Category: blog

I always find it bitter sweet watching the demolishing of our clients old homes. So sad to see something that holds a lifetime of stories bowled over in the blink of an eye but at the same time so exciting to start a newer, more fabulous chapter.

For that reason this home really warms the heart with the subtle features throughout that represent what stood before it. A quirky and loveable trait architects Klopper & Davis seem fond of in their designs and an honour to build.

Would you have guessed this entry way was made from the window sashes in the old home? Making this feature didn’t come easy, the windows were initially white and much love and care went in to make it look as fabulous it does.

Shortly after entering the house you are greeted with large jarrah windows from ceiling to floor to ensure this house flows and ties in perfectly with its unique entry way.

Timber cladding using the jarrah floorboards from the previous old home features throughout the exterior and interior of the home. Cleverly integrated with the recycled brick and burnished concrete floors you would never know it holds a lifetime of secrets.

Nothing could have topped of this design better than a sophisticated black granite kitchen bench top and some statement copper pendant lights.

This Nedlands project was a joy to work on in every way from the exciting design concept to the delightful clients a massive thanks to Klopper & Davis architects for the opportunity. Can’t wait to show you our next one.

Thanks to Mark Pace at Pace Photography for the images.

With old Perth housing blocks being divided into 2,3,4 and even more these days, utilising every inch of your precious dirt is essential and just one of our many specialties at Mitchell Custom Homes.

Tips to maximise space on a small lot:

• Multi Level – Ok ok it’s stating the obvious but it had to be said.
• Study Nooks – When you just can’t decide whether you want a fourth bedroom or a study, there’s always room for a study nook.

• Bi-Fold Doors – Oh how i LOVE these! Totally essential in making the most of your space and opening up your home, they just bring so much light and air.
• Use every corner – Honestly you have to think smart and utilise every space, we have a hidden nook in the garage under our stairs for storage.
• Atrium – Another true love in our home. if you are cramming as much house as you can into your small block, garden area is often compromised so an atrium is a fab way to add light, space, some greenery and character to your home.
• Mezzanine floor in garage – So we were blessed with a very tall garage which we used to create a mezzanine floor to hide all our “stuff”. And let me tell you with 4 kids, boy do we need it.
• Make your front yard functional – If your anything like us with kids riding their bikes or playing basket ball in the drive way you will love love love our front yard.
• Aneeta windows – these are the best, our house went from tiny to massive because of these babies and they add an instant WOW factor to our home.

So if you’re feeling unsure how you can make a home functional on a small lot, drop us a line simon@mitchellcustomhomes.com.au.

When i suggested to my husband Mitch that i would like the pantry doors in our kitchen to be a chalkboard, i’m pretty sure i saw eye rolling and there was a definite resistance in his body language as he reluctantly agreed.

But NOW every time someone comes over to our house they walk in and instantly say “WOW! Love the chalkboard”. You can guess how Mitch responds, yep, that’s right, “oh thanks, that was all my idea“. Yeah right, but here check it out, pretty cool huh?

Now the chalkboard gods were smiling down at us when it came time to making the pantry doors because our carpenter had just received for the very first time, never been used before CHALKBOARD LAMINEX! Let me tell you this is the coolest thing ever. 18 months on and our chalkboard, when not covered in chalk, still looks brand new and we use it every day.

So if your looking to chalkboard your home and want something that wont look old and dusty in a hurry, chalkboard laminex in the answer my friends.

You’re welcome

What better way to customise your home than with timber? It’s uses are endless and it has the ability to make a room organic or sexy, rustic or modern. In a nutshell, timber is fabulous and here’s how we’re featuring timber in our homes.

• Railway sleepers: We used railway sleepers to line our boundary fence along our pool and alfresco. Contrasted with our timber decking it created seclusion and privacy whilst giving a modern and organic mood to our outdoor design. Oh and did i mention these were Mitch’s idea?
• Timber look tiles – equally as awesome as timber. We used these as a feature wall throughout our home including the master en-suite and lounge and i have to say these are our favourite walls in the house and so sexy.

• Decking in the garden – I felt this was a stroke of genius by builder Mitch in maximising space on a small lot and accentuated the “tropical” mood created in the landscaping.
• Timber Ceilings – Ok i confess, i pulled this picture from instagram (thank you My House Idea) because i think this is just so hot, totally sexy and just screams luxury.

