Modern, minimalist living room and kitchen with white walls, large sheer curtains, and wooden flooring. The living room has a light gray curved sofa, a dark green chair, and a coffee table with books and a black vase with green plants. The dining area features a round table with beige chairs, and the kitchen has white cabinetry and a marble countertop. There is a black pendant light hanging above the dining table and table lamps in the living area.

Frequently asked questions.

The questions Melbourne homeowners ask before they renovate and the honest answers.

FTLO Design Studio +

what’s included

  • A floor plan review is a professional analysis of your existing home layout, redesigned with two alternative options so you can see what your house can actually become before you commit to a builder or spend money on permits.

    FTLO Design's Stage 01 Floor Plan Review includes:

    • Your existing floor plan drawn and documented to scale

    • Two redesigned layout options, both drawn to scale with measurements

    • A video walkthrough design decisions, budget context, and builder instructions explained

    • DWG-ready files for your draftsperson or builder

    Delivered in 5 business days. $699 fixed fee.

  • Each stage addresses a different part of your renovation. They can be taken in sequence or independently.

    • Stage 01 — Floor Plan Review ($699): Your layout redesigned. Two options, video walkthrough. Delivered in 5 business days.

    • Stage 02 — Exterior Design Concepts ($1,250): Two 3D options for your front facade, two for the rear. Materials direction and a video walkthrough.

    • Stage 03 — Interior Design Concepts ($5,650) : Full 3D concepts for every room. Materials schedule, joinery direction and a complete builder notes and budgeting tips.

    There is no lock-in. Stage 01 output is yours to take anywhere. Most people start there and decide what's next once they've seen what's possible.

  • The video walkthrough is a recorded session by Taeler talking you through both design options, explaining not just what was designed, but why every decision was made. To help you better understand Your Home Design Outcome.

    It covers the design reasoning behind each option, where the budget is being spent, what to watch out for, and what to chat to your builder about. It's the equivalent of a private design consultation — but recorded, so you can pause it, rewatch it, and share it with your partner, builder, or draftsperson.

    Most clients say they make their decision the same day they watch the video.

  • Stage 02 covers both the front and rear facades of your home. Taeler designs two options for the front and two for the rear — working through materials, roofline, windows, cladding, and how the exterior connects to the interior.

    Both options are rendered in 3D from street level and from the rear. The video walkthrough explains each design direction, the material choices, and where the exterior budget is best spent.

    You choose a direction. You finish with a clear external vision ready to brief your builder.

  • Traditional interior designers typically manage sourcing appointments, attend showrooms with you, and charge a percentage of the project cost or high hourly rates. That model can cost $15,000-$50,000 + before a single tile is laid.

    FTLO Design provides architectural-level design direction at a fixed fee the complete design thinking, 3D concepts, materials brief, and builder briefing notes. You then source and manage suppliers yourself, which keeps your budget in your control.

    Think of it as: I tell you exactly what to buy and why. You go and buy it.

  • FTLO Design is a design direction service, not a full architectural practice. It does not produce permit-ready construction documentation or heritage overlay submissions.

    However, FTLO Design is founded by Taeler Jordan, who holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in architecture and has over 10 years of experience in high-end Melbourne architectural firms. The service delivers architectural-level spatial thinking, applied to the specific scope of a $150k–$850k Melbourne renovation.

    If your project requires heritage approval or formal permit documentation, you'll need a registered architect for that component. Taeler will tell you honestly at enquiry stage if that applies to your project.

    FTLO works in with your design team. So we will provide your draftsman with resolved floor plan, 3D exterior and interior concepts. ‘They just need to provide the documentation for Building permits’.

Floor plan review, exterior concepts, interior concepts

Process + Delivery

  • Your existing floor plan, whatever format you have. A photo on your phone, a PDF from a builder or draftsperson, a scan of an old drawing, or a digital file all work. If you don't have a plan, a rough sketch with room sizes noted is often enough to start.

    Include photos of the house and any reference images if you have them. Taeler will take it from there.

    • Stage 01 (Floor Plan Review): 5 business days from when you send your plans

    • Stage 02 (Exterior Design Concepts): Confirmed at time of enquiry

    • Stage 03 (Interior Design Concepts): One to two spaces per week, so you have time to review and make decisions without pressure

  • No. Stages 01 and 02 and 03 are entirely remote you send plans and references, Taeler does the work, and you receive the output digitally. The video walkthrough replaces the need for in-person review meetings.

  • Yes. Stage 01 includes DWG-ready files for your draftsperson or builder to work directly from. The video walkthrough is designed to be shared with your builder so the intent behind every design decision is clear. We also have a NEW client portal that keeps all the choices, builder notes and design decisions all in one place!

    FTLO Design works alongside your existing team the role is to give you and your team a decided design direction, not to replace your builder or draftsperson.

  • Yes! and this is one of the most common reasons people use Stage 01. A pre-purchase floor plan review tells you exactly what is possible with a property before you commit to buying it.

    The floor plan is often available from the real estate agent or in the listing. Send it across and Taeler will design two alternative layout options and explain the renovation potential before you sign anything.

    $699 to know what the house can become is substantially less than the cost of buying the wrong property.

