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Designed by Arna Newcastle Renovation Expert. Professional guidance for major renovations. Planning - Budgets - Build Coordination. Design Expertise Included.

This one feels like a big milestone. 🤎I’m so proud to have won HIA Hunter Region Renovation / Addition Project up to $50...
20/10/2026

This one feels like a big milestone. 🤎

I’m so proud to have won HIA Hunter Region Renovation / Addition Project up to $500,000 alongside DESIGN // BUILD // RENOVATE //.

Over the years, my work has evolved from individual kitchens and bathrooms into full-home renovations — looking at the whole picture from the beginning.

Layout. Flow. Materials. Documentation. Construction.

All the moving parts that need to work together for the final result to feel effortless.

And a huge thank you to Jeremy from Jedabuild, who helps turn my ideas, drawings and slightly obsessive details into reality.

There are still genuine squeals on site when the natural stone arrives or the tiles start going up. 😆

Because seeing it all come together never gets old.

Very grateful to the client who trusted us, and very proud of what we created together.

Photography: Sophie Tyler

Well… this is a pretty lovely one to share. 🥹I’ve won HIA Hunter Region Kitchen Design of the Year 2026 for this kitchen...
19/10/2026

Well… this is a pretty lovely one to share. 🥹

I’ve won HIA Hunter Region Kitchen Design of the Year 2026 for this kitchen.

After almost 15 years designing kitchens, that feels very special.

For me, a great kitchen is never just about how it looks.

It’s about knowing exactly where everything should live, how the space should flow, and how to make it feel effortless to use every day.

I was also very lucky to have a client who trusted me to push the details a little further — fluted marble kickboards, a custom floating marble shelf intersecting the joinery, and customised Corian power points integrated into the splashback.

Those are the details I love. The ones that make a kitchen feel considered, personal and completely resolved.

Very grateful to my client for trusting the process and letting me have a little fun with it. 🤎

Turns out all those years of thinking about where the Tupperware should live — and how it should be stacked (always stacked, lids separate 😆) — were leading somewhere after all.

Built by: DESIGN // BUILD // RENOVATE //
Joinery & benchtop by: Timtrad Kitchens
Electrical: JLEC Solutions | Hunter & Newcastle Electrician

Photography: Sophie Tyler

One renovation. Six finalist categories. ✨I’m so proud to share that Project Tierra has been recognised across six categ...
15/10/2026

One renovation. Six finalist categories. ✨

I’m so proud to share that Project Tierra has been recognised across six categories in the 2026 HIA Hunter Housing Awards.

This Newcastle apartment renovation brought together thoughtful space planning, warm natural textures and carefully considered details to create a home that feels connected throughout.

Designed by Arna is a finalist for:
• Residential Interior Design of the Year
• Kitchen Design of the Year
• Bathroom Design of the Year

Alongside DESIGN // BUILD // RENOVATE //, the project is also a finalist for:
• Kitchen of the Year — $70,000–$80,000
• Bathroom of the Year — Over $45,000
• Renovation/Addition Project — Up to $500,000

A beautiful reflection of what we can achieve when design and construction work together with one shared vision.

Thank you to Jeremy and the Jedabuild team, our talented trades and suppliers, and our wonderful clients for trusting us with their home. 🤍

Photography by Sophie Tyler

Swipe through to explore Project Tierra →

17/09/2026

A visit to the Louvre, where looking up was every bit as inspiring as looking at the art.

The ornate ceilings, layers of history and extraordinary craftsmanship throughout the building were breathtaking. Napoleon III’s Apartments took opulence to another level—gilded detailing, marble and decoration on absolutely everything.

While this level of grandeur may not be making its way into my clients’ homes, the design principles certainly will: considered details, beautiful material combinations, strong focal points and spaces that create a feeling the moment you enter.

Spectacular artwork, divine sculpture galleries and endless inspiration to bring home to my own client work.

09/07/2026

“We need more space.”

It’s one of the first things I hear from homeowners.

But more often than not, the problem isn’t the size of the home.

It’s the way the space has been planned.

For Project Tierra, we didn’t add a single square metre.

Instead, we rethought the layout.

We removed wasted floor space, reorientated the kitchen to capture the harbour view, introduced a 3-metre island, and designed a feature TV wall that balanced the living space.

The footprint stayed exactly the same.

The way the home feels completely changed.

Before you start planning an extension, ask yourself this:

Do you really need more space… or do you need a better plan?

Professional guidance isn’t about making your home look beautiful.

It’s about helping you make the right decisions before construction begins.

🤎 Project Tierra

Interiors: Arna | Newcastle Renovation Expert
Built by: DESIGN // BUILD // RENOVATE //

Photography: Sophie Tyler

SpacePlanning

07/07/2026

Everyone notices the feature tiles.

I notice the planning.

The most impressive kitchens aren’t created by choosing expensive finishes. They’re created by making hundreds of thoughtful decisions long before the stone is installed.

When the layout flows, the proportions feel right, storage actually works, and every detail has been considered… that’s what makes a kitchen feel effortless.

Beautiful finishes are the icing.

The planning is the cake.

