Gavvav by Dosnaosya22

Make an understated impression. Available in five neutral colours, from subtle, lighter tones through to bolder, darker hues, COLORBOND steel Matt diffuses light to create a soft and textured appearance. Tested in some of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harshest conditions, its strength and durability are perfect counterpoints to its designer appearance. Visit COLORBOND.COM/MATT or call 1800 702 764

BRINGING THE FUN HOME How a family treehouse can change your life

INSPIRING HOMES WITH HEART

conscious colour THE YEAR OF

RENOVATION CASE STUDIES

California bungalow

Brand new beach house build Charming little weatherboard cottage

KEEPING IT GREEN LESSONS FROM A PLANT WHISPERER

MATERIALS MASTERCLASS

BUILDING WITH BRICKS

HOME MADE

OTTOLENGHI! A VEGETARIAN FEAST WITH PUNCH

HOW TO...

CREATE AN OUTDOOR SHOWER

BUYERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HARD FLOORING

PALETTE

YACHT RACE

OLD STONE WALL

LI G H T & S H A D OW

Create depth and warmth in your living room with timeless tones

FUTURE CLASSIC Add character, complexity and understated elegance to your living space with relaxed tones and moody hues. Lean in to darker accents to enhance the cosiness and comfort factor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this scheme pairs perfectly with an endless array of decor and colour options.

18 120 This month We go softly with the latest colour sensations, and share the most popular nature-based palettes so you can style up a storm at your place

out: gardens & entertaining 116 I’VE ALWAYS WANTED A... TREEHOUSE Create a treetop getaway

for your children and reclaim some time for yourself 118 GARDEN ESSENTIALS Help your garden thrive this spring with the latest and greatest new gardening products 120 OTTOLENGHI MAGIC Seasonal vegetable recipes from a pro 127 DESIGN DESTINATION Four Pillars’ new Sydney gin palace

20 110

regulars 76 SUBSCRIPTION OFFER Subscribe and receive a bonus gift pack 130 LAST WORD An Organic Table Collection from Tigmi Trading

on the cover 2 36 39 83 106 110 116 120

The Year Of Conscious Colour Keeping It Green: Lessons From A Plant Whisperer Renovation Case Studies: California Bungalow; Brand New Beach House Build; Charming Little Weatherboard Cottage Materials Masterclass: Building With Bricks Buyer’s Guide: All You Need To Know About Hard Flooring How To... Create An Outdoor Shower Bringing The Fun Home: How A Family Treehouse Can Change Your LIfe Home Made: Ottolenghi! A Vegetarian Feast With Punch

our cover look We caught our resident style expert, Natalie Johnson, in a rare moment of repose (not sourcing or shooting) for our September cover image, featuring Porter’s Paints which are mixed and matched in the accompanying gatefold. Discover more on page 10. Photography: Will Horner Styling: Jessica Hanson

EDITOR’S LETTER

FOL LOW US AT

FACEBOOK

For the best home ideas to spark your imagination insideoutAU

arlier this year, there was a lot of talk about ‘the new normal’. At that stage, it looked like that might involve slightly inconvenient things like not being able to trawl through flower markets on Saturday mornings, or enjoy a live set with a great glass of wine at your favourite local, but as this year has worn on, it’s clear there’s nothing normal about what’s actually happening. Remote work in some form is here to stay, as is a sense that nothing’s changing quickly. Real-estate agents report they’re inundated with families looking at relocating to satellite areas now that working from home means they can live in places where house prices are lower, communities are smaller and life is simpler. It means staying home has become really important, and renovating has become even more possible! With that in mind, in this issue we look at how taking control of your colour palette can impact how you feel in your space (page 33), and how bringing fun home with things like a treehouse (page 116) or an outdoor shower (page 110) can transform it into something more like a destination than isolation. Of course, I’d be thrilled to hunker down in any one of the beautiful homes in this issue, but what I’ll be doing first is diving into Yotam Ottolenghi’s new dishes of deliciousness (page 120) to create some comfort and joy in my kitchen. Enjoy!

Eliza O’Hare EDITOR / FOLLOW ME @ELIZA_OH

6 | INSIDE OUT

Be inspired by our curated moodboards @insideoutpins

INSTAGRAM

Your daily renovation and design goals @insideoutmag

WEBSITE

The latest news, inspo and ideas homestolove.com.au/ insideout

NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Make sure you never miss an issue magshop.com.au/ inside-out

PHOTOGRAPHY: KRISTINA SOLJO. ELIZA IS WEARING BASSIKE, BASSIKE.COM. HAIR & MAKE-UP: ELSA MORGAN. SHOT ON LOCATION AT IN BED, PADDINGTON, NSW

home is wherever I’m with you…

Reach new heights this summer. That’s freedom.

HAVELOCK/IMU outdoor setting + Concrete tops contrast with Acacia timber legs + Stools with woven rope design

Get ready for summer with the Havelock and Imu outdoor setting.

The perfect entertaining solution for intimate dinners or casual catch-ups, the Havelock bar table’s concrete top pairs beautifully with Acacia timber legs while the Imu bar stool’s woven rope gives it a textural twist. An outdoor setting so stylish, you’ll want to enjoy it all year-round.

Shop online today at freedom.com.au

MOST TA P P E D THIS MONTH

EDITORIAL EDITOR Eliza O’Hare CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mia Daminato DEPUTY EDITOR Kate Hassett HOMES GROUP COORDINATOR Matilda Ringrose

ART & STYLE ART DIRECTORS Josie Smith, Katrina Yaxley JUNIOR DESIGNER Sophie Wilson IMAGE RETOUCHER Matus Kundrat MARKET EDITOR Natalie Johnson

FEATURES & COPY SENIOR COPY EDITOR Deborah Grant COPY EDITOR Laura Barry HOMES GROUP PRODUCTION EDITOR Tamarah Pienaar SENIOR DIGITAL WRITER Christina Rae

THANKS TO Victoria Baker, Tom Lazarus, Sarah Pickette ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION HEAD OF BRANDS Anna Mistilis (02) 9282 8111 GROUP COMMERCIAL BRAND MANAGER Rhonda Maunder (02) 9282 8687 ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER Kate Orsborn (02) 9282 8364 VICTORIA, SA AND WA SALES DIRECTOR Jaclyn Clements (03) 9823 6341 DIRECTOR OF SALES — NSW Karen Holmes (02) 9282 8733 VICTORIA HEAD OF DIRECT SALES Will Jamison (03) 9823 6301 QUEENSLAND HEAD OF SALES Judy Taylor (07) 3101 6636 CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISING Nick Carson (02) 9282 8369 NEW ZEALAND INQUIRIES +61 2 9282 8505 GENERAL MANAGER — PRODUCTION SERVICES Ian McHutchinson PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Alisha Stoddart PRODUCTION MANAGER Daniella Kalach

This renovated Federation home was given a sophisticated new look that focuses on amplifying natural light and timeless style. For more design inspiration, follow us on Instagram

@insideoutmag

SENIOR EVENT MANAGER Cate Gazal (02) 8226 9342

MARKETING & CIRCULATION HEAD OF RETAIL SALES AND CIRCULATION Andrew Cohn MARKETING DIRECTOR Louise Cankett SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Jana Williams BRAND MANAGER Sarah Webster CIRCULATION MANAGER Rob McIntosh SENIOR SUBSCRIPTIONS CAMPAIGN MANAGERS Ellie Xuereb, Jesvin Vincent HEAD OF CREATIVE | STORY 54 Clare Catt

BAUER MEDIA CORPORATE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Brendon Hill CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Andrew Stedwell EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER, PUBLISHING & DIGITAL OPERATIONS Sarah-Belle Murphy PUBLISHER Shane Sutton COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Andrew Cook BUSINESS MANAGER Georgina Bromfield SYNDICATION syndication@bauer-media.com.au

GENERAL EDITORIAL INQUIRIES Address Bauer Media, 54 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Phone (02) 9282 8000 Email insideout@bauer-media.com.au Online homestolove.com.au/insideout Facebook facebook.com/insideoutau Instagram instagram.com/insideoutmag Pinterest pinterest.com/insideoutpins

GENERAL MARKETING INQUIRIES Email insideout@bauer-media.com.au

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES PRIVACY NOTICE This issue of Inside Out magazine is published by Bauer Media Pty Ltd (Bauer). Bauer may use and disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or services and to keep you informed of other Bauer publications, products, services and events. Our Privacy Policy is located at bauer-media.com.au/privacy. It also sets out on how you can access or correct your personal information and lodge a complaint. Bauer may disclose your personal information offshore to its owners, joint venture partners, service providers and agents located throughout the world, including in New Zealand, USA, the Philippines and the European Union. In addition, this issue may contain Reader Offers, being offers, competitions or surveys. Reader Offers may require you to provide personal information to enter or to take part. Personal information collected for Reader Offers may be disclosed by us to service providers assisting Bauer in the conduct of the Reader Offer and to other organisations providing special prizes or offers that are part of the Reader Offer. An opt-out choice is provided with a Reader Offer. Unless you exercise that opt-out choice, personal information collected for Reader Offers may also be disclosed by us to other organisations for use by them to inform you about other products, services or events or to give to other organisations that may use this information for this purpose. If you require further information, please contact Bauer’s Privacy Officer either by email at privacyofficer @bauer-media.com.au or mail at Privacy Officer, Bauer Media Pty Ltd, 54 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

8 | INSIDE OUT

Phone 136 116 Online magshop.com.au/inside-out Email magshop@magshop.com.au Post Inside Out, Reply Paid 5252, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia Download our Inside Out app, now available on smartphones and tablets For Apple users, download from the App Store For Android users, download from Google Play Published by Bauer Media Pty Limited (ABN 053 273 546), 54 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. The trademark Inside Out is the property of Bauer Media Pty Ltd. © 2020. All rights reserved. Printed by Ovato Warwick Farm, 8 Priddle Street, Warwick Farm NSW 2170. National distribution by Gordon and Gotch Australia Pty Ltd. 1300 650 666. ISSN 1835-9631 (print). No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without written consent from the copyright holders. Bauer Media Pty Ltd does not accept responsibility for damage to or loss of freelance material submitted for publication. Allow several weeks for acceptance or return. For enquiries regarding subscriptions, phone 136 116, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm AEST, email magshop@magshop.com.au or mail letters to: Inside Out Reply Paid 5252, Sydney, NSW 2001, or subscribe online at magshop.com.au/insideout. Subscription rate*: Australia $69.95 (one year, 12 issues); NZ A$79.95 (one year, 12 issues); other countries A$159.95 (one year, 12 issues). All overseas subscriptions sent air speed. *Recommended price

PHOTOGRAPHY: MAREE HOMER. STYLING: KELLY TAYLOR

Space and tranquility were key when it came to transforming this red-brick house

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Dominic Roy (02) 9282 8691

Discover the subtle art of standing out. Understated yet contemporary, COLORBOND steel Matt is unequalled in its ability to draw attention. Available in five neutral colours, the only thing that does match its looks is its durability in our harsh Australian environment. Visit COLORBOND.COM/MATT or call 1800 702 764

BEHIND THE SCENES

GET THE LOOK

living colour

Recreate our cover look with soft spring tones and touchable textures

OUR COVER The colours featured are from The Capsule Collection by Porter’s Paints. Front wall: Eggshell paint in Timberline, $130 per 4L. Front-wall trim: Eggshell paint in River Stone, $130 per 4L. Back wall: Eggshell paint in Old Stone Wall, $130 per 4L. Natalie wears Ines blouse in Sky Blue, $198, and Madras corduroy pants in Baby Blue, $264, both direct from Marie Louise de Monterey. Sol Sana ‘Mila’ slides in Ivory, $99.95, The Iconic. THESE PAGES (clockwise from centre top) Ferm Living ‘Collect Angle’ shade pendant light in Light Grey, $659, Asser & Co. Agra rug (2.4m x 3m) in Pearl, $4300, Armadillo & Co. Starts With A Trickle diptych artwork by Sharon Candy (122cm x 203cm), $3800 for two, Art2Muse Gallery. Star blanket in Grey, $550, Hay. BZippy ‘Wiggle’ vase in Cream, $800, and ‘Cloud Klein’ planter in Cream & Baby Blue, $650, both Jardan. Eggshell paint in (from top) Timberline, River Stone and Old Stone Wall, all $130 per 4L, Porter’s Paints. Abode Prime flooring in Chambery, from $59.40 per sq m, Choices Flooring. Slit table in Black, $390, Hay. Hein Studio ‘Ikigai’ glass teapot, $160, and 101 Copenhagen ‘The Sphere Bubl Medio’ vase in Sand, $100, Mette Collections. Velvet cushion in Sage, $100, In Bed. Eclectic cushion in Dusty Pink, $230, Hay. Mags Soft sofa in Linara 443 (shown in Petal on cover), $6950, Hay.

10 | INSIDE OUT

PHOTOGRAPHY: WILL HORNER. COVER STYLING: JESSICA HANSON. STYLING ASSISTANTS: PALOMA MAINE, TESS THYREGOD, KATE LINCOLN. ADDITIONAL PRODUCT SOURCING: NATALIE JOHNSON

PERFECT PALETTE Our market editor, Natalie Johnson, immerses herself in this season’s must-have colours

armadillo a arm rmadi diill llo ru llo rug g

EARTH & SKY Thonet ‘GmbH S 285/0’ desk, $3485, and ‘GmbH 210 R’ bentwood chair, $2465, Anibou. Couple lamp, $425, Future Collective. Framed artwork, Office Elias. Japanese blue cup, $29, The DEA Store. Brass vessel, Office Elias. Kristiina Head II sculpture, $1250, Curatorial + Co. Ferm Living paper organiser, $179, The Lost & Found Department. Postcard, paint brushes and books, stylist’s own. Livistona australis plant, $40, Garden Life. BZippy ‘Wide Scallop’ vase, $650, and ‘Wiggle’ vase, $800, Jardan. Match carpet by Greg Natale, $185 per sq m, Designer Rugs.

Mugs, stylist’s own. Elke Lucas wide stoneware bowls, $59 each, The DEA Store. On benchtop: Deborah Sweeney soap dish in Toi Toi, $55, and Kura Studio utensil holder, $80, both Makers’ Mrkt. On soap dish: Sphaera pomegranate seed oil and pink clay soap, $25, Good Things. Cooking spoons, $70 each, and chopsticks, $30, Opus Lab. Turner + Turner wooden spoon in Marri, $80, Good Things. Turner + Turner small serving bowl in Jarrah, $90, Good Things. Ferm Living kitchen rod in Brass, $169, Lost & Found Department. Iris Hantverk scouring pad, $14 for two, Funkis. Tea strainer, stylist’s own. Traditional bamboo brush, $15, Kura Studio. Ferm Living ‘Bon’ wooden tray, $149, Arrival Hall. Ikigai glass teapot, $160, Mette Collections. Linen gingham napkin, $116 for four, Bastille & Sons. Ghosted terrazzo tiles, from $170.50 per sq m, Fibonacci Stone.

sofa sof so offa o fa iin na any ny cco ny col colour o olour ourr i okay is okay oka

SECOND NATURE Vintage Japanese basket, $185, The DEA Store. Iris Hantverk broom, $85, Pappa Sven. Top shelf from left: Maru washi paper lantern, $120, Provider Store. Pot Belly cup in Ochre, $40, Kura Studio. Iris Hantverk vegetable brush, $17, Funkis. Books and enamel containers, stylist’s own. Bottom shelf: Brush and Japanese wooden boxes, from $28 each, Provider Store. Soy Boy pourer, $68, Kura Studio. Gidon Bing Ceramics citrus juicer in French Green, $59, Good Things.

LIGHT & SHADOW L’Art de Vivre lounge chair, $3260, Fomu. Stool, The Lost & Found Department. On stool: Cereal Paris city guide book, $35, and Inari Japanese mug, $36, both Provider Store. Dua medium pot, $250, CLO Studios. Acacia rug in Fawn (200cm x 300cm), Armadillo & Co. On top shelf (from left): Shinichi medium bowl, $55, Provider Store. Second row: Vintage Japanese Kokeshi doll, $255, The DEA Store. Antique Japanese washi fan, $29, Provider Store. Lotus Leaf dish, $65, Opus Lab. Third row: Relic vessel, $135, Tantri Mustika. Tabletop broom, $35, Provider Store. All other books, from a selection at Office Elias.

DESIGN | SHOP | PLACES | PEOPLE | SPACES

THE CUT scents of place

Inspired by the meticulous recording of plant life by artists working during the Age of Discovery, luxury-goods label LOEWE has debuted a Home Scents collection based on the outdoors. Evoking all things botanical, plant essences such as honeysuckle, beetroot, juniper berry, ivy and others have been used to recreate the rich symphony of nature indoors. The range features wax candleholders, home fragrances, rattan diffusers, soap, and candles presented in shapely handcrafted ceramics not unlike Greek drinking vessels from the 5th century BC.

SCENT OF MARIHUANA CANDLEHOLDER, $130, AND CANDLE, $135; AND LUSCIOUS PEA CANDLE, $280, ALL FROM LOEWE

loewe.com

THE CUT COMPILED BY ELIZA O’HARE

DESIGN NEWS

POODLE BAR & BISTRO Smack bang in the middle of a row of terraces on South Fitzroy’s Gertrude Street is Poodle Bar, a new two-level hangout that, in its short life, has been open, closed, open again and, at the time of going to print, is closed again for Melbourne’s latest coronavirus lockdown. That means a wait for its dark wood panelling, velvet and leather layers, booths lined with glass, and green, teal and pink palette by Wendy Bergman of Bergman & Co, as well as chef Josh Fry’s umami-heavy interpretations of some classics. POODLEFITZROY.COM.AU

NOT YOUR REGULAR ROUND-UP JUST A FEW OF THE LOVELY AND UNUSUAL THINGS WE’VE DISCOVERED THIS MONTH… GLASS CHALLENGE

jouw drops

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL READY TO WEAR

SUPER CLEAN

The search for the perfect apron is a standard obsession here and we’ve found these two fun contenders: Cheetahs Gone Wild and Wild Stripe by Raine & Humble, $39.95 each.

Eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles for cleaning products, these concentrated cleaning tablets dissolve into warm water in your own spray bottle, creating 300ml of cleaning solution. CHANGE Multi-purpose cleaning tablets, $7.95 for four.

RAINEANDHUMBLE.COM

CHANGETABS.COM

APRON LOVERS TAKE COVER

14 | INSIDE OUT

JOUWSTORE.COM

OUT NOW

essential reading Melbourne’s MPavilion initiative brings top-shelf architects together to collaborate on a community pavilion each year and this book, MPavilion: Encounters With Design And Architecture, $80, chronicles their contributions. THAMESANDHUDSON.COM.AU

PHOTOGRAPHY: DEREK SWALWELL (POODLE). NATSIAA ARTWORK: GINGER WIKILYIRI

Online store Jouw invited 40 artists to design experimentally unique cutlery and dishware to challenge our way of eating. All the pieces are crafted from locally sourced natural materials that are found, repurposed or upcycled. Jochen Holz wine glasses, approximately $157 each.

IN BLOOM

RHODODENDRON

From August to November, the Rhododendron hits its stride and comes into full bloom. Chop the branch low (as Rhodo blooms can tend to hook down) and arrange in a wide-bottomed vase with a narrow neck.

TRIED & TESTED TRIED & TESTED

STAND-UP DESK Inside Out’s Deborah Grant tests a stand-up desk while putting together our next exciting issue from home If, like me, you’ve been working at a kitchen bench or another slightly inappropriate space with a dud chair since lockdown, this far more ergonomic set-up could be the solution. Last month, I heard about Stagekings and its clever transformation from set-building company to iso home-office furniture maker and ordered this tout de suite. It arrived within two weeks and I’ve been standing up (and sometimes perching straight up on a stool) since then. Wide enough for a 46cm monitor, it also has two height-adjustable plywood levels for stationery and drinks, plus it can be moved from room to room with relative ease. A big tick from me — and my back. IsoKing Stand-Up Desk, $235.

It’s something we look forward to every year — the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, where some of the country’s best emerging and established artists come together. This year was different. Broadcast online for the first time, it means the digital awards and online gallery are available to everyone via the website.

STAGEKINGS .COM.AU

NATSIAA.COM.AU

@SOPHIA_KAPLAN

NEW FROM NATALE

CLEAR PERSPECTIVE

KEYBOARD CROWD

NATSIAA ONLINE

If you’re desperately seeking delicately crafted oversized chunks of delicious acrylic for a display of modern materials on your coffee table, this is it. Greg Natale’s ‘Carter’ bowls are a perfect destination for bangles, earrings, keys and stylish what-nots. The clear acrylic version is $180.

SPECIAL COLLECTION

GOOD GROUND WORK

CAPPELEN DIMYR New and exclusive to Tigmi Trading’s menagerie of tightly curated, highly covetable pieces is the Cappelen Dimyr rug collection. The beautifully crafted rugs are designed in Scandinavia and stitched in India using unbleached wool, from $990 each. TIGMITRADING.COM

carried away Works of art ratherr rk, than vessels for work, we love these woven en om baskets by artists from m Northeast Arnhem Land community art rtt ga ay centre Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka. Find them att yirrkala.com FROM TOP Bathi (baskets) by Gawi u Dalparri, Banyuwurru Munyarryun and d Charmaine Ashley, priced at about $300. 0.

GREGNATALE.COM

CONSCIOUS LIVING

holly ryan Known for her organic yet minimalist creations, this jewellery designer is also an advocate for sustainability and has her heart set on creating a waste-free future

olly Ryan describes her jewellery

as nature- and art-inspired. Her label was founded in Queensland and her work is handcrafted in Australia, each piece designed to last a lifetime.

How did you discover your love for jewellerymaking? I grew up in my mother’s [jewellery] studio

and have been around the practice since I was young. I was ultimately drawn to making jewellery because of its lower environmental impact and the fact that metals never lose their value – they can be kept forever or melted down and recycled. Who are the creative people that you look to? I am incredibly inspired by many artists, especially Pablo Picasso, Barbara Hepworth, Jean Arp and Henri Matisse. I find inspiration all around me in nature, as well as in art and in the personal style of my creative friends. How was your eponymous label born? I started designing and making jewellery in my final year of university, studying fine arts and majoring in fashion at Queensland University of Technology. At my graduate show, it was the jewellery that buyers were the most interested in, so the brand has grown very organically from there. You’re passionate about sustainability and recycling — how does that present in your business model?

All of my jewellery is designed to be timeless and is built to last. We also use sustainable materials, such as recycled gold and silver, and we save any scraps in the studio to be melted down and reused. We also offer a Recycling Initiative, where we invite our customers to return their pieces in exchange for store credit, or to be redesigned into something new. Jewellery is designed to be worn, and because the raw materials in jewellery can be melted down and repurposed, it made sense for me to offer an opportunity for people 16 | INSIDE OUT

to breathe new life into pieces that they no longer wear. Environmental sustainability has always been a core focus for the brand and, as the technology and resources improve in this area, I’m constantly trying to integrate that learning into the brand. You’re also an accomplished sculptural artist. How did you discover your love for this medium, and how does it differ from making jewellery?

I discovered sculpture by accident, when a friend suggested I give it a go – to build sculptures I could use to display my jewellery with – but has since evolved into another artistic practice for me. Sculpture is actually quite similar to making jewellery, just on a larger scale. So, they deﬁnitely inform one another. What’s next for Holly Ryan jewellery? We have just opened our very ﬁrst Holly Ryan headquarters in Sydney’s Surry Hills and there are some very exciting things planned for the space in coming months. I’m also working on a collaboration with another sustainable Australian label, KITX by Kit Willow. When you create jewellery designs, are you creating for your customer or do you create for yourself?

It’s a mix of both. I deﬁnitely create pieces I feel a personal affinity with, but I’m often producing pieces for friends and clients that go on to inspire my work down the track. I try not to produce new pieces just for the sake of it, but to release seasonless designs. See Holly’s jewellery and sculpture at hollyryan.com.au

PHOTOGRAPHY: LUCY LANDINI (PORTRAIT, CLOSE-UP), JAKE TERREY (CAMPAIGN), MADDY MATHESON (HQ)

THE CUT

“Jewellery is designed to be worn, and because the raw materials in jewellery can be melted down and repurposed, it made sense for me to oﬀer an opportunity for people to breathe new life into pieces they no longer wear” HOLLY RYAN, JEWELLER

THIS PAGE (clockwise from top left) Jewellery at Holly Ryan HQ. Gold-plated She Shell pendant with sapphire, $520. An image from Holly’s latest campaign, featuring the gold fob Belcher chain necklace, $420; Classic Pearl Strand bracelet, from $150; and Pearl Spiral ring, $250. Men’s gold Signet ring, from $1000, and Wide Band Stacker with sapphire, from $660. The Hidden Treasure Map necklace, $620, being assembled. Mini gold Square Tube Hoop earrings, $200. OPPOSITE (from top left) Gold Meteor mini pearl drop earrings, from $200; and gold Wabi Sabi ring with diamonds, from $1510. Holly in her studio.

WORDS LAURA BARRY

THE CUT

BEST BUYS

dining chairs

LEFT TO RIGHT BRDR Kruger ‘Jari’ dining chair, from $3084, Fred International. Raffles dining chair in White, $219, Freedom. Orana dining chair in White, $399, Domayne. Hem ‘Udon’ chair in Natural, $775, District.

LEFT TO RIGHT Prostoria ‘Bik’ chair, $680, Stylecraft. Hay ‘Neu 12’ chair, $950, Cult Design. Andreu World ‘Lake’ chair with woven seat, $817, Ke-zu. Muuto ‘Nerd’ dining chair, $705, Living Edge.

LEFT TO RIGHT Muuto ‘Cover’ oak chair, $870, Living Edge. Arch chair, $585, Sarah Ellison. Jon Goulder ‘Cub’ dining chair, $705, Living Edge. Tableaux dining chair with upholstered seat in Natural and Grey, $159, Freedom.

COMPILED BY NATALIE JOHNSON

Our edit of the latest designer chairs for every style of table

LEFT TO RIGHT Mobel Copenhagen ‘Front Regular’ dining chair, from $1826, Fred International. J46 dining chair, $420, SeehoSu. Mid-Century Modern ‘Petal’ upholstered dining chair in Blue Stone, $339, West Elm. Quay indoor dining chair, from $498, King Living.

LEFT TO RIGHT Hay ‘Soft-Edge P10’ chair with polypropylene seat, from $390, Cult. Normann Copenhagen ‘Studio’ chair in Green, $595, HG Furniture Solutions. New Works ‘Covent’ upholstered chair, $1715, HG Furniture Solutions. Alki ‘Atal’ solid wood and metal-tubing armchair, from $1315.60, Design Nation.

LEFT TO RIGHT Miniforms ‘Diverge’ ash dining chair, from $1830.40, Design Nation. No15 Valois bistro chair, $319, Thonet. Normann Copenhagen ‘Hyg 4 Leg’ chair in Flax, $805, HG Furniture Solutions. Mazo ‘MZO’ chair with armrest, from $1160, Fred International.

INSIDE OUT | 19

THE CUT

2 TREND STYLE

scalloped

Pattern up with a nature-derived detail that comes in many forms

13 11

1 HAV porcelain plate, e $149, $149 Royal Copenhagen. Copenhagen 2 Kaneko Kohyo ‘Rinka’ porcelain bowl bowl, $65 $65, Ginkgo Leaf. Leaf 3 Como stoneware vase in Blush, Blush $160, $160 Fenton & Fenton. 4 Montrose fabric small pendant light in White, $189, Fat Shack Vintage. 5 Toffee bath towel, $79, Castle. 6 Katarina Wells ‘Papa’ vessel, $980, Curatorial + Co. 7 Aerin ‘Corvo’ large vase, $1350, Becker Minty. 8 Voluspa ‘Mokara’ scalloped candle, $49.95, Saison. 9 Billiani ‘Corolla 273’ sofa, $6617, Design Nation. 10 Sicily Scallop placemat, $192 for two, Elizabeth Lake. 11 Alvar Aalto votive in Grey, $34.95, Iittala. 12 Sheru Scallop dish, $42, Provider Store. 13 Blush linen scallop pillowcase, $59, Castle. 14 White crafted earthy clay mug with gloss finish, $34.95 for two, Robert Gordon.

20 | INSIDE OUT

COMPILED BY NATALIE JOHNSON

D O M A Y N E

P R E S E N T S

SUMMER LIFE Serve up seriously stylish holiday vibes this season with outdoor spaces that invite you to relax.

V I SI T D OM AY NE .COM . AU TO B R OWSE O U R FU L L R A N G E O F FU R N I T U R E, B ED D IN G A N D H OM E WA R ES .

Create a contemporary mood with the soft curves of an outdoor lounge that ties in seamlessly with natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cues.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

PREVIOUS PAGE ‘COVE’ 4-PIECE OUTDOOR LOUNGE PACKAGE $2999; ‘KAL A’ OUTDOOR CUSHION IN MELON $44EA; ‘EFFY’ RAT TAN L ANTERN SMALL $89EA; CURRENT ‘TAL ARA’ OUTDOOR 2-SEATER LOUNGE $1699; ‘TAL ARA’ OUTDOOR ARMCHAIR $899EA; ‘TAL ARA’ OUTDOOR COFFEE TABLE $429; ‘TAL ARA’ OUTDOOR SIDE TABLE $229; ‘SET’ CUSHION IN NAV Y $59EA; SALT & PEPPER ‘VESTIGE’ BOT TLE IN GREY $29; ‘EDEN’ FIBREGL ASS OUTDOOR POT IN WHITE (60 X 87CM) L ARGE $399EA.

OUTDOOR SUMMER COLLECTION

COME TO GE T H ER

OUTDOOR SUMMER COLLECTION

Welcome guests to the table with earthy tones and the timeless appeal of light timber and modern, clean lines.

‘HUDSON’ OUTDOOR RECTANGUL AR DINING TABLE (W220 X H75 X D100CM) $1199; ‘HUDSON’ OUTDOOR TIMBER DINING CHAIR $269EA; ‘TROPICANA’ OUTDOOR CUSHION IN GREEN $44EA; ‘DESIRE’ SMALL PL ANTER IN ORANGE RUST $34; ELIZA BOWL IN NATURAL $29.

Tap into one of nature’s best palettes with a striking combination of sky blue cushions and charcoal lounges with blue weave.

‘CLUB’ 4-PIECE OUTDOOR LOUNGE PACKAGE $1999; SALT & PEPPER ‘REFINE’ TOTEM PL ANTER IN BL ACK $139; ‘EDEN’ FIBREGL ASS OUTDOOR POT IN BL ACK (60 X 87CM) L ARGE $399; ‘MARCO’ ABSTRACT INDOOR/OUTDOOR RUG (200 X 290CM) IN GREY/BLUE $549.

BLUE SKIES AHEAD

OUTDOOR SUMMER COLLECTION

WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME

‘RETREAT’ OUTDOOR DINING TABLE (W270 X H76 X D116CM) $1499; ‘RETREAT’ OUTDOOR DINING CHAIR $259EA; ‘SET’ CUSHION IN CITRUS $59EA; ‘KET TLE’ VASE IN MUSTARD $59; ‘MARCO’ TRIBAL INDOOR/OUTDOOR RUG (160 X 230CM) IN BEIGE $349.

OUTDOOR SUMMER COLLECTION

Set the scene for a joyful entertaining space that looks the part on any patio or verandah. A matte powder-coated finish makes for enduring practicality all year round.

Define a space with a contemporary corner lounge with wide arms and deep cushions. Add an outdoor coffee table and rug to further define your place to relax.

‘CIAN’ 2-PIECE OUTDOOR CORNER LOUNGE PACKAGE $2499; ‘CIAN’ OUTDOOR ARMCHAIR $799; ‘CIAN’ OUTDOOR COFFEE TABLE $659; ‘CIAN’ OUTDOOR SIDE TABLE $499; ‘ELIZA’ BOWL IN NATURAL $29; ‘ELTON’ OUTDOOR CUSHION IN BL ACK $49EA; ‘WINDSOR’ OUTDOOR CUSHION IN SAND $49EA; ‘RYKER’ STONELITE PL ANTER MEDIUM (51CM HIGH) $199; ‘RYKER’ STONELITE PL ANTER L ARGE (70CM HIGH) $279; ‘VERANDAH’ OUTDOOR RUG (200 X 290CM) IN GREY $399.

THE SIMPLE PLEASURES

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PHOTOGRAPHY: NIGEL LOUGH. STYLING: JESSICA HANSON

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TREND REPORT

mindful moodboards

The top three colour palette combinations of 2020 blend Mother Nature’s most superb earthy inﬂuences and marine elements to create a conscious mood of calm

SERENE SCENE A gentle neutral is used to promote peace in this restful bedroom designed by Studio Quarters.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PRUE RUSCOE (ABOVE), CLAIRE TAKACS (RIGHT). STYLING: CLAIRE DELMAR (ABOVE)

almost whites

LIGHT TOUCH Milky tones and gentle greys win the day when it comes to picking out perfect pales 1 Porter’s Paints Irish Linen. 2 Porter’s Paints Wood Smoke Half Strength (Wood Smoke also appears on the walls in the image below). 3 Porter’s Paints Mist. 4 Porter’s Paints Chintz Grey. All the paints are Eggshell Acrylic, $130 per 4L. LEFT Saxon bar stool, $255, Coco Republic. Ferm Living ‘Shell’ pot/sculpture, $169, Designstuff. HK Living ‘Smoke Grey’ glass vase, $59, House of Orange.

There’s no question that whites work wonders in a room – they make the most of the available natural light and can help a space feel larger than it is. But not all whites are created equal. “A ‘true white’, which has no colour tint to it, can sometimes feel a little cold and sterile,” says Sydney interior designer Sarah Yarrow. “You might ﬁnd an almost-white tone, which has either a warm or cool base, is more pleasing to the eye.” Take tonal inspiration from late-summer grasses, smooth seashells and the palest eggshell blues. These colours are easy to live with, whether you use them on your walls, your bed or in artworks or furniture. “For walls in a south-facing room, it’s best to select a white with warmer undertones to counteract the lower levels of natural light,” says Sarah. “Choosing a cool white could make it feel icy and clinical. The reverse applies to a north-facing room.” WORDS SARAH PICKETTE

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STAR STAIRS Thanks to its recessive quality, black is a great choice for this Sydney home’s under-stair study, designed by David Boyle Architect.

dark and moody Rich navy, inky black, deep charcoal grey – dark, saturated colours have the power to provide intimacy to a room, making it feel cosy and homely. “They can also create a sense of drama and make smaller rooms appear bigger,” says Sydney interior designer Lynne Bradley. “In my opinion, rooms that are already dark are best painted with dark colours to make them more inviting. I love to contrast the depth with lighter-coloured furnishings and trim, to balance the space.” Many people are frightened by darker tones because they think they’ll make their space appear darker and smaller. “In fact, they have the opposite effect when used correctly,” says Lynne. “Painting your already-dark room in a paler colour will often make the space colder rather than brighter. And dark walls are a great backdrop for art and photos.” Pair intense colours with metallic accessories or trim, have crisp light-toned contrasts on your skirtings and architraves, and add pops of playful colour. 34 | INSIDE OUT

Go deeper with the deliciously intense tones of pure black, charcoal grey and rich navy 1 Porter’s Paints Squid Ink. 2 Porter’s Paints Yacht Race. 3 Porter’s Paints Aniseed. All paint is Eggshell Acrylic, $130 per 4L. BELOW Juno ‘Florence’ one-seater sofa in Navy Velvet, $1445, GlobeWest. Ligne Roset ‘Ilot’ stool in Cloud Marine, from $875, Domo. Lady vase in Charcoal, $180, Clay Canoe.

