How to Upgrade your Home in 2023
Looking to do a refresh, make-over or completely renovate your home in 2023? Have the big plans but not sure where to start? We find that by focusing with a room-by-room approach, it is easier to figure out what type of work needs to be done.
In this blog, we’ll provide appliance recommendations, tips and tricks on how you can best rejuvenate and re-work three areas of the home: the kitchen, the living room and the laundry. All three areas work hard to feed and entertain your household, as well as provide clean clothes and fresh linen items, so it’s vital to ensure that each room’s purpose are met.
UPGRADING THE KITCHEN
- Open and Integrated Kitchens
These kitchen designs promote more workspace and fits in naturally with the open plan concept, helping to create clean lines, unobtrusive walkways, and a clean ambience.
- Smart Appliance Technology
Smart cooking functions have been designed to enhance the cooking experience and improve processes. For example, the use of steam cooking in a Steam Oven not only speeds up the cooking process, it’s also great for cooking a range of foods from fish to dumplings and even bread, pizza and pork belly as the moist heat helps achieve better rises, crispier crusts, fluffier centres, and tastier textures in an energy efficient time.
- Induction Cooktops
The move to non-fossil fuel cooktop is accelerating. The induction cooktop is very accurate, fast, and heats up quickly. It’s easy to cook with, environmentally friendly and effortless to clean. If you are renovating, do consider induction cooktops which will put you ahead of the curve and it’s better for the environment in the long term.
- Dishwasher Drawers
These innovative dishwasher drawers are available with single or double drawers, making them ideal for use in all types of households, from couples and singles to large families. Single drawers are perfect for smaller homes with minimal washing needs while the double drawer system is great for running two washes simultaneously, for instance one heavy cycle and one cycle for baby bottles with hygiene options.
Appliance Top Picks:
AEG 60cm Built-In Steam Oven
This AEG 60cm Steam Oven features 77L cooking capacity and 19 oven functions. Achieve tender centres with crispy exteriors thanks to the SteamCrisp function; perfect for roasts, bread, bakes and more! Enjoy intelligent cooking with the Assisted Cooking function, and indulge in perfect results with the SenseCook food sensor which cooks according to your dish’s needs: rare, medium or well done.
Westinghouse 90cm Induction Cooktop
This spacious 90cm 4-zone induction cooktop lets you cook with larger pots and pans via the FlexZone feature. As you’re cooking, enjoy greater convenience with the Boost and Pause functions while the BoilProtect feature keeps boiling water to a simmer, delivering greater safety when cooking. With Hob2Hood connectivity, this cooktop communicates with compatible rangehoods for automatic extraction of unwanted smoke and odours, helping to keep your kitchen fresh.
Fisher & Paykel 60cm Double DishDrawer Dishwasher
Meet every washing need with this 14-place setting Double DishDrawer Dishwasher from Fisher & Paykel. This Double DishDrawer Dishwasher features six wash programs such as Delicate, Eco and Heavy, as well as additional Quick wash, Sanitise and Extra Dry options. Each drawer holds a true half load for small, fast dish washing, with flexible racking to suit your needs whether you’re washing bowls or wine glasses. And with fan assisted drying technology, your household can have full or half loads washed and dried in next to no time.
UPGRADING THE LIVING ROOM
- Get a matching TV and soundbar
TVs and soundbars from the same brand will often mean that they are compatible with each other, giving you the chance to take advantage of audio syncing technologies. For example, Samsung’s Q-Symphony function lets sound from the Samsung soundbar sync with the motion on the Samsung TV for optimised viewing. Not only will a matching pair sound better, they’ll also look stylishly consistent in your space.
- Opt for Wireless
Where possible, invest in wireless audio devices. Many soundbars will include a wireless subwoofer that can be placed almost anywhere in your space to extend your sound. So whether the subwoofer or speaker is next to you or in front of you, your home entertainment experience will get an instant uplift.
- Upgrade with lifestyle functions
Lifestyle functions turn your TV into a multi-purpose device: a TV when you need to watch something and a gallery frame when you’re not watching. Your space can be transformed with gorgeous art that’s produced by others or adorned with family photos. There are many TVs in the market with lifestyle functions, these include Samsung’s The Frame 4K Smart TV, Samsung’s The Serif Smart TV and LG’s G2 Gallery Edition TV range.
Appliance Top Picks:
Samsung 85″ Q60 4K Ultra HD Smart QLED TV
AND
Samsung 11.1.4CH Soundbar
Both the Samsung TV and soundbar are great for upsizing and will suit a very large home entertainment area with its 85” TV screen and 11.1.4 channels.
The TV
Enjoy a great night in with the ultra-large Samsung 85″ Q60 4K Ultra HD Smart QLED TV. Watch detailed visuals with impactful colours thanks to the One Billion Colour technology. Featuring Filmmaker Mode, Object Tracking Sound Lite, Q-Symphony and voice control with Alexa and Google Assistant, this TV offers all the essentials for memorable movie nights, footy finals, gaming sessions and more!
The Soundbar
Enjoy captivating audio with Samsung’s 11.1.4Ch Soundbar. Designed to provide immersive cinematic sound in large, open areas, this soundbar delivers extraordinary audio using technologies including True Dolby ATMOS® & DTS:X, Q-Symphony and SpaceFit Sound Advanced. Enjoy a real-to-life surround sound experience at home with the included side-firing Dolby Atmos Rear Speakers.
UPGRADING THE LAUNDRY
- Upsize your Capacity
If your household’s laundry needs are growing, that’s a sign that an upgrade is needed. Upsizing your laundry appliances with a bigger capacity means that more can be washed and dried in one go, helping to minimise the number of washes and drying cycles you do in a week.
- Choose Smarter Operation
Many washing machines and dryers are now ‘smarter’ than previous models. Automated and with the help from various sensors, washing machines and dryers are able to optimise the program or cycle to deliver effective results whilst reducing use of resources. Furthermore, washing machines and dryers with Wi-Fi connectivity can be remotely monitored and controlled on an app via your smart device so that you can view usage, select best programs to suit your load and so much more!
- Efficiency is King
Your laundry is one of a few places in the home that requires both electricity and water usage, so it makes sense to ensure greater efficiency where possible. Investing in washing machines and dryers that use less and are energy and water efficient means your bills stay down and so does your environmental impact.
Appliance Top Picks:
Bosch 9kg Front Load Washing Machine
Perfect for growing households, this washing machine is powered by a quiet, durable and energy-saving EcoSilence Drive™ motor. Boasting 14 wash programs, including Sportswear, Delicate/Silk, Wool and Quilt, this washing machine is designed to meet every need. As you wash, reduce detergent waste thanks to the intelligent i-DOS dosing system that measures your load to dispense optimal amounts of detergent. With a reload function, ActiveWater™ Plus load adjustment and a 4.5-Star Energy and WELS Water Rating, this Bosch washing machine makes sustainable washing a breeze!
Bosch 8kg Heat Pump Dryer
Drying your garments doesn’t have to cost the world with this Bosch 8kg Heat Pump Dryer, which is powered by ActiveAir technology that reuses the existing heat during the drying process. Manage any drying need with 10 drying functions that range from Cottons to Wool, Sportswear and Delicates. Plus, with the Sensitive Drying system that combines warm air and a gentle drum structure, all your items can last longer so that you can wear more and waste less. Rated with a highly efficient 7-Star Energy Rating, this Bosch 8kg Heat Pump Dryer is one to love!
From a simple refresh to a complete make-over, know how to update your home with our bank of renovation tips. Click on the link below to see how you can best prepare for your next home refresh or renovation.
