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  • VISIT THE OLD BLOG
  • Home Envy
  • Before & After
  • Our House
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  • About Me
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  • Advice

    How to Choose the Perfect Cabinet Handles and Hardware (and a Giveaway!)

    July 12, 2021July 13, 2021

    This post was sponsored by Manovella. Thanks for supporting my blog’s wonderful sponsors. There are so many decisions to be made when you are renovating an older home or building a new house – if you’ve ever felt a little conflicted or stuck, you won’t be alone! Choosing colours, materials and things for your home

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  • Happier Home

    How We Made Our Old House Warmer

    July 4, 2021August 1, 2021

    Who’s feeling the cold right now? Yes, I know the whole running joke about people in winter in Perth, where it gets to 16 degrees (60 Fahrenheit for those of you overseas) and people start squawking and moaning that they’re freezing to death. To give people overseas an idea, it never snows in Western Australia.

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  • Gardens

    How To Grow a Lush Garden from Cuttings – for Free

    May 30, 2021June 7, 2021

    There is nothing that chills my husband to the bone more than me than the sound of me screeching, “STOP THE CAR. I SEE PLANTS.” I have gotten so, so many plants for our yard – for free – by finding them on the side of the road, in the wonderful scheme that is green

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  • Advice

    How Non-Profits Can Engage Bloggers, Influencers and Journalists

    May 27, 2021July 4, 2021

    Recently one of my old editors, Alecia Hancock, asked me if I would be happy to give a talk for her annual digital marketing summit Change the World. She started this event under her organisation Hancock Creative five years ago. It’s basically a free, full day virtual summit aimed at giving tips on social media

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  • Advice

    8 Expert Tips to Film a Great Home Tour Video

    May 1, 2021June 11, 2021

    This post was sponsored by Ted’s Camera Stores. Thank you for supporting my blog’s wonderful sponsors. Wow, Perth – what a crazy time to sell a house! The real estate market in WA – well really, the real estate market in most of Australia – is going nuts at the moment. In some parts, homes

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  • DIY

    How to Stencil Paint an Old Concrete or Tiled Floor

    February 25, 2021May 3, 2021

    Sometimes I think of a renovating or DIY project and then I become weirdly obsessed with the idea until I get to carry it out. And something I’ve always wanted to try is stencil painting an old concrete or tile floor. I always thought that stenciling looked like fun. (My idea of fun might be

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  • Gardens

    You’ll Love this Cute Indoor Plant Shop

    January 15, 2021July 4, 2021

    Perth plant fans, there is an indoor plant paradise right here in suburbia called Novos Home Nursery, and it is amazing. Can you believe this place is someone’s backyard – and you can go there to buy plants? Novo’s Home Nursery in Leeming is run by a lovely family that have turned their backyard into

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  • Happier Home

    How to Work From Home With Little Kids

    April 2, 2020June 5, 2020

    Wow – how things have changed lately. Without going on too much about all the negative things about COVID-19 – I know we all know it by now! – what it means for a lot of people is that we are working from home… and many of us with children home too. For me, having

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  • Happier Home

    Make Your Home Beautiful with Bambury (and WIN a $500 Gift Voucher!)

    December 15, 2019February 7, 2020

    If you are after one of the quickest, most affordable and also easiest ways to freshen up a bedroom or living space, I always think new cushions are a fail-proof way to go. Nothing brightens and lifts a space quite as easily! Add in a fresh new plant and you’ve treated your room or outdoor

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  • Happier Home

    Spring Cleaning Tips with Max Kater – and WIN an Epic Murchison-Hume Prize Pack!

    October 6, 2019December 15, 2019

    If you’re like most people, the very mention of the words “spring cleaning” makes you want to dive under the covers and hope for six more weeks of winter. Decluttering, doing a deep clean of your whole house, knocking off all those cobwebs to get your outdoor area ready for the warmer weather… we all

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  • Advice

    How to Update Dated Lighting in an Older Home

    March 3, 2019March 21, 2019

    The right lights can have a major effect on a room or an interior. In fact there are few things that can date a home more quickly than old, daggy lighting. Hello boob lights and oyster lights! No matter how curated and stylish your décor, or how modern your renovation, if you still have an

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  • Happier Home

    What I’d Buy on Facebook Marketplace Today (If I Wasn’t Broke)

    February 2, 2019December 16, 2019

    I was a teenager the first time someone told me I had an addictive personality, and I didn’t know what it meant. “Oh!” I said brightly. “Meaning people find me addictive?” I was picturing myself as this alluring, magnetic creature. “NO,” they shot back rudely. “It just means that you get addicted to things very

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  • Happier Home

    How a Freezer Club Can Make You More Organised (and a Giveaway!)