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS WARNES (THIS PAGE), ALAMY (OPPOSITE TOP), CHRIS COURT (OPPOSITE BOTTOM). STYLING: CLAIRE DELMAR (THIS PAGE)

DARK ARTS

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it’s only natural

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“The magic of bringing the blues and greens you ﬁnd in the natural world into your home is that it’s almost impossible to tire of them,” says Melbourne interior designer Camilla Molders. Liveable and soothing, they can evoke the feeling of walking beneath shady eucalypts on a spring morning or gazing out to a still ocean. “I personally love the ‘dirtier’ blues and greens in the colour spectrum – those that have a touch of grey to them. In fact, I can’t think of a colour they don’t work well with.” Whichever shade of blue or green you favour, know that these colours are perfect for using prominently, whether that’s on your walls or in large-scale pieces like a sofa, bed or rug. “You can go big with them because these are colours that recede and won’t overpower a space, which allows other elements in the room to stand out,” says Camilla. Work these colours back in with other nature-inspired pieces: accessories with organic lines, vases of extravagant foliage, and soft fabrics. It’s also a great idea to pair blue with green – who says they can’t be seen?

RELAXED ELEGANCE Soothing green is used to beautiful effect in stylist and designer Sibella Court’s beachside home in Sydney.

EARTHLY BEAUTIES Calm and endlessly alluring, blues and greens evoke the beauty of the natural world 1 Porter’s Paints French Green. 2 Porter’s Paints Bayleaf. 3 Porter’s Paint’s Gulf Stream. All the paints are Eggshell Acrylic, $130 per 4L. ABOVE Mia desk lamp, $200, Trit House. Hay ‘1 Dot’ cushion in Warm Grey, $195, Cult. Linen queen duvetcover set in Olive, $355, Cultiver. Fogia ‘Bowl’ coffee table, $1540 for small, Fred International.

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PROFILE

jana stewart How did Microcosm begin? I started Microcosm about two years

Tell us about your proudest professional achievement I feel

ago. I had a big plant collection and was always being asked by friends for advice about them, so a friend suggested a business. Back then, the only examples of plant businesses I saw were either nurseries or plant hire for offices. I tried plant hire first but didn’t really enjoy it. Then I started offering my Plant Parenthood workshops at Daisy’s Milkbar in Petersham [Sydney] and had a great response. That was a huge step. I really enjoyed the one-on-one interaction and the relationships I built. Getting to be part of people’s homes was really rewarding. Eventually, I started being asked to do plants for small businesses around the area and now that’s my main jam. Most of my clients are referrals. What is the philosophy behind the brand? My main focus is to offer tailored, personal advice [on plants] to suit a space. Whether that’s someone’s home or office, or a restaurant. The best-looking plant is a healthy plant, and having them around you makes you appreciate plants further afield.

honoured any time someone asks me to be part of their space. The fit-out I did for the Willie the Boatman brewery in St Peters was my biggest and I’m very proud of that one. Getting a call from [skincare brand] Aesop to turn their Chatswood store into an ‘overgrown greenhouse’ was the most fun. And Poor Toms Gin Hall in Marrickville I will always have a soft spot for, as they were my first commercial space and just the all-round nicest people. What do you love most about working with plants? Plants really transform a space, and I love sharing my excitement about that with people. For commercial spaces, it’s the fun of hunting down the perfect statement plants, and for someone’s home, it’s knowing I am contributing to a long appreciation/addiction. Plants can be a bridge between everyday life and nature, and the same way that having pets often makes you care about animal rights, having plants often makes you care about green spaces.

WORDS KATE HASSETT

PHOTOGRAPHY: GODADDY (PORTRAIT), JANA STEWART

A love of leaves led this plucky microbiologist to start a business preaching the gospel of Plant Parenthood

FROM FAR LEFT Jana Stewart at her Microcosm plant nursery in Sydney’s Petersham; Microcosm plants at Aesop’s Chatswood store; Jana sources many exotic-looking yet fairly low-maintenance species, such as variegated miniature umbrella trees and prayer plants; a bright lemon lime heart-leaf philodendron in a self-watering Mr Kitly pot; Poor Toms Gin Hall in Marrickville; plants and Banks Journal clothing on display at PCP Sydney.

How (if at all) has social media impacted your business? Most

Should everyone own a plant? Caring for another living thing

of my interaction is through Instagram. For a small business like mine, it’s a really great way to create personal connections. I always try to make sure what I post reflects me, so I avoid chic, minimal photos that are really curated. Do you have a favourite plant at the moment? A friend gave me a cutting of an Anthurium magnificum, which recently sprouted its first new leaf. It’s huge and oh-so velvety, so that’s definitely got my attention lately. But I am a sucker for native orchids, too, and have a big old Dendrobium kingianum mounted on my wall, which I love.

and having to tune into what it needs is a beautiful lesson for everyone. The other thing is that our lives are so instant now – plants slow you down a little. Can you suggest some good indoor plants for pet owners? I get asked this a lot and have two fur babies of my own (Peaches and Bronson, Devon Rex cats). Top non-toxic options are palms, Aspidistra and ribbon plants. What is the easiest plant to look after? For beginners, I always recommend Spathiphyllum ‘Sensation’. It is perfect for lower-light areas common indoors, and will give you a reminder when it needs watering by drooping its leaves a little.

What’s the best way to care for plant babies in general? Less is more. Plants bounce back

from underwatering really easily, but overwatering not so much. Can anyone be a successful plant parent?

“The best-looking plant is a healthy one, and having plants around you makes you appreciate those further aﬁeld” JANA STEWART, MICROCOSM

Definitely! It’s all about trial and error, I think, and realistic expectations. The main thing is to buy a plant to suit the space you have. If you buy a fiddle-leaf fig and then put it in a dark corner, it doesn’t matter how green your thumb is – it won’t like it one bit. Why do you think people get so much enjoyment from plants?

Living in the city and spending so much time indoors, plants bring a little bit of outside inside. You always feel calm with plants around, and they are so pretty. What’s not to love?

When you have time, what do you like to cook? Recently, I pulled out the pasta maker

and I’ve been using that. It’s like grown-up playdough but okay to eat! Who are you loving on Insta right now?

Isolation has me missing travelling and ﬁeld work. I often travel to Tasmania to help with Tasmanian devil research, so Tasmania Parks & Wildlife [@tasmaniaparks] has been great. Callum, who runs Cactus Talk [@cactus_talk], has some beautiful cacti. And I’m a sucker for a meme, so Philomemdron [@philomemdron]. What’s next? A blog page and, when I can, resuming my monthly Plant Parties. And hopefully, greening even bigger spaces. See Jana’s plants at microcosm.earth or @microcosm.earth INSIDE OUT | 37

INSIDE

the light stuff

Raw materials play a major role in this coastal new build

When deciding what their dream home was going to look like, Victorians Kara and Chris were determined to create a modern yet sympathetic structure that would hold up to the harsh coastal environment. They landed on concrete walls, poured on site, resulting in a textured look that’s full of character with a slight marble effect. Their European-oak ceiling emphasises the expansive floor plan and reflects light from the home’s floor-to-ceiling windows, making full use of its verdurous surrounds. Turn the page to see more.

PHOTOGRAPHY NIKOLE RAMSAY STYLING EMMA O’MEARA

easy being green Behind its strong shell, a study in sustainability has created a future-proof family home in coastal Victoria WORDS KATE HASSETT PHOTOGRAPHY NIKOLE RAMSAY STYLING EMMA Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;MEARA

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LIVING ROOM Concrete walls and an engineered-oak ceiling frame the space. A Monica Rohan print sets the tone for the stylish palette while a custom pink velvet armchair by Mollard Interiors and Marenco chair from Polifom provide comfort. Tan leather sofa and marble coffee table, also both custom pieces from Mollard Interiors. Wooden tonk stool, Rigbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Homewares. Vase, Dinosaur Designs. Rug, Bayliss. EXTERIOR (opposite) Kara wanted the outside to be easy to maintain and give off clear sightlines from within the home, where the garden designed by DMS Landscapes is visible at every angle.

cheat sheet Who lives here Kara Considine, who works in HR; her husband Chris Briggs; their children: Annabel, 11, Jemima, nine, and Eliza, eight; plus Winifred the toy cavoodle and Coral the Siamese fighting fish. Style of home A five-bedroom (plus studio) new build in Barwon Heads on the Bellarine Peninsula, south-west of Melbourne. Construction took 23 months from January 2017, when the existing home was demolished, through to December 2018.

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lthough wrapped in a dark and angular

shell, this monolithic residence on the tip of Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula is anything but severe. Instead, a vast interior coated in soft, touchable surfaces, topped with a warming lid of engineered European oak and lit from within by a grand void and floor-to-ceiling windows, elevates this family home to epic new heights. The owners, Kara and Chris, purchased the existing property in 2016, attracted to the land and its close proximity to the beach, river and village centre, as well as being in one of their favourite streets. Architecture firm Auhaus was brought in almost immediately to begin planning, as the older property was demolished to make way for the new in 2017. “The brief was for a home that was open to the outdoors and garden area,” says Kara. “We wanted the house to have zones that felt intimate and connected, but without making it feel like one big room.” Given the house’s beachside location, future-proofing the home to combat a rising sea level was an essential step in the design process. “It was important to think about what climate change could mean for the area,” admits Kara. “We decided it was prudent to build the floor higher than building regulations required.” The couple also took advantage of the expansive flat roof, installing solar panels to make full use of the northerly aspect. “The architect was very clever in the way they designed the house to maximise the seasons,” says Kara. “In winter, the low sun penetrates all the downstairs living areas, keeping them warm, but in summer the shades on one side of the house cut out the rays.” While Kara was on board with Auhaus’s vision for a concrete structure from day one, Chris wasn’t so sure. However, the soft marble effect of the poured-on-site concrete won him over in the end, with Kara relishing the added character. To soften the harsher materials, European oak was used to clad several walls and the ceilings throughout, creating a warm embrace that emphasised the bold angles of the void and cantilevered upper level. What followed was a considered palette of lush textures with gentle flourishes of pink and green. “I knew those were the colours we wanted on repeat,” explains Kara. “We love how the green continues on into the garden, and the pink softens the masculinity of the concrete and aluminium fins of the exterior.” Now, with the family spending a lot more time at home than originally planned, they’ve been able to truly experience the joy of what they’ve created. “The house is perfect for our family and strikes a really good balance between communal living and having your own space when you need it. Our home has a special quality that makes you relax as soon as you enter the doors.” Auhaus Architecture is at auhaus.com.au. Builders Larkin & Drought are at ldhomes.com.au. Find DMC Concrete Art @dmc_concrete_art

42 | INSIDE OUT

“The house captures the seasons beautifully through the way the light floods into the main living areas” KARA CONSIDINE, HOMEOWNER

KITCHEN/DINING (both pages) This minimalist design was the answer to all Kara’s entertaining dreams. The Cote D’Azur marble splashback by G-Lux is the perfect bridge between the cool concrete benchtops by DMC Concrete Art and the statement black upper cabinets. All the appliances are by ASKO. When Kara and Chris heard that the timber from the old Barwon Heads bridge had been bought by Pegasus Antiques, they jumped at the chance to commission a dining table. “We love its connection to local history,” says Kara. Chairs, Thonet. Custom lighting by Griffin Design. Decorative touches by way of Dinosaur Designs (on table and bench) and a bold artwork by Eryca Green via Smith Street Bazaar.

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“There’s a really good balance between communal living and having your own space when needed – the design is perfect for our family and we use every area” KARA

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STUDIO

1 Entry 2 Bedroom 3 Office 4 Bathroom 5 Laundry 6 Kitchen 7 Dining 8 Living 9 Garage 10 Deck/pool area 11 Outdoor bathroom 12 Bedroom 13 Bedroom 14 Bedroom 15 Bathroom 16 Powder room 17 Rumpus 18 Main bedroom 19 Walk-in robe 20 Ensuite 21 Studio

POWDER ROOM A built-in vanity with Cote D-Azur marble top from G-Lux emulates the natural texture of the concrete walls. The Michael Douglass Design pendant speaks to the shapely curves of the Marmoset Found ‘Memphis’ vase. Tapware and basin, Reece. Round mirror, Middle of Nowhere. BUTLER’S PANTRY (opposite top) Tucked behind the living/kitchen area, this room houses an additional Fisher & Paykel dishwasher and collected ceramics for year-round entertaining. ENTRY (opposite) Built-in seating is decorated with a Lightly planter and cushion from Rigby’s. Artwork by Megan Grant.

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JEMIMA’S ROOM Each of the children have their own style and Kara was keen to let that shine in Jemima’s bedroom, where a custom bedhead from Mollard Interiors is complemented by Kip & Co bed linen and cushions. The Fenton & Fenton bone-inlay bedside table adds subtle pattern. Table lamp, Beacon Lighting. RUMPUS ROOM (opposite) Built-in cabinetry houses plates from Rigby’s and a framed painting by Eliza. Unique PET lamps made from recycled bottles add a rustic and playful charm. Chair, Thonet.

46 | INSIDE OUT

GREAT FINDS

FROM TOP Abyssinia pendant lights, $3805 for set of three, Spence & Lyda. Pandora rug (200cm x 300cm) in Natural Grey, $2250, Bayliss. David Shrigley ‘Life is Fantastic’ tea towel, $45, Third Drawer Down. Tenterfield dining table, $1999, Harvey Norman. Thonet ‘Vienna 18 Bentwood’ chair in Black, $195, Huset. Scribble tartan linen queen quilt cover, $329, Kip & Co. Velvet Pea cushion in Dusty Pink, $79, Kip & Co. Middle of Nowhere ‘Flynn’ round mirror in Black, $209, Life Interiors. Kelly low-back armchair in Elk Velvet Wildflower, $3042, Jardan. Large resin rock bowl in Pink Guava, $280, Dinosaur Designs. Cote D’Azur marble, POA, G-Lux.

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GARDEN A low-maintenance outdoor space with an entertainment-focused vibe was a must-have for the family. Swimming pool, installed by 5Forty Pools. ENSUITE (opposite left) The palette of the downstairs powder room is carried through to this bathroom. Custom cabinetry and built-in mirrors house basins and tapware from Reece. The Cote D’Azur marble extends from the benchtop to the splashback. Floor tiles, Beaumont Tiles. Pendant light, Michael Douglass Design. Towel, Kip & Co. MAIN BEDROOM (opposite right and below) A dusty-pink Togo chair sits under an abstract work by artist Susie Monte. The GlobeWest bed and Kip & Co linen take their colour cues from the Ali Wood painting above.

lessons learnt “ You need to work with a builder you trust” KARA CONSIDINE, OWNER

“Our building process was a really positive experience because of the great working relationship we had with the builders and their trades. The process can take time, so it’s important that there’s always open communication and, of course, some fun!”

TERRACE Bi-fold doors and automatic awnings have created a semi-weatherproof extension of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s living room. Bates Landscape designed the garden beyond. DINING (opposite) The new banquette is by Jade Upholstery. Parquet table, Made by Max. Artwork by Kaitlin Johnson and sculpture by Katarina Wells, both Curatorial + Co.

Ca lifornia scheming An expanding family of Sydneysiders maxed out every millimetre of their California bungalow with a plan for more bedrooms and storage WORDS TOM LAZARUS PHOTOGRAPHY PABLO VEIGA STYLING KERRIE-ANN JONES

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cheat sheet

VESSELS (THIS PAGE): DINOSAUR DESIGNS AND THE DEA STORE

Who lives here Kelly, who works in the legal profession; her husband Daniel, who’s in construction; their sons: Malachi, four, and Levi, two; and Staffordshire bull terriers Brooklyn and Zahra. Style of home A 1910 ‘Cal bung’ in Sydney’s inner west that’s been enlarged to include a new first floor, and refurbished throughout so it now has the polish of a luxury hotel. The family bought the property in 2015. The renovation took 16 months, which included a change of builder. It was completed in 2019.

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ive Dock, in the stroller-and-gelato belt of

Sydney’s inner west, might just be the spiritual home of the California bungalow, which, with its flexible floor plan and indoor-outdoor flow, has helped define modern Australian living. It was into a prime 90-year-old example of a ‘Cal bung’ that Kelly, a paralegal assistant, and her husband Daniel, who owns a building company, moved in 2015 with plans to start a family. The home had a yard suitable for kids and dogs and a parking spot for their SUV, but the presence of Daniel’s ever-hospitable parents 600 metres away – a pot always bubbling on the stove, the kettle permanently warm – was the clincher. “Having that support network close by was definitely on our radar,” says Kelly. Describing herself as “barefoot and beachy”, Kelly moved often as a child, “from country to city to country to coast”, and had lived in 20 houses and apartments by the time she married Daniel. She was tired of packing and unpacking, and of souvenirs from past lives filling her shelves. “When you move around so often, you’re never fully set up,” she explains. “There’s always one foot out the door, and [interior] style becomes the clutter that accumulates. One thing it taught me is that you really don’t need a lot.” For both Kelly and Daniel, the Five Dock house represented a clean slate on which to create a “stress-free sanctuary” after hectic workdays. Their family quickly grew to include two children and two Staffies, and they realised they needed to optimise every inch of the place to live comfortably. Daniel, who moved just once growing up, was used to space, so the relatively tight 280-square-metre block was a challenge: how to jam two more bedrooms, an ensuite, an office and an indoor laundry into the floor plan, plus add the desired deck, plunge pool and subterranean wine cellar to the backyard? The obvious solution was to build upwards, but Daniel was determined this gut-job wouldn’t crush the soul of the architecture. They appointed Brad Inwood Architects and Louise Spicer of Onefour Interiors, the latter initially to help them refine their ideas and then to mastermind the reconfigured interior, which they wanted to feel “like a luxury hotel”. Parenthood is, as they say, a series of compromises, and what they were able to do with the house followed a similar path. Sadly, the pool was nixed and the wine cellar morphed into a (still schmick) wine cabinet. The planned office on the first floor became a linen cupboard, while custom drawers in the staircase now stores work documents as the couple hot-desk around the house on laptops. Another of Louise’s innovations was a butler’s pantry, tucked behind Tasmanian-oak slats, which has justified its cost by helping to keep the kitchen benches clear and allowing Kelly to create and experiment with abandon at the stove.

KITCHEN The original plan to stain the cabinets black was abandoned in favour of more costeffective Polytec. A butlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pantry hidden behind Tasmanian oak slats keeps the Marmonyx Stone Super White marble benches clear. Big Kick brass light, Volker Haug Studio. Vessels, The DEA Store. Tapware, ABI.

