THE (POSSIBLY) CONTROVERSIAL DECISIONS i made when designing the bluejay

It’s been said a lot – The Bluejay was meant to be our forever family home. This is not said to take away from carefully curated investment builds, but it does add a layer of sentimentality to the design process. Given my husband and I own a design and construction company, you can probably throw another extra layer on there too.

When designing a home, countless decisions need to be made. You can’t always have it all, but you should take the time to stop and really think about what works best for you. And that’s the key – YOU. Don’t be swayed by the strong opinions of others. Here’s a few decisions I made that some people might not agree with.

I USED COMMERCIAL FINISHES INSIDE

The Bluejay was built back in 2019, and at that time, some of the finishes we chose for the interiors were not as common as they are today. Given Zero 9 started in the commercial construction space, we had a lot of prior exposure to commercial products and there were a few that we believed would be amazing in a home. so we pushed a few boundaries and included polished concrete floors, rendered walls, and Knotwood aluminium battens in internal spaces throughout The Bluejay. The application of these products in residential properties is a lot more common today and I like to think The Bluejay provided some inspiration and opportunity for others to use them too.

I GAVE UP SPACE IN MY MAIN BEDROOM FOR A BIGGER ENSUITE

Yes, it’s true – I sacrificed square meterage in my main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe to allow for a bigger ensuite. In my opinion, bathroom’s are underrated. While they may not be used or even seen by guests, they are the space where you start and end your day. And in my household, the main ensuite is the bathroom used most often by every family member. So why not give yourself a bit of extra space to make it a little more functional and luxurious.

I KEPT MY BUTLER’S PANTRY AND WALK-IN ROBES DOOR-FREE

Some people can’t handle the idea of possibly being faced with disorganisation when they walk into a storage space. But me – I like to be able to see everything at a glance. So when it came time to design the Butler’s Pantry and walk-in wardrobes in The Bluejay I went door-free, baby! Having everything in plain sight in the Butler’s Pantry has made writing the weekly grocery list that much easier, and being able to see all my outfit options each morning means I’m less likely to “forget about that cute top” for over a year, and I can mentally mix-and-match ensembles effortlessly (read: without having to open multiple doors, pull stuff out, maybe try it on, and then throw all the rejects on the token bedroom chair) before committing to the ‘fit.

I GAVE UP STORAGE FOR A LAUNDRY CHUTE

And I would do it again! Don’t get me wrong, The Bluejay still has ample storage, but when you’re a family of 6, every inch of storage space matters. Still, being a two-storey home, the luxury of a laundry chute has been well-worth the loss of a couple of shelves. The kids can drop their dirty clothes in the magic hidey-hole outside their rooms without having to make a trip down the stairs (which can take FOREVER when they’re little), and I’m able to save all my bicep and leg workouts for the gym.