HomeBeautiful
  • Open Homes
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Outdoor
  • Decorate
  • Hamptons
  • Podcasts
  • Beach House
  • hacks
HomeBeautiful
  • Open Homes
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Outdoor
  • Decorate
  • Hamptons
  • Podcasts
  • Beach House
  • hacks
Subscribe
Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right
Watch 2:03

Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right

{headline}

{headline}

How to future proof your reno

How to future proof your reno

Three ways to keep your bathroom renovation costs down

Three ways to keep your bathroom renovation costs down

7 quick and easy ways to soundproof your home

7 quick and easy ways to soundproof your home

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the stunning backyard.

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the stunning backyard.

{headline}

{headline}

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! Front formal lounge room, laundry and study

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! Front formal lounge room, laundry and study

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the master suite and stairs.

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the master suite and stairs.

10 quick ways to update your kitchen

10 quick ways to update your kitchen

{headline}

{headline}

Breezy coastal home makeover

Breezy coastal home makeover

Take a tour through this vintage caravan renovation

Take a tour through this vintage caravan renovation

8 new trends to try on your kitchen island

8 new trends to try on your kitchen island

Bricks are back: The latest interiors trend revealed

Bricks are back: The latest interiors trend revealed

Why a real life reno is nothing like The Block

Why a real life reno is nothing like The Block

This dated 80's kitchen is given a glam makeover

This dated 80's kitchen is given a glam makeover

5 key rules for decorating a heritage property

5 key rules for decorating a heritage property

  1. Home
  2. Renovate

How to nail your kitchen island

The quintessential hub of the home - by Diana Moore
  • 24 May 2019

It’s no secret that the story of the three best friends behind Three Birds Renovations success has taken the house-flipping market by storm. If you've ever wondered just how they've accomplished so much in such a short time, wonder no more - their secrets are laid bare in their new book, where the renovation sensation trio share everything they’ve learned along the way.

The three savvy and stylish friends came together in a genius business enterprise where they buy homes and flip them for profit. It’s not as easy as it looks, however. Operations expert Erin, designer Bonnie, and business and marketing guru Lana ditched their corporate day jobs to join forces and make a mark on the home renovation scene and haven’t looked back. Since their early ground-breaking renovations where they transformed tired suburban brick houses into made-for-market dream homes, the Three Birds have gone on to renovate eight more properties in only four years – including their own 'forever homes' - and show no signs of slowing.

Three Birds Renovations Lana, Erin and Bonnie

The Three Birds ~ Lana, Erin and Bonnie

© Amber Tiles

With a growing fan base of over 380,000 Instagram followers and a dedicated YouTube channel, the Three Birds have now published their own book, revealing over 400 renovation and styling secrets of their successful journey.

Three Birds Renovations book
From Three Birds Renovations by Erin Cayless, Bonnie Hindmarsh and Lana Taylor. Photography by © Amber Tiles, Murdoch Books RRP $39.99’

“Each project has given us the opportunity to learn something new and build our confidence. Everything we know is self-taught and comes from our own real reno experience. Now we’re ready to share what we’ve learned with you.”

threebirdsrenovations View Profile
9,820 likes - View Post on Instagram
Fire Pit 🔥 yay or nay? #winteriscoming #house3

One of the keys to their success it to choose houses for renovation that can be transformed using the current footprint. In terms of take-out inspiration for the average homeowner looking to execute a low-priced, effective makeover, it doesn’t get much better than this – the ideas and cosmetic transformations these women achieve within a strict budget are nothing short of inspirational.

There’s also a lot to be said for their enduring style which, whilst on the surface may look to the untrained eye like a simple white wash, what lies beneath is actually a clever stable of winning colours, textures and finishes that can completely transform a home without breaking the bank.

threebirdsrenovations View Profile
6,440 likes - View Post on Instagram
Reno School Tip 🛠 If you want to avoid that toe-stubbing little step that sometimes exists at the entrance of your bathrooms (like the one in this pic from House 4) .... ask your builder to drop the floor by about 5cm before the sand cement bed (screed) and tiles are laid. This will ensure that the finished floor height of your newly renovated bathroom is flush with the floor on the other side 👏👏 Remember, 'flush is fab' .... but if you decide it's too hard and costly to drop the floor, that's OK too, just make sure it's a conscious choice rather than one you never knew you had 👊🏼 #house4 #therenoschool #signuptoday #starts3june www.therenoschool.com

We (literally) took a leaf out of their book to share with you – how to nail the quintessential hub of the home – the kitchen island bench.

