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ALL IN THE DETAILS How to add character to your reno or build
All in the details
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS SUCH AS CORNICES, SKIRTING AND ARCHITRAVES CAN ADD REAL CHARACTER TO A HOUSE. HERE’S HOW TO DO IT RIGHT
Words LYNNE TESTONI
CSR Gyprock/Three Birds Renovations. Some
Photography
photographs feature products from suppliers other than Bunnings. T here are some homes that just make you go ‘wow’ when you walk inside. Not necessarily huge or expensively decorated, they still exude a sense of charm and individuality. Much of this appeal comes down to that elusive factor we call character.
Therese Tarlinton, CSR Gyprock expert
For a new build or large renovation, architectural elements like architraves, cornices, doors and windows are key. Choosing the right trims throughout your home helps to provide cohesion in style and design. CSR Gyprock expert Therese Tarlinton says it’s important to start with the right proportions and detailing, before layering elements such as furniture and decoration. “I think it’s about designing the envelope of the room,” she says. “A really great designer can make that room a beautiful place to spend time in even before the furniture has been placed in it.” Start by identifying the desired style of your home, and choose details to suit.
Wainscoting with dado rail
Jillian Dinkel, interior designer
Use bold colour to accentuate features such as the ceiling, cornices and skirting
Undoing previous renovation work may uncover beautiful detail, such as the ornate plasterwork of this heritage terrace, which had been hidden under boxed-in walls
Hamptons style
This popular look tends to rely on timber details painted crisp white, so they provide a base for a classic decorating style. Wainscoting (decorative panelling positioned on the lower third of walls) in hallways and formal living areas creates an elegant look. Shaker-style cabinetry is another way of evoking this style, while panelled interior doors can add character without fussy detailing. Other additions include tongue-and- groove timber panels on walls or even ceilings to add texture and interest.
Period homes
Interior designer Jillian Dinkel (jillian dinkel.com) specialises in adapting period homes, often designing extensions for clients, or returning character to a home that has had detailing stripped out. “My first tip would be to refer to original details that still exist,” she says. “Look at any cornicing, doors and windows that are still original, and use that as a clue to choose other elements.” Jillian suggests bringing a piece of architrave, or photos of existing doors, in store to help source a match.
Modern dwellings
The trick with a contemporary aesthetic is to add interest without fussiness, says Jillian. Contemporary homes work well with a shadowline ceiling, which is a small recess between the ceiling and wall made using a metal strip that is then plastered to a smooth finish. A more budget-conscious option is a shadowline cornice, which also leaves a recess against the wall. It can incorporate the mechanism for full-length curtains or a gallerystyle track to hang artwork.
The clean lines of Gyprock ‘Alto’ cornice, a panelled feature wall and curtain track recessed into the shadowline ceiling provide subtle detail
Make a statement
Therese Tarlinton says that it’s worth playing with colour on architectural elements to add drama and personality to a modern home. She also points to the trend towards soft curves in modern interiors, especially with kitchen islands and staircases. “Right now, curved walls are all the vogue,” she says. “Luxurious curved archways and doorframes or a curve in a hallway that just rounds into the kitchen. It creates a much more natural feeling in homes because it removes hard corners.” ◆
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Spring spruce up
Get a flourishing garden this season, with a little help from Cyclone tools and Northcote Pottery
Create the garden you’ve always wanted this spring, whether that means reinventing your landscaping, mastering your planting prep or simply adding a statement pot that makes your gardener’s heart sing.
SEASON OF REINVENTION
Spring is a fantastic time for a refresh. Is there a bare corner that needs colour, gaps in the shrubbery or room for another vegie bed? Pull on a good pair of gardening gloves to get started – Cyclone’s garden gloves with touch screen index finger and thumb means you can scroll your favourite inspiration websites, as you pace out and start planting your new garden beds.
DIG IN
Digging and cultivating garden beds is a big job, but you can make it a lot easier by investing in good tools. Cyclone’s post hole shovel won’t shy away from root-strewn earth; reinforced ribs give the blade added strength, so you can dig holes, shovel compost or whatever heavy work the day demands. Next up is cultivating the soil to give your new plants the best chance of flourishing; loosen the soil, and spread compost and mulch with
the Cyclone combination rake and hoe. This handy tool has a long handle and narrow profile, which lets you get into hard-to-reach places and easily rake around existing shrubs.
TIDY UP
You can almost see the plants grow at this time of year, but it’s not just flowers that are going into overdrive. Weeds are also growing fast, so a good weeding tool needs to be always at hand. The Cyclone hand weeder is perfect for the job, with a sleek design that slides into the soil and lifts out unsightly weeds without damaging the surrounding plants or lawn.
The other must-have inclusion on your tool belt is a pruner. Spring arrives and almost overnight your perfectly tamed climbers or topiary trees start going wild! Cyclone’s heavy duty bypass pruner is tough enough to keep those sprouting strays under control.
1 Cyclone heavy duty bypass pruner, $26.25, I/N: 0012609. 2 Cyclone stainless steel weeder, $9.98, I/N: 3360999. 3 Cyclone rake/hoe cultivator, $39.94, I/N: 0147453. 4 Cyclone square mouth post hole shovel, $48, I/N: 3369776.
POTTED HEROES
While you’re waiting for your seeds to sprout and new shrubs to settle in, bring spring colour home with some vibrant potted plants. There’s no faster way to give your garden a shot of vivid colour or intoxicating fragrance, and potting up a pretty planter or two means you can position them wherever you most need a cheering statement. Look for a pot that suits your style: a rustic ‘Kentucky’ whiskey barrel for a country garden, perhaps, or an elegant ribbed ‘Arc’ planter for a sophisticated contemporary home. Or opt for a lightweight ‘Villa’ trough, which is big enough to plant up with loads of colour, but light enough to move around as the mood strikes.
Northcote Pottery ‘Kentucky’ 52cm whiskey barrel planter, $42.50, I/N: 2832291
Northcote Pottery ‘Arc’ planter, $59.98, I/N: 0239045
Northcote Pottery ‘Villa’ 800mm plastic trough, $40, I/N: 2941153