What’s the first thing you notice in a kitchen? 👇

Interiors: Arna | Newcastle Renovation Expert
Built by: DESIGN // BUILD // RENOVATE //

Photography: Sophie Tyler

Professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠⁠It's protection for the outcome.⁠⁠One of the biggest misconceptions in our indust...
15/06/2026

Professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠
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It's protection for the outcome.⁠
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One of the biggest misconceptions in our industry is that designers are hired to choose colours, cushions and finishes.⁠
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While those decisions matter, they're only a small part of what I actually do.⁠
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My role is helping homeowners navigate one of the largest investments they'll ever make.⁠
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👉️Planning.⁠
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👉️Budget strategy.⁠
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👉️Decision-making.⁠
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👉️Risk reduction.⁠
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👉️Coordination.⁠
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And making sure every decision contributes to the overall outcome.⁠
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Because when you're investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into your home, the cost of a poor decision can be significant.⁠
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A layout that never quite works.⁠
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Storage that wasn't properly planned.⁠
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Materials that don't feel cohesive once installed.⁠
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Lighting that looked good on paper but feels wrong every day.⁠
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The larger the renovation, the more expensive mistakes become.⁠
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That's why many of my clients choose to invest in professional guidance.⁠
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Not because they can't make decisions.⁠
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Because they want confidence they're making the right ones.⁠
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Professional guidance for major renovations.⁠
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Interior Design expertise included.⁠
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✨ Arna⁠
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15/06/2026

If you’re investing $50,000 into a bathroom, why would you want it to look like everybody else’s?

One of the biggest misconceptions about renovating is that beautiful spaces happen because someone selected beautiful tiles.

They don’t.

Beautiful spaces are the result of hundreds of intentional decisions made long before construction begins.

The difference between a bathroom that feels ordinary and one that feels exceptional is rarely the budget. It’s the level of thought behind every single detail.

For this bathroom, nothing was accidental.

Every decision was carefully considered to improve how the space looked, felt and functioned.

• Alternating the handmade Moroccan tiles around the perimeter of the room to visually expand the space and create movement.

• Introducing a border detail around the window that transformed a construction constraint into a design feature.

• Softening the room with a curved vanity to improve circulation and create a calmer, more inviting feel.

• Simplifying the tapware so the handmade tiles remained the hero rather than competing for attention.

• Designing a custom fluted glass door to allow natural light to flow into the dark hallway beyond.

This is the part of renovating that people often underestimate.

Great renovations aren’t created by copying Pinterest or chasing trends.

Pinterest is a source of inspiration, not a design strategy.

Because saving a handful of beautiful images doesn’t automatically create a beautiful home.

The magic happens in the hundreds of decisions that connect those ideas together — balancing proportions, solving constraints, considering how you move through a space and ensuring every element works as part of a bigger picture.

That’s why professional guidance isn’t a luxury.

It’s what protects your investment.
Because when you’re spending $50,000 on a bathroom, the goal shouldn’t be to create something that looks good for today.

It should be to create something that still feels thoughtful, timeless and uniquely yours for years to come.

Project Tierra 🤎

Planning • Budgets • Design • Build Coordination

Most homeowners don't regret what they spent.⁠⁠They regret the decisions they didn't know they were making.⁠⁠The layout ...
09/06/2026

Most homeowners don't regret what they spent.⁠
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They regret the decisions they didn't know they were making.⁠
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The layout that never quite worked.⁠
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The storage that wasn't properly planned.⁠
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The lighting that looked good on paper but feels wrong every day.⁠
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The beautiful materials that don't feel cohesive once they're installed.⁠
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These aren't construction mistakes.⁠
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They're decision-making mistakes.⁠
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And the larger the renovation, the more expensive those decisions become.⁠
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That's why my role isn't simply choosing finishes.⁠
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It's helping homeowners confidently navigate the hundreds of decisions that shape the final outcome.⁠
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Because when you're investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into your home, professional guidance isn't a luxury.⁠
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It's protection for the outcome.⁠
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✨ Arna⁠
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This home wasn't designed for resale.⁠⁠It was designed for them.⁠⁠When this family came to me, they weren't looking for ...
07/06/2026

This home wasn't designed for resale.⁠
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It was designed for them.⁠
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When this family came to me, they weren't looking for a particular style.⁠
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They weren't asking for a Hamptons home.⁠
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Or a white kitchen.⁠
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Or the latest trend.⁠
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They were creating their forever home.⁠
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A husband whose work is grounded in alchemy, symbolism and storytelling.⁠
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A wife who loves colour, texture, antiques and beautiful collected spaces.⁠
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A property filled with horses, dogs, family and memories.⁠
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So instead of designing around trends, we designed around them.⁠
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🦚Their interests.⁠
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🐆Their personalities.⁠
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🐝Their way of living.⁠
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That's why you'll find copper, wallpaper, texture and layers of meaning woven throughout the home.⁠
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Because the best renovations aren't the ones that look like everyone else's.⁠
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They're the ones that couldn't belong to anyone else.⁠
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Design for how you live.⁠
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Not for future owners. 🤎⁠
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Address

Newcastle, NSW

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