Last year, I almost got cancelled for the colour of my house.
We renovated a crumbling cottage, and shared our reno journey online, as you do.
The house had been painted salmon pink at some point in the '70s but we were rebuilding in a heritage area so our local Council decreed that we had to use a neutral tone, in keeping with the rest of the homes on our street.
Honestly, I was delighted to comply.
We went with a warm stone tone, from a list of approved shades. Which roughly translates as "grey".
The internet was FUMING. So many angry people (who didn't know us or care about the Council context) leaving hateful comments about how my dream house was… all wrong.
It hurt, but within a week they forgot and moved on, and likely went off to tell someone else how they'd designed their house SO WRONG.
The funny thing is, they were right. We did get lots of things wrong. Not the colour of the house, I'll defend that to my grave. But we've made lots of mistakes along the way. Every house gets better but there are plenty of things I wish I knew sooner.
Renovating isn't just about making things look good; it's about making them work.
It's about walking into your newly finished bathroom and realising there's nowhere to charge your electric toothbrush.
Or finally getting that dream kitchen installed, only to find yourself storing the big cereal boxes in the garage because there's not enough storage space.
Or realising that your beautiful big windows will forever be covered because otherwise your neighbour can see straight into your bedroom.
After three houses, I've had my fair share of reno regrets. If you're standing at the edge of your own renovation project, wondering where to start or what to avoid, here are six things I wish I knew sooner.
I'll start with getting nude in front of the neighbours…
1. Big windows = little privacy.
I love natural light and I desperately wanted to be one of those people who describes their living space as "sun-drenched". It just sounds so luxe. Anyway, I quickly learnt that there's nothing luxury about your neighbours being able to look into your bedroom. Awkward.
It needed rectifying with some well-placed blinds, which give privacy without sacrificing light. Something like ABC Blinds' Vertisheer Blinds are the perfect remedy in a situation like this.
ABC Blinds are the largest window coverings company in WA; they've been in business for 50 years so they truly know what works for a space.
Vertisheers give you the softness of a curtain, with the functionality of a modern blind. These aren't your average blinds though — you can rotate between different light and privacy settings.
With a simple twist of the easy-to-use cord, the sheer fabric will allow natural light into your room, along with a clear view of the outside world. Rotate the other way and you have a great block-out product, which will provide you with maximum privacy.
Vertisheer blinds also protect your home from harsh UV rays, so your beautiful new floors and furniture won't end up with faded sunspots. They're available in a wide range of contemporary shades, like silver, grey, black, white and cream.
The gorgeous neutral colours will suit any style of room but one of the greatest advantages of Vertisheers is how low maintenance they are. All you need to do is brush them now and again to make sure they stay free of any dust and debris that may be in the air.
2. White looks nice, but it's not exactly liveable.
I've always loved the clean, modern look of white — there's something so fresh and minimal about it. So when we were choosing the dining room chairs, I opted for white seats.
It looked perfect at first. The room felt bigger, brighter, and stylish in that minimalist way normally reserved for my Pinterest dream boards. But fast forward 15 months, and I now cringe every time I walk past those chairs. The beautiful white seat pads are now swamp-coloured, stained from daily spoonfuls of pesto, yogurt and pasta sauce. We've tried to clean them, but the combination of toddlers, clumsy curry nights and messy meals has won this battle.
The takeaway here? Avoid takeaways white fabrics in high-traffic areas like the dining room. If I could go back, I'd have chosen a darker, more forgiving colour or a fabric that's stain-resistant.
There are even washable or wipeable seating pad covers you can get these days, which I didn't even consider at the time. Learn from my mistake — save the white for spaces that aren't constantly at the mercy of flying food.
3. No matter how much bathroom storage you're planning — double it.
When we renovated our bathroom, I was all about the minimalist vibe. Clean lines, a single vanity, one drawer for my stuff, one for my husband. In theory, it looked perfect. In practice? Absolute chaos.
I quickly realised that expecting to fit all my toiletries, makeup and hair tools into one single drawer was not only impractical, but it was a recipe for stress every morning. My husband isn't the type to accumulate things, but even he struggled with the lack of space. It got so bad that I ended up having to put an extra storage basket under the sink, which, of course, completely ruined the sleek minimalist look we had worked so hard to create.
Here's my tip: Your bathroom mirror MUST have storage behind it. Such an easy win.
As a general guide, plan for twice the storage you think you'll need from the start. Even if it seems like overkill, it won't be. You can always store medicines in there. Or cleaning products. Trust me, it will save you from having to add unsightly baskets and caddies later on.
No one likes a cluttered bathroom, but no one likes an under-functional one either.
4. Electrical outlets are always in the wrong place.
No matter how carefully we planned where our electrical outlets would go, they always seemed to be in the wrong place once we started living in the space. Even in our latest reno, I've realised — after all the work was done and it's too late — that the kitchen outlet is too far from the only spot a toaster will fit. Sorry kids, cereal for breakfast forever.
Sockets are one of those things that you don't fully understand until you're in the room, trying to plug something in.
My advice: Add more outlets than you think you'll need, or plan them after you know where your furniture will go.
It might sound excessive, but there's nothing worse than having to rearrange your furniture or deal with ugly extension cords because the outlets are just in the wrong spot. Extra outlets also future-proof your home, so if you ever add new appliances or gadgets, you won't be scrambling.
5. Open shelving is cute until it's not.
I fell hard for the open shelving trend during our first reno. All those home renovation shows made it seem so practical — so easy to grab anything I needed. So visually appealing — perfect for displaying all the beautiful homewares I would buy.
I watched lots of styling videos about the 'rule of three' and scoured op shops for trinkets I could display together. We had open shelves installed in the kitchen, imagining all our pretty glasses and plates perfectly arranged.
But then reality set in.
Open shelving is a dust magnet, and unless you live in a perfect home where everything is spotless all the time, it becomes a mess. Plates and cups on open shelves gather dust, and you can never just stash things away when you're in a hurry.
So the next time we mixed open shelving with closed cabinets. Now we use the few open shelves for decorative items or things we rarely use. But for everyday items, we have good old-fashioned cupboards and I love them so much. They hide the clutter, keep everything clean, and save me from the nightmare of having to wipe down dishes before we use them.
6. Renovation fatigue is real. Pace yourself.
After three homes, I can confidently say that renovation fatigue is a real thing.
Every time I'd start out with so much excitement, energy, and endless Pinterest boards. But after weeks of living in chaos, making decisions and dealing with builders and trades, I always hit a wall.
It's easy to get overwhelmed and start rushing things just to get it over with, but that's where mistakes happen — like agreeing to a black carpet in house number two. Awful and impossible to clean.
So, my advice is: Pace yourself, and give yourself permission to take breaks. Renovations are a marathon, not a sprint. It's okay to pause and come back to decisions later. And if you're feeling drained, step away for a day or two. You'll make better decisions when you're not burnt out.
Above all, keep yourself in check. We are very lucky to own a home, and have the means to renovate. Renovating should be fun, it's exciting to see your vision come to life, but the journey can be full of unexpected twists. If you're about to start on a renovation, I hope my tips save you some of the stress, time and money I've spent along the way.
After all, hindsight is 20/20, but it's even better when shared.
Explore ABC Blinds' new Vertisheer Blinds, and book a free measure and quote.
Feature Image: Supplied/Instagram/@redfernrenovation