Bathroom, Kitchen & Laundry Reno with Anja K
Renovating a home can feel like jumping into a pool's deep end, especially when tackling multiple spaces at once. But what happens when you mix design know-how with a splash of DIY spirit? Magic.
Anja is an interior designer and architect, bringing her professional experience to her personal kitchen, laundry, and bathroom renovations. The stark difference between the before and after shows the talent Anja has offered to this renovation. Anja and her fiancé Harry purchased the house as an investment property, knowing it had potential and would eventually flip it into their first home.
In just five months, they completed a thorough remodel, changing the existing space from an outdated home into a modern, inviting, and refreshing one. Anja invites us into their home to discover the beautiful renovation, share tips and tricks on the renovation process, and, of course, to see how she incorporated TileCloud’s selection into her space with tile renovation ideas.
From Dream to Reality: The Planning Process
Kitchen, bathroom and laundry renovations might seem daunting at first glance, but having a solid plan makes all the difference. Anja's background in interior architectural design gave her a head start, allowing her to create her own design documentation and truly bring the vision to life.
"We wanted our home to feel like a calm oasis," Anja explains. This inspired their "Modern Australiana" style, pulling in elements and colours that nod to country living while keeping things fresh and functional.
Are you looking for more ways to make your own space feel bigger and brighter? This modern-meets-traditional renovation shows how thoughtful design can completely change how a room feels.
Tile Choices That Tie Everything Together
When it came to the kitchen renovations, Anja and Harry wanted a look that would flow beautifully throughout their home. To create a cohesive feel through all spaces, they chose the Brunswick Kit Kat Matte White Tile for their kitchen, laundry, and main bathroom. They went with the Byron Travertine Ivory Matte Tile for flooring, which adds warmth and texture to balance the crisp white walls.
The standout feature? A beautiful tiling pattern in their ensuite and main bathroom using the Newport Gloss Subway Bone Tile. "The colour just worked so perfectly with the country style theme we wanted," Anja shares.
DIY vs. Professional Help: Finding the Balance
One of Anja and Harry's smartest moves was figuring out what they could tackle themselves. They handled the demolition work and installed floating floorboards, doors, skirting, and architraves, saving thousands in the process. For the technical stuff, they brought in the pros: electricians, a builder for framing and waterproofing, a plumber, and a joiner.
"If you're on a tight budget demolish areas that aren't structural yourself," Anja advises. This hands-on approach saved money and made the whole experience more rewarding. Want even more realistic renovation advice? Take a look at these common renovation myths that need busting before you start your project.
Both Anja and Harry work full time, so they moved in with their parents while the renovations were underway to allow for a faster timeline. This allowed the tradesmen to get to work without disruption. The couple spent most weekends and weekdays after work at the property.
Lessons from an Interior Designer's First Home Renovation
The journey wasn't without its challenges. "We went into the renovation with the mindset of expecting something to go wrong," Anja admits. That realistic outlook helped them stay calm when they discovered they needed to cut through their concrete slab to rework kitchen drainage, an unexpected and costly surprise.
Their solution? A contingency fund and calling in favours from handy family members. Having that buffer meant they could adapt without derailing the whole project.
For more renovation inspiration from real homeowners, check out Jess Rae King's beautiful renovation story for ideas that might work in your own space.
The Tile Cloud Experience
Anja and Harry came into the TileCloud showroom to pick their tile selection. Anja expressed her favourite parts of the TileCloud Experience: “We were so thankful for TileCloud's black friday sale! We really made the most of ordering all of our tiles during this period, and it allowed us to save a lot of money. We chose Tilecloud for the variety in tiles, textures and colours, they offer a lot more modern options that allow you to work with different styles of a home and explore creativity, which is what we were able to do with our bathrooms!”
Ready to Start Your Own Renovation?
Planning your own home makeover? Anja's top tip is simple: "Renovating doesn't have to be a stressful period. Allow yourself as much time as you can to plan, plan, plan and make any changes before you start."
If you're feeling overwhelmed by tile choices for your home renovation projects in Australia, book a design appointment with Tile Cloud's team. They helped Anja bring her vision to life, and they can do the same for you.
Tayla is a Brisbane-based freelance writer with a background in fashion design, a passion for sustainability and a knack for storytelling. As the host of one of Brisbane's Best Airbnb's ( Thanks Urban List), Tayla has a passion and talent for interior design and home improvement. This is something she picked up studying for a bachelor of fashion design at ESMOD in Paris, the world's first fashion school. A digital nomad — she can be found occasionally working from far-away surf camps with sunglasses on to combat the sun on her screen. When at home in leafy green Paddington, she's a table-setting aficionado and has one too many books on her bedside table.