  • No. FTLO Design is specifically built for the stage before you appoint a builder. The design output, floor plan options, 3D renders, video walkthrough, exterior concepts, and interior concepts, is exactly what you need to brief builders with confidence.

    Many clients use FTLO Design to understand their project clearly before getting builder quotes. It also makes those quotes more accurate, because the builder knows exactly what they're pricing. BEFORE you start documenting with a Draftsman.

  • FTLO Design provides design direction, not permit-ready architectural documentation. If your property requires formal heritage approval or complex council overlay submissions, you will need a registered architect for that component.

    FTLO Design can still assist with the design thinking and concept direction for these properties. Taeler will advise honestly at enquiry stage if a registered architect is required for your specific situation.

Pricing + Value

  • FTLO Design's Stage 01 Floor Plan Review is $699, delivered in 5 business days. This is a fixed fee, no hidden costs, no ongoing retainer, and no obligation to continue.

    The $699 covers two redesigned layout options drawn to scale and a full video walkthrough explaining the design decisions and what to tell your builder.

    Most renovation layout mistakes are locked in at the floor plan stage. $699 is the cheapest point in the process to get it right compared to: 6 Months in concept design (only) + $30,000 locked into the wrong layout.

  • All FTLO Design services are fixed-fee.

    • Stage 01 is $699.

    • Stages 02 is $1,250

    • Stage 03 is $5,650

      There are no hourly rates and no percentage-of-project fees. Thats what sets FTLO Design apart from other design firms.

    Each stage is also independent - you pay for what you need and stop when you're ready.

  • FTLO Design specialises in residential renovations typically budgeted between $150,000 and $850,000 in Melbourne.

    Common projects include:

    • Floor plan redesigns for homes that feel dysfunctional or dated

    • Rear extensions and new Kitchen / Dining / living area additions

    • Exterior facade updates and complete street frontage makeovers

    • Full interior design direction for homes

    • Pre-purchase design assessments for prospective buyers

    FTLO Design has particular expertise with Melbourne's north-east housing stock — 1970s brick veneers, Alistair Knox Homes, Weatherboards, Mud brick, or older homes on large blocks in Eltham, Warrandyte, Research, Greensborough, Watsonia and surrounding suburbs.

Melbourne + Location

  • FTLO Design's primary service area is Melbourne's north-east — Eltham, Warrandyte, Diamond Creek, Research, Greensborough, and surrounding Nillumbik suburbs. This is the housing stock Taeler knows best: older homes on larger blocks, 1970s brick veneers, and houses that were built for a different way of living.

    Because all stages are delivered remotely, clients throughout Melbourne can access the service. Stage 01 and Stage 02 work equally well for clients in any Melbourne suburb.

  • No. All Stages are fully remote. You send your plans and references, and the output — 3D renders, video walkthrough, and all files — is delivered digitally. You do not need to be present in Melbourne or available for in-person meetings.

  • Yes. FTLO Design's completed development projects are all in Melbourne's north-east: Napoleon House (Eltham), Adeline House (Greensborough), Morelle House (Research), Fler House, a Robin Boyd home (Warrandyte), and Gumtree House (Research) . This is the housing stock FTLO Design understands best, the block sizes, the older housing fabric, and the design opportunities specific to this part of Melbourne.

About Taeler

  • Taeler holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in architecture and has over 10 years of experience in high-end Melbourne architectural firms. She is the founder of FTLO Design.

    Her completed residential development projects include:

    • Napoleon House Eltham

    • Morelle House Research

    • Fler House Warrandyte

    • Gumtree House Research

    • Adeline House Greensborough

    Taeler is a mentor and active member of the BuildHer Collective. Her work has been featured in The Design Files, The Interiors Addict, Making HOME, and Home Beautiful.

  • FTLO Design was built for the Melbourne homeowner who has been thinking about renovating for a long time, they know the house needs to change, they have a rough budget ($150k–$850k), they've spent time on Pinterest saving ideas that don't quite fit their house, but they don't know how to bridge the gap between what they have and what they want.

    They don't need full architectural services and can't justify those fees. What they need is architectural-level design thinking, applied specifically to their house and a clear, visual output they can actually act on.

    That's the gap FTLO Design was built to fill.

Getting Started

  • Most people start with Stage 01 Floor Plan Review at $699.

    1. Enquire via the website

    2. Send your existing floor plan (photo, PDF, or drawing)

    3. Complete FTLO custom client briefing Q and A + 10min Meet and Greet.

    4. Receive two redesigned layout options and a video walkthrough in 5 business days

    There is no lock-in and no obligation to continue to further stages. If you're not sure which stage is right for you, enquire and Taeler will point you in the right direction.

  • Yes. Enquire and describe your project honestly, Taeler will tell you honestly whether FTLO Design is the right service for your situation, and if it isn't, she'll tell you what is.

    There is no obligation in enquiring. If your project needs a registered architect, or if the scope is outside what FTLO Design delivers well, you'll hear that clearly.

  • Yes, this is one of the most common situations Stage 01 is used for. When you've been going back and forth on a floor plan and no version feels right, the problem is usually that the design thinking hasn't been done clearly enough before the drawing work started.

    A Stage 01 Floor Plan Review produces a clear, decided design direction, two options with reasoning, that you can take back to your draftsperson with confidence. It stops the loop.