Adding your own style

Looking to update or renovate your home? Here are four ways to make sure it still feels like you.

Renovating an existing property is a great way to create your dream home exactly where you want to live. If you have lived in a house for some time, you will probably feel a connection to the local community. A well-planned renovation (or even a few tweaks here and there) will allow you to stay in a neighbourhood you love; while still making it work for the way you live.

There are many reasons that homeowners decide to renovate, but generally it’s because the existing floor plan doesn’t suit your family. This could be because your family’s needs have changed (growing children, multi-generational living), or perhaps the home simply needs a refresh.

A renovation is also the perfect opportunity to add your own style to your home. Whether you are modernising a kitchen or bathroom, adding on extra living spaces or more bedrooms, renovation can add lots of value to your biggest asset – and make it better reflect your taste.

Many houses have ‘good bones’ inside, but need a newer, more modern aesthetic outside, which is why CSR products are the perfect products to help you update your home.

Cladding your home can turn a 1960s suburban shack into a stylish Contemporary dwelling, or Barnhouse beauty. It can even update a tired-old mid-century brick bungalow into a Modernist masterpiece.

This is because quality cladding is a great way of connecting the old and the new, and also gives you the opportunity to refresh a façade by adding street appeal, or even just adding character to a bland exterior.

How can homeowners figure out what style suits them best?

Starting with the CSR Style Guide can help you articulate your personal style and understand what materials resonate with you. You can follow this by using iDesign by CSR, our visualiser tool, to explore home designs and material colour palettes.

Once you have established which style resonates best with you, you can look at how you can layer a ‘style takeover’ over your renovation and weave elements of your preferred style into the new build (rather than starting from scratch).

Needing help and inspiration?

Try these four tips to help create your own style with your renovation:

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Tip 1: Connect the exterior with the interior

Australians love a connection between inside and out, allowing us to enjoy our amazing climate and relaxed entertaining style. Consider bringing some of the exterior cladding materials indoors. A cladding product is an ideal way to connect two areas of the home, either in the same colours, or in contrasting shades for impact.

Cladding is the perfect complement for a Barnhouse or Coastal style of home and works well indoors. It can extend from a living space into an outdoor entertaining area for a cohesive appearance and solution.

It’s not just about aesthetics; cladding options offer a mix of durability, sustainability, and versatility. Cladding can transform the look of a home, providing a sleek, contemporary finish. Homeowners and designers are increasingly using cladding to make bold statements, blending natural textures with innovative designs to create exteriors that are as striking as they are functional. Look out for Cemintel and Hebel cladding options as part of the CSR portfolio of design options.

For brick homes, it’s worth considering using brick indoors – either as a feature wall or fireplace. A Contemporary style of home might suit slim-profile bricks, while a rustic style of brick can pair well with an Industrial aesthetic.

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Tip 2: Use colour to unite different materials

Cohesion is important with any renovation, so that the newer parts of the house sit comfortably with the existing building. One way to do this is to maintain the same colour palette throughout, even if the materials and textures vary.

Mixed material facades are popular for a textured and diverse appearance. When considering a mixture of materials, whether as a renovation, or a new build, choosing the right colour palette is key.

Look to the CSR Style Guide, which includes six home designs and nine material colour palettes to choose from and to inspire you. You might like to select a Bold Black colour palette throughout for a dark and dramatic look, or look or opt for a muted neutral palette of off-whites and soft greys such as Easy Neutrals or Fresh Greys for a more classic approach.

Don’t forget about the details, either. Match your fascia and guttering to your roof colour – a rich dark shade can frame a home beautifully, while a crisp white or creamy shade can freshen up a tired exterior.

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Tip 3: Texture is key

When updating older parts of a house, consider adding textural layers on the wall for an instant makeover. Smoothly rendered Hebel can provide an understated and contemporary base as a contrast to the timber-look appearance of some Cemintel products. Layer PGH Stone on feature elements such as a front door surround for added character.

It’s important to realise that street appeal goes beyond your building façade materials, and adding texture is the ideal way to create a great first impression. Frame your exterior to complement your chosen house design by using the same building materials in landscaping elements, such as the front fence, pathway and porch.

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Tip 4: Don’t forget comfort

Well-chosen acoustic and thermal solutions can make a difference to everyday living – and help reduce the sound created by the patter of tiny feet (or the latest Marvel movie showing in the media room).

You can’t go past Bradford Insulation when it comes to choosing market-leading products, while Hebel PowerFloor is an excellent flooring solution for second-storeys where its insulation and acoustic benefits really shine.

Acoustic solutions such as Soundscreen Acoustic insulation and strategically placed materials are perfect for a family home, reducing noise transmission between rooms and from outside. These solutions are also more affordable when installed as part of a new build, rather than being retrofitted.

Thermal solutions, including high-quality insulation, double-glazed windows, and energy-efficient walling systems, play a key role in maintaining a stable indoor temperature, reducing the need for excessive heating or cooling. These solutions not only contribute to a more comfortable home but also help to make your home more sustainable, minimising energy costs and making them a smart choice for modern homeowners.

A renovation is a great time to upgrade your insulation – both wall and roof and add in ventilation, if needed.

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Interested in learning more?

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