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Copyright All Rights Reserved 2007-2009
Shopping Secrets for Renovators
By Alex Brooks
ACOUSTIC ANSWERS
What’s that? Can’t hear you! Perhaps you’d better call Acoustic Answers who can design specialist treatments to improve the acoustics of anything from a small media room to a large auditorium. They specialise in making sure that sleek, minimalist houses don’t end up sounding like noisy restaurants by installing all kinds of sound-absorbing materials.
Unit5/163 Prospect Highway
Seven Hills NSW 2147
(02) 9620 7395
sales@acousticanswers.com.au
ACOUSTIC ART
Artist Mary Brunton has her hi-fi nut husband to thank for the creation of this business, which began when the couple needed to improve the acoustics of a cavernous house they moved into. This company makes digital art canvasses with a twist – the large canvasses reduce noise levels in a house. Mary now makes splashy, large canvases which will soften the noise levels created by wooden floors, hard walls and high ceilings.
189 Pitt St
Redfern NSW 2016
(02) 9310 3438
mary@acousticart.com.au
ADVANTAGE SHOPPER & UNION SHOPPER
This service is worth remembering if you need to buy new appliances and gadgets for the house. The independent telephone service aims to find the best price on any kind of household appliance, tool or even a camera – you ring them with the make and model number of what you need, and their phone operators organise the cheapest available to be delivered to your house. They promise you can save between 9 and 12 per cent on recommended retail prices. You need to be a member of the NRMA in NSW or a trade union member to take advantage of the organisation’s national bulk buying power. The shopping service also regularly has discounts and specials at places like Tradelink.
1300 365 094
1300 368 117
ARCHITECTURAL & ANTIQUE ELEMENTS
This is one of the best places to find unusual antique doors, gates and windows, often imported from places like France and India. It’s the perfect place to shop BEFORE you’ve drawn up plans to extend and renovate, especially if you want a gorgeous one-off feature that will make jaws drop.
124 James St
Leichhardt NSW 2041
(02) 9560 3067
mail@elements.net.au
ARTEDOMUS
What Angelo Schepisi doesn’t know about natural stone is not worth knowing. The man is positively rapturous when he traces his finger along a coloured vein in a marble slab – and he makes it his mission to help other people understand the beauty of using natural stones like limestone, marble and bluestones in their houses. These guys not only import quality stone from all over the world, but can recommend the best stonemasons for the job. Ask to see pictures of the stuff they have done – you’ll be blown away.
46a Euston Rd
Alexandria NSW 2015
(02) 9557 5060
476 Church St
Richmond VIC 3121
(03) 9428 9898
837 Wellington St
West Perth WA 6008
BLUEANDBROWN
Kirsten Brown and Skye (blue) Vermeesch are constantly blurring the lines between graphic and interior design. This skilled design duo not only create funky graphic art canvases which can be customised to any interior, but can also customise table tops and make groovy wall transfers to funk up any dull old space. Go and see them in their studio, or be totally modern and do it all online.
722 Bourke St
Redfern NSW 2016
(02) 9319 4476
kirsten@blueandbrown.com.au
CHIPPENDALE RESTORATIONS
This is another place to dig up great second hand building materials, but this place goes one step further and offers brand new reproductions of older-style materials like fireplaces, doors and windows without any nasty old paint or borers to worry about. They can also put you in touch with restoration experts.
Cnr Parsons and Crescent Sts
Rozelle NSW 2039
(02) 9810 6066
mail@chippendalerestorations.com.au
CLEAN QUEENS
Former florist and patternmaker Gabrielle is the most interesting cleaner you can meet. Just don’t start her talking about her specialty – cleaning up “trauma” scenes. Way too gross. Gabrielle is the perfect person to come in and clean up after a dusty renovation. Give her half a day, and she’ll make it look like dirty tradies in Blundstone boots never even walked through the door.
Clean Queens
PO Box 998
Newtown NSW 2042
1300 734 725
info@cleanqueens.com.au
GATEMAN
This business might have a dodgy name, but it offers the perfect solution for holiday house owners who rent out their property to short term tenants – locks that open with a digital key or pin number. No more worrying about leaving keys in the meter box or getting extra keys cut when tenants lose them.
Gateman
Unit 31, 7-9 Percy St
Auburn NSW 2144
(02) 9749 5888
Unit 6a, 400 St Kilda Rd
St Kilda VIC 3182
(03) 9534 9963
Unit 3, 15 Enterprise Crescent
Malaga WA 6090
(08) 9249 5911
HOME IDEAS CENTRE
This is one of those big barns full of building and renovation product information. These places make useful pitstops for renovators to check out new and interesting products on the market. The seminars are usually the most useful – check out the website for free architect advice offers, kitchen design or educational talks. They are usually open seven days a week.
