my i space: Gemma Morrow

Homeowner, Gemma Morrow, chats about her home rebuild and her ispace custom joinery…

About the project: A knock-down and rebuild in Clovelly gave Gemma the chance to incorporate custom joinery throughout her home. With joinery used across kitchens, bedrooms, study spaces and storage areas, the focus was on creating a home that works well day to day, without overcomplicating things.

When did you do the renovation?
The joinery was installed from around February last year, as part of the full rebuild of the home in Clovelly. It was one of the final stages before moving in, so timing was especially important.

How long did the process take?
The joinery itself took a couple of months, but the overall timing was quite tight. We had a fixed move-out date from our rental, which meant there wasn’t much flexibility.

We originally had another joiner lined up, but their lead time was too long and would have pushed the build out. I remembered Javier from previous work and reached out to see if he had availability.

What stood out straight away was how organised he was. He has his own factory, a solid team, and clear systems in place. Once the drawings were signed off, production moved quickly and installation was completed within one to two weeks, which made a big difference to the overall build timeline.

What rooms were renovated?
This was a new build, so all joinery throughout the house was completed by iSpace Solutions. That included the kitchen and kitchenette, study, bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry and mudroom. Every major joinery element was designed and built as part of the one scope, which helped everything feel consistent across the house..

What were your expectations for the joinery?
Storage and functionality were the main priorities. Joinery plays such a practical role in everyday life, and when it’s done well, it really supports how you use the house. Because there was so much joinery throughout the home, it also needed to look good without feeling heavy. The quality of the finish, proportions and detailing were just as important as how it functioned.

What is your favourite joinery in the house?
The study bookcase is probably my favourite. It works well practically, but it also feels like a feature in the room. The colour and detailing give the space a calm, finished feel, without being too dominant.

Was the colour palette planned across the house?
Yes. I knew early on that I wanted a painted finish for much of the joinery, particularly in the bedrooms. I like the simplicity of it, and it helped keep things consistent throughout the house. The colour in the study took a bit of time to land on. We tested several samples with the architect and looked at them in the space at different times of day. Even small changes made a big difference, so it was worth spending the time getting it right.

Were there any unexpected benefits?
The mudroom has been one of the most useful spaces. Having somewhere to drop shoes, bags, dog leads and everyday clutter as soon as you walk in has made the house much easier to live in. It’s all hidden away, which keeps the entry feeling tidy and stops everyday mess from spilling into the rest of the house.

What was it like working with Javier?
Really good. He’s easy to deal with, organised, and very clear in how he communicates, which makes a big difference during a build, especially when timelines are tight.

Once everything was approved and signed off, the process felt very straightforward. Production moved quickly, installation was well managed, and the work on site was efficient without feeling rushed. There was a clear plan in place, and it was obvious that everyone knew what they were doing.

As with any project of this size, a few small things came up along the way, but Javier was always responsive. He followed things up, came back when needed, and made sure everything was resolved properly. That level of follow-through gave us a lot of confidence throughout the process.

He’s strong on both the joinery side and the business side, which isn’t always the case. Having someone who understands the craft but also manages timelines, people and communication well made the whole experience feel smooth and well run.

Would you recommend iSpace Solutions?
Yes, definitely. The organisation, clear communication and reliability made a real difference during the build. Knowing where things were at, when they were happening, and that any issues would be handled properly took a lot of pressure off. The quality of the joinery speaks for itself, but just as important was the overall experience. The process felt well run from start to finish, and that made a big difference to how smoothly the Clovelly Residence came together.

See more of the project HERE