SUMMER 2014/2015
BRISBANE RENOVATION SHOWCASES NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS
A TRUE ARTISAN BAKERY
IDEA CREATIONS: TRADITIONAL EUROPEAN FINISHES Summer 2014/2015
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The Natural Artisan
SUMMER 2014
CON TENT S 04
COMFORT ZONE: TOM WEGENER
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CREATE. DO. INSPIRE
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BRISBANE RENOVATION SHOWCASES NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS
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A TRUE ARTISAN BAKERY
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SUSTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE RENOVATIONS
Marakesh polishing stones. Photography: Tony Thorogood
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Summer 2014/2015
GALLERY: IDEA CREATIONS, TRADITIONAL EUROPEAN FINISHES SUMMER ISSUE
Cover Image: Lounge room of renovated 1920s Brisbane home. See story page 08 Cover Photography: Ross Eason
EDITORIAL
Editor: Rebecca Park
Design: Tiam Whitfield
Contact: editor@thenaturalartisan.com
The Natural Artisan: bringing together ‘the creators’ of all kinds to celebrate and share the art of crafting beautiful spaces and objects. We do this with a collective intention to live in tune with nature. As Tolkien said in The Fellowship of the Ring: “We put the thought of all that we love into all that we make.” A ROCKCOTE Publication 3
Photography: Rebecca Park. Location: Peregian Beach
COMFORT ZONE
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The Natural Artisan
STRAW BALE HOME WINS MAJOR DESIGN AWARDS Viva Living Homes has taken out two Master Builders Awards for their remarkable 8.5 star energy rated straw bale home. The home won two Excellence in Housing Master Builders Awards, for Environmental Management and Best House under $500,000. Internal walls are made from wattle and daub or cob (solid earth). The home features solar passive design using insulation and thermal mass, solar hot water, solar power and wet back hydronic wall heating. The home also received a Gold Medal rating via etools which looks at the life cycle assessment and green star rating of the home, and takes into consideration the carbon footprint of the home from start to finish. More at: www.vivahomes.com.au Photography: Viva Living Homes
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The Natural Artisan
WIN A COPY OF THE NATURAL ARTISAN YEARBOOK Inspired by what you have seen in The Natural Artisan? This is your chance to win a copy of ROCKCOTE’s The Natural Artisan Yearbook, a limited edition, 64 page, full colour, coffee table book featuring some of the most stunning projects from the first four issues…and more! To enter: 1. Head over to The Natural Artisan Facebook page and Like the page 2. Write a response to the following question on our timeline in your own words in 25 words or less: What defines an artisan? Enter at www.facebook.com/thenaturalartisan Entries close: 31 January 2015. Read the terms and conditions of entry here: www.rockcote.com.au/natural-artisan-competition-terms.
BUILDING WITH EARTH Earth Building is the practice of building using unfired earth material. It has an 11,000-year-old history, with up to one half of the world’s population housed in earth homes. Earth material is subsoil composed of clay, silt, and sand. Clay is the binder or cementing ingredient used in the building process and the drying process is through the evaporative effect of sun drying. Earth is used to construct walls, floors, roofs and even furniture, fireplaces and ovens. The Earth Building Association of Australia (EBAA) promotes use of Unfired Earth as a building medium throughout Australia supporting the entire earth building community. Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in earth building. Image (by Ray Trappel): This home in Richmond, NSW features bricks made on site from crushed sandstone and clay. More at www.ebaa.asn.au
NATURAL MATERIALS A BANKSIA FINALIST ROCKCOTE was named a finalist in the prestigious 2014 Banksia Awards that recognise sustainable development and practice in Australia. The company was one of only six finalists in the new category Product Sustainability through design, manufacture and use for the Natural Materials range. ROCKCOTE’s Natural Materials range features interior and exterior architectural coatings suitable for the harsh Australian climate and contemporary architecture, using simple, natural materials such as clay and lime. More at www.rockcote.com.au/ranges/natural-materials Summer 2014/2015
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BRISBANE RENOVATION SHOWCASES NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS by Rebecca Park | Photography: Ross Eason 8
The Natural Artisan
Lee and Lee-Anne Stevens have long been dedicated to living in a non-toxic environment. When they discovered Lee-Anne was pregnant with their first child (Poppy, now 13 months), their planned renovation of this home in New Farm in Brisbane took on a whole new meaning.