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LIVING The pastel-hued Jardan ‘Nook’ sofa creates a cosy corner. On the Sarah Ellison table are a sculpture by Kristiina Haataja and a Dinosaur Designs vase. Cushions and throw, Country Road. BATHROOM (opposite) Apaiser’s ‘Soka Petit’ statement bathtub is complemented by Pinch tapware by Rogerseller. Tiles, Elba. Towel, Oliver Thom.

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bright idea 13

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FIRST FLOOR

Instead of sacrificing ceiling height in the hallway to house air-conditioning units, it struck Kelly that they could be hidden in a cavity above a lowered ceiling in the bathroom, giving the space the intimate feel of a Japanese wet room. Tasmanian oak slats and grey Elba marble tiles conjure a Zen-like look.

1 Porch 2 Guest room 3 Hall 4 Laundry 5 Bathroom 6 Kitchen 7 Butler’s pantry 8 Dining area 9 Living area 10 Terrace 11 Stairwell 12 Powder room 13 Bedroom 14 Bedroom 15 Ensuite 16 Main bedroom

Daniel, whom Kelly describes as “a city boy – the New York to my Byron Bay” and Louise has dubbed a “frustrated designer”, has an instinct for wow-factor and lots of ideas. “He would bring me things and ask which ones I liked. That was good for me, but not so good for him, as I wasn’t choosing materials and fittings with price in mind,” recalls Kelly, laughing. “What can I say? I have expensive tastes!” In short, the house “turned out more opulent than we planned”, she admits. The only big spanner in the works was the decision to switch builders part-way through the project, which everyone agrees was very stressful. “It got to the point of, Are we ever going to get back into our house?” says Kelly. Enter, stage left, the couple’s friend, high-end builder Luigi Ginardi, armour shining in the Five Dock sunshine, and the ‘airplane bungalow’ at last took flight. “Family life is definitely lived easily in the space now,” concludes Louise of the stunning result. And the grandparents? “They think we’ve done a beautiful job,” says Kelly. But despite ample seating both indoors and out at the new house, dinner is still usually at their place. “Daniel’s mum is Italian and his dad’s Portuguese, and you knock on the door and they say, ‘Come in, let us feed you,’” says Kelly fondly. The couple originally saw the house as an investment they’d outgrow in three to five years, so it’s testament to the liveability of the redesign that all bets are now off as to how long this will be home, even with a third child on the way. After all, reasons Kelly, “More space than this would mean more to clean.” Onefour Interiors: onefourinteriors.com.au or @onefour_interiors. Ginardi: ginardi.com.au. Brad Inwood Architects: biarchitects.com.au INSIDE OUT | 55

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT Woodgrain laminate in Black Birchply, from $86.57 per sq m, Laminex. Nero Marquina subway tiles (75mm x 305mm), $159 per sq m, Teranova. Big Kick brass light, $3905, Volker Haug Studio. Linen queen sheet set (with pillowcases) in Sage, $425, Cultiver. Elysian brushed-brass kitchen mixer, $289, ABI Interiors. Finley All-In-One shower set in Matte Black, $499.90, ABI Interiors. Tide natural oak and tempered-glass side table (90cm x 90cm x 35cm), $1495, Sarah Ellison. Kristiina Head sculpture by Kristiina Haataja, $700, Curatorial + Co. DC09 stained-ash chair in Black, $3750, Great Dane.

56 | INSIDE OUT

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT SOURCING: NATALIE JOHNSON

GREAT FINDS

ENSUITE This adult space is dramatically decorated to evoke a hotel suite, with a custom mirror, pedestal sink by Apaiser and Rogerseller tapware. MAIN BEDROOM (opposite) The Jardan bed is flanked by Tim Noone tables and lights by Volker Haug Studio. Joinery by Ginardi. Vessel and brass box, Dinosaur Designs. Candle, Maison Balzac.

lessons learnt “Don’t be afraid to change builders” KELLY, HOMEOWNER

“We had to switch builders early on. Luckily for us, Daniel is in the industry so he was onto everything immediately. Fortunately, we cut ties early in the build, so there was not too much collateral damage. The upside is our new builder, a good friend, came in with a fine-tooth comb and made sure everything was immaculate. So the worst part of the process turned out to be the biggest blessing.”

KITCHEN Although she’s a chef and does a lot of cooking here, Julia was more than happy to keep the existing kitchen for the time being. “It’s fine,” she says. “I mean, it’s not perfect, but it has a walk-in pantry and a decent amount of bench space, and as chefs we learn to work around things.” Muuto ‘Grain’ pendants and Smed stools from Great Dane have updated the space with a splash of Julia’s favourite colour. “I love the green view of the garden as well,” she adds.

bold ambition A gracious Edwardian weatherboard with an interior firmly stuck in the 1990s has been dramatically made over to better reflect the personalities of the family who live there WORDS JOANNE HAWKINS PHOTOGRAPHER EVE WILSON STYLIST PAIGE ANDERSON

INSIDE | HOME

cheat sheet Who lives here Julia Cauchi, owner of catering business Merci Mama; her husband Dane, an emergency doctor; and their daughters: Remy, five, and Sloan, two; plus Ruby, a cavoodle. Style of home A four-bedroom Edwardian weatherboard in Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s south-east has been given a dramatic decorative makeover. After buying the house in 2012, the couple rented it out until they moved in with their then 11-month-old daughter Remy in October 2015. They asked Suzanne Cunningham of One Girl Interiors to help them renovate the dated interior, which was done over a two-year period. About $60,000, including floor-sanding, $$$$ new carpets and painting throughout.

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LIVING AREA (both pages) In contrast to the formal sitting room, Julia wanted a light and airy feel in the more relaxed open-plan living/dining area. New items include the sofa from Grazia & Co, the Jardan ‘Navy’ dining table and the slightly mid-century style 172 Dining Chairs with custom upholstery from Curious Grace. “I didn’t want everything to be from the one era or style,” says Julia. “I was happy to mix it up a bit.” Circular coffee tables, House of Orange. Rug, West Elm.

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INSIDE | HOME

fter “spending far too much money” buying

their ﬁrst home at the height of the market in 2007, Julia Cauchi and her husband Dane were determined not to make the same mistake twice. So, in 2012, when Melbourne property prices had cooled, the couple saw it as an opportunity to upgrade their small two-bedroom cottage to a family home. “We were determined to be a bit more savvy second time around and even though we didn’t have any children at that stage, we knew we were heading in that direction,” says Julia. They struck gold when they got “a really good deal” on a beautiful Edwardian weatherboard in the leafy inner southern suburb of Elsternwick. As well as being chock-a-block with period features, the four-bedroom house had a great layout with an open-plan living/kitchen/dining area at the rear, which had been added twenty-plus years earlier. There was only one problem. Although the house was in good condition, its decor was also stuck in the 1990s. “It was just a little bland, with lots of cream, beige and brown – not really our taste at all,” says Julia. It wasn’t until three years later when the couple ﬁnally moved in with their then baby daughter Remy that Julia was able to start the process of banishing the beige and bringing some personality into their new family home. “Aesthetically, I just didn’t love it,” Julia admits, “and even though we were planning to extend and possibly put on a second storey down the track, I wanted to freshen it up and make it feel more like our home.”

“The house works really well for us, especially as we’re spending so much time there at the moment. I really love our big backyard, and being able to see what the girls are up to out there while I’m cooking” JULIA CAUCHI, HOMEOWNER

Help from Suzanne Cunningham of One Girl Interiors was sought to pull the couple’s vision of a “beautiful yet liveable, relaxed and warm” home together. “Moving from a smaller house into a larger one meant we needed more furniture as well, but I really didn’t trust myself to make those choices,” says Julia. “I know what I like, but I also like things from lots of different eras and styles so I needed someone who had that eye and could pull it all together.” Although the makeover kept to the existing layout, Suzanne said an important part of the project was to consider future structural renovations and focus on spaces that wouldn’t need to be extensively redone down the track. “For example, Julia and Dane may eventually extend the living/dining/kitchen area,” says Suzanne, “so we kept the existing kitchen and focused on painting the creamy walls a fresher white (Dulux Natural White), sanding the orange ﬂoorboards, changing the pendant lights and adding new furniture, which still had a huge impact.” The biggest transformation is in the main bedroom and formal sitting room in the original part of the house, which both now feature a dramatic dark palette. “Although we all agreed that we wanted the main living area at the back to feel

“We weren’t in a rush to buy everything at once or from the same place and run the risk of it looking like a staged home. We did this renovation over two years, going room by room as our budget allowed” JULIA

INSIDE | HOME

10 9

HALLWAY As this corridor links the Edwardian section of the house with the lighter extension at the back, Julia didn’t want to go too dark on the hall walls, which are painted a soft grey called Dulux Tranquil Retreat. Console table, Grazia & Co. SITTING ROOM (below and opposite) This space doubles as a guest room. Ran sofa bed, Innovation Living. Vertigo pendant light, Petite Friture. Twinkles photographic print by Kara Rosenlund. Walls painted Dulux Juvenile.

8 6 7 4

1 Entry 2 Formal sitting area/guest room 3 Bedroom 4 Main bedroom 5 Ensuite 6 WIR 7 Bedroom

8 Bathroom 9 Study/bedroom 10 Powder room 11 Laundry 12 Living area 13 Dining area 14 Kitchen 15 Garden

light, bright and airy, Julia and Dane were very open to considering a different feel to the rooms at the front. And because the proportions of the rooms are massive, I felt like they could take more dramatic colour,” says Suzanne. In the formal sitting room, a painting (of a melancholic young boy) that used to belong to Julia’s late father inspired the colour palette. The walls are a deep grey (Dulux Juvenile), providing the perfect backdrop for the chartreuse velvet Joy armchairs from Jardan. “Julia and Dan liked the idea of that room being a separate retreat that felt a bit more grown-up,” says Suzanne, “so we introduced different textures, like the velvet and the glass coffee table with the metallic base, which I wouldn’t have used in a more informal everyday living space.” In both the formal sitting room and the main bedroom, statement pendant lights by Petite Friture and Flos add a contemporary twist to the period features. Decorative makeover complete, Julia couldn’t be happier with her new, improved home, although with two young children – two-year-old daughter Sloan has joined big sister Remy, now five – she doesn’t get to spend as much time relaxing in her grown-up sitting room as she would like. And while Dane initially had his doubts about embracing the dark side, he’s emerged from the renovation a big fan of the moodier palette in the original part of the house. “It definitely took some convincing to get him on board with the darker shades,” says Julia, “but now he loves it.” One Girl Interiors: onegirlinteriors.com.au or @onegirlinteriors INSIDE OUT | 63

INSIDE | HOME

GREAT FINDS

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Webbing coffee table, $799, House of Orange. Ella Bendrups ‘Faceted Lipped’ vessel in Black Scarva, $180, and ‘Ikebana Sentinel’ vase in White Clay, $250, Modern Times. Christoph two-seater sofa in Stone Grey, $699, Brosa. Flannel Flower linen cushion in Green Mint (50cm x 50cm), $150, Louise Jones. Butterscotch velvet European pillowcase, $59, Castle. Joan’s Floral pillowcase, $109 for set of two, Society of Wanderers. Navy American oak dining table, $4558, Jardan. Amelie Luna terrazzo side table, $380, GlobeWest. Sphere + Stem table lamp, $229, West Elm. Petite Friture ‘Vertigo’ pendant lamp, $1260, Finnish Design Shop. Muuto ‘Grain’ pendant lamp, $275, Living Edge. Wash&Wear acrylic paint in (from top) Tranquil Retreat, Juvenile and Saladin, $49.90 per 1L, Dulux.

64 | INSIDE OUT

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT SOURCING: NATALIE JOHNSON

REMY’S ROOM Julia wanted this to be a space that would be just as appealing to her daughter in five years. “I’m not a ‘pink person’, but my daughter is obsessed with it so we included some dustier pink elements and mixed them with blues, greens and mustards,” says Julia. Dresser, a Gumtree find painted Dulux Saladin. Leather handles, Etsy. Prints by Anna Walker, and Blancucha and Kate Pugsley through Etsy. MAIN BEDROOM (opposite) Walls in Dulux Hildegard continue the moodier palette in here. “It feels so cosy and relaxing,” says Julia, adding that the striking Flos ‘IC’ pendant is “definitely an investment piece that we’ll have forever”. The armchair is a reupholstered eBay find.

LESSONS LEARNT “BE BRAVE!”

JULIA CAUCHI, HOMEOWNER

“I’ve always loved a moodier palette, but was a little nervous about making the leap to paint our main bedroom and formal living room a darker colour. But I honestly could not be more thrilled with the result. The dark walls create a lovely contrast to the fresher palette in the kitchen and living areas, and provide a tranquil, relaxing feel. They also highlight the period features in each room and make the furniture pop.”

BOX

JEWEL

A gemologist and her family revamped a landmark 150-year-old house in Copenhagen, turning it into a colourful synthesis of old and new

WORDS & STYLING MARIE MONRAD GRAUNBØL PHOTOGRAPHY ANDERS SCHØNNEMANN

INSIDE | OVERSEAS INSPIRATION

cheat sheet Who lives here Jeweller Nadia Shelbaya, her husband and their two children. Style of home A historic 1860s summer house in Østerbro, Copenhagen, reconfigured to become a free-flowing family home with a modern conservatory addition and heritage charm. The family bought the house five years ago and the renovation took approximately two years.

LIVING (this page and opposite) Nadia by the doors to her garden. The wall light is Murano glass, from The Apartment. Further into the room are Vilhelm Lauritzen ‘Ring Crown’ chandeliers. The purple velvet armchair is an Italian vintage model, also found at The Apartment, set in front of a McCollin Bryan side table. The rug is from the private collection of The Rug Company owners.

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INSIDE | OVERSEAS INSPIRATION

lackbirds are singing, sweet briar roses

are in bloom and the distant sound of a lawnmower completes the peaceful scene. Occasionally a car passes on the other side of the hedge – the only thing indicating that a shopping strip is just five minutes away and that Nadia Shelbaya and her family actually live in a big city. “The neighbourhood was what we first fell in love with – the house came second,” says the rising star of the Copenhagen jewellery scene. “It is magical to stand in a flowering garden and be in the middle of the city at the same time.” Location was a decisive factor when she and her husband were house-hunting in 2015. They ended up at this address in Denmark’s oldest residential area, the Rosenvænget neighbourhood in Østerbro, and Nadia has never regretted it: “I vividly remember biking through the neighbourhood as a young student after an evening out with friends, accompanied by the scent of lilacs and green gardens. I’m so thankful to be living here with my family today.” Once the summer destination of wealthy Copenhageners who travelled here in horse-drawn carriages to relax and recharge, the neighbourhood has a rich history. As does the house, which was built in the late 1860s by a member of the prosperous Krak family, publishers of Kraks Blå Bog (Krak’s Blue Book), a national reference guide to the most significant Danes in the arts, culture, politics and business, since 1910. Here, with his family, the publisher spent his summers in the green surroundings of the Øresund strait, which forms the border with Sweden, alongside the rest of Copenhagen’s most affluent. Today, Nadia and her husband have put their own distinct touch on the two-level villa, which needed more than a little TLC when they moved in. They instigated a thorough makeover, with a new floor plan, a reconstruction of the original conservatory and new decor that – like the refurbishment – is modern and yet has a touch of nostalgia that suits the old building. “It was a somewhat overwhelming

KITCHEN/DINING (opposite) “Having all the appliances integrated makes for a seamless look,” says Chris, who’s been so consistent with her uncluttered aesthetic, even the power points are concealed. All the cupboard and drawer fronts are Dulux Vivid White two-pack polyurethane. The material on the island and benchtops is Dekton Zenith from Cosentino and the cabinetry is a walnut laminate by Laminex. St Tropez solid oak dining table, MCM House. Jac chairs, Smithmade. PANTRY (above) Like the laundry and mud room, this is cleverly

KITCHEN (this page and opposite) The cabinets were custom-made by Copenhagen Cabinetmaking, with marble benchtops and brass fixtures. The vase is a classic from Svenskt Tenn and the rug was sourced on a trip to Marrakech. Triton tableware by Arje Griegst for Royal Copenhagen. LIVING (opposite top) The Tired Man chair was designed by Flemming Lassen in 1935. Side table, bought in Berlin. Artwork by Anna Topuriya, through Les Gens Heureux gallery.

lessons learnt “The kitchen should be like a treasured piece of furniture” NADIA SHELBAYA, HOMEOWNER

“Our kitchen is one of the rooms we use a lot, and the plan was for it to take up most of the space but at the same time be beautiful in itself and great to look at every single day. The island bench is pretty much always in use and, like the house itself, a bit of a juggernaut.”

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CONSERVATORY Nadia furnished this new space off the kitchen with a long table and chairs by Børge Mogensen. The chandelier is from Ochre in London and the lamp with pink shade is from Helle Thygesen Art & Antiques. LANDING (opposite) Built-in cabinets provide extra storage. The pendant is from Niche Modern and the rug was brought back from a holiday in Marrakech.

“It was important to let the house lead the way and go for a classic look out of respect for its history” NADIA SHELBAYA, HOMEOWNER

INSIDE | OVERSEAS INSPIRATION

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INSIDE | OVERSEAS INSPIRATION

process as we wanted to make the house our own and this included turning the original, slightly intricate floor plan into a home with beautiful, spacious rooms. This way, we’d be able to enjoy our new surroundings to the fullest as a family,” says Nadia. “It’s important that all the objects [in the home] connect with each other,” she continues, pointing out that this approach has been consistent with their philosophy of how the refurbishment should be carried out. “Everything is done in accordance with the style and proportions of the house. It was important to us to let the house lead the way, so we went for a classic look out of respect for its origins and history.” That is why the home is filled with timeless pieces, perhaps less so in the choice of furniture – Flemming Lassen’s fluffy Tired Man armchair and the Poet sofa by Finn Juhl are the only national icons in the scheme – but instead by virtue of classic interior-design elements: the piano and china cabinet in the living room, the fine round oven in the kitchen, and the wicker dining chairs in the conservatory. Another recurring feature of the decor is Nadia’s deep understanding of colour, evident in her choice of artworks and in the compositions of patchwork quilts and cushions alongside surprising wall tones – the green living room, for example, and the deep-purple bedroom. “Many people think you have to be surrounded by white to acquire a feeling of serenity, but colours are actually much more soothing, depending on how you choose them, of course,” says the gemstone expert who much prefers working with coloured stones for clients. “A sparkling white diamond is beautiful and flawless of course, but, personally, I am much more attracted to coloured stones because colours have such a great impact on us.” Check out Nadia’s jewellery @nadiashelbaya_

BATHROOM Muted green walls are a tranquil backdrop for the Aquadomo bath. The fringe pendant light is the original version of Hans Agne Jakobsson’s 1950s classic. Curtains, Tapet-Cafe. Framed paper cutting by Mathias Malling Mortensen. STAIRCASE (opposite top) The home’s beautiful period features are most apparent here. Carpeted treads soften the footfall. BEDROOM (opposite, below left and right) Nadia refurbished and repainted the bench to match its upholstery, which is by Dedar Milano. The bedspread is by Italian brand Society Limonta. Bedside table, Mater. Lamp, The Apartment. Paper cutting, again by Mathias Malling Mortensen. Artwork on floor, bought from a young Swedish artist in Stockholm.