    May 31, 2018July 22, 2019

    My freezer club started with a jar of homemade tomato sauce left on my doorstep. A friend of mine had messaged the girls group chat and said she’d just made a huge vat of veggie-filled passata but had way too much – would anyone else like some? Four of us said yes please. I added

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  • Nerd Life

    Renovating our House: What I’ve Learned and My Advice for Renovators

    November 20, 2017May 25, 2021

    “If we ever renovate again, I would…” “Our next house, we should do this…” These are words Mr Nerd and I have uttered to each other many a time as we’ve been ankle-deep in renovation rubble here. I am still FAR from a renovating pro, but we’ve learned a lot of things through trial and

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  • Advice

    How to Choose the Right White Paint for Your Home

    November 3, 2017November 3, 2017

    One of the most common problems I think people have when renovating and decorating their homes is choosing the right white paint. We love our white walls in Australia, and for good reason – white walls are versatile, they feel fresh, light and airy, they work with all kinds of décor and they can make

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  • Advice

    How to Choose Great Lighting for Your Home: Tips to Give You Confidence

    November 2, 2017November 10, 2017

    Choosing lighting for our home is one thing I used to put in the ‘too hard so I don’t want to think about’ basket. It meant I would walk into a lighting store, become completely overwhelmed, argue with my husband, and then we’d just be so overwhelmed and undecided we’d walk right out again without

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  • Advice

    How to Clad Over a Double Brick House

    October 21, 2017February 23, 2020

    Since we have started our project to rejuvenate the exterior of our house using Scyon Walls™cladding, I have been blown away by the number of people interested in these products and asking me questions about it. I’m not blown away because I’m surprised – I think the products are fantastic – but blown away by

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  • Advice

    All the Advantages of Small Block Living

    October 17, 2017January 28, 2018

    Land, land, land – and big blocks of land at that. In WA I feel like we’ve always been obsessed with land size. And for decades I think we’ve been subconsciously schooled in the traditional way of thinking, which is to believe that you should seek a bigger block of land whenever you can. But

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  • Advice

    Hidden Housemates: One Important Thing First Home Owners Rarely Think About

    September 22, 2017October 3, 2017

    This post was brought to you by Nuffnang and Termidor. All writing is mine and all views expressed are my own. Buying your first house is such an exciting time, especially if you have always rented. All of a sudden here is this house you can theoretically do anything to that you want – paint,

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  • craft-room-makeover-home-studio

    Advice

    How to Make Any House Feel Like Home

    August 24, 2017August 24, 2017

    When you were growing up, you probably dreamt of the day you’d have your own place. I was way too dorky to get invited to house parties and do normal teenager things like hook up with boys, so daydreaming about my future house was pretty much my hobby. One of my first (and quite possibly

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  • ikea-kitchen-renovation-lidingo

    Advice

    Thinking of Doing an IKEA Kitchen? My Pros and Cons List

    August 24, 2017February 25, 2020

    A while ago I wrote about how we gave our old 1970s kitchen an IKEA kitchen renovation, completing it (kind of!) just in time for our baby’s arrival. (These pics above were taken by the lovely Alanna of Earthbound Images when he was nearly four months). I also shared our IKEA kitchen renovation diary. Since then I’ve had a

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  • Advice

    Want to Sell Your Home Fast? Style It

    July 18, 2017July 27, 2021

    Have you ever been house hunting and seen a listing with real estate photography so bad, it’s turned you off from even visiting a house? Or have you ever visited a home for sale you’ve been eyeing off only to be disgusted the moment you step foot inside? I have, while we were house hunting.

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  • Happier Home

    How to Minimise External Noise Coming Into Your Home

    December 16, 2016February 23, 2020

    Hi House Nerd, I live in an old home in Fremantle that I am renovating and would love some tips on how to reduce road noise in my house. Being close to the street and constructed of weatherboard I hear every car that passes and it is getting quite frustrating especially when trying to sleep.

