Innehållsförteckning för May 2021 från Inside Out

Was it as simple as being stuck at home during this pandemic, or was it something else that triggered the current global obsession with table setting? Too long taken for granted, the dinner table has shifted into view as host of the new totems of style and indulgence: all of those superstar stacked plates, natty linens and napkins, filigree cutlery, and vessels overflowing with sculptural florals. It’s not even about the food anymore. My Instagram feed is crammed with tables dressed in everything from the most disciplined monotone, minimalist set-ups to joyous, kitschy, mismatched tabletops. I trawl cutlery sites constantly. My most recent interiors purchase was more plates (more plates!) – a set of entrée dishes adorned with lobsters, scallop shells and hand-painted parsley from The Boathouse Home (see page…

There’s a return right now – and about time, too – to authenticity, honesty, comfort, good design and things you can trust, such as handcrafted designs using natural materials. People are more conscious. The COVID-19 pandemic has opened our eyes to the need for more sustainable shopping, and a life more in harmony and rhythm with nature. To that end... Last year, I decided to rent out my Sydney house (with everything left in it) and take up the offer to live in a boathouse on Sydney’s Pittwater, right at the water’s edge – a little dream I’ve had all my life. The boathouse was already furnished with the basics. I took my laptop, one treasured painting by New York artist Jessica Falstein, a few photographic prints, some of my…

Interior designer Chloe Matters loves using natural and tactile materials to set the tone in her projects. She practiced what she preaches in the main bathroom of her family’s Federation home, pairing a rugged Tadelakt plaster wall finish with pristine white surfaces and shadowy black detail. It sets a simple, clean and classic standard for what Chloe has accomplished throughout. Turn the page for more details.…

“TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS WITH DESIGN AS YOUR FIRST CHOICE IS USUALLY RIGHT” CHLOE MATTERS, DESIGNER/HOMEOWNER “Don’t be in a hurry to start your renovation. Take time to get the design right and gather quotes before you start. However, time was not on my side in this case, so I changed some things on the go, which is a budget no-no. In general, you should always work out where to save money and where to splash. If a quote comes back too expensive, ask questions, because if you understand how the trades propose to build something and with what materials, there could be a cheaper way to achieve the same effect. Then, make sure you brief your trades with visuals so they understand your vision. And remember, contrary to what many…

Who lives here Kirsty Morland, a full-time mum; her husband Ben, owner and director of building and development firm GrayHAUS; and their children: Evie, nine; Max, eight; and Isla, five. Style of home A four-bedroom new build in the southern Brisbane suburb of Yeronga, featuring clean lines and softening curves in a minimalist, mid-century modern style. Starting in September 2016, planning took 12 months and construction 14 months. The home was completed in December 2018. The final figure worked out at $1.8 million, including all the landscaping.…

“Building checks are vital so don’t forget about them”JEN LOWE, INTERIOR DESIGNER When Carly and Chez bought the house, it was in much worse condition than they thought. There were a number of unexpected costs, due to issues that could have been minimised with more thorough building checks from the outset. “Damp, in particular, was a surprise as it wasn’t picked up in a condition review,” says Jen. “Later down the track, when the winter set in, plasterwork in the main bedroom had to be removed. The walls had to be injected and dried out before it could be redone.”…

Interior designer Ania Forster of Zephyr + Stone shares her top tips: + Plan ahead Work out your budget and order as much as you can before you start renovating. Onsite changes due to lack of planning and communication can cost thousands of dollars. + Don’t change plumbing and electrics Changing their positions can really add to the cost. + Get three quotes for trades Always a good idea, but remember: the cheapest quote isn’t always the best one. It could mean a cheap finish, or cost you more to fix mistakes. Good trades are usually busy so they will charge a premium.…

Ticking off these factors will create a laundry that’s super fit for purpose + Sufficient ventilation + Enough circulation space + Natural light (if possible) + External door for access (if possible) + Durable floor surfaces + Ample storage + Bench space for folding + Good-quality appliances, with high ratings for energy consumption and water usage + Dryers vented to the outside if required (based on model and type) + Full-height cupboard for brooms, mops and vacuum cleaner + Doors to conceal the laundry if it is in a bathroom, garage or hallway.…

