Get It Right with Undercover Architect

Practical design choices for your living and dining spaces are explored through research-backed priorities. Four key design goals — feel, functionality, flexibility and furnishability — guide where to spend effort and budget. Common pitfalls are highlighted, including seating layout, TV dominance and lack of storage. Actionable tips cover room location, choosing furniture early and prioritising views over screens.

Let’s get down to the fundamentals. This episode introduces the "four F"s Amelia likes to consider when designing any room in your home. And in designing your home overall.  What are these four Fs? They are:   Functionality  Flexibility  Furnishability  Flow  (There’s a secret fifth F too!)  Amelia will share with you what each of these mean, and how to use them to create a home design that suits you now, and always.   She'll also outline what ‘design’ actually means. This isn’t an elite, unrealistic or unachievable design. This is the design that makes your everyday life in your home better, simpler, more convenient and more fun. Sometimes the measure of it is that it’s so good, you don’t even notice it.   This episode sets the stage with the core info you need to know before we dive into the rest of the season. As we move forward to discuss each room or space individually, you’ll have a framework to help you get it right.  This episode also begins to answer one of the most common questions Amelia receives: "How do I create a design that works? Especially when I plan on being in this home for 10 to 15 years? How do I predict what my family will need in the years to come, as well as be great for us now?" Listen to the podcast now. You’ll be on the way to getting it right in your design for your home.   FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"What makes you think you're qualified to design your own home?!"  Many of Amelia's industry colleagues will think this when a homeowner designs their own home.   Amelia can understand why homeowners do this, though. It’s your home. Your budget. Your needs. Your family. Your site. Your life. Your future. Your dreams.   Because there's so much at stake, you want to control the outcome as much as possible. At least ensure you'll get it right, and achieve the home you dream of.  At Undercover Architect, Amelia will always recommend you work with a designer to create your home design. Even though it’s not legally required in Australia, Amelia thinks when you find the right designer for you, it helps your home reach the best possible outcome.  However, if you want to design your home, or at least get a head start on it, how can you know you’re getting it right?  That’s what Season 02 of the “Get it Right” podcast is all about … to help you do just this.   Listen to the podcast now. Amelia will introduce you to this season, outline what we’ll be covering, and who should be listening to it.  FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They explore how indoor-outdoor connections make homes feel larger and more light-filled. Topics include four approaches: borrowing space with folding edges, borrowing light with skylights and windows, creating sight lines for views and safety, and cutting sight lines for privacy. The conversation focuses on practical design choices that expand feeling and function without unnecessary cost.

The conversation explores how smart storage creates physical and mental spaciousness. It highlights using stairs as storage, creating a home command station, and a kid management zone. Practical tips cover sizing, access, and flexibility so storage reduces clutter and supports daily routines.

They explore how natural and electrical light can make rooms feel larger and more inviting. Common daylighting mistakes, like glare and heat issues, are highlighted. Practical strategies for guiding the eye, revealing volumes, and keeping spaciousness after dark are discussed. Tips on easy lighting transitions and when to bring in a lighting specialist are also covered.

They unpack why spaciousness is not just bigger square footage and how volume shapes how a home feels. You hear three common volume mistakes that kill a sense of space. Practical tips cover using contrast, human scale, combining volume with light and storage, and testing three-dimensional spaces before building.

This is Episode 7 of Season 1.   In this episode, Amelia shares some of the other assets you have available that can add great value to your home. At no cost to you. It's simply about knowing what they are, and choosing them first in your design.  So much of designing for new homes or renovation is about unlocking what is possible. About understanding the potential for your home and land, and enhancing it. About realising the potential of the natural assets and enhancing what's already freely available. Bringing these natural assets to the fore so they can make your home and your land really enjoyable. Which in turn, enhances the quality of your everyday life.  So what are these natural assets for your home and land? And how can you maximise them as an asset, or minimise them if they're a drawback?  These natural assets exist in all locations … from the most rural to the most urban. And they can be optimised to enhance the quality of your home. They are:  Sunlight  Shade  Breezes  Landscape  Views  Privacy  These are all things that can and do exist naturally in a home and site. And not all designs make the most of them or do them well.   Amelia will take you through these one by one, and show you how to get it right for your home.   Listen to the podcast now to learn how to get this right and add value to your design for free. Unlock the potential of what is already available to you, your site and your home.  FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Episode 6 of Season 1.   This episode will give you some free and low cost online resources to help with designing your home for your climate, and the movement of the sun. As well as some others to get you started on your project.  Only a couple of these resources are Australia only, and most can be used globally.   These online resources and apps will help with:  Understanding more about your local climate and how to design for it  Getting specific information about the movement of the sun over your home or site  Using the 4 special days each year to provide information to make your home better  Creating floor plans of your existing home  Designing new floor plans and experimenting with your project  Seeking inspiration and ideas for your renovation or new home  Keeping track of all your ideas and information in a digital filing system  Also managing your budget and expenses for your project – even on the go  Keeping track of all of your online communication and tasks for your project   Head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/episode6-resources for more information, as well as all the links and info about the recommended resources and apps Amelia mentions.  Listen to the podcast now for some seriously helpful tools, apps and online resources to make your home great, and help with those important decisions as you design your renovation or new home.   FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Episode 5 of Season 1.   This episode is the last of our four orientations. Over the last 3 episodes, we've talked about north, east, and south sunlight and orientations.   In this episode, we’ll talk about all things WEST.  This will help you get it right if you’re seeking ways to make your home feel great, and also if you have you have a west-facing home.  So what do you need to be aware of with western sunlight?   This can be the most challenging orientation to deal with. West is the direction our sun sets in, and even in the cooler months, it can still be a harsh quality of light. Yet, there are still ways we can create homes to manage it, and respond to it.   Let’s dive deeply into:  What western sunlight is like  What’s not great about western sunlight  How we need to shade and shelter from western sunlight   You’ll understand in detail:  What rooms need to be facing west  What rooms don’t need to be facing west  5 tools you can use to protect your home from western sun  And if you have a west-facing home, you’ll learn:  What your priorities should be if you’re designing a home for a west-facing orientation  What can go wrong in designing for western sunlight  How to use the strategies to add design value for free  What else you need to know about designing for a west-facing home  There’s a lot of great information crammed into this podcast … you may want to take notes! Listen to the podcast now.  FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.