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  • Happier Home

    A Mother of Three’s Completely Edible Suburban Garden

    March 8, 2015February 25, 2020

    Can you be self-sufficient from the average-sized suburban garden? I don’t know, but the owner of this one is definitely trying – and she has such an awesome garden that I think half of you will be itching to plant sweet potatoes or peaches this weekend. I was introduced to home owner Kate Reading by

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  • Happier Home

    10 Tips for Styling a Home on a Budget

    October 6, 2013May 15, 2021

    When it comes to creating a beautiful and comfortable home, you really don’t need a ton of spare cash. No, really! I’m often awed by people who pull off a gorgeous home given only a tight budget. Of all the designers and decorators I know, one of those who is very, very good at styling

    Continue Reading
  • Advice

    Renovating a Rental… As A Tenant

    August 14, 2013May 15, 2021

    “Dear Nelly and Sam, I just wanted to say thank you for being such wonderful tenants, looking after the house so well and particularly for all the improvements you made. The bathroom looks particularly wonderful. I love the photos on the blog site… from that I got the impression you enjoyed living there as much

    Continue Reading
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    housenerd

    We got a new sofa bed and I have to share how impr We got a new sofa bed and I have to share how impressed we are with it! 🤩 With family and guests coming to stay in the summer, and no guest bedroom, we decided to finally buy a sofa bed for my study. After careful measuring to work out what we could actually fit (there's a big archway on the left and a built-in cupboard to contend with) we bought the double sized Cushy Sofa bed from @koala. The slim arms meant it would fit and the promised delivery time meant it should arrive a couple of days before our Christmas guests. 
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Woaah - modern sofa beds have come a long way from the thin, squeaky contraptions of our youth! 😍 It's comfy as a sofa, and as a bed. The mattress is very firm/supportive and while I personally like a softer bed, our guests all said it was a comfortable sleep 😴 The design is so clever - it folds out easily into a bed in seconds (swipe to see video) and no need to store extra pillows if storage is tight - you can use the four pillows it comes with 🛌 
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They must have been doing a pre-Christmas special - we ordered it on a Thursday night and had guaranteed delivery for arrival on Monday. Which it did 😆 I know in an era of COVID delays and long shipping turnarounds that these things do not always happen, so I think it's worth shouting out when it all goes right! 🎉 Koala's customer service was also really good. The only issue is Luka seems to think we got it so she can have her own room 😐
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Now I just have two questions for you, as I'm stuck! Does the fabric colour go with the existing green of my built-in? One day I'd LOVE to wall in this study with a cavity slider - but it's a way off. I've always wanted a cosy all-green study - could I paint all the walls in here, or would that look weird being part of an open-plan space? Your thoughts.... I need them 🙏🏽
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#housenerd #housenerdhome #sofabed #smallhouse #70shouse #smallhomesolutions #smallhomes #perthhomes #cushysofabed #guestbedroom #guestbed #houseblog #australianblog #perthblog #notsponsoredjustgood #study #wfhspace
    Hope you all had a beautiful Christmas! It was Lu Hope you all had a beautiful  Christmas! It was Luka's first one with us and she was wonderful, except when she decided to put her long legs to use by trying to snatch the baked ham off the table 😳 Thieving aside, we do love her - she is so good with the kids. Such a happy dummy and loves to make everyone laugh; it's like having our own personal clown.

