Qh winter 15 changing spaces

CHANGING

SPACES

Oh, how times change – and how our homes have changed with it.

WORDS: Natasha Pavez

Summer 2014/15 $7.70 ®

Winter 2010 $7.70 ®

INTERIOR DESIGN + DECORATING + INSPIRATIONAL HOMES + BUILDING & RENOVATING

CLASSIC COOL

GOURMET Delights

Summer tapas, coastal food trail & Brisbane’s Eat Street

create a stunning decor with white on white

INTERIOR MOTIVES

designers share their style secrets

6 HOUSES GREAT STYLE, GREAT DESIGN

Fall in love with

WINTER

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PLUS ... HIGHLIGHTS FROM DESIGNEX + PERFECT PASTA SAUCES + LOLOMA – A ROMANTIC COUNTRY GARDEN

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11/05/10 9:25 AM

tailored to your lifestyle

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Queensland style at its finest

SPACES

Retro styling from Di Henshall Interior Design

With 30 years under our belt, Queensland Homes has seen its fair share of interiors. From the flashy eighties to the minimalist noughties, all the way to now, we've indulged in changing trends and classic looks from the moment we first hit the newsstands.

Armed with first-hand knowledge – and experience from some of Queensland's finest designers – we're taking a look back at our favourite looks and loves from the last 30 years.

THE EIGHTIES IN A WORD: Flashy EXTERIORS: Not as inspiring as our interiors, we favoured brick veneers and standard designs. "Architecturally uninspiring, both inside and out," is how our editor-in-chief, Rhonda Bannister, remembers it.

INTERIORS: Think bold, think bright, think colourful. John Croft, of John Croft Designs, notes that his main colour scheme was purple with a spot of teal; trending at the time were gold accents and faux finishes. "At the time, I really enjoyed this look," he laughs. We can say the same – even if it's looking a little dated now, a bit of the 80s never really hurt anyone.

Typical 2000s style Photo: John Downs

THE NINETIES IN A WORD: Eclectic EXTERIORS: Whether we called a Queenslander home or went for a modern, sleek abode, Queensland homes weren't too outgoing – unless you count some bold emerald trimming along window edges! Exposed brick was a traditional choice, so much so that we showed our readers how to choose the right brick for their build back in '96. Of course, there were exceptions to the rule (pink exterior cladding, anyone?), but we really preferred to let our interiors do all the talking…

INTERIORS: Quintessential Queensland design was just as varied as the decade – in the early 90s, we fell hard for crisp white and soothing green in the bedroom, quirky seaside dining rooms and 'French Queenslander' living areas. The 90s also saw a love of minimalist design, keeping things neatly pared back with some Japanese inspiration coming to the fore. Pine furniture – knots showing in the blonde-coloured wood – was a must-have.

As we approached the new millennium, we went back to colours.Taking its style cues from sunny European islands, it's no surprise that the colour of the hour was yellow – and in a big way. Adorning everything from walls to furnishings (with a terracotta tile to make it pop), the nineties focused on a mix of provincial accents, designer touches and classic furniture. It really was a case of anything goes.

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SPACES A pale blue feature wall in a classic Queenslander, from the mid 00s.

Photo: Anastasia Kariofyllides

THE NOUGHTIES IN A WORD: Minimal EXTERIORS: Remember the Tuscan influence? It was still going strong, but on the outdoors. Cement render came to the fore, covering up exposed brick with a fresco-style paint applied on top. Homes took on whatever colour you dreamed of, be it a coastal blue, a classic white, sunny yellow or rustic terracotta.

INTERIORS: Say hello to the feature wall! We might have splashed colour on everything we could find in decades past, but here, we showed a little restraint. At the start of the decade, we looked fondly on the palettes of the late 90s (a glitzy apartment, in tones of black and gold, was one of our favourite spaces). Later, we embraced a new idea of interior sophistication. Taking trends from around the globe, we sought colour schemes that wouldn't end up passé at the end of the decade. Cream, black and neutral were bang on trend.

The most iconic piece of furniture in the home? Perspex furniture, according to John. It might have gone the way of inflatable furniture in later years, but some design elements certainly endured.

NOW IN A WORD: Streamlined EXTERIORS: The outdoors is in – literally. We're taking our post-war homes to new heights, giving them modern facelifts that nod to their colourful pasts. We're revamping warehouses and wool stores, keeping their bones exposed for a gritty, modern look. If we're building, we're going sleek and strong. No boxy homes here! Curving walls, plenty of glass, white with subtle trimming and dark, moody colours – we're in love.

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Warehouse styling – industrial touches with plenty of modern charm.

Photo: Scott Burrows

We're also incorporating outdoor living spaces into our lifestyles, celebrating the gorgeous Queensland outdoors as it deserves.

Glamorous pools, impeccable landscaping and kitchen gardens are all on our lust-lists, whether we're apartment-dwellers or call a house our home.

INTERIORS: The big-name houses we're seeing all celebrate one major theme – warehouse design. It's not a surprise here in Brisbane, at least! Plenty of designers are taking the plunge and scaling back on their interior schemes, choosing to keep the bare necessities and indulge in a colour scheme that's neutral and industrial, all at once. If there's colour, there's only one, not plenty crammed into one room.

More and more, people are after organic, natural design, with colours you'd see in the world outside making their way into bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms… you name it.

Though that's not the only design element to hit the market. We're seeing a shift back to retro-inspired design (what goes around certainly does come around), with elements from the 60s and 70s having their moment in the limelight. "Trends that were de rigueur in the 60s have come back in a fresher, cleaner, brighter way," says Di Henshall, of Di Henshall Interior Design. "You might cringe if you mention tangerine, mission brown or eau de nil, but if you say flame, chocolate and pistachio to describe those colours today, they're fashionable and acceptable!"

Artists are making our homes look divine, with a street art influence going strong; in our kitchens, we're loving neutral white palettes with high-tech accessories. In a way, we're employing the 90s' tactic of anything goes – but we're hopefully doing it with even more style.