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Add some sunshine to your day...

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Dulux colour trends released

Dulux have recently released their colour trends for 2021. Find the colour trend that inspires you the most - there is reset, retreat and nourish. Not suprisingly the themes and colours have been inspired more locally this year - with Covid being the overwhelming global phenomenon in 2020 the usual European influences for our own colours has been less than usual. Go on, be daring, take a look, be daring and make your home new again with a fresh colour! Painting is the number 1 return on investment item for any renovation.

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Colour trends for 2021

Here is the first look of colour and texture trends for 2021. Earthy colours, tactile finishes and an ode to the earth are features. i do have my fingers crossed that mission brown will not be making a return.

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Let us know which of these ideas you want to incorporate into your home...

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It’s Spring and we are excited to announce.....”Pick my brain sessions” - BOOK NOW

Are you thinking about renovating when lock down ends or in 2021? Or do you know someone who is?  Then read on.....With over 200 renovations to her name, Rosalie has seen the disgusting, the ugly and everything in-between and turned them into homes that people want to live in. She has a wealth of experience in renovations - designed for function and aesthetic. 

For this month only, you can book into your own individual Zoom session with Rosalie and pick her brains for your renovation - whether it be practical advice, a colour consultation, where to start, how to engage tradies, where to buy fittings, how to stop the overwhelm and everything in between - this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Your session will be 60mins for a small outlay of $97! That’s 60 minutes of laser focus on you and your renovation.  You will go from feeling overwhelmed and stressed about renovating to having crystal clear plan on what;’s going to work for you.

Act now - simply email us at info@urbansensations.com.au with your preferred date and time and we will make it happen. Limited times and dates apply.

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Those of us in Melbourne know that the property market here is on the slow side - which of course provides an excellent time to buy if you are cashed up. However, there is always somewhere where property prices are on the rise - so if the Northern coast of NSW is on your buying radar, it looks like now is the time to take the plunge.

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Buy a mask for a worthy cause

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Kitchen inspo

Time for some eye candy in the form of super yummy kitchen islands. How stunning are some of these examples from Homes to Love?! Hope it gives you some food for thought and gets those creative juices flowing.  If you need some help with materials, colours, design or anything else then be sure to give us a call!

Ph 1300 894 648 or email info@urbansensations.com.au

Photo credit: Anson Smart | Belle; SJB

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What’s on your wish list for your home post-iso?

The last few months have been challenging for everyone, no one has been immune from the effects of COVID-19 and we each have a story or more that we will share with others over the coming decades. Your story may be one of despair, loss or anxiety or it may be one of joy, creation, abundance or reflection. Regardless, this year will certainly be one that is remembered for the rest of your life. 

For a lot of people, this event has also provided an opportunity to review their current home and living arrangements. Is it working for you during the Covid lockdown? Are there elements that you now want to change? Perhaps you are now questioning the practicality of open plan living spaces - with both adults working from home and children completing online learning, having a quiet space to work, think and create has become important. Perhaps staring at your own white walls - or those of your colleagues when on a zoom or teams meeting has made you realise that you really do prefer more colour, texture and interesting features in your home?

If this sounds like you, come join us in an evening of discovery of how you can make simple yet effective changes to create a home that works for you. This is the first step in any interior renovation or decoration project - however, its often the most overlooked. We get caught up in what style we want or overwhelmed when we find out that there are 500 different toilets to choose from, or bogged down in the quality of workmanship and details - and then it just becomes too hard. However, if you are crystal clear about what it is you want, all the other decisions you have to make (and there are many) become easier and the end result is bellisimo!

So come join Rosalie when she shares her 15+ years of experience in renovations, to develop your own road map that you can follow to increase the enjoyment of your home.

Details

When:  Wednesday 19 August

Time:  8pm

Where:  Zoom, virtual online workshop

How:  Register your interest via email to info@urbansensations.com.au and we’ll send you the invite link so you can login via zoom

Cost:  Free!

There are only limited places available so we advise you book in today. See you then!

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Bye from Carmen

It’s with a heavy heart that I’m saying goodbye to Urban Sensations at the end of this month. We’ve shared three fabulous years of good times and lots of laughter together as we’ve beautified Melbourne one property at a time. Thank you all for the opportunity to get to know you and share your story. It’s been such a pleasure and an experience I’ll always remember. All the best to everyone, stay safe and sane and I look forward to catching up again in the future. Over to you Rosalie! xx

Ciao for now Carmen

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Property Resources

We’ve found another investment property resource for you. Property Planning Australia have put together an extensive range of podcasts covering all sorts of topics relating to investment property and purchasing, holding, finance and more. Have a scroll through, we’re sure there’ll be a number of topics you’ll find helpful. 

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Get out and enjoy some fresh air

We’re all cooped up in lockdown, but that doesn’t mean you can’t step out into the garden and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. Now’s a good time to get those tasks done in the yard and prepare your garden to look it’s best in spring. It’s also a good opportunity to entertain the kids and enjoy some family time together. Here’s a few great tips and links to check out from Homes to Love and  Bulleen Art and Garden nursery to help you get started.

http://www.baag.com.au/august-in-your-garden/

https://www.homestolove.com.au/winter-gardening-jobs-6785

Image: homestolove.com.au

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✨Meet Martyn Rogers from All Stripped. Marty has been part of our trades team for over 8 years, first on site to demo the old and make way for the new. He is the king of #demoday! 👊 🔨 Marty and his team remove the old kitchens, appliances and all, take out the bathrooms and rip up the old tiles and carpets. On larger projects they also get to work demolishing walls, removing old decks and whatever else needs to go to create a clean slate for the new updates.  Marty very kindly spent some time out of his busy schedule to ‘break down the walls’ to what his work day is like. 