Pendant perfection

How to measure your kitchen island
© Amber Tiles

“If you’re going to have an island in your kitchen (and we think you should!), the number of pendants you need depends on the size of your island and the size of the pendant lights (both can vary greatly). We’ve used pendant lights that are just 20 cm wide and, at the other end of the spectrum, we’ve also installed a chandelier 1.4 metres wide in Bonnie’s kitchen (check out page 201)! Looking back at our kitchen renos, we’ve never hung more than two pendants over our island benches.

So, here is our advice:

  • For an island 1500–1800 mm long, go for two average sized pendant lights (under 40 cm in diameter) centred over the island.
  • For an island 1800–3000 mm long, two average-sized pendant lights hung off-centre over the island look great.
  • So, in this instance you would space them out as if there were going to be three lights, but only install two.
  • For an island over 3000 mm long you can definitely consider three average-sized pendants or supersize them and just use two.”

Flip tip

Your best bet is to choose engineered stone for most mid- to high-end property flips. #cantgowrong And for homes at the lower end of the market or investment properties, laminate might be a smarter choice. If you do go with laminate, don’t choose a style that tries to mimic marble or timber – a plain colour is less likely to draw attention to the ‘fake factor’. If you’re still unsure which way to go, ask your local real estate agent or jump online to see what type of benchtops are in the homes being sold in that suburb.

Three Birds Renovation book is onsale now at all good bookshops and you might want to grab two copies – one is sure to become dirty and dog-eared carrying it wherever your renovation journey takes you, so you’ll need a clean copy to lust over with a cup of tea.

*Images and text from Three Birds Renovations by Erin Cayless, Bonnie Hindmarsh and Lana Taylor. Photography by © Amber Tiles, Murdoch Books RRP $39.99

You might also like:

Total transformation: Hamptons-style haven

3 modern laundry ideas: spend or save

Colour crush: Mint and marble with a touch of black

  • Kitchen
  • Renovate
  • Kitchen Benches
  • Kitchen Cabinets
  • Kitchen Renovations
Diana Moore
Diana Moore
Content expert, florist and interior decorator Diana Moore has been passionate about helping others make the perfect home ever since she moved into her own. From styling her local bar to feel like your best friend’s lounge room, to randomly restyling people’s bookshelves, Diana is a firm believer in making the best of what you have in front of you.

FREE Miranda Kerr Mug-SAVE 31%

by Royal Albert, when you subscribe

Subscribe Now
FREE Miranda Kerr Mug

FREE Miranda Kerr Mug-SAVE 31%

by Royal Albert, when you subscribe

Subscribe Now
FREE Miranda Kerr Mug

Recommended to you

Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right
Watch 2:03

Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right

{headline}

{headline}

How to future proof your reno

How to future proof your reno

Three ways to keep your bathroom renovation costs down

Three ways to keep your bathroom renovation costs down

7 quick and easy ways to soundproof your home

7 quick and easy ways to soundproof your home

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the stunning backyard.

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the stunning backyard.

{headline}

{headline}

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! Front formal lounge room, laundry and study

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! Front formal lounge room, laundry and study

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the master suite and stairs.

The Three Birds’ latest renovation! We reveal the master suite and stairs.

10 quick ways to update your kitchen

10 quick ways to update your kitchen

{headline}

{headline}

Breezy coastal home makeover

Breezy coastal home makeover

Take a tour through this vintage caravan renovation

Take a tour through this vintage caravan renovation

8 new trends to try on your kitchen island

8 new trends to try on your kitchen island

Bricks are back: The latest interiors trend revealed

Bricks are back: The latest interiors trend revealed

Why a real life reno is nothing like The Block

Why a real life reno is nothing like The Block

This dated 80's kitchen is given a glam makeover

This dated 80's kitchen is given a glam makeover

5 key rules for decorating a heritage property

5 key rules for decorating a heritage property

HomeBeautiful
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
HomeBeautiful Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • marie claire
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • All Recipes
  • Practical Parenting
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Health Engine
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • Airtasker
  • Society One
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

FREE Miranda Kerr Mug-SAVE 31%

Shop This Offer
FREE Miranda Kerr Mug