“Many people think you have to be surrounded by white to acquire a feeling of serenity, but colours are actually much more soothing – depending on how you choose them” NADIA

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CLOCKWISE FROM LIGHT Warm Nordic ‘Fringe’ pendant light by Hans Agne Jakobsson, $483.96*, 1stdibs.com. European engineered oak floorboards, from $85 per sq m, Royal Oak Floors. Rainstorm wool and bamboo rug (240cm X 300cm), $5690, Designer Rugs. Zurich by Georges Braque framed poster, $80*, The Poster Club. &Tradition ‘Little Petra’ armchair, $10,100, Cult. Gio fine-bone-china sugar and creamer set, $99.95, Wedgwood. Wild Agate Quartz side table, $900, Fenton & Fenton. Kado ‘Lux Petite’ acrylic bathtub, $1715, Reece. Teak woodgrain laminate, from $86.57 per sq m, Laminex. Clay By Khoa stoneware bowls, $63 each, Koskela. Leaf & Thread stoneware and terracotta clay planter (with saucer), $165, Koskela. Chalk emulsion paint in Babydoll, $61 per 1L, Porter’s Paints. Wash&Wear paint in Angora Blue, $79.90 per 4L, Dulux. Chalk emulsion paint in Plantation, $61 per 1L, Porter’s Paints.

74 | INSIDE OUT

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT SOURCING: KATRINA YAXLEY. *PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINTING. PAINT COLOURS MAY VARY ON APPLICATION

GREAT FINDS

INSIDE | OVERSEAS INSPIRATION

KITCHEN The large space has room for a traditional gas heater with its own seating area, so the couple can take a reading break while keeping an eye on their cooking. Blue lamp, The Apartment. Wicker chair, Beau Marché. STUDY/OFFICE (opposite). To the right is an intricate wall sculpture by design group Curtis Jeré, which had its heyday in the 1970s. The desk was found at Oliver Gustav and is paired with a classic office chair by Charles and Ray Eames. The Z-Lamp is a 1950s design by Louis Kalff for Philips.

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RENOVATE

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening A lot is going on in this room, a triumph of considered colour What do you get when you take a handful of original features, a signature wallpaper with a hand-painted pattern, and a big chunk of the colour wheel? A captivating room that everyone wants to be in and use, says the owner of this Sydney living space, who happened to have a creative sister named Lara Ette on hand to design it. Lara came up with the wildly original palette and found handmade elements for the budget-friendly scheme to make it look just as bespoke and beautiful as a much costlier one. Turn the page to see more.

WORDS DEBORAH GRANT PHOTOGRAPHY AMANDA PRIOR

IN DETAIL

paper trail Choosing a wallpaper to frame its French doors was the starting point for the redesign of this living space in Sydney

idden behind a timber facade in Sydney’s

metropolitan Bondi Junction, this house is in a laneway that is often used as a canvas for neighbourhood kids to graffiti. It’s an unusual mix of styles, and was ripe for renovation when the Budge family of five and various pets moved in. As the property has three living areas, they focused on light updates for two of them, leaving the one adjacent to the garden out of the picture. “It’s the largest of our living spaces,” says owner Jinan Budge, “so it should have been our primary living room because it has the best outlook – with sun, a pond and a giant staghorn in the yard – but it was so poorly furnished that we never used it. Once we had the makeover, not only did it become our primary living room, it became the family’s happy place.” Key to the transformation was interior designer Lara Ette, who is Jinan’s sister. Lara embraced Jinan’s brief for lots of colour (“bright to match the house and my style”) and tackled the room’s spatial and design issues. She took a more subtle approach to Jinan’s colour choices and introduced her company’s signature detailing in the form of beautiful handmade pieces.

design process

Jinan had no experience of working with a designer, so was very new to the process. “My input was pretty annoying, to be honest, and I questioned everything,” she admits. “We just didn’t want to spend time or money on a room we weren’t using. It had an ugly Chesterfield in there, which was too wide and deep for the space and had a special massive hole created by our dog. That faced a horrible white TV cabinet and floating shelves.” Once she was signed up, Lara got to work on making the room look and feel larger. “Jinan wanted a plan that worked well for the family and opened up the dining and living,” she says. “As the staircase is in a fairly inconvenient location, this was crucial. The interior also needed to work well with the exterior because when you open up the French doors, it’s an oasis out there.” 78 | INSIDE OUT

INSIDE | RENOVATE

CLEVER COLOUR Owner Jinan loves the room’s new hues. “Now it has a great mix of colours; for example, the light blush of the sofa with bright yellow [in the stool] and green [the media unit]. We also copied a style element from the previous owner, fashion designer Fleur Wood, and mounted a series of old artworks from Vinnies on the walls with more modern ones.” Kelly Wearstler wallpaper, Elliott Clarke. Sofa, Curious Grace. Cushions, Gorman. Lounge chair and matching ottoman, Trit House. Light over dining table, pre-existing.

WORDS DEBORAH GRANT PHOTOGRAPHY AMANDA PRIOR STYLING LARA ETTE

INSIDE | RENOVATE

GALLERY STYLE The white walls and white and grey furniture in the dining area complement the internal staircase and make the wall art stand out. The flooring has an ebony stain. Masters dining chairs, Kartell. Art by Anna Blatman.

To minimise bulk in the room, Lara designed a low and small but considered media unit with a rattan inlay. “The family wanted to do yoga here, so we measured yoga mats and props, as well as blankets, the chord for the gas heater – everything that had to be hidden away,” says the designer, who then tackled colour, texture, shape, proportion and so on. “I tried to incorporate every colour into the scheme, making sure that every new addition was complementary and added something,” she explains. “I like to incorporate handmade elements into my designs as much as possible. In this case, we asked a local joiner to fabricate an integrated handle on the upper cupboard [not shown] in the shape of an arch, which was a great outcome. The basket, ﬂoor lamp and sculpture are also handmade.”

hero piece The decision to use the stunning Kelly Wearstler wallpaper was made very early on by Lara and the family. “Putting the wallpaper around the French doors worked out well as it was the one wall without the panelling detail,” says Lara. “It also added an ‘urban’ element – perfect for the context of this home.” From the wallpaper came many of the furniture and accessory choices, to chime in with the pre-existing bright white walls. “Being able to use colour and pattern without hesitation was great,” says Lara. “Especially with things like the pendant light; its ﬂuted blue-glass shade is really striking.”

the result

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT Kartell ‘Masters’ chair, $325, Space. Kelly Wearstler ‘Graffito’ wallpaper in Salmon/Cream, POA, Elliott Clarke. Rakumba ‘Bailey’ optic-glass pendant light in Steel Blue by Tom Fereday, $1760, Design Nation. My Tribe cotton cushion in Mustard (50cm x 50cm), $49.95, Kas Australia. Wendelbo ‘Mango’ velvet lounge chair in Maroon, $2130, Trit House. Surface Sconce bronze light, $1840, Studio Henry Wilson. Baba Tree ‘Special Bowl 1’ woven basket, $225, Koskela.

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ADDITIONAL PRODUCT SOURCING: NATALIE JOHNSON

GET THE LOOK

Jinan and her family are delighted with their exciting ‘new’ living area. “My husband and I were both skeptics about the process,” she says, “and now I can’t imagine renovating anything in future without Lara and her creative yet calm and methodical approach. The unexpected beneﬁt of this renovation is that it goes beyond good looks – it has brought our family together.” See more of Lara’s work at laraettedesign.com or @lara_ette_design

HANDLE ON IT Antique brass-finished handles and knobs from Designer Doorware, along with the Workstead ‘Orbit’ wall sconce from In Good Company, lend a subtle industrial edge to the kitchen.

FRESH ENERGY Post-makeover, the room is the top spot for Jinan’s yoga and morning-coffee sessions. “It’s actually become the hub of our family life,” she says. Media unit, FAF Woodwork. Vintage Kartell Nesting Tables, No Replica Furniture. Rug, West Elm.

“I love the combination of calm and energy that the space brings me, and that my family can gather so comfortably and luxuriously in such a small area” JINAN BUDGE, HOMEOWNER

“The kitchen has transformed the whole house. It’s much more functional and the green colour is amazingly soothing” CAROLE, HOMEOWNER

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SPECIAL SECTION | BRICK

MATERIAL F O C U S O N B R I C K S

Blockbusters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we celebrate three spectacular projects that showcase beautiful, versatile bricks in all their glory WORDS CHRIS PEARSON

Q&A

In conversation

Architect Zoe Diacolabrianos / Project: Il Duomo Why did you use brick for this Melbourne home? “Life’s too

short for boring spaces” is our motto. We love creating colourful and textured spaces and have a passion for celebrating Australian architecture through our work, drawing contextual nods into our spaces. With so much variance, brick – from apricots to deep hawthorn reds – tells the story of a place and an era. It’s the perfect material to speak to context, and also add warmth and texture. How have you used it? The existing home and its Carlton North neighbourhood are typified by mottled brick textures. To bring in natural light, we created a series of courtyards and cut-outs that reveal the bricks on surrounding houses. So we brought this context back into the house, to embed the project in its surroundings. Using brick internally as the main finish to the living room, dining room and kitchen walls brought the neighbouring design language indoors and directs the eye out to the views. Why La Paloma in that crisp Miró colour? Il Duomo was about imbuing the spaces with the Italian heritage of the existing house. The owner was keen to embrace a high-vaulted ceiling and tiles [from a previous renovation] in the design. Referencing its Florentine namesake, pinks, greens, deep reds and whites are used throughout, brought together and anchored by the white Miró bricks. They add texture and weightiness, which conventional plaster couldn’t achieve. The matching mortar also creates subtle striations and extra interest. Future plans for brick? We are constantly experimenting and seeing how we can use brick to make something extraordinary.

SPECIAL SECTION | BRICK

LA PA L OM A I N M I RÓ

Wowowa Architecture AUSTRAL BRICKS LA PALOMA RANGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Azul Fired-clay hues create gradations of charcoal shades, smartly offset by medium-contrast mortar. Castellana A cool white, with matching mortar. Romero A deep, rich charcoal, dramatically framed by pale mortar. Miró Muted white and off-white brushstrokes of colour and texture made it the perfect choice for this heritage home (left). In soft whites and charcoals, from pale and breezy to moody and dramatic, La Paloma bricks are like works of art. All bricks are 230mm x 110mm x 76mm.

In detail

PHOTOGRAPHY: MARTINA GEMMOLA

Bricks create an interplay of colour and texture in this reno Austral Bricks La Paloma bricks, used throughout the open-plan living areas in this one-time worker’s cottage in Carlton North, took their cue from the home’s near neighbours, whose period brick exteriors were revealed to the full when Wowowa opened up the back of the house to soak it in natural light. The La Paloma range, inspired by Spanish masters such as Picasso and Miró, celebrates earthy textures and fired-clay hues, evoking all that was so cherished in the bricks of old, while adding a fresh twist, expressed here in the white hue and stone-coloured mortar. All these factors bring a contemporary crispness. INSIDE OUT | 85

BE I N SPI R E D BY L A PA L OM A I N M I Rร

Creamy whites mingle with buff pinks THE NAKED AMBITION MATERIALS PALETTE Taking Austral Bricks La Paloma in Mirรณ as the starting point, an array of finishes in soft and feminine creamy whites, milky caramels and pastel pinks, with deep ochre and black counterpoints, forms the perfect canvas for bold brushstrokes of rich colour in furnishings and accessories. 1 Bristile Roofing Planum roof tile in Cocoa. 2 Austral Bricks La Paloma brick in Mirรณ. 3 Austral Bricks Allure brick in Ariana. 4 Austral Masonry UrbanStone Terre masonry brick in Marigold. 5 Austral Masonry Architec Smooth brick in Alabaster.

86 | INSIDE OUT

SPECIAL SECTION | BRICK

“ ”

With so much variance, brick tells the story of a place and also an era

The contrasts and similarities between old and new are perfectly illustrated here, where the newly clad internal wall in the living area meets the original wall of the neighbour’s home, hugging the boundary. Both showcase the versatility of brick and its ability to introduce texture inside and out, but the rustic finish to the exterior brickwork is neatly offset by the cleanly crafted mortar and smart hue of its much newer counterpart, so the two finishes are complementary. The white also forms the perfect backdrop for the palette of pastel pinks, greens, ruby reds and whites, inspired by the home’s namesake, the Il Duomo cathedral in Milan.

Q&A

In conversation

Architect Rob Majcen / Project: York Street Why did you choose brick for this Melbourne extension?

The design called for a sensitive response to an existing red-brick Federation home in St Kilda. Brick was the natural choice – it complements and strengthens the presence of the front of the house. How have you used it? We chose a different brick in both colour and texture to create a contrast between old and new. Compartmentalised spaces at the front are teased apart as you enter the addition, a multi-spatial interior that allows both connectivity and separateness. It also brings the outside in, thanks not just to all that glazing but also to the brick on walls inside and out. And a hit-and-miss layering of bricks creates an integrated privacy screen on the upper bedroom level, which has become a statement in itself. Do you intend using bricks a lot in future projects? Absolutely. Brick is such a versatile, adaptable, durable and precise material. It’s low maintenance, with an inherent natural beauty and texture that enhances an elevation or detail, whether it’s a curved facade or the hit-and-miss privacy screen here. In a continuous evolution, we explore and refine its use from project to project. Do you have brick in your own home? I’ve restored my Victorian terrace and am currently revitalising my entry corridor to expose the double-brick boundary wall. As in this project, I have used brick on the extension internally and externally, as a response to the surrounding brick houses and to bring texture to the interiors.

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SPECIAL SECTION | BRICK

BOW R A L 76 BR A H M A N GR A N ITE

York Street residence, Jackson Clements Burrows

SPECIAL SECTION | BRICK

BOWRAL BRICKS BOWRAL 76 RANGE

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Brick is such a versatile, adaptable, durable and precise material

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A selection from the 14-colour palette: Brahman Granite (as used in this house); Bowral Brown; Bowral Blue; Renovation Gertrudis Brown; Murray Grey; Chillingham White (see following pages). The versatile Bowral 76 range, characterised by distinctive Bowral clay shades that embrace the spectrum from clean white to rich reds, have a granular patina and a tactile feel. These bricks have been used in many historic and also modern buildings. All are 230mm x 110mm x 76mm.

In detail

Bricks create connection and separateness at the same time Brick was the obvious choice to create this extension to a red-brick Federation home. While architect Rob took his cues from the front, he chose Austral Bricks Bowral 76 Brahman Granite, very different in colour and texture, to create separateness and connection at the same time. In turn, the use of the same material as wall cladding, inside and out, creates a seamless indooroutdoor flow. Recalling retro breeze blocks, Rob also used those bricks in a “hit-andmiss” pattern in an upstairs bedroom to form a screen for privacy and to filter the light. That chequerboard effect also lends an airiness to a walkway linking the two halves of the house. INSIDE OUT | 91

Q&A In conversation

Architect Shaun Carter / Project: Concrete Blonde extension to a brick terrace in Sydney’s Annandale to be an easy house to live in. By that, I mean not precious and fragile but tough and robust – which made bricks the natural choice for the walls in the new open-plan living area. Why this breezy Chillingham White colour? We started with a different colour entirely, but a long pause between documentation and construction prompted the client to rethink the mood of the house. We embraced that by choosing this brick, for a deliberately lighter, airier palette, embracing the concrete formwork ceiling and the timber joinery. Why so many bricks scattered around your office? We love bricks. We have almost every kind and shape sitting here. They are a daily reminder of the beauty of bricks and serve as R&D for how we can best use them. How have you used them? For walls, floors, paving, seats and steps, but I have also seen them in more dramatic applications, such as tables, screens, a full flight of internal stairs and even as a roof tile – all of which we find inspirational, offering ideas to ponder. Do you have brick at home? I live in a Victorian workman’s cottage, an old brick building. I renovated it in 2006 and based the materials in the new build on a Bowral Blue brick building on the boundary. I love the strength and robustness of brick. I think I am an old castle builder, so brick was the logical choice, not just for strength, but also for beauty. 92 | INSIDE OUT

PHOTOGRAPHY: KATHERINE LU, NIC GOSSAGE (PORTRAIT)

Why did you use brick in this renovation? We wanted this

SPECIAL SECTION | BRICK

BOW R A L 76 C H I LLI NGH A M W H ITE

Concrete Blonde, Carter Williamson

SPECIAL SECTION | BRICK

BE INSPIRED BY BOWRAL 76 IN CHILLINGHAM WHITE

Make it natural with chalk and pebble hues THE BLANCO MATERIALS PALETTE

Celebrate nature’s muted contrasts with neutral limestone and charcoal tones — unfailingly contemporary, they are the perfect complement to on-trend building materials such as concrete and blond timbers. 1 Bowral Bricks Bowral 76 brick in Chillingham White. 2 Austral Masonry Heron block in Charcoal. 3 Austral Masonry GB Honed masonry block in Pebble. 4 Austral Bricks Poesia Venetian glass brick in Arctic Crystal Polished. 5 Austral Masonry Endurastone Flamed paving tile in Black Granite. 6 Bristile Roofing Planum roof tile in Baltic. 7 Austral Bricks Burlesque glazed brick in Indulgent White.

