Your Guide to Choosing Fixtures and Fittings for Your Home

Whether you’re choosing fixtures and fittings for a new build or renovation, there are several things to consider before you trawl through endless showrooms.

You can start by searching through online resources like Instagram, Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest and specific designer’s websites. These can get you inspired by global trends, and show you an ‘end result’ vision for how your property might look.

The aim is to achieve a cohesive, contrasting, and complementary look that is consistent throughout the property. This starts with the exterior materials and colours and should be carried through into your interior.

What are Fixtures and Fittings?

If you’re interested in home improvements, you’ve probably heard the terms ‘fixtures’ and ‘fittings’ used all the time, but what do they actually mean?

What is the difference between fixtures and fittings?

The two terms may be used in the same context, but there is a big difference.

When people say fixtures, they’re generally referring to any items that are permanently attached to your property. Fittings, on the other hand, are items that aren’t actually attached – or fixed – to the house.

Fixtures can include free-standing furniture and other free-standing items that are not easily removable like boilers, central heating systems, carpets, doors, and kitchen units. Fittings are generally free-standing items like furniture, light fittings, washing machines, curtain rails, and kitchen appliances – these are also the things that wouldn’t be included when selling the house.

Brisbane Law on Fixtures and Fittings

General law in Brisbane says that fixtures are part of the property transaction, meaning that they are included in the inventory when purchasing a property.

Fittings on the other hand are not part of the purchase. Instead, they remain the property of the person selling the house and will be taken with them as part of the sale.

What Fixtures and Fittings you Should Leave After Selling a House?

When leaving your house, it’s generally assumed that you should leave any fixtures for the next owner. Any fittings, you’re able to take for yourself.

List of Fixtures and Fittings

To give you a better understanding of what’s a fitting and a fixture, here’s a list of some of the most common ones you may have in your home.

Bathroom Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of bathroom fixtures:

• Bath
• Toilet
• Basin or sink
• Shower
• Taps
• Fitted furniture

Examples of bathroom fittings:

• Toilet seat
• Shower curtains
• Toilet roll holder
• Soap dispenser
• Freestanding or wall mounted bathroom furniture
• Basin or bath waste
• Detachable shelves

Furniture Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of furniture fixtures:

• Cupboards
• Built-in wardrobes
• Radiators
• Fireplaces
• Carpets

Examples of furniture fittings:

• Free-standing furniture
• Beds
• Sofas
• Curtains
• Blinds
• Tables
• Paintings
• Mirrors
• Shelving/storage

Light Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of light fixtures:

• Recessed lighting
• Porch lighting
• Built-in lighting

Examples of light fittings:

• Table lampshades
• Night lights
• Floor lamps
• Garden lamps

Window Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of window fixtures:

• Window
• Windowsill

Examples of window fittings:

• Curtain rails
• Curtains

Door Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of door fixtures:

• Door knocker
• Door bell
• The door itself

Examples of door fittings:

• Decorative door accessories
• Doormat

Electrical Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of electrical fixtures:

• Electric sockets
• Light fixtures
• Security alarm systems
• Television aerials and satellite dishes
• Fire alarms
• Hot water system
• Radiators

Examples of electrical fittings:

• Plugs
• Ovens
• Refrigerators
• Washing machines and Dryers
• Lamps and lampshades

Plumbing Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of plumbing fixtures:

• Bathtubs
• Bidets
• Drains
• Toilets
• Sinks
• Showers
• Channel drains in the bathroom suites

Kitchen Fixtures and Fittings

Examples of kitchen fixtures:

• Kitchen units
• Oven/stove
• Sinks
• Any other integrated appliances that aren’t free-standing

Examples of kitchen fittings:

• Standalone fridges
• Freezer
• Kitchen appliances
• Ornaments
• Pictures
• Chairs and tables
• Furniture

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing Fixtures and fittings

1. Know Your Home Style/Theme, and Stick to it:

If for example, you’re going with a Hampton’s style, then follow this style with your tapware, cabinetry, floor, colours, and lighting for consistency.

Although you may love matte black tapware, it doesn’t suit a Hampton’s-style house.

If your project involves a Queenslander house or any other kind of specific house style, our specialist would be glad to help you choose. Feel free to browse our guide on this year’s most prominent interior design trends. 

2. Your Budget Will be Important:

Prices for fixtures and fittings vary significantly and can easily blow out your home improvement budget if not managed properly. There are smart choices you can make without compromising on the overall look you are trying to achieve.

The whole house renovation or house extension costs can vary a lot, so you need to be careful in each step. From fixtures and fittings to other building materials, pay attention and follow the tips of your contractor. This is why a trusting relationship with your builder is key to your project success.

3. Complementary, Cohesive and Contrasting:

There is normally some form of connection between each room in a home, whether that be a colour or material, everything should work seamlessly with each other to create a harmonious feel.

Whether you’re investing in a bathroom renovation, a kitchen renovation or any other project, you can also play around with contrasting styles and items to create some interest and make your space memorable!

Other things to consider

Kitchens and Bathrooms sell houses and are areas you don’t want to compromise on. These rooms create a huge perception of the overall value of the property. Keep it simple, classy and stylish.

Plumbing Items are an area where decisions are often rushed, but there’s a lot to consider. Tapware – colour, shape, style, wall or basin mounted including the height of the spout and depth of the basin. This information is required very early on in the process by your builder for the accurate placement of pipework.

So many flooring options! We’re seeing cost-effective vinyl making a resurgence, engineered timber, hardwood, tiles and carpet – firstly consider your budget, the style you are trying to achieve and colour.

Wet area tiles are often the place where you can create contrast in a room. But, they can vary in pricing, and can often be hard for clients to price up themselves. This can depend on whether it is natural (like travertine), porcelain, ceramic, rectified edge, mosaic and many more choices! Typically all wet area floor tiles match throughout the home, however, the ensuite is where you can get a little creative. If you’re going to mix it up with bold, statement floor tiles, or floor to ceiling geometric tiles, this is the place to consider it.

What’s the deal with benchtops? Natural stone benchtops are priced individually and you select the specific stone you would like. Whereas engineered stone is mostly based on colours with a number of suppliers offering very similar products. But keep in mind, there are many price brackets for each supplier of stone, so you can end up paying thousands for just one piece of stone. Each stone comes in a specific size – to cover most of the suppliers, work on a general rule of 3m wide benchtop.

In summary, there’s a bit of planning to be done before you reach out to builders for quotes on a new build or renovation. Selecting the fixtures and fittings with an interior designer can save you money in the long run as they guide you to make a choice for your home and budget.

We have a network of interior designers and we recommend you reach out to Concepts Unlimited Designs. They will also provide you with a detailed schedule that will be the bible for your builder, but also help you achieve a fixed price contract. A great plan for a stress-free project!

Are You Looking to Renovate? 

If you’re looking to update your fittings and fixtures in Australia, but can’t decide where to start. We can give you all the details and support you need to create your ideal property.

Get in touch with us today and we can get started on creating the home of your dreams.