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What does your job entail? What is a typical day like? Four words can answer both questions - demolition, noise, hard work

What do you like most about your job? It’s always rewarding to see the before and after transformation. I also enjoy finishing a project, leaving it completely clean and delivering a standard and consistency that is impressive.

What’s a common question you get from customers?  Can you do all this in 1 day? Is your process really dust free?  To answer that - yes! We aim to complete most domestic projects in one day, and enjoy the challenge of doing so. Depending on the style of demolition we aim to be completely dust free using high powered vacuums and water suppression. The end results are always clean.

From your perspective, what should people consider when looking to commence a project / any advice for future customers? I always advise customers to look for professional operators and trades, not false advertising and promises.

Favourite work story/memory or brief description of a favourite project you’ve worked on? There’s so many stories over the past 15 years of doing this around Australia, it’s hard to choose just one. Seeing the inside of many homes, mansions and hotels ... then wrecking them. I would have to say I most enjoy working with a good team and pushing ourselves to do better. 

What do you like to do when you aren’t working? I have 3 young kids, so it is a balance between work and family life, searching for playgrounds and outdoor activities.

What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know? I was once a commercial pilot for 10 years.

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We love having All Stripped on board for our projects, they're reliable, super friendly and do a great job without fuss. We think he's smashing! 😎  Hop over to their website for full details on their services and project galleries: https://allstripped.com.au/. 

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Nationwide increase in renter activity

With so many things currently in a state of uncertainty, it is surprising to see that rental activity has increased substantially according to this article by Real Estate Business. The article reports that search activity and levels of intent have grown, whether that converts to tenants actually moving will be interesting to see. Watch this space ...

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Fifty Shades of Grey

... houses that is! Hands up who has a grey and white colour palette for their house? At least one of our team does, but she pleads that the paint colours were chosen when they first renovated in early 2007 - before it became the mainstream go-to for house exteriors. And looking around you have to admit, almost every street now has at least one property with a grey tone colour palette. Why is that? Well, simply because it works and works well on many levels. It hides the dirt so is less upkeep when it comes to cleaning, it’s neutral, it provides a perfect backdrop for landscaping, it highlights the character of the architecture and it suits almost every period of home. But how long will the greys stay and what’s next in the wide world of colour? Great questions! This article from ABC has a few ideas - we’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

image credit: homestoloveau via pinterest.com

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We always need more storage!

No matter how much storage we have, there’s always a need for a little more. This article from Houzz provides some great tips on how to optimise those disused areas of your house. We particularly like the idea of using hallways for slimline cabinets and bookshelves, much like the ones pictured above from one of our projects in Southbank. This client had a large collection of books and special items he had collected throughout his travels and wanted to display. We made use of the otherwise empty space along the hallway to create a beautiful display unit, creating a point of interest as you enter the home. It also keeps the cook books handy to the kitchen and provides extra storage in the lower cupboards.

More storage also adds to the value of your property. It is a big tick for potential buyers or tenants alike and could be the one extra thing that makes your property stand out in the market - making it a smart improvement for little cost. 

Add some extra details if you can, like adding lighting to the hanging rails. We did this for one of our projects in South Yarra (see image below). Its a relatively small detail but makes all the difference when you’re racing off to work in the morning - now you can see what you’re looking for rather than scrabbling around in the dark! We also added shelving to an awkward corner caused by an angled wall. This space would have otherwise been disused, except to catch dust, now it provides further storage and display capacity. In this instance, an extra outlet and antenna port were also added so the owner could add a small tv unit.

In the image below, you’ll see another example of an Urban Sensation project featuring built in cabinetry and bookcases, this time in a rumpus zone. Extensive cabinetry continues on the opposite wall and down the hall (sorry, couldn’t fit it all in to this photo), making the area much more functional. Now its a games room and soon to be theatre chill out space for the family, plus all the tech equipment, games, toys, camping gear, sleeping bags and spare doonas, etc can get neatly stored away.

We’ve added storage in all sorts of areas for our clients over the years, thinking laterally and making the most or the home’s layout. Why not give us a call for a chat and we can help you find storage solutions for your property.

Phone: 1300 894 648 or email info@urbansensations.com.au

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Tax time - what to claim and how

It’s that time of year and Coronavirus has just made it all the more complicated. If, like us, you’ve been working remotely during the pandemic then there’s a few extra things to consider when you lodge your tax this year. Here’s a couple of articles to get you started before you chat with your accountant. 

https://www.nestegg.com.au/earn-money/tax-refund/9-things-you-can-and-can-t-claim-tax-on-this-year?utm_source=RealEstateBusiness&utm_campaign=08_06_20&utm_medium=email&utm_emailID=f5d3d471a3dad2ca2cd47360cc24dc1bfa41f66b7c8000edc07bbbebc4f91746

https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/tax/ato-tax-refund-how-to-make-your-tax-return-bigger-this-year/news-story/22222c8580bfe8f4d1b70381a842a0dd

Image credit: StellrWeb on Unsplash