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INSIDE OUT | PROMOTION

brilliantly bold Be brave and playful with colours that bring energy and optimism to a room

Porter’s Paints Irish Linen

Porter’s Paints Wood Smoke

Porter’s Paints Volcanic Ash

THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT The depth of this tone allows for it to team beautifully with warm neutrals like Porter’s Paints Popcorn, Volcanic Ash, Irish Linen and Wood Smoke. It also works well with monochromatic styling and colours like Porter’s Paints Aniseed.

PRODUCED BY STORY

ARTWORK: RIVER PRINT BY EMILY HEYSEN

ON THE WALLS Porter’s Paints Sundance

colour me happy

the perfect palette

It would be hard not to feel invigorated as you stepped into a room painted in a deep turmeric tone such as Porter’s Paints Sundance. Used in an entrance, hallway or home office, this colour radiates energy and warmth all at once thanks to its ochre undertones and organic link to colours found in nature.

Using fine-quality pigments, Porter’s Paints colours are expertly blended to have richness, complexity and depth. The Capsule Collection contains 32 versatile colours that are carefully curated so they can make a beautiful statement on their own, or work together in any room or special space.

Find the Porter’s Paints Capsule Collection at Bunnings or porterspaints.com

DREAM IT. DESIGN IT. DO IT.

SEA CHANGE WHAT BEGAN AS A SIMPLE KITCHEN RENO SOON BECAME A MULTI-ROOM OVERHAUL FOR A NAUTICALLY INCLINED EMPTY NESTER IN SUBURBAN SYDNEY

WORDS DAN F STAPLETON PHOTOGRAPHY MAREE HOMER STYLING KERRIE-ANN JONES

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kitchen The teal island bench is painted Resene Beatnik and topped with a beautiful slab of Arabescato marble from Gitani Stone. The floor tiles throughout the ground floor are Silver Shadow honed marble by Pacifico.

cheat sheet Who lives here Heather Low, a semi-retired pharmaceutical representative and mother of two; and her groodle dog, Lulu. Style of home A Clarendon Home that was built in 1989. Work began in July 2019 and was finished that September. The renovation and furniture $$$$ cost about $150,000.

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island bench In keeping with the nautical theme, the Fizi pendant light by Articolo throws shadows that look like bubbles. The oak cabinetry and island base are by Farmers Doors and Cummins Joinery. Brushed-brass handles, Kethy.

wishlist + Larger kitchen Keen cook Heather wanted more space for food prep and entertaining. + Better dining The goal was an inviting, not-too-formal area. + Calm living space Heather needed a quiet place for relaxation and reflection.

een cook and entertainer Heather Low didn’t

actively dislike her kitchen. But in 2019, having been recently widowed, she began thinking about ways to enhance what was quite a small space. “I wanted the kitchen to be a room that people could spend time in – myself included,” she says. “My first idea was to replace the existing granite benchtop with something larger.” Heather contacted her friend, designer Cate Liedtke of Catherine de Meur Interiors, and began brainstorming ideas for a sleek, modern kitchen. There was only one problem: Heather’s house, where she and her late husband raised two boys, had a very distinctive interior style. “It was built by Clarendon Homes in 1989,” Heather explains. “Everything in the house was very much of that time.” One retro feature was the terracotta-tiled floor in the kitchen. “It took a bit of convincing, but eventually Heather agreed to replace the flooring in there with something more contemporary,” says Cate. However, the living room was tiled in terracotta, too. Says Heather: “I spoke to my sister, who also works in the interior-design space, and she told me all the terracotta had to go.” Heather subsequently decided to expand the scope of the renovation to include the living room. Then Cate made a radical suggestion: why not move the kitchen into the larger space occupied by the living room, and combine several small ground-floor rooms to make a new living room? “As soon as she suggested it, I knew it was a good idea,” says Heather. “I spend so much time in the kitchen – why not make it bigger?”

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dream it

When Heather and Cate began to discuss specifics, it quickly became clear that the extra kitchen space would be put to good use. In addition to a larger kitchen island, Heather dreamed of expanded cupboard and pantry space for her array of juicers and food processors. She also wanted an informal dining table, plus enough room around the island to accommodate bar stools. In the living room, Heather asked Cate to design a space conducive to relaxation and reflection. “My husband was a Buddhist,” says Heather, “and I light incense for him every day. I wanted the living room to be a space where I could sit and reflect on what life has given me and what it’s taken away.” Heather also decided to re-do her downstairs powder room and laundry. Across these four new rooms, she hoped to incorporate a nautical theme in recognition of her late husband’s love of the water and her sons’ ongoing interest in fishing and sailing. “It’s part of our identity as a family,” she says.

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living area An artwork by Ingrid Daniel sits atop a mantelpiece constructed with Porta Contours timber lining boards. Grassweave wallpaper in Peacock, Boyd Blue. Huggy faux-fur chair, Sarah Ellison. Bowl, Dinosaur Designs. Mokum ‘Lino’ curtains, James Dunlop Textiles. Carpet, Armadillo & Co.

the moodboard 2 3

1 Entry 2 Living room 3 Dining area 4 Kitchen 5 Laundry 6 Powder room 7 Garage 8 Main bedroom 9 Ensuite 10 WIR 11 Bathroom 12 WC 13 Bedroom 14 Bedroom 15 Bedroom

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GROUND FLOOR

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Washed Knotty Ash laminate, from $86.57 per sq m, Laminex. Hidden Treasures ‘Float’ non-woven wallpaper in 70012, POA, Unique Fabrics. Resin ‘Beetle’ bowl in Light Horn, $280, Dinosaur Designs. Marble tile in Silver Shadow Light Honed, POA, Pacifico Stone. Fizi brass wall sconce, $2050, Articolo Lighting. Sarah Ellison ‘Huggy’ faux-fur chair, $1595, Life Interiors. Lustacryl waterborne semi-gloss enamel paint in Beatnik, $116.56 per 4L, Resene.

FIRST FLOOR

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT SOURCING: NATALIE JOHNSON

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side table An original artwork by Antonia Mrljak hangs above a custom-made piece by Zuster that houses items of spiritual significance to Heather.

design it

laundry The teal and light-wood colour scheme continues into this streamlined utility area. As per the rest of the ground floor, the fish-motif wallpaper is Hidden Treasures ‘Float’.

First, Cate turned her attention to the flooring. “The original terracotta tiles made too much of a statement,” she notes. “Instead, we wanted flooring that evoked a feeling of calm, understated luxury – and nothing says that like marble.” Cate selected marble tiles featuring subtle silver patterning. “The organic movement of the marble set a tone of soft elegance throughout the entire downstairs space,” she says, “from the kitchen through to the living area, powder room and even the laundry. We were also able to pair the soft grey marble with lots of other colours and textures.” In the kitchen, Cate crafted a new island from American oak with a two-pack polyurethane coating in striking teal. “We took this approach because you then get the gorgeous colour without losing the beautiful grain of the oak,” she says. Atop the island, a slab of Arabesco marble features swirls of pink and grey. “We looked at a lot of pieces of marble but none of them was quite what Cate wanted in terms of colouring,” recalls Heather. “Finally, the salesperson took us to the back corner of the factory and showed us an oversized piece, which was perfect. It had a little bit of pink in it that matched the colour of a shirt my husband wore.” Cate’s other main challenge was incorporating a subtle maritime theme. “The deep teal ties back to the ocean,” she says, “as does the wallpaper. Even the shadows of the pendant light and sconces take on the appearance of water droplets.”

do it

Heather says her pre-existing relationship with Cate enabled great communication between the two, which in turn kept the project moving along briskly. The job required builders to gut much of the downstairs and remove several internal walls to create the new living room – yet the entire renovation still took less than two months to complete. The new kitchen is definitely the heart of the home. “It’s just a really well-designed kitchen,” Cate says proudly. “The layout is thoroughly considered and it speaks to the way Heather lives. She loves to cook, so it’s functional, with fabulous storage and plenty of bench space. She also loves to entertain, so it links beautifully to the lounge area and outdoor space.” Next door, the new living room pairs a neutral palette with plump furniture to create a sophisticated yet homely atmosphere. “When the linen curtains went up, it took the living room to a whole other level,” says Heather. “Cate considered every detail.” The revamped ground floor has energised Heather. “Waking up every morning and coming down to my new living space puts me in a fantastic mood for the day,” she says. “I feel uplifted and motivated and happy – so happy, in fact, that I’m actually getting the upstairs done now, too!” Catherine de Meur Interiors is based in Oatley, southern Sydney; catherinedemeurinteriors.com.au or 0413 666 771

powder room Centred on the spectacular wallpaper, the oval Flynn mirror from Warranbrooke pairs with an Issy Z1 Ballerina vanity unit by Zuster for Reece Bathroom Life.

lessons learnt “Work with a designer who listens to you” HEATHER LOW, HOMEOWNER

“I’ve heard horror stories about designers telling their clients exactly what to do. But Cate really listened to me and didn’t dictate. I felt relaxed and in control the whole time.”

the best bits + Kitchen island “Having a larger island bench has made such a difference,” says Heather. “Now, when I entertain at home, people can congregate around it or help me with food prep.” + Smart kitchen storage “Cate designed a special drawer for all my knives and a snug space for each of the appliances.” + Tucked-away TV “It’s wallmounted and hidden behind sliding doors, so it doesn’t detract from the living-room decor when not in use.”

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The Block: Glasshouse co-winner and interior architect Shannon Vos. voscreative. com.au

HOME TIME

COVID-19 has changed us. We are better at washing our hands, we take care when out in public and have found ways to minimise contact with people we don’t know too well. And that’s meant we now spend more time at home, in spaces that hopefully make us feel safe and secure... looking within All this time at home has bought attention to the things we previously overlooked as we rushed off to work in the mornings. The intricacies within our home are now scrutinised as we look to the ceiling for motivation and inspiration countless times during our home-work day, the fridge door has never seen more use, and social-media breaks are the new norm. Looking back, it was almost a blessing to leave the home for a full eight hours each day because, cooped up inside, we’re fast understanding what does and doesn’t work for us in our spaces. The home office was traditionally the runt of the bedrooms, a spare (if you were lucky) room full of paperwork that got seen to once a week. Today, a home workspace is meant to be a bastion of efficiency and creativity, but sadly that’s not often the case because of one or more of the following: lots of stuff, the absence of decent sunlight, or a woeful desk/chair combo. Home offices now need to encourage your working life, instead of just being a place where bills pile up. Cue stand-up desks, ergonomic chairs, soft natural light and task-speciﬁc zones that enable you to get the most out of your ‘office day’. But it doesn’t end there. Being home at all hours teaches us how our domestic environments change throughout the day and how that affects what we do inside. It may be the fact that the morning light hits the dining table at just the right time, or the neighbours blast their karaoke rendition of When Doves Cry at 1pm every second Thursday, each home is different and it takes a little creativity to achieve a work/life balance around what were once niggling issues and have become major bugbears. It’s no surprise, then, that interior designers are busier than ever, taking calls from people who hate the sight of their work spaces or need them to be more ﬂexible. Many people are working in or near their kitchens, so this epicentre of family life may need to cater to a range of possibilities: the breakfast rush and dinner madness, the student stuck at home, the work-from-

-home dad and the super mum juggling it all. Spaces of peace, spaces of chaos, and zones of utility all need to co-exist to create functional homes that also feel inviting to everyone. And in case you didn’t get the memo, open-plan living is no longer the go for home workers; instead, we need separate, more private zones that cater to different needs. As time goes on, this might mean an upswing in kinetic homes, with one ﬂoor space under a clever assembly of shifting walls, retractable furniture and movable lighting.

coronavirus and architecture Major events inevitably contribute to the way our homes are drawn up, and COVID-19 is no different. Seclusion, adaptability and health will be at the forefront of architect briefs for many years to come. Materials that encourage cleanliness will be in high demand, passive design and outdoor living will be the mainstay, and home acoustics, lighting and privacy will improve. Look at how hospitals are designed; they’re built around atriums of greenery and natural light, the ﬂoors and walls are washable, and certain parts are sectioned off from each other to prevent contamination and transmission. There’s not a timber feature wall in sight, no fabric pendant lights to speak of, and the furniture looks like it could survive a nuclear blast. Yes, it’s an extreme example, but one that gives a little insight into what could easily become a slice of our future. Apartment living will see the biggest changes, and selfsufficiency will be at the forefront of multiple-dwelling design. Supermarkets, coffee shops and restaurants will be designed together to promote high-density community life and, should an outbreak occur again, these communities can effectively isolate together with the requisite amenities contained within their ‘bubble’. Quarantine areas, community gardens, exercise spaces and zones for contact-free food delivery and online shopping will all be carefully considered in the cities of tomorrow.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PRUE RUSCOE. STYLING: CLAIRE DELMAR

WORK THE ROOM Part of the wardrobe space in this guest room has been repurposed for a flexible home-office set-up that’s attractive and ergonomic.

THE ZOOM BOOM Most of us have seen that #zoomfail video online, where an expert is outlining his political observations on an important matter for a TV news channel, and a dancing toddler comes barging through the door, disrupting the live feed. You think it would end there, but then a baby comes strolling through in a walker, and the professor literally palms both of his kids back toward the door as the poor man’s wife (or maybe nanny, who knows) comes scrambling into the room. Like a Navy SEAL evading detection, she scoops up the now-protesting toddlers and retreats like a wounded soldier. It’s a performance worthy of some sort of award, and had everyone thinking about how our homes look to the colleagues many of us now broadcast to each day. Here are a few key elements to consider: GO FOR BOLD When you Zoom for work, give your colleagues something apart from your face to look at, ideally a big, colourful artwork. Create some depth of field in your background for interest, but stick to a minimalistic look because a busy background can seem messy. As you are the subject of your video, ensure you have soft, warm lighting on your face (sometimes a yellow/orange screen helps). Be mindful of what’s in your background and choose appropriate art and decor (phallic sculptures should be avoided, of course). If there’s any chance of a semi-naked family member strolling through the background, pick a spot where that won’t be an issue. Better still, lock yourself away for peace of mind. AVOID SHINY THINGS Steer clear of windows, mirrors and direct lighting in the background — basically any item that luminates and takes away from you. Also, avoid the dark because you’re technically still at work, not running an online seance. Keep your microphone on mute when you’re not talking and, for goodness sake, wear pants.

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morning routine Get ready for a beauty treat! The Aura Facial Sculpting tool, $298 from Hunter Lab, delivers a gentle microcurrent to lift, smooth and revitalise skin; hunterlab.com.au

RARE GEM No two of the Kiln 360 vitrified-stone Black Opal basins by Robert Gordon are the same as each one is hand-glazed for a unique finish. The round design, $935, comes in eight colours; robertgordonaustralia.com

SET SAIL Tastemaker Sibella Court has collaborated with Teranova Tiles to create Tradewinds, a collection of nautical-themed tiles inspired by The Society Inc designer’s love of travel; teranova.com.au

CHILD’S PLAY This sweet bucket and sieve set by Liewood will provide endless entertainment for little ones in the bath or at the beach, $59; designstuff.com.au

KITCHEN & BATHROOM

what’s new Little luxuries for your food-prep and wash spaces

WHITE HOT MIX AND MATCH The Infiniti Collection wall mixers and taps from ABI Interiors allow you to order the in-wall component separately from the handle, so you can change your mind at any time. POA; abiinteriors.com.au

DRESS FRESH The Samsung AirDresser does it all: removes odours, steams, smoothes wrinkles, dries, and will even dehumidify your room in the process. Plus, the narrow design means it won’t take up precious floor space, $2999; harveynorman.com.au

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VOLA’s new Colour 28 Matt White finish will add a clean and classic touch to your bathroom and is available across the whole range; en.vola.com

INSIDE | RENOVATE

3 OF A KIND Sip slowly from a gorgeous reusable cup

1 Porter Terrazzo Takeaway Mug, $44.95, Gingerfinch. 2 Normann Copenhagen ‘Junto’ cup, $20.60, Finnish Design Shop. 3 Ceramic Keep Cup in Ink Blue, $15, C+Co (The Artisan Collective).

STAY COOL Bring a dash of glamour to cocktail hour with the Collar Bar 1.8-litre ice bucket from Scandinavian design house Stelton, $149; designstuff.com.au

DREA M WEAVER

The naturally beautiful cantilevered Zee dining chair in rattan by Byron Bay-based designer Sarah Ellison embodies the elegant simplicity of modernist design, $479 each; lifeinteriors.com.au

FINE PRINT The ancient Indian art form of hand block printing finds fresh appeal in the pure cotton Thallo tablecloth from L&M Home. They’re available in two rich colourways, Clay (shown) and Lake, $123 for the medium size; lmhome.com.au

pure & simple Bring Danish design to your coffee table with Zone Denmark’s silicone coasters and holder, $55 for a set of six; designstuff.com.au

WHAT’S COOKING?

PHOTOGRAPHY: MARTINA GEMMOLA (L&M HOME)

For the novice chef or seasoned entertainer, the Classic Opera freestanding cooker by Smeg will inspire the creation of culinary masterpieces. This model has seven gas burners, two ovens and a glorious cast-iron griddle. POA; smeg.com.au

CHILL OUT

GLOSS OVER

Keep things fresh without spoiling the clean lines and joinery finish of your kitchen with Fisher & Paykel’s Integrated Column refrigerator, $16,999; fisherpaykel.com/au

Laminex’s new AbsoluteGloss panels offer a luxe finish without the hefty price tag. Available in six sophisticated neutrals from classic Black to grey-white Ghostgum; laminex.com.au WORDS MATILDA RINGROSE

BUYER’S GUIDE

HARD FLOORING New technology, new options, new trends – here’s the lowdown on your favourite ﬂooring choices from vinyl to timber and tiles

TREND REPORT Like everything to do with the home, some looks are more popular than others. Anne Plumb, general manager at Royal Oak Floors, explains what’s happening in floor fashion:

+ “There is a lot of interest in chevron and herringbone patterns at the moment. I think people like to have a point of difference in the look of their floors and those patterns are reminiscent of beautiful Parisian apartments.”

+ “Pale floors have been on trend for several years now. White Smoked is our most popular colour. I think the Australian climate lends itself to white walls and light floors, and it’s a very easy colour to live with.” into warmer brown tones like walnut, so I think that will be the next thing to filter through to Australia.”