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heir vision for the renovation of the 1920s Queenslander was always to create a functional healthy family home using natural nontoxic products.
The couple has a background in and passion for renovations, from personal residential projects to multi level units. More recently they had begun researching low toxic and sustainable products, better understanding options to replace mainstream, toxic products used in standard homes. When it came to their own home, Lee and Lee-Anne knew they would be moving in just after Poppy’s birth and wanted to create the purest possible environment for their “little being” to call home. Lee said they always knew when they moved to Queensland that they wanted to live in a Queenslander home which was in a character control area.
“The home was chosen for its renovation potential as well as location. Knowing that there were caveats requiring residents to maintain the heritage nature of the buildings was important to us,” he said. Melbourne-based Vibe Design Group was given the task of combining the many elements on the couple’s wish list into a functional family home. “We wanted a contemporary pod added to the existing home that also protected and retained the character of the original part of the home. We didn’t want any wasted voids – every room needed to have a use.” “It was important to go eco and non-toxin but we didn’t want it to be a log cabin that people would look at and label as an obvious eco home. We wanted it to be viewed as a high end, architecturally designed eco home with clean lines.” Summer 2014/2015
Other key elements were: •
Using natural non-toxic products throughout
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Combatting emissions from a phone tower 700 metres away
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Using recycled timber where possible
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Utilising design elements to maximise air flow and natural light
The new component of the home hugs the old, sitting back from the facade of the original residence. Timber features extensively throughout, a consistent theme in living areas of the new sections of the home. The old section of the home is maintained intact, enhanced by restoring timber, doors and leadlight features. Low sliding windows maintain privacy while offering natural light and ventilation all along the living space. Deep eaves were integrated into the design where sliding glass doors view to the outdoor spaces. A combination of these elements allows the home to live comfortably in its climate with minimal reliance on mechanical cooling. Considerable research was undertaken into every product used in the project. Australian hardwood floors, solid timber window frames, recycled timber decking and Calacatta marble benchtops were considered the best natural/ eco options. ROCKCOTE EcoStyle Paints were selected for all interior and exterior walls for their zero VOC and non-toxic properties. Low VOC glues were specified for the blackbutt floors which were hand sanded and treated with natural oil sourced from the Green Building Centre in Byron Bay. In the bathrooms, natural lime-based ROCKCOTE Marrakesh was chosen for walls and floors for its carbon positive properties, ability to moderate humidity and natural aesthetic. CONTINUED 9
Electromagnetic radiation (EMR)
A building biologist was influential in helping to reduce the amount of electromagnetic radiation inside the home as a result of the nearby mobile phone tower. Testing was carried out before during and after construction to monitor radiation levels.
Living areas and the master bedroom were intentionally placed at the rear of the home, away form the direction of the mobile phone tower. An immediate decrease in frequency was noticed when the metallic wrap was added around the frame prior to cladding. “A German product called YShield was used to shield areas where high readings were recorded. YShield is an undercoat paint that contains a high conductive material in the form of minute metal fibres. Earthing bonds or plates are attached to where the walls change direction. They are then earthed to the main earthing system at the main electrical switchboard,” explained Lee. Areas of the home that were treated now measure zero EMR radiation. Only the windows that have been left unprotected are vulnerable to exposure.
