ASK AN EXPERT Stylish solutions for all your design dilemmas

INSIDE OUT | PROMOTION

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BRIGHT IDEAS FOR YOU AND YOUR HOME

HARVEY NORMAN Cool, classic design meets casual coastal vibes in the Australianmade Cavana Fabric Sofa. Whether you’re entertaining guests or looking for a family lounge, this sofa comes in a range of sizes to fit your needs. Visit harveynorman.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. Visit porterspaints.com NESPRESSO With its sleek design, the Vertuo Next delivers exceptional quality co ee for your home. Enjoy over 25 sustainably sourced blends across five cup sizes for the perfect cup, every time. RRP $379. Visit nespresso.com/au

ROYAL OAK FLOORS An elegant foundation for everyday living, the Architect Collection o ers timeless timber floors in a diverse palette of tones and textures, backed up by best-in-class engineering. RRP from $85/m2. Visit royaloakfloors.com.au DOMAYNE Achieve a breezy coastal vibe with the Cove 4-Piece Outdoor Package. With generous cushioning, deep seating and a spacious design, this is the ultimate outdoor setting for your home. For more information, visit domayne.com.au HARVEY NORMAN The Bosch 8kg Activewater Plus Washing Machine features the powerful yet quiet EcoSilence motor and VarioPerfect high-performance wash programs, using 50% less energy. RRP $1,199. Visit harveynorman.com.au

RUG ADDICTION Inspired by old-world motifs from exotic locations and handcrafted in 100% wool, Rug Addiction’s Domain rug (pictured) is a piece of art for your floor. RRP was $969, now selling for $899. Visit rugaddiction.com.au PLUSH A modern take on the love seat, the Snuggle® is the perfect place to cuddle up with someone special. Also available in Petite, Bespoke or Alfresco. Exclusive to Plush – Think Sofas. RRP $2,199. Visit plush.com.au NAKED WINES Discover exclusive wines by the best independent winemakers in ANZ! Naked Wines are o ering new customers $100 o 12 wines. Get a case of mixed, red or white wines for just $79.99. Visit nakedwines.com.au/inside121

INSIDE | RENOVATE

QI want to create a kids’ retreat for my girls to relax and hang out in with their friends, but I don’t want them to outgrow it. Do you have any tips for designing a space that my children can enjoy now, and when they’re older?’ One of the key design considerations we bring to our projects is working out how a space can grow with the evolving needs of a family. For a kids’ retreat, I would suggest a soft, neutral palette, as those colours create a calming and welcoming environment. It is also unlikely that your kids will fall out of love with muted tones, so they are a safe bet. To add interest, play with textures in the form of a sculptural armchair, a fun ottoman, a natural textured rug or some printed cushions. A neutral coloured wallpaper is also a great way to inject some fun into the space, without going crazy on colour.

EMMA BUCHAN, DIRECTOR, EB INTERIORS summer, but I’m not sure where to start. What advice can you give me? Lynne, via email The first step to a great outdoor painting project is deciding what you’ll be painting, which is not always as easy as it sounds. To help with the process, consider how much time you have, your confidence level, and your enthusiasm for the task ahead. If you’re just starting out, upcycling an old outdoor table or refreshing the kids’ cubby house could be the perfect project. If you’re feeling adventurous and have more time on your hands, perhaps painting the entire front fence or even the exterior of your home is an option. Whatever project you take on, you’ll want a paint that’s simple to apply and long-lasting. After all, your main goal should always be to minimise future maintenance, so you can spend more time enjoying your hard work! Designed to last and last, British Paints’ 4 Seasons range has a 25-year guarantee against peeling, flaking and blistering. The formula, which has been specifically designed for our harsh climate, makes it easy to get outdoor paint jobs — even by DIYers — right first time.

This space by Sydney’s EB Interiors has a neutral palette and flexible furniture that will work for children of all ages. Exterior paint colours from the latest British Paints ranges.

FROM LEFT Gubi ‘Beetle’ upholstered dining chair in Green Canvas 984, $1669, Surrounding. Normann Copenhagen ‘Hyg 4 Leg’ chair in Olive, $805, HG Furniture Solutions. Apparentt ‘Esteem’ chair, POA, Castledex.

QI’ve been given a mid-century Parker dining table as a hand-me-down and am not sure which chairs to put with it. Can you suggest a few designs that might work? Penny, via Instagram My advice would be to select a chair designed in the same era, or sympathetic to the style of the era. Look for something with tapered legs, which would work well against your table. A coloured upholstered chair could add interest as well as comfort. Avoid different timber shades, though choosing something less matchy, such as one of the options pictured, would not only work well against the teak tone of your table, it might be your ticket to modernising the look.

ask an expert

Stylish solutions for all your design dilemmas

QI want to do some painting in my outdoor space this

MIA DAMINATO, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, INSIDE OUT VOLA ‘KV1’ one-handle natural-brass mixer in colour 19, POA.