Tasmanian-oak veneer has been used liberally in this Melbourne home designed by Fiona Dunin of FMD Architects.

WORDS VICTORIA BAKER PHOTOGRAPHY DEREK SWALWELL

ALL PRICES ARE SUPPLY ONLY (NOT INCLUDING INSTALLATION)

+ “The European market is heading

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solid timber solid timber

Timber floors are widely loved and the benefits are many: durability, a solid feel underfoot, the colour and variation of a natural product, and the ability to refinish multiple times. On the other hand, solid timber is usually more expensive than the engineered variety, and the installation process can take longer. It’s also subject to expansion and contraction with any environmental changes, which can result in cupping. Traditionally, timber boards were laid straight onto bearers and joists, with the nails visible. Now, hidden fixings mean that a sleeker finish is possible, and solid timber can be laid over concrete slabs or other subfloors. “I usually work off a plywood or YELLOWtongue layer during a renovation, then once the dirty trades are finished we lay the timber. Sanding and polishing are the very last steps,” says builder Chris Lloyd of Amme Construction (ammeconstruction.com.au). Need to know “It’s important to make sure the moisture content of your subfloor and new floorboards is within the right range to avoid warping or movement once the boards are laid,” says Chris. “Check this with your supplier, and your builder should also check levels on site with a moisture meter – The Australian Timber Flooring Association has a helpful checklist.”

engineered timber

Engineered timber is a product constructed from a number of layers: the veneer on top, and then one or more layers of less expensive wood below. “The multi-layer construction means the boards are more stable, and less susceptible to the expansion and contraction that’s a natural feature of timber,” says Brett Talbot, national merchandise manager for hard flooring at Carpet Court (carpetcourt.com.au). As engineered timber is a pre-finished product, that also means you can see the final finish straight away; no sanding or coating is needed. On the flipside, this means you’ll need to protect the floor carefully while renovating, or lay it as a last step. The quickest and easiest installation method is to ‘float’ the floor over an existing hard floor (think concrete, tiles or timber). This involves laying a foam underlay, then laying using the click-together or tongue-and-groove system. “It’s important to ensure a sufficient expansion gap around the edges where it meets walls or cabinetry,” says Brett. For a more stable result, and less likelihood of creaking or movement, engineered floors should be glued to the subfloor with a special adhesive. In either case, it’s vital to ensure the subfloor is sound, dry and level. Need to know Engineered timber won’t last as long as a solid timber floor, and the veneer layer can usually only be refinished once. “We find there’s a 7 to 10 year cycle of people either renovating or moving, so most people are happy with a product that will last well for at least that length of time,” says Brett.

Natural, durable and can be refinished multiple times

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engineered timber

Multi-layered, pre-finished and no sanding or treatments required

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1 Blackbutt solid timber, from $105 per sq m, Boral Timber. 2 Dinesen Douglas solid timber, from $146.30 per sq m, Precision Flooring. 3 Brushbox solid timber, from $110 per sq m, Boral Timber. 4 Dinesen European oak solid timber, from $302.50 per sq m, Precision Flooring. 5 Spotted gum solid timber, from $105 per sq m, Boral Timber. 6 Intrinsic Black Chevron Panel engineered timber, from $141.90 per sq m, Royal Oak Floors. 7 Precinct Oak engineered timber in Amalfi, from $89 per sq m, Carpet Court. 8 Plantino Native Landmark engineered timber in Spotted Gum, from $74.25 per sq m, Choices Flooring. 9 Intenso engineered timber in Merino Grey Oak Extra Matt, from $145 per sq m, Quick-Step. 10 Plantino Native Landmark engineered timber in Brushbox, from $74.25 per sq m, Choices Flooring. 11 Smoked & Black engineered timber, from $93.50 per sq m, Royal Oak Floors.

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“Natural stone comes at a price but it’s beautiful, timeless and unique” These man-made options offer the look of timber at a more affordable price point. They are all available in plank form, and can be laid with a click-together method as a floating floor over an existing one. Constructed in layers, their top layer is a printed image of real timber. For that reason, they can’t be refinished, and you should avoid deep scratches, which will be visible. Laminate flooring is constructed using a wood core, which means it’s more susceptible to moisture than the others. “Luxury vinyl flooring has really come into its own in the past 5 to 10 years,” says Ingrid Powell, digital manager at Choices Flooring (choicesflooring.com.au). “It’s more hard-wearing than laminate, and also much quieter.” Hybrid flooring, the newest kid on the block, seeks to include the best of both laminate and vinyl – it’s a rigid plank product made of high-density fibre, and most styles are waterproof. “Unlike timber flooring, hybrids can safely be laid in bathrooms and laundries,” says Ingrid. Need to know Installation is relatively quick and easy, but make sure your subfloor is level. “If you’re laying over existing ceramic tiles, your tradesperson will need to apply a levelling compound to ensure the surface is smooth,” says Ingrid. “If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with show-through on the corner of the tiles and grout lines, which will ruin the look of the floor.”

concrete

So, you’ve discovered a concrete slab under the old carpet and you’re considering polishing it? “It is possible, but there are risks involved,” says builder Chris Lloyd of Amme Construction. “The structural slab will almost certainly have cracks in it, and you may also expose the reinforcements, or find that they are insufficient. Always test a patch before committing to polishing a whole floor, and don’t forget to consider the levels at all the thresholds to other rooms.” For renovators, there are a few aspects of concrete to consider. “I love the uniqueness of a polished concrete floor, but it’s more difficult to achieve than people expect,” says architect Clare Carter (contemporary.net.au). “If my clients don’t want to see cracks in the finished floor, we add an 80–100mm topping layer to a structural slab. This layer needs expansion joints to control any cracking or movement that happens while the concrete is curing. The topping mix also gives you some control over the final finish, in terms of colour and exposed aggregate.” Concrete floors tend to be expensive because of the time and application they take to get right, says Chris. “They are beautiful, but there is a lot of pre-planning and engineering involved, and sometimes extra reinforcing as well.”

Need to know Concrete is naturally cold so you might want to

think about heating it. “Hydronic heating pipes use warm water to heat the slab,” says Clare. “They can be installed on top of the structural slab before the topping layer goes on, and will result in a floor that’s warm underfoot in winter.”

tiles & stone

Tiles – in porcelain, natural stone or a composite such as terrazzo – provide a solid and extremely durable base for your home. “Tiles won’t mark, they won’t stain, they won’t need rejuvenating, and modern technology means that, aesthetically, almost anything is possible,” says John Signorino, managing director of Signorino (signorino.com.au). “Natural stone comes at a price,” he continues, “but it’s beautiful, timeless and unique. If you love the look but would prefer a lower-maintenance option, there are tiles now that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing, even for me.” Porcelain tiles can also faithfully imitate the look of concrete and of timber. To some extent, you get what you pay for. “The firing technique and the quality of glaze makes a huge difference to the longevity of the tile,” says John. “Cheaper products may look similar at the start, but may be warped or wear quite quickly.” Need to know Installation of tiles and stone requires some time. According to John, a good tiler may not lay a single tile on the first day. “The set out [planning the layout] stage is very important,” he says, “and a good tiler will check the flooring levels, set string lines and plan to minimise tile cuts and wastage.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: MAREE HOMER (MAIN IMAGE). STYLING: NATALIE JOHNSON (MAIN IMAGE)

laminate, vinyl & hybrids

JOHN SIGNORINO, SIGNORINO TILES & STONE

tiles & stone

Long-lasting, luxurious and available in a plethora of looks and finishes 8 9

This stunning kitchen/ family area by Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alexander and Co features Carrara marble on the skirting, the tide lines and in tile form on almost every surface.

11 12 13

laminate & vinyl Man-made, in plank form and installed with a click

5 7

1 3 2

1 Plantino Laminate Noosa laminate in Kindra Spotted Gum, from $38 per sq m, Choices Flooring. 2 Majestic laminate in Desert Oak Brushed Dark Brown, from $74.95 per sq m, Quick-Step. 3 Big Country laminate in Chalkers Ridge, $42 per sq m, Carpet Court. 4 Big Country laminate in Evening Storm, $42 per sq m, Carpet Court. 5 Genero Design vinyl in Oak Classic, from $53.35 per sq m, Choices Flooring. 6 The Native Collection vinyl in Silver Gum, from $29 per sq m, Carpet Court. 7 Hybrid Pulse vinyl in Pure Oak Blush, from $69.95 per sq m, Quick-Step. 8 Ego Sabbia porcelain tile in Naturale, $89 per sq m, Di Lorenzo. 9 Anziano Arabescato porcelain tile, $104 per sq m, Surface Gallery. 10 Eureka Moka porcelain tile in Naturale, $65 per sq m, Di Lorenzo. 11 Portofino Smashed Honed Marble mosaic tiles, $24.20 per 305mm sheet, Surface Gallery. 12 Limestone porcelain tile in Oyster, POA, Signorino. 13 Provoak porcelain tile in Rovere Puro, POA, Signorino. 14 Atmosphere Mint floor tile, from $43.94 per sq m, Beaumont Tiles. 15 Geo Green porcelain tiles, $151 per sq m, Surface Gallery.

INSIDE OUT | 109

OUT | GARDEN

Handsome meets handy in these fabulous fixtures for your exterior. Looking for some may 2016 haymes style inspiration? We have beaumaris it on tap eve

outdoor showers wilson?

I might swap this for a bauer image library shot

keep it private

Timber battens partially enclose the shower on the verandah of this beachside home in Victoria; they create privacy while still allowing the sun to flood in. “We can walk up the side of the house, usually in wetsuits, straight from the beach and into the shower,” says homeowner Sarah McLeish. “The door to our bathroom is behind the outside shower, so we can enter the house without worrying about sandy feet.” Sarah went with the Mizu shower from Reece. reece.com.au WORDS SARAH PICKETTE

PHOTOGRAPHY: MAREE HOMER (THIS PAGE), NIKOLE RAMSAY (OPPOSITE)

add a splash of colour

Pink walls proved perfect for this outdoor shower in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. “We used Woodhouse Weatherproof architectural pine, which arrives looking pink, thanks to the priming process,” says landscape designer Joe Azar. “We intended to paint it white, but we all liked the pink so it stayed that way.” With help from a plumber, Joe made the outdoor shower from copper piping. The planter boxes and deck are tallowwood, and the day bed was constructed from large-format tiles by Joe. Giant white bird of paradise plants (Strelitzia nicolai) are teamed with Bangalow palms (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) and underplanted with Liriope muscari ‘Evergreen Giant’. azarlandscapes.com INSIDE OUT | 111

OUT | GARDEN

SHOWER POWER

pick the perfect spot

By installing the outdoor shower for this coastal home in Sydney close to one of the key entry points, interior designer Kristy McGregor ensures it carries out its primary duty, which is to prevent sand from being trailed inside. Kristy opted for a Monsoon outdoor shower in stainless steel by Sussex Taps that won’t rust. It’s connected to the home’s plumbing, so both hot and cold water are delivered. kristymcgregor.com.au

When it comes to outdoor showers, location is everything. Make sure it’s out of your neighbours’ sightlines, that it will receive lots the sunlight (otherwise it’ll rarely be warm enough to use it), and consult with a plumber — they’ll be able to tell you whether there’s adequate drainage and plumbing lines nearby.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANASTASIA KARIOFYLLIDIS (THIS PAGE), MAREE HOMER (OPPOSITE)

hide away the hardware

When Catherine and Hugh bought this property in Noosa, Queensland, it came with an outdoor shower – and the former Melburnians loved it. Not long after, the time came to renovate and they asked architect David Teeland to upgrade their outdoor showering experience. “We used a local hardwood, spotted gum, in the shower area,” says Catherine. “It performs well in our subtropical environment and can stand up to getting wet a lot.” A stainless-steel shower tray sits beneath the hardwood floor, capturing all the shower’s run-off and directing it to the home’s drainage system. teeland.com.au INSIDE OUT | 113

Outdoor showers can sit higher than an indoor shower, allowing for a softer and broader spray – after all, the surrounding plants don’t mind if they get a drenching. Sally McMillan, the owner of this Davis Architects home in Byron Bay, NSW, chose a sturdy and water-efficient Nikles shower arm from Reece and paired it with a no-fuss concrete drainage base. Sally says the shower is deliberately by the pool, close to the kitchen: “It’s great for rinsing the kids off as we prise them out of the pool for dinner.” davisarchitects.com.au

114 | INSIDE OUT

PHOTOGRAPHY: MAREE HOMER (THIS PAGE), DEREK SWALWELL (OPPOSITE)

place it high

OUT | GARDEN

make it a feature

Designed by Melbourne architecture ﬁrm Pleysier Perkins, this beach house on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula is incredibly private – besides the odd surfer, there’s barely a soul to be seen on the sand. This level of seclusion makes an out-in-the-open outdoor shower a very feasible proposition. The homeowners have opted for a striking freestanding Seletti ‘Aquart’ copper and concrete outdoor shower. And because of the isolated location, the concrete base can simply drain into the surrounding garden. pleysierperkins.com.au

OUT | GARDEN

I ’ V E A LWAYS WA NTE D A . . .

treehouse

Keep the kids off screens and swept up in outdoor adventures with a custom retreat amid the canopy of a favourite tree a treehouse throughout our childhood, yet very few actually had the pleasure of enjoying one 24/7. Fortunately, building a treehouse at home for your children isn’t as hard as you might think, but you do require council approval, particularly if it will have a view into a neighbouring yard.

cost

According to Kellie Macpherson, director of Castle & Cubby in Byron Bay, a treehouse can be a budget-friendly operation at around $3500 if you build it yourself. If you hire tradespeople or a treehouse company to do the project, you might be looking at a spend of $5000 or more, depending on the size and complexity of the structure. “Our team are all qualified carpenters,” Kellie explains, “but if you want a DIY treehouse, all you need is a basic knowledge of carpentry principles.” If you are going for something more elaborate, she recommends getting a good idea of your child’s play style before choosing a design. “Some children want a space they can hide away from the world in, while others want a more open design. Our favourite design features are a trapdoor entry with a rope ladder that can be pulled up and stored away. It can give kids the sense that this is their own adult-free world – it’s important to appeal to your child’s imagination.”

site

First, you’ll need to choose a tree. Pick one that is robust, healthy and free from parasites and disease. The roots should run deep into the ground and be expansive. A good rule of thumb is, a tree trunk with a 30cm diameter should hold

116 | INSIDE OUT

a platform no bigger than 2.5m x 2.5m. “You need the perfect tree to support a treehouse,” says Kellie. “But it’s very rare for a tree to support the whole thing and you can quite easily kill a tree by building into it. It’s better to have the structure supported by posts in the ground and have a corner anchored to the tree to give that feeling of being among the trees, rather than the tree taking the whole load.” Once you’ve found the perfect tree, you’ll need to get an arborist’s report stating the maximum load the tree can hold and the estimated longevity of the tree, plus a geotechnical report to determine if the ground around the tree is stable enough to take the proposed load. You’ll also need to check the building-height restrictions with your local council (usually about 8.5m) and include the height of your treehouse in the report. Then it’s a case of submitting it to your local council for approval, as per any proposed residential development.

materials & construction

Once you have approval to build your treehouse, it’s time to buy the materials. Most treehouses are made from timber, and Australian hardwoods are best as they can be resistant to most common issues, including termites. Remember that stairs, railings and balustrades will need to comply with Australian building codes, and you should avoid strangling the tree with ropes and grips. “It’s important to plan your building design and materials, and try to use as many recycled materials as possible,” says Kellie. “If you are building the treehouse yourself, get the kids involved and have them help you source materials for the build, or find the play items to go inside the treehouse.” WORDS LAURA BARRY

safety

extra features

When it comes to treehouse safety, there are two things to consider: falls and insurance. One of the best ways to soften the landing from any unfortunate falls is to cover the ground below the house with mulch or a similarly soft ground cover. You will also need to speak to your insurance provider about what sort of cover you have for a treehouse in your garden as far as fire risk and injury.

A treehouse can be as simple or as complex as you like. It can be a single wooden room with a tarp for a roof and a pulley system with a bucket, or a well-constructed cubby suspended in the trees, complete with a corrugated-iron roof, windows and a deck for good indoor/outdoor connection to the trees – it all depends on your budget and desires. Castle & Cubby has a range of raised cubby and tree houses starting from $2700 for a platform with slide and sandpit options, to $3200 for a platform with a square cubby on it. Add-ons might include awnings, bunting and shelves. Inside, all you really need are simple pieces to keep your kids interested – and using their imagination. OUT ON A LIMB

The treehouse opposite was built by landscape company Quercus Gardens for a home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. “They were family friends who wanted a retreat for their kids,” says Quercus Gardens’ owner Rich Rimell. “This magnificent design has a secret access hatch, a pulley system to bring in treats, a tyre swing for monkeying around, and an old-fashioned tin roof for all-weather protection. Set among existing mature trees and an understory of ferns and Agapanthus, it keeps the kids entertained for hours!”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GEORGIE BECK

any of us dreamt of having

cost DIY is budgetfriendly, or go for bespoke with a treehouse builder

site Choose a robust, healthy tree and get all the reports done

materials Recycled hardwoods are tough and sustainable

5 4

safety Mulch or sand ensures a softer landing if anyone falls

extra features Let your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play style lead the design

OUT | GARDEN

on the tiles Drawing inspiration from the majestic and naturally occurring salt beds of the Himalayas, the Rock Salt range from Beaumont Tiles is a hard-wearing option for those looking for style and substance. Available in three colourways: Danish Smoke (main image), Celtic Grey (below) and White Gold; beaumont-tiles.com.au

CURVES AHEAD The new Talara Collection from Domayne is a soft, earthy play on retro aesthetics. Sleek and sumptuous, the curved lines and natural tones of the range’s Outdoor Chaise With Cushion, $1599, is the perfect modern yet timeless update for any outdoor area. You’ll find us here sipping on spring cocktails once the weather warms; domayne.com.au

green thumbs OUTDOOR NEWS

HIGHER GROUND Forget mondo grass — lift your garden game with the prettiest ground cover going. Commonly known as ‘bugleweed’ or ‘Catlin’s giant’, Ajuga Reptans is hardy and fast-spreading, coming to life in spring when beautiful violet flowers bloom from the velvety purple foliage. From $7.99; flowerpower.com.au

Gear up for gardening with these backyard beauties LET IT FLOW hanging out

Less space doesn’t mean you need to skimp on style or function. The new Hills Hoist Premium Extendable Airer, $39.95, is the perfect fit for any area; hillshome.com.au

Transform your outdoor space into a lush oasis with Northcote Pottery’s latest spring releases, including this slick monochrome Patio Pond. From $399; northcotepottery.com

pot luck Lovingly handcrafted from stoneware clay by Fremantle-based ceramicist Simone Nabholz, this speckled planter is the ultimate vessel for your favourite ferns. Stoneware Plant Pot in White with Speckles, $69; winterwares.com.au

118 | INSIDE OUT

INSIDE OUT | PROMOTION

extras

BRIGHT IDEAS FOR YOU AND YOUR HOME

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jet types and an innovative wall connection that keeps your hair dry, it's the ultimate shower experience. Hand showers priced

With generous cushioning, deep seating and a spacious design, it’s the ultimate outdoor setting for your home. For more

dining room. Visit harveynorman.com.au

from $245. Visit hansgrohe.com.au

information, visit domayne.com.au

PORTER'S PAINTS The new Capsule Collection, available at Bunnings, is a curated range of 32 beautiful colours that add character and complexity to any interior and exterior space. RRP $84/2L. For more information, visit porterspaints.com

MIMIC TILES Achieve your dream home with luxury, high performing tiles that won't break the bank. Create a sense of flow from your bathroom to your outdoor area, with Mimic Tiles. For more information and to see the full range, visit mimictiles.com.au

HARVEY NORMAN The Miele 9kg Washer has 17 wash cycles including a SteamCare option for the removal of bacteria and allergens. With a 4.5 star energy and water rating, it's the perfect laundry addition. RRP $2,299. Visit harveynorman.com.au

FREEDOM The Asterix bar cabinet is perfect for entertaining. Featuring a mix of natural mango wood, cement veneer and hand-finished solid brass, each piece is unique and ages well over time. RRP $1,399.

