HOME STYLE
Design matters
POODLE BAR & BISTRO – PHOTOGRAPHY © DEREK SWALWELL DESIGN BERGMAN AND CO
with POPPY BEVAN
Our homes are on the precipice of a new design era Building, renovating, or planning major interior design works to our homes are not undertakings most of us do for the short term. Design decisions should reflect who you are and how you live to ensure a uniquely personal home that will stand the test of time. This is why it is important to be aware of the current trends, to make sure you are not just following what is popular, but rather creating a home that you genuinely love. Happenings in the design world start with purist ideas and gradually filter down into our everyday lives. Our first experience of the next up-and-coming design movement is usually in cuttingedge restaurants and bars because, unlike our homes, they have the freedom of being updated every few years. Take The Bon Pavilion in Gosford – currently undergoing a major interior refurbishment only three years after opening.
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Until recently, we have been in a phase of restraint, which included the prudent use of colour and the celebration of simple building materials. This was a time when the humble concrete block was elevated to architectural significance, and whites and greys reigned supreme. Stylistically, these materials are used in a technique called ‘modelling’, where individual building components are put together and remain visible in the finished product. We see this in the prevalence of polished concrete floors, exposed concrete blockwork, natural timber elements, simple corrugated steel cladding, white-on-white interiors, and even the return of the 1960s’ breezeblock. Right now, we are on the precipice of a new era and, for those who love opulence, this is your time. The world of design is moving away from a devotion to restraint and into an era