Adelaide Home Ideas Centre
113 Anzac Hwy
Ashford SA 5035
(08) 8297 1066
Brisbane Home Ideas Centre
66 Merivale St
South Brisbane QLD 4101
(07) 3844 9922
Geelong Home Ideas Central
252-256 Thompson Rd
North Geelong VIC 3215
(03) 5278 8066
Hobart Home Ideas Centre
309 Liverpool St
Hobart TAS 7000
(03) 6231 2522
Launceston Home Ideas Centre
262 York St
Launceston TAS 7250
(03) 6333 0660
Melbourne Home Ideas Centre
1686 Dandenong Rd
Oakleigh East VIC 3166
(03) 9544 9611
Perth Home Ideas Centre
102 Railway Pde
West Perth WA 6005
(07) 9481 1111
Sydney Home Ideas Centre
61-63 O’Riordan St
Alexandria NSW 2015
(02) 9304 4900
HOME FURNITURE ON CONSIGNMENT
This has to be one of the best finds for furniture connoisseurs – it’s the place where all good designer furniture goes to be sold second hand. Perfect for bargain hunters after furniture by the likes of Eames, Phillipe Starck and B&B Italia. Even more perfect for furniture lovers who want to get rid of their stuff, without having to resort to e-bay or the Trading Post. You can check out what they have for sale on their website.
15 Foster St
Surry Hills NSW
(02) 9281 1055
5 Bourke Rd
Alexandria NSW
(02) 9310 4660
MARQUARDT AUSTRALIA
What’s not to love about the German design? Especially when it comes to kitchens. So efficient. So sleek. And not as expensive as you would imagine. With a web-based shopping and design service, this company offers modular kitchen systems at competitive prices with all the swanky options like soft-closing doors, corner units and granite bench tops. Oh, and those Germans don’t use as many toxic glues as Australian manufacturers. Check out their website to design your own kitchen and get a quote or make the trek to their Lidcombe showroom in Sydney.
Marquardt Australia
Unit A1 Lidcombe Business Park
3-9 Birnie Ave
Lidcombe NSW 2141
(02) 9735 5900
info@marquardt.com.au
MUDGEE LANDSCAPES
Ever had a hankering for one of those swanky wood-fired ovens in your own backyard? Michael from Mudgee Landscapes specialises in building those mud brick babies. Perfect for cooking pizza, bread and roast meats in the great outdoors. He also does the usual landscaping caper – paving, pergolas, pools and so on.
Mudgee Landscapes
PO Box 916
Mudgee NSW 2850
(02) 6373 6568
SYDNEY BUILDING INFORMATION CENTRE
This place is a goldmine of great advice, and also offers building information and property inspections for renovators who want to make sure a job is done properly. The specialist bookshop is a boon place to find information on all kinds of weird and wonderful building and architectural topic – and if they don’t have it in stock, they’ll get it for you.
525 Elizabeth St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 8303 0525
info@sbic.com.au
TERRACE HOUSE FACTORY
This ramshackle collection of old building materials is one of the cheapest places in Sydney to buy gorgeous old hardwood doors, windows and fireplaces. It’s a great place to pick up a foot for an antique claw-foot bath or a piece of iron lace missing from the front of an old house.
304-308 Harris St
Ultimo NSW 2007
(02) 9660 6768
sales@terracehousefactory.com.au
THE POD SYSTEM
Want to build a swanky architect-designed extension without an over-the-top price tag? Call up Nick, and find out about their patent-pending design solutions which allow renovators to customise up to three different options for their home. The Pod people charge $935 for the in-home design service and then give you a fixed price guarantee to build your extension. That’s right, no nasty cost surprises half way through the job.
The Pod System
PO Box 460
Darlinghurst NSW 1300
(02) 9289 7575
nick@thepodsystem.com
THE SECOND HAND BUILDING CENTRE
You could get lost in this whopping great treasure trove of old building materials. If it’s all too overwhelming, ask Cyrus to show you through. There are great old leadlight windows, doors, railings and bits and bobs as well as a reclaimed timber section which specialises in re-milling Australian hardwoods from old wharves and factories. It’s worth a visit to see what’s there – but don’t forget to take your tape measure.
At the rear 432B West Botany St
Rockdale NSW 2216
(02) 9567 1322
sales@shbc.com.au
RENOVATION RUNNERS
Marion Hansell is kind of like a concierge service for Sydney renovators. This former nurse will do anything to make a renovation run smoothly – pick up samples, choose toilets, organise tradespeople or just pack up boxes for a client. Unfortunately, the renovation angel is booked up into early 2007. But keep her details in mind if you are based in Sydney. She charges an hourly rate or a percentage of the entire cost of the job.