CHOICES FLOORING Developed to help you find the floor you’ve been searching for, Choices Flooring’s RoomView is an easy-to-use visualiser that allows you to see any flooring on the website in your

PHOENIX TAPWARE Revolutionising the bathroom experience, the internationally award-winning Axia is a modern twist on tradition.ach design meticulously crafted with crisp detailing and a strong presence.

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own home. Visit choicesflooring.com.au

Visit phoenixtapware.com.au

OTTOLENGHI

M AG I C

The experts on vegies with va-va-voom share recipes for colourful, seasonal comfort food fresh from the soil WORDS YOTAM OTTOLENGHI AND IXTA BELFRAGE PHOTOGRAPHY JONATHAN LOVEKIN

OUT | ENTERTAINING

STUFFED EGGPLANT IN CURRY AND COCONUT DAL

INSIDE OUT | 121

Q&A

Yotam Ottolenghi and Flavour co-author Ixta Belfrage on cooking for colour and comfort My first food memory was…

YO: Trailing behind my mother in a Jerusalem market, admiring the mountains of herbs on display and the incredible smell. IB: Penne all’Aconese, a pasta dish with a spicy ragu made from pork, porcini and tons of black pepper. It’s served at Ristorante Pizzeria Acone, a restaurant near where I grew up in Italy. My family table was/is filled with….

YO: Freshly cut tomatoes and cucumbers, young cheese, bread, olives, halva. IB: Feijoada and fried plantains. When I’m cooking for myself I make…

YO: Steamed rice with jarred chickpeas, which are thrown into a quick tomato sauce with garlic, chilli, cumin and coriander. IB: After a long day of cooking in the Test Kitchen, it tends to be simple and often centres around good tinned fish. In the summer, it might be tinned tuna in olive oil with tomatoes and plenty of herbs. In the winter, it might be tinned mackerel in tomato sauce with jarred chickpeas and sautéed greens. When I’m looking for comfort, I eat…

YO: Mejadra, a Levantine dish that I’ve loved ever since I was a child, made from rice, lentils, fried onions and sweet spices. IB: What my mother gave me for breakfast when I was growing up – short-grain brown rice (blitzed to a porridge consistency), topped with olive oil, soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

stuffed eggplant in curry and coconut dal

Only two ingredients – lemon and milk – are what it takes to make paneer at home. It’s an experiment worth trying (it certainly feels like conducting a chemistry experiment), both for a sense of achievement and for unrivalled freshness. Yotam has published a recipe in the Guardian, but many others are also available online. If you buy your paneer (which makes the most satisfying filling for the grilled aubergines here as it soaks up the coconut sauce), try to find a soft variety with a texture like compressed ricotta. Other varieties, which are harder and slightly rubbery, are more suitable for making vegetarian tikka kebabs, but they will also do if that’s what you’ve got. For a vegan option, use extra-firm tofu. Try to get a good-quality, chunky Indian mango pickle for this. Both the aubergine slices and the lentil sauce can be prepared the day before, if you want to get ahead. In fact, you can make the whole dish a day ahead; chill in the fridge before it goes in the oven and then just bring to room temperature before warming up. SERVES 4 (as a main)

My go-to dish when I’m looking to impress is…

YO: A fancy trifle with sabayon, whipped cream, sponge, roasted fruit (strawberries and rhubarb if possible), lots of booze and sprinkled with crushed almonds in caramel. IB: Porchetta. It’s a two-day process – making the filling, rolling and tying the porchetta, drying the skin overnight and, finally, slow-cooking it. Cooking with the seasons is…

YO: Rewarding and delicious, especially when you’ve seen produce develop from seedlings. Some of the produce we use in our London restaurant, Rovi, is grown in our allotment and it’s satisfying to know that those vegetables have received love from our staff all the way through from the growing to the cooking. IB: Infinitely more delicious, and the best possible example of this is a tomato salad. In summer, try making a simple tomato salad with just olive oil and salt with ripe tomatoes, then try making that same salad in the winter using unripe, hard, pale tomatoes. You won’t look back. One of the biggest misconceptions about vegetarian food is…

YO: The biggest misconception is that it is bland, flavourless and textureless. This only means that the accuser hasn’t explored the wonderful world of vegetables and the endless possibilities of how to create flavour with them. IB: That it involves eating a lot of processed food. Of course that is true in some cases, but my version of vegetable eating includes fresh and varied vegetables, pulses and grains. Cooking in lockdown has been...

YO: Eye opening and challenging – in the best possible way. I’ve really enjoyed pivoting the way I think about creating recipes to just using what’s in my cupboard and freezer. IB: I built myself a little outdoor cooking unit and spent a lot of time cooking in the garden. I limited myself to ingredients I had in the fridge, freezer and pantry, and this resulted in some unlikely but wonderful combinations! 122 | INSIDE OUT

3 large aubergines, stalks removed, each aubergine cut lengthways into 6 x ½cm thick slices (750g) 3 tbsp olive oil 220g paneer or extra-firm tofu, roughly grated 2 limes; finely grate zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp 45g hot mango pickle, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve 5g coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve 100g large (not baby) spinach leaves, stems removed (60g) salt and black pepper

COCONUT DAL

3 tbsp olive oil 5 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped (250g) 45g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 red chillies, finely chopped 30 fresh curry leaves 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp medium curry powder 2 tsp tomato paste 100g dried red lentils 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk (at least 70% coconut extract)

1 Heat the oven to 220°C fan. In a large bowl, toss the aubergines with the oil, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Spread out on two parchment-lined baking trays and bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until softened and lightly browned. Set aside to cool. 2 For the coconut dal, put 2 tablespoons of the oil into a large sauté pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallots and fry for 8 minutes, until golden. Add the ginger, half the chilli and half the curry leaves (if using), cook for 2 minutes, then add the spices, tomato paste and lentils. Stir for a minute, then add the coconut milk, 600ml of water and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once in a while, until the lentils are soft and the sauce is thick. Pour into a medium baking dish of around 28cm x 18cm (if making the aubergine rolls) and set aside.

OUT | ENTERTAINING

SUPER-SOFT ZUCCHINI WITH HARISSA AND LEMON

OUT | ENTERTAINING

3 In a small bowl, toss together the paneer, lime zest, mango pickle, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, the coriander and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. 4 Place one spinach leaf on top of each slice of aubergine. Put a heaped teaspoon of the paneer mixture in the middle, then roll up the aubergine (from the thinner end at the top down to the thicker bottom end) so the filling is encased. Put the aubergine roll seam side down in the lentil sauce, and repeat with the remaining aubergine slices, spinach and paneer. You should end up with about 18 rolls, all sitting snugly in the sauce. Press the rolls gently into the sauce, but not so far that they are submerged, and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the aubergine is golden-brown on top and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes. 5 Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small pan on a mediumhigh heat. Add the remaining chilli and curry leaves and fry for a minute, until the curry leaves are crisp and fragrant. Spoon over the aubergine rolls, drizzle over the lime juice and serve with the coriander sprinkled on top. Note If you can’t find fresh curry leaves, you can do without.

super-soft zucchini with harissa and lemon

Strictly speaking, zucchini aren’t controversial – but they do tend to get a pretty lukewarm reaction from many, including, regrettably, two of our test-kitchen colleagues. The reason for this is probably their high water content, which tends to make them, well, watery. There are plenty of ways to combat this (frying and grilling are two examples), but we actually use it to our advantage here, cooking the zucchini slowly in their own juices, making them fantastically soft and enhancing their flavour by a long soak with fried garlic. (And in the process, we’re happy to announce, we also managed to win over our two zucchiniiffy colleagues.) The zucchini are very good hot, but are even better after 15 minutes or so, or even at room temperature, once the flavours have had a chance to get to know one another. Make them a day in advance if you want to get ahead; just hold off on adding the basil until you’re ready to serve. SERVES 4 (as a side or mezze)

85ml olive oil 6 garlic cloves, finely sliced 1 tbsp rose harissa 1 red chilli, finely chopped ½ preserved lemon, finely chopped, discarding any

of the pips (10g) 1½ tbsp lemon juice 1kg zucchini, finely sliced 10g basil leaves, roughly torn 1¼ teaspoons salt

1 Place a large, non-stick sauté pan on a medium-high heat with the oil and garlic. Gently fry for 4 minutes, stirring often, until soft, golden and aromatic. You don’t want the garlic to become at all browned or crispy, so turn the heat down if necessary. Remove 3 tablespoons of oil, along with half the garlic, and transfer to a small bowl with the harissa, chilli, preserved lemon and lemon juice. Stir together and set aside. 2 Return the pan to a high heat and add the sliced zucchini and the 1¼ teaspoons of salt. Cook for 18 minutes, stirring often, until the zucchini are very soft but still mostly holding their shape (you don’t want them to brown, so turn the heat down if necessary). Stir through half the basil and transfer to a platter. Spoon the harissa mixture over the zucchini. Leave to sit for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and finish with the remaining basil.

124 | INSIDE OUT

berry platter with sheep’s labneh and orange oil

This display of the season’s best can double as a light dessert or brunch centrepiece. You can make your own labneh, but it requires draining the yoghurt for 24 hours, or you can make everything easily on the day using store-bought labneh or some Greek yoghurt mixed with a little double cream. The berries you use are up to you, depending on what’s good. You can use fewer types or some frozen berries if you like, especially for those that get blitzed. You’ll make more oil than you need; store it in a glass jar to drizzle over salads or lightly cooked vegetables. SERVES 6

900g sheep’s yoghurt or cow’s yoghurt as an alternative ½ tsp salt 100ml good-quality olive oil 10g lemon thyme sprigs, plus a few extra picked thyme leaves to serve 1 orange, skin finely shaved to get 6 strips 200g blackberries

250g raspberries 300g strawberries, hulled and halved lengthways (or quartered if they’re larger) 50g caster sugar 1 lime; finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp 200g blueberries 150g cherries, pitted

1 Put the yoghurt and salt into a medium bowl and mix well to combine. Line a colander with a piece of muslin large enough to hang over the sides and place the colander over a bowl. Transfer the yoghurt to the muslin and fold over the sides to completely encase the yoghurt. Place a heavy weight over the muslin (a few tins will do) and transfer to the fridge to drain for at least 24 hours (and up to 48). 2 Meanwhile, put the oil into a small saucepan (for which you have a lid) on a medium heat. Heat gently for about 7 minutes, or until tiny air bubbles form. Remove from the heat, add the thyme and orange strips, then cover with a lid and leave to infuse, ideally overnight, though half an hour will also do the job. 3 The next day, put 50g of blackberries, 100g of raspberries and 100g of strawberries into the small bowl of a food processor along with the sugar and lime juice, and blitz until completely smooth. Put all the remaining berries and cherries into a large bowl along with the blitzed fruit and gently combine. Serve the fruit straight away or leave in the fridge for a few hours, bringing it back to room temperature before serving. 4 Spread the labneh out on a large platter. Spoon over the berries, then sprinkle with the lime zest. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the infused olive oil, along with a couple of the orange-skin strips and the extra picked lemon thyme leaves.

EXTRACTS FROM OTTOLENGHI FLAVOUR

by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage (Penguin Random House, $55), available online and from good booksellers.

BERRY PLATTER WITH SHEEPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LABNEH AND ORANGE OIL

INSIDE | HOME & INTERIORS

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INSIDE OUT | SEPTEMBER 2020

OUT | TRAVEL

DESIGN DESTINATION

four pillars laboratory The strangest thing about this spectacular Sydney gin palace is that it didn’t exist until now

ustralia is in the grip of a steamy love affair

with gin and the award-winning Yarra Valley-based gin distillery Four Pillars is riding the wave with the opening of their first gin bar, Four Pillars Laboratory. There, you’ll find an ever-expanding range of premium gins (Bloody Shiraz Gin anyone?) and a cocktail-friendly snack menu by food legend Matt Wilkinson in a moody interior by YSG Studio. Laboratory sits in the modernist 1930s Bussell Brothers building on Sydney’s Crown Street. The idea was to create a thriving gin emporium, divided into three main areas of gin culture: a gin store where you can taste and get your hands on limited-edition Four Pillars gins, an on-site distillery that creates some of the gin on offer, and a gin bar with speakeasy vibes where gin cocktails rule, thrown about with juniper-friendly ingredients like Davidson plum, blood lime, dill and caramel.

WORDS ELIZA O’HARE PHOTOGRAPHY ANSON SMART

INSIDE OUT | 127

OUT | TRAVEL

“The lampshades were all hand-dyed by Steven Vella, who is an opera art finisher and costume designer”

PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVEN WOODBURN (CHEF MATT AND FOOD)

YASMINE GHONIEM, YSG

Slide into one of the (bookings only) booths at Eileen’s bar, where juniper berry is the essential ingredient – its colour forming the backbone of the palette throughout, from the deep juniper blue and black tartan Kvadrat/Raf Simons fabric on the seating to the 11-metre, U-shaped, juniper-blue concrete bar. It’s a beyond-chic kind of neighbourhood place, and designer Yasmine Ghoniem from YSG Studio had that in mind from the start. “The most important thing to create in a bar like this is myriad experiences, so that repeat patrons have unique memories every time they visit.” That inspired some unusual design elements. “Four Pillars wanted the bar to take centre stage and for the seating to recede into darkness,” says Yasmine. “We also lined a side passage in organic timber joinery by Jonathan West, which came about because there wasn’t enough room between the bar and the perimeter to accommodate larger tables and we decided to orientate patrons facing each other for a more intimate experience.” Perfectly lit, this romantic part of the venue truly screams ‘first date’, hence the nickname ‘Tinder Lane’. The dark and dreamy interior may be a local attraction for inner Sydney, but don’t underestimate the real star – the drinks. This new joint is a true ode to gin in all its glory.

PREVIOUS PAGE The juniper-blue bar was designed by YSG and made by Concreative. Its spherical fibreglass pendant lights by Anomolous appear to float in the space. Custom Sia stools by Tom Fereday in Kvadrat/Raf Simons fabric. THESE PAGES (clockwise from top left) A corner nook in Eileen’s Bar, with timber light made by Maiden using a hand-dyed Steven Vella lampshade from local business Chee Soon & Fitzgerald. Outside the beautiful Bussell Brothers building. The stairway to Eileen’s Bar, clad in Portuguese cork panels with a glass-faced timber niche display by YSG. A shot of the Gin Shop, showcasing its Australian red cedar and Cambia ash joinery by Jonathan West. Matt Wilkinson. Gin Lab martini with the Angelachu Anchovies, pickled shallot and Pepe Saya butter. Another gin experience. Four Pillars entrance. Yasmine Ghoniem.

A SIDE WITH THAT?

Matt Wilkinson is the creative director of Four Pillars’ new food range How did you create this ginfriendly menu? Our main ethos for the food was “enough to keep you from starvation but not an entire meal”. Basically, the menu is a look into some of the best bar snacks around the world that both [distillery creative director] Jimmy Irvine and I love. We wanted it to be fun, simple and delicious, and then I just weaved in some of the Made From Gin products that we’ve launched. What’s your hot tip to order? The Sydney Lab Martini is a must, paired with Angelachu Anchovies on thickly buttered baguette, pickled shallots and chilli sauce. Or the Navy Strength Gin and Capi Flamin’ Ginger Beer with lime bitters and one of our Steak and Pepper Party Pies with smoked tomato relish. It’s bangin! Four Pillars Gin Laboratory, 406–410 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW; fourpillarsgin.com

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well rounded

A shapely new furniture range ticks all the boxes Taking its cues from nature, the soft, sculptural shapes of Tigmi Trading’s first bespoke furniture series are equal parts style and substance. The Organic Table Collection, consisting of five pieces, are each handcrafted and locally made by artisan Danielle McEwan using timber substrate and a seriously touchable matt micro-cement finish – making them both durable and lightweight. “The collection beckons to be touched,” says Danielle. “We wanted to create something the customer would engage with physically and almost contradictory to its solid form, something tactile that brings a sense of lightness and playfulness to a space.” Each piece is lovingly made to order in Byron Bay, NSW, and available exclusively from Tigmi Trading. tigmitrading.com

PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR

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