QCan you use a bathroom mixer in a kitchen, or vice versa, and are there any pitfalls to doing so? Kate, via Instagram Most mixers are suitable for the kitchen or bathroom. In fact, some of our most popular kitchen mixers, including the VOLA KV1, are commonly used for both. The vital thing to consider when selecting a mixer for the bathroom is that kitchen mixers tend to be larger in scale than bathroom mixers, so aesthetically they may be overpowering when used on a vanity. Similarly, practical considerations such as a swivel or spray feature may be unnecessary in a bathroom with a compact washbasin, so VOLA’s KV1 offers the option of a fixed swivel spout to suit these applications.

OUT

swell times An outdoor shower keeps salt and sand from the surf at bay In the front garden of this home in Sydney’s northern beaches is an outdoor shower planted in with olive trees, liriope and licorice plants. Constructed by Round The Bends Plumbing using an old recycled electrical pole supplied by the builder and a showerhead from Outdoor Showers, it offers a glorious end-of-swim experience that the owners love almost as much as their home’s handy-toeverything location. See page 96 for the full story.

INSIDE | RENOVATE

I’VE ALWAYS WANTED... a servery

Improve the connection between your kitchen and alfresco zone with a new opening to the outside world

Traditionally, a servery was a counter, service hatch or room from which meals were served to the wider household, while keeping ‘the help’ obscured. However, today’s serveries focus on improving the connection between the kitchen and an adjacent outdoor space by way of a wide, opening window and extended bench space. As open-plan and outdoor dining options grow in popularity, the servery has emerged as a way to support barbecues and alfresco living, and to allow people in the kitchen to be more involved with those outside. And of course, it allows food and drinks to be quickly delivered without tracking back and forth.

1size and scope A servery is easiest and cheapest to install as part of an extension or renovation, as adding a servery to an existing wall will require interior and exterior alterations to the home, the replacement of windows and benchtops, and potential structure work if the wall is load-bearing. Ensure the window for your servery is wide enough to accommodate the number of people you plan to seat at it. “Generally, 70–75cm per person is enough space for someone to talk to people on either side, and get on and off their stools,” says Fiona Shakespeare, director of Sydney’s Shakespeare Design. “If you want a sink in front of the servery, make the benchtop slightly deeper, around 68cm. The depth of the external servery should be a minimum of 30cm, ideally 35–40cm.”

2style setting Picking the perfect window for your servery is key to its functionality and visual appeal, so consider options such as bifold windows (easily opened fully for unobstructed views and access) or a more affordable gas strut window (simple to open and takes up little space, it offers an unobstructed view when open or closed, and can act as an awning when open). Whatever you choose, ensure the window has a good seal from the elements to prevent dust and water seeping in.

To make your servery aesthetically pleasing, the benchtop should flow seamlessly from the kitchen and be made from UV-resistant, weatherproof material, such as engineered stone, marble or tile. “Alternatively, timber works well if you like a rustic beach house look and don’t mind staining the wood regularly, or letting it weather naturally,” says Fiona. “Make sure you design the servery in a warm spot that catches the sun and is out of the wind, so people want to spend time there.”

3shade options If it’s in an open setting, your servery may need shelter from the elements. “A retractable canvas awning over the servery window adds colour and will protect you from the sun and even a light rain shower,” says Fiona.“Make a sophisticated statement with fabric in a black and white stripe, or choose grey and white or yellow and white for more of a beach-shack or cafe feel.”

4lighting Overhead lighting is a practical option for a servery as it requires little to no space – just make sure there’s adequate task lighting for food prep and service. “Overhead spotlights, or exterior lights mounted on the walls to either side of the window, are ideal as they won’t obstruct its opening and closing,” says Fiona. “Lights should be able to pivot, so they can be directed onto the bench surface where people are sitting.”

5seating As a servery only offers a shallow bench space on the exterior side, stools are the best seating option in terms of space and aesthetics. “The most comfortable stools have a back, are weather-proof and easy to keep clean,” says Fiona. “They should also be made from a UV-resistant material, such as a treated timber or man-made rattan, so they stay in good condition and can be wiped down. Breakfast stools are usually 65cm at seat height, which suit servery benches that meet the standard kitchen bench height of 90cm.”

OPPOSITE

This funky servery was designed by Victoria’s Kennedy Nolan architects to better connect the Modernist Anatol Kagan home to its garden. The gas strut window design was “an investigation of colour, materiality, pattern and detailing”, says Kennedy Nolan’s head of interiors Adriana Hanna.

PHOTOGRAPHY: DEREK SWALWELL. SHAKESPEARE DESIGN; SHAKESPEARE-DESIGN.COM.AU OR @FIONASHAKESPEARE

1

size and scope

Make the servery large enough for people to sit at.

2

style setting

Gas strut windows or bifolds are best.

3

shade options

Consider an awning in a chic weather-proof material. 4

lighting

Practicality is key, for serving and eating at the outside bench.

5

seating

Don’t squeeze in too many people. More than three may need a table.