Also thank you for all your very kind words on my previous post. I was blown away 🥹 I read every single one and haven't even managed to reply to all yet but I just wanted to say I appreciated the kindness in every single one ❤️ you are the best tribe! 😊
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#christmastree #christmas2022 #merrychristmas #housenerd #housenerdhome #christmastree #balsamhill #aussieshepherd
    Recently, we said goodbye to our beautiful Nala 💔 Our soul dog for sure.
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Nala loved people fiercely. Even non-dog people and those scared of big dogs would come round after meeting Nala. She gave forceful hugs, where she would press her head against your heart and croon to you while giving you love eyes 😍 If she met you once and liked you, you were locked into her memory forever. You could go years without seeing her, but when she saw you again she would remember you and that you were friends and where have you been?! She talked a lot.
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Nala loved a party, especially birthdays (because cake + singing + showing off her tricks) 🎉🥳 She liked nothing more than being the centre of attention. She slept every night on our bed, insisting on having her head on the pillow, tucked in and spooned by Mr Nerd under the doona in winter; the hairy third person in our marriage. 
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Nala loved the beach, eating and high fives. I've never known a dog who loved the camera so much; she took great pride in her modelling. She never cared much for children, becoming martyr-like as she put up with them invading our home 😆 Since puppyhood, she always had a great disdain for other dogs, except for her sweet bestie Molly. She drove us crazy barking when you opened the washing machine. She got huffy when you tried to shove her because she was taking up all the space on the bed. But somehow Nala was always perfectly imperfect in her obstinacy and rudeness and fierce intensity. 
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We are sad, and the house feels so empty. I know we're lucky to have had her for 13 years, but man she left a big hole. She grew up with us as we became adults; and everyone we knew adored this weird crazy dog. I will be eternally grateful that she passed peacefully and painlessly with us both there, snuggled in our arms at home, being reminded of how cool she is 😎💛
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#nala #souldog #rainbowbridge #housenerdhome #petdeath
    I got Mr Nerd (and his friend 🥸🐛😶) to com I got Mr Nerd (and his friend 🥸🐛😶) to come with me to an industry event last night. All I had to say was, "it's a pasta making workshop" and he was there 🍝🥂 A beautifully styled and very creative night hosted by family-run @myareeceramics to get together, eat good food, make some dubious cavatelli (harder than it looks okay) and get a peek of MC's Collections 2023, showcasing the latest tile trends from the recent Cersaie exhibition in Italy. Loved the food and pasta class from @miscusifood, blooms from @be_botanics and the stunning tablescapes with tiles, so you could pick up and touch them all - I liked the Mar and Terracreta ranges in particular 💙 Definitely adding to that itch to renovate again.
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#myareeceramics #housenerd #tilesperth #perthevents #buildingperth #cersaie #perthsmallbusiness #featuretile #perthblog #perthblogger #stmperth #perthmedia #journalist #columnist #homeideas #tiles2023 #tiletrends #perthstores #perthtiles #designperth
    So excited to give our old table a makeover! ✨ I So excited to give our old table a makeover! ✨ I've had this dining table for 12 years! 😅 It was the first big, new, expensive thing I bought for my house in my 20s, from @east_west_design (and I ate Mi Goreng noodles for three months because of it haha). Since then, this table has seen all our board game parties, birthday cakes, jigsaw puzzles, art clubs, Christmas lunches, Cluedo nights and long late night games of Stratego with cups of tea. But the dark reddish mahogany colour had never really been to our taste, even back then.

It's still a really solid, well-made table - so finally, I spent a Saturday giving it a facelift 🤩 I used our plug-in random orbital sander for the tabletop, and for the little crevices I used a detail sander from BLACK+DECKER's new reviva™ Power Tools range - which are made from recycled plastic bottles! ♻️ Packaged in fully recyclable cardboard boxes, this @blackanddeckerau range will repurpose more than 10 million single-use plastic bottles, diverting them from landfill. The 12V Cordless Detail Sander is made from 11 bottles alone! 🌱😮 Ideal for small DIYs, it is perfect for little details on projects, like the leg joins on this table. To seal, I used @britishpaints clear, water-based satin Timber Protect, with a cheeky drop of Feast Watson Prooftint in Baltic Pine added for some depth and warmth 💛😁 Now the table looks so much better and lighter in our house 😊

Now I just have to sand back the six chairs... and yep, I know they're totally circa-2009, but they are THE comfiest dining chairs, come over, sit your bum down and I'll prove it 😆💛 I know I'm showing you how nerdy I really am, but sometimes I'll stick with comfort over trends 🤓
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#ad #brandedcontent #blackanddecker #housenerd #housenerdhome #sustainable #reuse #revivapowertools #reviva #environmentallyfriendly #rejuvenate #ecoproject #perthblog #houseblog #reducereuse #DIYblogger #weekendproject #DIYproject #nerdalert
    [AD] I’m certainly not the first person on Insta [AD] I’m certainly not the first person on Insta to talk about a boxed mattress… but I like to think I know a little, because we have now tried out FIVE different types! 😆 And hands-down the brand that me and hubby, Miss Nerd, and 49 beanie babies agree is the best value and quality is @emma.mattress.au 🏆 We have had their award-winning Emma Comfort in Miss Nerd’s room coming up to a year now, and it still feels as good as the day we unboxed it 🥰⭐ There is a reason the Emma Comfort was voted the #1 recommended mattress by CHOICE two years in a row. Made in Germany, these pressure-relieving foam mattresses are perfect for busy kids; firm and supportive, but still feel soft and cosy ☁️ If you prefer a hybrid mattress, the Emma Diamond might be a better choice – it is foam and spring, designed especially for people with back problems. We also use Emma Foam pillows, and it is the best pillow I have owned ⭐😴
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Emma's price points are excellent – especially when they have their sales and you can knock a few hundred off! Check out the @emma.mattress.au sale at the link in my Stories - everything is currently up to 50% off, and you can use my discount code HOUSENERD to knock off a further 5% 😊⭐🤩
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#ad #brandedcontent #emmasleep #housenerd #AwakenYourBest #emmamattress #emmacomfort #boxedmattresses #kidsroom #toddlerroom #kidsbeds #kidsspace #girlsroom #perthhouses #emmamattressau
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