Renovation Runners 0416 055 624
marion@renovationrunners.com.au
SPECIALISED PROJECT SERVICES
Need some swanky bathroom fixtures? This is the place to go for a bargain. This company imports European tapware, toilets and basins, stocking brands like Ottone Meloda, Cotto and Disengno Ceramica. It’s usually architects and interior designers that shop here, where you can save up to 40 per cent off recommended retail prices. There is a showroom that they will open to the general public – but it’s best to call before you arrive and ask for Bruce or Garry.
Unit 1, 151 Beauchamp Rd
Matraville NSW 2036
(02) 9666 8998, 0402 239 868
SPEEDHEAT
Oh there’s nothing better than rubbing your tootsies on a warm floor in the dead of winter. These floor-heating specialists sell all kinds of great heaters, but our favourite is the rug heaters which are like an electric blanket for floor rugs, making them all snug and delicious. Prices start at $342 and they can be bought online or from the showroom.
2/36 Campbell Ave
Cromer NSW 2099
(02) 9981 1057
1300 653 914
WINNING APPLIANCES
With showrooms in Sydney and Newcastle, this place is a one-stop shop for swanky European kitchen, bathroom and laundry appliances. The best thing about the place – besides the huge range of brands like Ilve, Smeg, Miele, Hansa, Maytag and Asko – is the clearance warehouse which is often discontinued lines, ex-display stock or stuff that’s been scratched or scuffed. You can usually save at least 15 per cent if you ferret around at the back of the Redfern showroom and see what’s there.
1 Dale St
Brookvale NSW 2100
(02) 9938 4733
113 Alexander St
Crows Nest NSW 2065
(02) 9438 2611
6-48 Rocky Point Rd
Kogarah NSW 2217
(02) 9588 2711
5a/6 Boundary Rd
James Ruse Business Park
Northmead NSW 2152
(02) 9630 0588
177 Phillip St
Redfern NSW 2016
(02) 9698 8099
Clearance Warehouse
(02) 9699 918
61 Darby St
Newcastle NSW 2300
(02) 4926 3636
AQUA CLARUS
Genius. That’s what this chemical-free water recycling system is. For homeowners who want to reduce water useage by treating wastewater and recycling it back into the house or on to the garden. More than 100 houses in NSW, Queensland and Victoria have installed the patented system, with expansion into South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia expected by the end of 2006.
Aqua Clarus
PO Box 1172
Beenleigh Qld 42071300 368 158
ECOSPECIFIER
This has to be one of the best websites around to help renovators choose eco-friendly options and source materials. It’s used by loads of professionals wanting easy access to technical specifications on all kinds of building materials, but it’s great for home renovators too. It’s easy to navigate and costs home users $88 for an eight-week membership. Well worth it if you want to hunt around and compare lots of different materials just by sitting in front of a computer.
1300 669 997
FRONTYARD ART
How hard is it to find a decent looking letter box? Honestly, you’d think there was some kind of design conspiracy forcing all home owners with taste and style to forget all about it when it comes to letter boxes. That’s what makes Grant Calder and Kelly McDonald’s Noosa-based design company so great. They make striking contemporary looking mailboxes, which can be ordered over the internet. The Butler, Spike and Mo
(07) 5471 1304
info@frontyardart.com.au
KLEIN ARCHITECTURAL
These stainless steel fabricators do all kinds of funky things in stainless steel – handrails, tables, shelves, letterboxes, whatever. But their piece de resistance is their outdoor shower which looks like a cross between a dalek and bamboo. It’s perfect for pool areas and costs around $1500.
Studio 168 Logan Rd
Wooloongabba QLD 4102
(07) 3895 8455
QUEENSLAND THATCHING AND PAVILIONS
Create Bali in your own backyard with help from this company that not only supplies traditional Indonesian Alang Alang grass thatching to all states in Australia, but can also build decks and pool surrounds in Queensland. Perfect if you want one of those dinky little grass-roof pavilions like a Balinese resort.
1/33 Demand Ave
Arundel QLD 4214
(07) 5571 6900
SCS DESIGN
This is the place to hunt down cutting edge architectural products like taps, sliding doors and lighting. The best bargains are the tap and bathroom fittings – they sell basins that can retail for $5000 for just $1000 and they sell a $600 waterfall spout for $160. There are shower grates and all kinds of crazy looking taps.