Electricity Being an electrician by trade, Lee was conscious of placing power circuits in locations that would have minimal impact on him and his family. “The cheapest way to wire a house is usually to run the majority of circuits through the walls at chest height. When your home is running at night, all of that is at the same level as your heart. We tried to choose cable routes away from where you regularly walk or sleep and in trafficable areas.” The entire home has been set up so that in any room not being used, a main power isolation switch at the light switch can completely cut power to the power points in the room, reducing EMFs. CONTINUED
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The Natural Artisan
“We started to think about what we put into our bodies, and make changes. Then we looked at what we put into our home.� - Lee Stevens
Summer 2014/2015
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Making informed choices Like many people, Lee and Lee-Anne’s journey into non-toxic living progressed from a conscious choice to eat healthy, organic food into a broader awareness of everything that makes up the environments in which we live, work and play. “The more we researched, the deeper into it we became. We started to think about what we put into our bodies, get informed and make changes. Then we looked at what we put into our home,” said Lee. “It was more difficult ten years ago before the internet. Now information is readily available and people are sharing best practices and more eco products and services are hitting the market due to demand. All of this helped us along our journey of creating an environment for healthy living.” Lee said it was important for people embarking on an eco renovation to acknowledge that you can’t do everything because of budget but you can make informed choices that make a difference to your life and the wellbeing of the people around you. After ten months of renovations, the family finally moved into their new home, and they are absolutely delighted. Their home channels the breezes that are essential for cooling on a hot Brisbane day, the organic vegetable garden is thriving and their chlorine-free pool is ready for summer. “We couldn’t be happier. We have a beautiful fresh home that doesn’t have the typical chemical smells and off-gassing of a new house. It is home that feels great and certainly not too precious and can take the knocks and bangs of daily life.”
Project details:
1920s home, New Farm, Brisbane Owners: Lee and Lee-Anne Stevens Design: Vibe Design Group
Building Biologist: Birgit Richards, Building Biology Queensland Photography: Ross Eason
Artisan (ROCKCOTE Marrakesh bathroom): Michael Symington, ilfe Painter (ROCKCOTE EcoStyle Paints interior and exterior): Davide Nasato Summer 2014/2015
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TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF ARTISANS HAVE COME TOGETHER TO BRING A NEW BUSINESS TO LIFE IN NOOSA.
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rtisan baker Craig McCabe and his wife Maeva worked with natural materials artisan Shannon Whitehill, to create their vision for a Frenchinspired bakery and café in the heart of Noosa Junction.
After winning multiple awards in their Brisbanebased bakery, and taking time out to settle their young family on the Sunshine Coast, Craig and Maeva were ready to search for the right space for their new venture.
The bakery café would celebrate their love of everything French – artisan breads hand crafted from Craig’s tried and tested recipes, and authentic layered pastries drawing from Maeva’s French heritage. Once a suitable space was secured, the couple began seeking the right staff. Florent, a French baker who had trained in France answered an online advertisement and once the relevant immigration documents were finalised, arranged to fly in a week ahead of the planned opening date. The aim for the space was an industrial, aged look with a classy edge that effectively expressed the quality of the handcrafted fare. Craig said they turned to Pinterest for inspiration on how to make the narrow space work with the various elements they wanted to include – exposed timber, uncovered brickwork and rendered feature walls. CONTINUED
Summer 2014/2015
