Plush Design Interiors

Plush Design Interiors Penelope Herbert is the interior designer you call when you’re done apologising for your house and ready to give it a pulse.

Intentional, bold, and anti-blah interior architecture and design that ignores trends and creates the most beautiful and unique spaces for YOU and your lifestyle. I’m Penelope Herbert, the Adelaide Hills interior + renovation designer waging war on boring homes and beige thinking. I run Plush Design Interiors, where we design gutsy, personality-soaked spaces for home lovers who are finally ready t

o stop playing safe. I’m the creator of The No‑Vanilla Design Manifesto, a rebellious mindset shift that ditches cookie‑cutter trends in favour of bold, intentional interiors that actually feel alive. Think couture-level detail meets real‑life renovation practicality: custom joinery, smart planning, fearless finishes, and renovation documentation so tight your builder can’t mess it up. If you want a home that looks like everyone else’s, I’m not your girl—but if you’re ready to design with guts, soul, and a hell of a lot of confidence, we’ll get on just fine.

Can You Renovate a Bathroom Without Moving Plumbing? (And When You Absolutely Should)The cost-saving myth that could qui...
29/05/2026

Can You Renovate a Bathroom Without Moving Plumbing? (And When You Absolutely Should)

The cost-saving myth that could quietly ruin your bathroom - and how to get it right the first time. Ah yes - the great Australian renovation reflex: “Don’t move the plumbing, it’s too expensive.”

And look… sometimes that’s true.

But sometimes? It’s the design equivalent of keeping a bad haircut because the scissors were pricey.

There are two types of bathroom renovations:

Ones designed with intention… and ones held hostage by existing plumbing.

And somehow, far too many people are out here spending $40K designing around a pipe like it’s a sacred artefact.

Let me be clear—your bathroom layout shouldn’t be dictated by a decision made 20 years ago by someone who thought one downlight was “plenty.” READ the full article on my BLOG.

https://www.plushdesigninteriors.com.au/blog/template-can-you-renovate-a-bathroom-without-moving-the-plumbing

Okay, consider this your renovation intervention.Before you call a builder. Before you get quotes. Before you do anythin...
28/05/2026

Okay, consider this your renovation intervention.
Before you call a builder. Before you get quotes. Before you do anything — read this post. https://www.plushdesigninteriors.com.au/blog/renovation-mistakes-australia-top-10-fixes
I've pulled together the 10 most common renovation mistakes Australian homeowners make (all confirmed by a rather traumatic Reddit thread), ranked them, and — crucially — documented the actual fixes. Not vague advice like "communicate clearly with your tradie." Real, actionable, protect-yourself-before-you-sign-anything advice.
Things like: why "builders range" in a quote should give you pause. What PC and PS items actually mean and why they can blow your budget without anyone technically lying to you. And why the cheapest quote is almost never the cheapest renovation.
Bookmark this one. Share it with anyone who has a renovation on the horizon. It might save them a lot of money and a lot of stress. https://www.plushdesigninteriors.com.au/blog/renovation-mistakes-australia-top-10-fixes

23/05/2026

Our clients didn't use this second living/dining space because they didn't know how to make it work. We redesigned it with custom furniture and custom cushions, wallpaper, window treatments, and lighting.

A cosy space for two beside the wood heater included swivel chairs for easily joining the separate conversation zone.

Now they LOVE it, use it, and can't imagine why they waited so long to engage an interior designer to help them live better.

Given their love of colour, we are excited to now be redesigning their kitchen, laundry, and guest bathroom. Stay tuned for THAT reveal 😄✨️💕

22/05/2026
22/05/2026

It's two years in for our most challenging project - how do you create a 19th century home from a 21st century renovation? Well... we do love a challenge ✨️✨️

Your volume builder’s colour consultant is lovely. She’s probably very friendly, very efficient, and very good at making...
20/05/2026

Your volume builder’s colour consultant is lovely. She’s probably very friendly, very efficient, and very good at making you feel like you’re making choices. You’re not.