If you’ve found a creative use for timber in your home i would love for you to share it with us. Feel free to email me your pics @ elsa@mitchellcustomhomes.com.au or tag us on instagram @mitchellcustomhomes.

Mrs Mitchell xx

How hot are all the copper tones right now? When it comes to designing the interior of your home there’s no better way to bring an earthly organic feel especially given the “calming” properties of copper colours.

There is such a fantastic range of copper furnishings available right now but i’m particularly obsessed with copper pendant lights. They’ve been hanging about for over a year now but we still love them, so funky, fun and classy.

Lighting is such an essential in customising your home and a fantastic way to add some flair to your existing home. With the 6 star energy efficient ratings required now for new builds it is imperative to choose and select lights at the start of your building process. With houses now required to comply with the 6 star rating please be aware this is done at building approval stage and is based on what type of lights you have and how many as there are a certain amount of watts per/sqm allowed.

So after much online browsing to find the perfect copper pendants for our home, these are my favourites.

Freedom Furniture now has a brilliant range of lighting with mix and match options starting from $49.95 per pendant.

These sexy pendants start from $249 from Beacon Lighting, super hot!

For pure luxury visit www.dunlin.com.au for some incredible finds. These hammered copper pendants range from $598 – $948 and are simply divine.

So it’s finally time to build your “dream” home. For some it may be your first home others you may have been living in an old shack for years on end and finally its time to demolish and start fresh and for some this may just be another addition to the property portfolio.

In any case the Perth property market is inundated with builders and the choice can be over whelming. Where do you start and how do you know who is the right person to trust with probably the biggest purchase of your life?

So here are some tips to assist you in choosing the right builder for you.

• 1. Get a min of 3 Quotes: I know when I am quoting; prices vary substantially amongst different trades for doing exactly the same work so 3 quotes is essential. This ensures no mistakes have been made in the quote & I/the client, are not paying too much. Sometimes the lower price may not have all the necessary inclusions & then when it comes time to do the job the supplier or trade may realize the error and not do the job for that price resulting in unexpected costs & stresses that could easily have been avoided with thorough quoting initially.
• 2. Cheapest is not always the best; A low price can be considered but be wary; you need to make sure you are comparing apples with apples as you do not want to be hit with variations during the project for things you thought were included in the contract but were not. Sometimes builders cut as much as possible out of jobs to get the price down so please please please check inclusions and exclusions in the quote and contract. Then and only then is it an even playing field comparing builder’s quotes.
• 3. You get what you pay for; Budget homes are exactly that. They serve a purpose in the market and a necessity for many getting into the Perth property market particularly for first homebuyers. However id like to make aware that building materials between builders are roughly the same unless the builder is a high volume builder, so when a quote is lower it can be due to lower quality trades & products.
• 4. Is the builder suitable for YOUR home? For example I would not recommend getting a new homebuilder specialist to do a renovation. He may be honest and great at building a new home but it’s likely he doesn’t specialize in renovations. It’s very easy to fall into this trap especially when you “know a guy” or have been referred by someone who had a great job done but on a completely different project.Your builder must be suitable for your needs. Do the research, know what “type” of builder you require whether it be a renovator, first home builder, two storey builder or high end luxury home as they all use the trades and suppliers applicable to their specialty which affects price and quality.
• 5.Size matters; the size of the building company can be relative to your needs. If your looking for attention to detail you may want an exclusive builder that’s more personal to communicate with to achieve your vision and see the job through from start to finish. The size and type of builder will not only depend on the size of your job but the level of service you require to get that job done right.
• 6.Trusting your builder; this is hard to know right away. I encourage sitting down for multiple meetings and or phone conversations so you can get a good feel for if you’re making the right choice for you.
• When considering my company; and me I would love to be one of the builders you choose to quote your project. I guarantee it will be honest and fair and if needed I will work with you to look at plans and spec to try achieving a budget. I specialize in custom builds and luxury homes and offer personal service where I am involved throughout the project and on call whenever you need. I limit my projects to enable me to guarantee this service, so I would love you to trust me in building your dream home and invite you to organise a meeting with me, 0466100192.

Simon Mitchell

Our recently completed project on Ramshaw St has been added to the Mitchell Custom Homes gallery.