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“We started with exposed timber beams in the ceiling. A stone bench was added to symbolise that we were a quality bakery and café,” he said. “The ugly block wall had to go and we wanted to somehow turn it into a feature. It wasn’t until we spoke with Shannon and saw his sample walls at The Paint Place in Noosa that we really saw our vision start to come alive.” Shannon developed a feature wall concept using his signature dragonfly as a highlight. The unsightly block wall was transformed using ROCKCOTE Venetian Plaster with highlights of coloured oxides to pick up the colours of the benchtop and other areas of the store. The dragonfly fresco was created freehand using tinted ROCKCOTE Marrakesh with the aged-looking frame moulded by hand with lime plaster. The entire wall was then polished by hand over two days. The space has attracted many ardent admirers since the Noosa Hot Bread Shop was opened in early November. “The feedback is awesome,” said Craig. “Everyone loves the space and says it is very different for Noosa. A lady who recently returned from New York said she did not see any space as inspiring as this one while she was there. That was a huge compliment.” The sign out the front saying “Artisan Bakery” is an apt description. “It is a passion. The more you explore, the more you learn, the more involved you get in your craft, the better you can become. The way Shannon worked to create the detail in this art was done with the same depth of intensity I apply when creating each loaf of bread.” PROJECT DETAILS:
Noosa Hot Bread Shop Sunshine Beach Road, Noosa Junction, QLD Owners: Craig and Maeva McCabe
Artisan (ROCKCOTE Venetian Plaster feature wall; ROCKCOTE Marrakesh fresco): Shannon Whitehill, Australian Artisans Summer 2014/2015
Photography: Ross Eason
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SUSTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE RENOVATIONS
by Emma Scragg
“Less is more” is often referenced in contemporary design. Based on an underlying principle of simplicity, this approach applies equally well to sustainable architecture - reducing financial outlay and stress, using fewer resources, and minimising maintenance and running costs. I have applied this idea of simplicity to make two houses more pleasurable spatially and climatically at low cost.
The first, our home in Brisbane, was a 1970s home of 90 square metres, and a blank canvas for improvement. The first step was to insulate the roof and upgrade to solar hot water for long-term savings and improved comfort. A large lawn area immediately inspired me to learn to garden, replacing grass with native and food-producing trees for shade and privacy; and establishing vegetable gardens. After living in the house for a couple of years and with a baby on the way, we decided to update the decaying chipboard kitchen. Renovating the space meant removing asbestos which we decided to remove completely from
the interior of the home, including the toilet and bathroom. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” was the guiding philosophy for the renovation of the bathroom and kitchen areas. The 70’s floor tiles and coordinating purple bath were sound and had retro appeal as did the kitchen lights, so these were retained. New cabinetry was designed around offcuts from a local ply factory with hardware selected for durability and simplicity, and knobs collected from skips. Kitchen fixtures, fittings and appliances were sourced second hand, and work beautifully.
Bulk insulation was added to the external walls. New lining and details were kept simple and chosen for their durability. Recycled timber casements replaced aluminium sliding windows and blank walls, to improve cross ventilation in living and sleeping spaces. Skilled tradespeople were engaged to do the work we were unable to do. I assisted where possible to save costs including sanding floors and inviting family and friends to help with painting. Budget to renovate: $14,000 including asbestos removal
Renovated kitchen: Brisbane 1970s home 18
The Natural Artisan
Barkers Vale Dairy renovation
Our second renovation, the Barkers Vale dairy, had earlier been poorly converted to a home. It was hot in summer, cold in winter, dimly lit and poorly sealed against wildlife. My husband, Gilbert, embarked on the project to improve its liveability, including adding another bedroom to its 46 square metre footprint. A low porch to the north was removed to open up the living space to precious winter sun. Windows were reconfigured to improve airflow and daylight, and reduce heat loss in winter. With linings removed, old and new spaces could be heavily insulated.
Gilbert had a huge stockpile of salvaged building materials on site which influenced the design and finishing details. Recycled timber windows and doors and framing, rescued plywood, wardrobe doors and floorboards, second hand sink and bath, repurposed trough and even sawdust from the site all added rustic charm to the house and outbuildings. Recycled timber windows, doors and framing; second hand sink and bath repurposed trough and even sawdust from the site all added rustic charm to the the house and outbuildings.
These comfortable homes, compact by today’s standard, are a pleasure to live in with their daylight-filled, quirky, healthy, and energy-efficient spaces. Being hands-on can save money, gives a great sense of ownership and an opportunity to refine new skills. Budget to renovate: $110,000. Entire existing building and extension plus separate laundry, composting toilet and grey water system.
