WHERE TO START WHEN YOU'RE RENOVATING YOUR HOUSE
WHERE TO START WHEN YOU'RE RENOVATING YOUR HOUSE
WHERE TO START WHEN YOU'RE RENOVATING YOUR HOUSE
Kim Johnson
Rae Wolf founder & Interior Designer
2 min read
Oct 23, 2025
|
2 min read
Oct 23, 2025
|
Planning a renovation? Discover where to start, how to budget smartly, and simple design tricks that add wow factor without extra cost.
Homes aren’t just backdrops anymore – they’re expected to be adaptable. One room might be a workspace by day, a family hub in the evening, and a sanctuary at night. That constant demand is exactly why so many people are rethinking layouts and renovating for the long term. For many, the first thought is “let’s just build an extension.” But before you commit to bricks and mortar, it’s worth asking: do you actually need more space – or do you just need your space to work harder?
I’ve been helping families renovate for over ten years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: spending money smartly is my jam.
Here are my tried-and-tested ways to start your renovation with clarity, confidence, and maximum impact.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Really Need
It’s easy to get carried away with square metres, especially since you can (currently) extend up to 6 metres deep and under 3 metres high without planning. But here’s the thing: do you actually need that much room?
I often start with several quick sketches to explore how a family will actually live in a new space. Sometimes shaving a metre or two off an extension frees up budget to be spent elsewhere– like a better kitchen, storage, or those small design touches that make all the difference.
Step 2: Balance Your Budget (and Your Wishlist)
You’ve got the cash and the Pinterest board full of inspiration – but can you actually afford it all?
As part of my detail packages, I curate a schedule that includes not just the big-ticket items, but also the smaller details that give a home its soul. It’s no good spending your entire budget on a statement kitchen island if the living space beside it feels unfinished after months of chaos. Smart money is about balance.
Step 3: Question the Floor Plan
Architects are brilliant at structure, but they often drop in “standard” fixtures without considering lifestyle. Example: an ensuite. The default might be a freestanding toilet, sink, and a small shower – dictating where walls go.
But what if moving a wall by just 300mm gave you space for a double sink and a walk-in shower, without compromising your bedroom? That’s the kind of detail that elevates a renovation from “functional” to fantastic.
Step 4: Know Where to Invest (and Where to Pare Back)
After more than a decade in the industry, I’ve seen it all: hidden costs, clever swaps, and decisions that make or break a project.
Some examples:
Heating: underfloor vs radiators.
Kitchens: flexible islands vs fixed ones, and the real difference between IKEA and Wren.
Materials: where luxury is worth the spend, and where it’s not.
Spending money smartly means knowing the trade-offs – and choosing with intention.
Step 5: Don’t Forget the Wow Factor
Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that create the biggest impact. Ask yourself:
What are the sightlines? Can you make them interesting – or even a little sexy?
Can you play with symmetry vs asymmetry?
Could you layer woods, marble, laminates, and metals to create contrast?
Often, wow factor doesn’t cost more – it just requires fresh thinking.
Quick Wins While You Wait
Renovations can take time, but there are ways to make your current space work better right now. The more you set these systems up, the less managing you’ll need to do later:
Design for imperfection. Use baskets or shelves for toys and blankets, and place them on a rug so the “mess” looks intentional and contained.
Add flowers. A pop of colour and a fresh scent can completely shift the mood of a room.
Shuffle furniture. Move side tables, lamps, or armchairs around– you’d be surprised how refreshed a room feels.
Paint! The cheapest game-changer in design. Lighter, darker, warmer, cooler – paint transforms everything.
Renovating your house isn’t just about adding more space – it’s about making the space you have work harder. By clarifying your needs, balancing your budget, questioning your floor plan, and spending smartly, you’ll not only create a home that looks beautiful – you’ll create one that feels effortless to live in.
Planning a renovation? Discover where to start, how to budget smartly, and simple design tricks that add wow factor without extra cost.
Homes aren’t just backdrops anymore – they’re expected to be adaptable. One room might be a workspace by day, a family hub in the evening, and a sanctuary at night. That constant demand is exactly why so many people are rethinking layouts and renovating for the long term. For many, the first thought is “let’s just build an extension.” But before you commit to bricks and mortar, it’s worth asking: do you actually need more space – or do you just need your space to work harder?