You’re making selections — from a pre-approved list, inside a pre-set palette, using materials sourced exclusively from the builder’s supplier agreements.

She is not your designer. She is not your advocate. She is a logistics coordinator with a sample board.

Her actual job? Get you through approximately 87 finish decisions in under three hours so the build schedule doesn’t slip. (I’ve done this job, so I know exactly what happens). READ more

https://plushdesigninteriors.substack.com/p/your-builder-has-a-colour-consultant

Here’s the brutal truth: most renovation plans are drawn up like a dating profile with no photos – all promises, no proo...
20/05/2026

Here’s the brutal truth: most renovation plans are drawn up like a dating profile with no photos – all promises, no proof.
You get a glossy floorplan from a builder or draftie, you squint at the little lines and go, “Yep, that looks big enough,” without a single thought for your actual sofa, dining table, or that king bed you refuse to downgrade.

Then demo day arrives, the dust settles, and suddenly your “open-plan paradise” can’t fit a decent couch without blocking a doorway. Awkward! READ more.

https://plushdesigninteriors.substack.com/p/the-affair-between-floorplan-and

If your floorplan and furniture haven’t met, your home renovation is already cheating on you.

Your home isn’t an apology… is it? OK, let’s have a talk. When did we all agree to live in a goddamn waiting room?We've ...
19/05/2026

Your home isn’t an apology… is it? OK, let’s have a talk. When did we all agree to live in a goddamn waiting room?

We've been bullied into a corner by the Cult of Calm. You know the uniform: acres of greige, the sad whisper of off-white, the soul-sucking void of a perfectly “harmonious” palette.

It’s a design language built on fear. Fear of getting it wrong. Fear of being “too much.” Fear of what some imaginary future buyer with no taste might think.

This polite, anxious approach to design has a name: VANILLA. And it’s turning our homes into apologies. READ on Substack now.

https://plushdesigninteriors.substack.com/p/a-manifesto-for-colours-that-misbehave

So You Live in a Greige Box. How's That Working Out?

25/04/2026

What is the loudest mistake in every Adelaide open-plan renovation?

It's the acoustic fix no-one is talking about.

Comment LOUD and I'll send you a link to my blog post on how to fix it with design, not demolition.

Comment LOUD

Retro Bold Kitchen Goals – Black Cabinets, Neon‑Bright Chairs & Pop‑Art VibesWhat if your new kitchen didn’t play it saf...
13/04/2026

Retro Bold Kitchen Goals – Black Cabinets, Neon‑Bright Chairs & Pop‑Art Vibes

What if your new kitchen didn’t play it safe – would you dare to pair inky black cabinetry with tangerine velvet chairs and a wild geometric splashback? Could you live with oversized sculptural pendants, glossy textures and colour‑saturated art that make your space feel like a modern gallery instead of a grey box? Are you secretly craving a kitchen that looks like you threw a cocktail party and never packed the personality away?

Book a two‑hour Design Power Session and let’s unpack your renovation pain points, your wildest ideas and design a brilliant, one‑of‑a‑kind home that refuses to be beige. https://www.plushdesigninteriors.com.au/design-power-session

Renovating? Book a two-hour Design Power Session in-person in Adelaide ir via Zoom. Discuss your plans, pain points, nee...
13/04/2026

Renovating? Book a two-hour Design Power Session in-person in Adelaide ir via Zoom. Discuss your plans, pain points, needs, desires, ideas... anything that will get you on the RIGHT track for your best renovation. Book now, limited spots in April.
https://www.plushdesigninteriors.com.au/design-power-session

Book a Design Power Session with Plush Design Interiors. Expert review of plans, layouts and renovations in Adelaide or via Zoom. Save money, stress and regret.

Address

Aldgate, SA

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+61421043505

Website

https://plushdesigninteriors.substack.com/, https://www.plushdesigninteriors.com.a

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Plush Design Interiors posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Plush Design Interiors:

Share