PO Box 515
Bulimba QLD 4171, 0407 464 669
corbettp@bigpond.net.au
SECOND CHANCE KITCHEN WAREHOUSE
Not only do Kathy and Wayne Hansen make the business of installing a second-hand kitchen simple, they also offer renovators the chance to trade their old kitchen in for cash. Kathy’s an interior designer so she knows all about making modular kitchen units fit into tricky spaces so they can be re-used. This company also sells second-hand kitchens for a fraction of the price of new – a $40,000 kitchen recently sold for $5000. Basic kitchens start at $900.
sales@sckw.com.au
91 Main St
Kangaroo Point QLD 4169
(07) 3392 3466
SUBORNO FURNITURE ATELIER
Carpenter and craftsman Tony Mann gets a cranky if you think international furniture designers are better than Australians. He set up this collective retail space for skilled furniture makers, designers, blacksmiths and sculptors to showcase their wares. They can create any kind of one-off piece – just ask ‘em and they will deliver.
Anthony St
West End QLD 4101
(07) 3217 2197
tony@cunninglyconcealed.com
THE BIG RED SHED
This place is a treasure trove of recycled building materials - fun for those who like to fossick. There’s old doors, windows, handles, as well as reclaimed timber from old wharves and factories that can be re-milled and given a new lease of life as flooring or posts or even front doors. There are two showrooms, but the Kelvin Grove one is more likely to appeal to residential renovators. Restored leadlight doors and windows start at $200 a pop.
18 Sumners Rd
Darra QLD 4074
(07) 3279 0911
333 Kelvin Grove Rd
Kelvin Grove QLD 4111
(07) 3856 2454
sales@thebigredshed.com.au
VIDEOPRO
It’s easy enough to go into a shop and buy a big fat plasma TV but it’s a little trickier to create an integrated home theatre system. Sheesh, you blink an eye and the technology has changed. This chain of Brisbane shops offers a custom design and installation service to help you understand things like acoustics, home automation and all that crazy technology.
Homemaker City
1062 Ann St
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
(07) 3250 0055
Unit 4, 583 Kessels Rd
Macgregor QLD 4019
(07) 3422 2666
Homemakers Centre
Carindale St
Carindale QLD 4152
(07) 3398 2577
www.videopro.com.au
FENG SHUI
Vicki Sauvage is more than just your average feng shui consultant. She works with architect Patrick Yeung and furniture makers to create houses and interiors that have all the right chi in all the right places. She also does feng shui seminars and will work with other architects and building designers to actually design the right place from the very beginning. “I take into account people’s birth dates and how they fit with the surrounding landscape,” she says. Go for it.
(03) 6239 0126
0427 902 220
PO Box 402
Glenorchy TAS 7010
Vicki@sauvage-feng-shui.com
FRAGMENTS RESTORATION SHOP
This is the one-stop shop for the renovator of period homes in Tassie. Zak and his dad Dennis run the place, which is the state’s distributor for Porter’s Paints. You’ll find brass door hardware, fireplaces, timber mantels, bathroom fittings and lighting for sale here. The best bargains are the brass lights – a solid brass 500mm suspended rod fitting sells for $25.90.
133 Elizabeth St
Hobart TAS 7000
(03) 6234 8927
MONTILE
Tiles, tiles and more tiles. This is where local architects and builders come buy from a range of floor and wall tiles. There are three showrooms around Tasmania, stocking one of the state’s largest range of commercial and swanky residential tiles. The Murazzi tiles is what this place is best known for – and they can even recommend the best people to lay them.
55 Boland St
Launceston TAS 7250
(03) 6331 4000
11 Don Rd
Devonport TAS
(03) 6424 9330
45 Albert Rd
Moonah TAS 7009
(03) 6278 2200
UNIQUE DOORS
Ted makes unique doors. Funny that – it might explain the name of his business. He uses Tasmanian Oak and Canadian timbers to make distinctive exterior and interior doors and windows. The company specialise in making double-glazed bi-fold timber doors – perfect to let in the view but keep out the cold.
31 Dowling St
Launceston TAS 7250
(03) 6331 2730
SHADETECH
Wow. Who knew that shade sails could look so interesting? This company make a range of do-it-yourself and residential shade structures. They manufacture and build everything from a small car shelter to a shaded shipping container which can be used as a dwelling.
PO Box 37815
Winnellie NT 0820
(08) 8984 4940
TIN SHED GALLERY
Wayne Miles not only runs this gallery, but also makes one-off pieces of furniture from old timber boats. He makes anything from 14-seater dining tables, to totem poles to large day beds. Basically, he’s a furniture maker and photographer and has worked with some of the state’s best architects like Troppo Architects.
Shed 3, 4 Durand Cr
Coconut Grove NT 0810
0419 869 102