I’ve been helping families renovate for over ten years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: spending money smartly is my jam.
Here are my tried-and-tested ways to start your renovation with clarity, confidence, and maximum impact.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Really Need
It’s easy to get carried away with square metres, especially since you can (currently) extend up to 6 metres deep and under 3 metres high without planning. But here’s the thing: do you actually need that much room?
I often start with several quick sketches to explore how a family will actually live in a new space. Sometimes shaving a metre or two off an extension frees up budget to be spent elsewhere– like a better kitchen, storage, or those small design touches that make all the difference.
Step 2: Balance Your Budget (and Your Wishlist)
You’ve got the cash and the Pinterest board full of inspiration – but can you actually afford it all?
As part of my detail packages, I curate a schedule that includes not just the big-ticket items, but also the smaller details that give a home its soul. It’s no good spending your entire budget on a statement kitchen island if the living space beside it feels unfinished after months of chaos. Smart money is about balance.
Step 3: Question the Floor Plan
Architects are brilliant at structure, but they often drop in “standard” fixtures without considering lifestyle. Example: an ensuite. The default might be a freestanding toilet, sink, and a small shower – dictating where walls go.
But what if moving a wall by just 300mm gave you space for a double sink and a walk-in shower, without compromising your bedroom? That’s the kind of detail that elevates a renovation from “functional” to fantastic.
Step 4: Know Where to Invest (and Where to Pare Back)
After more than a decade in the industry, I’ve seen it all: hidden costs, clever swaps, and decisions that make or break a project.
Some examples:
Heating: underfloor vs radiators.
Kitchens: flexible islands vs fixed ones, and the real difference between IKEA and Wren.
Materials: where luxury is worth the spend, and where it’s not.
Spending money smartly means knowing the trade-offs – and choosing with intention.
Step 5: Don’t Forget the Wow Factor
Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that create the biggest impact. Ask yourself:
What are the sightlines? Can you make them interesting – or even a little sexy?
Can you play with symmetry vs asymmetry?
Could you layer woods, marble, laminates, and metals to create contrast?
Often, wow factor doesn’t cost more – it just requires fresh thinking.
Quick Wins While You Wait
Renovations can take time, but there are ways to make your current space work better right now. The more you set these systems up, the less managing you’ll need to do later:
Design for imperfection. Use baskets or shelves for toys and blankets, and place them on a rug so the “mess” looks intentional and contained.
Add flowers. A pop of colour and a fresh scent can completely shift the mood of a room.
Shuffle furniture. Move side tables, lamps, or armchairs around– you’d be surprised how refreshed a room feels.
Paint! The cheapest game-changer in design. Lighter, darker, warmer, cooler – paint transforms everything.
Renovating your house isn’t just about adding more space – it’s about making the space you have work harder. By clarifying your needs, balancing your budget, questioning your floor plan, and spending smartly, you’ll not only create a home that looks beautiful – you’ll create one that feels effortless to live in.
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The 7 principles of Interior Design
In this post, I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of Interior Design
In this post, I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of Interior Design
In this post, I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of Interior Design
In this post, I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of Interior Design
In this post, I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of Interior Design
In this post, I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of Interior Design
In this post, I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of interior design.
I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
The 7 principles of interior design.
I’ll walk you through the seven core principles of interior design: function and flow, balance, walls and art, flooring, furniture, materials, and authenticity.
Our guide to space planning
Space planning isn’t just about furniture layouts – it’s about designing a home that functions for the way you live.
Where to start when you're renovating your house
So, you’re drowning in stuff and dreaming of more space– you are not the only one.
RAE WOLF: INTERIORS THAT FEEL
LIKE YOU, ONLY BETTER.
RAE WOLF: INTERIORS THAT FEEL LIKE YOU, ONLY BETTER.
RAE WOLF: INTERIORS THAT FEEL LIKE YOU, ONLY BETTER.
Interior designer, problem-solver, colour enthusiast. Kim founded Rae Wolf to help people create homes that don’t follow trends – they follow instinct.
