matters most, and what decisions to prioritise when designing your new or renovated home.    In this episode, we’ll talk about all things NORTH.   This will help you get it right if you’re seeking ways to make your home feel great, and also if you have you have a north-facing home.  So what do you need to be aware of with northern sunlight?   And how should you optimise this to make your home feel great?   Let’s dive deeply into:  What northern sunlight is like  What’s not great about northern light  How we need to shade and shelter from northern light  You’ll understand in detail:  What rooms need to be facing north  What rooms don’t need to be facing north  A trick if you’re trying to stretch your budget and create great living spaces   And if you have a north-facing home, you’ll learn:  What

This is Episode 1 of Season 1. This season Amelia is going to be taking you through what matters most. What are the most essential choices when designing your home? And in this first episode of the season, Amelia is diving into the very first choice - the most important thing to know - to make your home great. Whatever your dreams, your location or your budget. Today's episode is going to bring immediate clarity to you as you design, renovate or build your home. And Amelia means immediate. It's a big promise isn't it? It's not one she makes lightly! This is largely because of this fact: renovating and building aren't one big decision or choice. They're a series of choices made one after the other. At any point, you may have 2 options, or 20 options, or 200 options. This is the thing Amelia hears regularly - the difficulty that homeowners have in knowing what option to choose in these myriad of options. What if, instead, you could know the most important thing to prioritise? The first choice to make in yo

In this episode, Amelia will be helping you answer the last question, which is “What do you, and your family, actually need from your home – now and into the future?” This may seem like a repeat of the first step, but stay with us here … Australia has the largest average home size in the world. Yes, that’s right. Bigger than our USA counterparts. And it’s climbed quickly.  In 1984, the average size of an Australian home was 162.2m2. In 2012-2013 ABS figures, this had jumped to 241.1m2. And our families haven’t got any bigger – in actual fact they’ve got much smaller. We all want more. The world of home ownership is littered with images to seduce us into wanting more and more from our homes. It’s also human condition to strive to improve and achieve. And there’s nothing wrong with that. However, when you really determine what you need to create a home that works for you, chances are you’ll find it’s actually pretty simple. And

This episode uncovers question 3: What can your budget afford?  Ugh … money. At some point it was going to get here, wasn’t it?!  Budget is the main thing that concerns homeowners embarking on their project. What will my build or reno cost me? And will it blow out along the way? In the last financial year (2015/2016) Australians spent a record $7.7 billion on home renovations according to the latest ABS figures.  That’s over $150 million a week. The figures for new homes are similar. When most of us tackle a renovation or new build, we have a figure in mind about how much we’d like to spend on our project. So our research and preparation becomes a study in what our money will buy us. How far we can stretch it, and whether it’s enough for the dreams we have for our home. Amelia starts with this advice. Do not ignore your budget. Do not avoid setting one. Doing this work early is one of the most significant things you can do to preserve sanity for your project, and

In this episode, let’s talk about question 2. This question is “What are you allowed to do?”  More specifically, it’s “What does your local authority or council say you’re allowed to do?”  Council rules and regulations can seem like a complete minefield to many homeowners.  It can be a complete dampener on your plans if you let it … but Amelia promises you, it doesn’t have to be like this.   There will be planning regulations as well as building regulations, determining what you can and can’t do in your project. Your local council will enforce planning regulations and help control how your suburbs and streets will look. In some councils, if your project meets all their rules, you don’t need any council approval. Or you'll have a fast-track option to get your approval. Some councils will require a Development Application for all types of work. (A Development Application, or DA, is Coun

One of the consistent questions I receive from homeowners is “Where do I start?”  It doesn’t matter whether you’re building or renovating. Knowing how to start can be confusing and overwhelming.  There is so much information and advice out there. Finding a simple path through it all can be challenging. It doesn’t take much to get overwhelmed. And it doesn’t take too many wrong turns to be in completely the wrong place.  The thing is that ‘wrong place’ is usually an expensive place to be. It can be costly to reverse decisions, and get back on track. It can also force you to have to live with your mistakes, and pay a mortgage on them as well. That's the double-whammy in building and renovating.  In my experience, all projects start the same way. Building, renovating, subdividing, extending … ALL projects. Whatever your dreams. Wherever you are, and whatever your budget is. This way involves answering four questions. 

Welcome to Get It Right! I’m Amelia Lee, the architect behind Undercover Architect, and I’m your secret ally. This podcast will help you get it right when designing, building and renovating your home. In this episode, you’ll learn more about what to expect from the podcast, why Undercover Architect began, and what it’s all about. After you’ve had a listen, hit subscribe so you don’t miss any of our weekly episodes. In the first four episodes released, I take you through the first 4 questions that every project – regardless of budget – needs to begin with in order to go well. If you’ve been struggling to get started on your renovation or new home, these first 4 episodes are for you. FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.