Corrugated iron was a very quick cladding solution. Linings made from time-saving new plasterboard were cost effective and provided a modern, clean contrast to the eclectic mix of original and recycled elements. Four and a half years later, the dairy is beautifully finished. Despite most of the materials being free, the build was far less affordable than we had hoped with the labour and time component of preparing recycled materials adding a huge cost. Keeping a sustainable build project as small and simple as practicable can be affordable and rewarding.
About Emma
Emma Scragg is an architect, writer and cycle adventurer who lives and breathes sustainability. She is enthusiastic about the conservation and adaptation of existing buildings to suit their climate and the needs of occupants.
KEEPING THINGS AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE • Keep
it small. For each item or space, ask yourself if you really need it.
• Keep
it simple and prioritise what will really make a difference to your home’s sustainability and your enjoyment of it.
• Use
passive design to minimise mechanical heating and cooling.
Summer 2014/2015
• Use
landscaping to improve the microclimate of the house. Vines and trees are inexpensive, can be fast growing and can provide food.
• Work
out what you can do yourself and employ a skilled tradesperson for the more difficult jobs.
• Gumtree,
Freecycle, tip shops and kerbside clean-ups are a great resource for everything from door knobs to appliances.
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GALLERY C
reating beautiful walls is a labour of love for artisans Julien Fantone and Ryan Lowseck from Idea Creations.
For these Brisbane-based artisans, every aspect of a finish is important – the feel, texture and the way the product interacts with light. It is all about the synergy of the lime matter and the way it is manually applied that creates a unique finish.
Julien and Ryan are bringing the stunning traditional lime finishes of Europe to Australia. Back in his homeland, France, after completing a Diploma in Graphic Design, Julien was invited to assist on a restoration project where he discovered lime and its techniques. That’s where Julien, who had always wanted to work with his hands, found his passion. He embarked on three years of intensive training with some of the most respected master artisans in France learning plastering, painting, and lime and gypsum finishes. Meanwhile, Ryan had completed his solid plastering training and was learning European style finishes from an artisan in Brisbane. When Julien returned to Australia, the two natural finish enthusiasts met on a job and soon after they began working together. Both had experienced similar challenges reaching out to other artisans in Australia. “I tried to network but there were a lot of artisans who didn’t want to share or be part of a community. It was refreshing when I met Julien. In order for something to grow, it needs to grow from a community where people are sharing skills and ideas,” said Ryan.
Julien, Ryan and Luke from Idea Creations 20
The Natural Artisan
Scanlan Theodore store, Indooroopilly, Queensland
Summer 2014/2015
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Seamless lime finish with stone sealer, Manly, NSW
Idea Creations specialises in traditional lime plasters including Venetian Stucco, Marmorino, Moroccan Tadelakt, Sgraffito, Sand Finish and Lime Wash – finishes which are sought after in commercial and residential environments. Their Sgraffito stencilling, stone-look travertine and rough casting, textured finishes are attracting attention for their character and beauty. Their work can be admired at places such as Jimmy’s on the Mall, the Stokehouse Restaurant and the Hilton Hotel in Brisbane, Sydney’s Willow Boutique and Zimmerman stores throughout Australia. No longer the domain of just feature walls, natural finishes are becoming more popular for entire spaces. People are moving to a white or off white base and featuring beautiful finishes throughout, reflective of European style. “Lime has so much potential in Australia. It’s an amazing product that breathes and is mould resistant. It is used in below zero temperatures in Europe and in the extreme desert of Dubai making it exceptional in Australian conditions,” said Ryan. “The environment created with lime is soft and graceful, clean and fresh. You can’t achieve that with paint or any other synthetic materials.” Idea Creations: 0423 844 182 22
Photography: Julien Fantone
Sgraffito finish in a French Antique Shop, Fortitude Valley, Queensland The Natural Artisan
Sgraffito finish, private residence, France Summer 2014/2015
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