This clever courtyard in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is a welcome change for its busy owners. They confess to a lack of green thumbs, so the new design means they can still enjoy the restorative properties of an inviting garden. Carefully curated surfaces and finishes do most of the heavy lifting, while the edited plantings are confined to robust, easy-care grasses and succulents. Copious strip-finished concrete does triple time as seating, steps and barbecue surround, creating a smooth flow from one level of the courtyard to the other.…

BONNIE NEWS Australian textiles brand Bonnie & Neil has just launched a new collection called Olive. Riding the 1970s-revival wave, it juxtaposes rich colours and bold patterns. BONNIEANDNEIL.COM.AU POEM FOREST Red Room Poetry has a new initiative inviting young people to write poems inspired by the environment. For every poem entered, a tree will be planted at the Australian Botanic Garden to help save endangered plants and animals. REDROOMPOETRY.ORG WOVEN WONDER Handmade entirely from recycled plastic, this tote bag from Mimmi Terra is practical and planet-friendly. Available in more than 10 great colours, the Amaretti (above) is our fave; $123. MIMMITERRA.COM RITUAL REMEDY Step into the soothing space of Slow House, a new wellness studio in Sydney’s Bondi that enourages you to take a breath and engage mindfully in the…

Alicia McKimm and Kylie Dorotic had a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve when they started Golden in 2013, after a decade of working in some of Melbourne’s most respected interior-design studios. “We wanted to create contemporary, timeless, functional spaces that are deeply felt, and to build a business focused on great work and client relationships,” says Alicia. “Golden is about a feeling. It describes a space that is harmonious, resolved and makes you feel good. You walk in and it just feels right. It functions well, it’s aesthetically beautiful and it’s not over-designed.” What sets Golden apart is its reductionist approach. The team review and eliminate elements within a design that don’t serve a true purpose, ensuring the final result enhances the quality of life for the…

Her own magical wedding in an Italian masseria [country house] among the olive groves, complete with white plaster walls and bleached timbers, inspired interior designer Chloe Matters in the renovation of her Sydney semi. And every time she turns her key in the door, the happy memories come flowing back. Yet these serene rooms belie the home’s chaotic rebirth. In late 2019, on the day Chloe and her husband Adrian Oddi settled on the Bondi property, she was heavily pregnant, already with a toddler, and setting up her own business – the perfect time to start demolishing a wall! Patience, she admits, is not one of her virtues, so she literally took matters into her own hands. What followed was a whirlwind eight months, which included the arrival of her…

Chloe used Tadelakt, a waterproof plaster originating from Morocco, to spectacular effect in her main bathroom. The lime plaster is rammed and treated with a soap to make it water-repellent. Applied as a paste, it’s perfect for curved surfaces, but is labour-intensive to apply. Here are her suggestions for using it: + Tadelakt is not cheap (about $150 per sq m) but worth every cent, so save it for a powder room or feature space your guests will see + The material is organic in its application and no two areas will look the same — this is the appeal + Suppliers use different methods to apply the plaster. Find out about these before deciding. Ask about maintenance and colour and get a sample board to check before installation. Make…

“Some of Kate’s colours and finishes were out-of-the-box different but we wouldn’t have had it any other way” PROJECT 718 Mount Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne, recently welcomed a new addition to one of its quiet, in-demand suburban streets, and it caused quite a stir – for all the right reasons. With its black facade and fresh green gardens, the striking single-storey home is called Sable Lodge and is the inaugural showpiece of up-and-coming firm Project 718, headed up by property developers Mark Godek and Steve Ditterich. They took great pains to create something that stood out from the real-estate crowd. “Our aim was to build a home that we would be over the moon to live in,” says Mark. “As well as creating somewhere that was…

When architect Lisa Rorich and her partner, Garth Robinson, bought their iconic home in Durban, South Africa, five years ago, it was the realisation of a long-held dream for Lisa. She had been aware of its charms for years. “This was the childhood home of architect Janina Masojada, in whose architectural practice I’d worked, and at whose invitation I’d attended a party years earlier,” says Lisa. “I recall walking into the courtyard for the first time and being blown away, as the entire structure is cantilevered off a slab and staircase – a feat of engineering that is no less impressive now that I am the owner.” The house had been commissioned in 1960 by Janina’s parents, Shirley and Milek Masojada, a Mauritian remedial educationalist and Polish structural engineer respectively.…

budget renovation Paint, accessories and smart styling touches are the go-tos if you have a tiny bathroom budget Make a tight budget work by keeping what you can and focusing on affordable cosmetic changes. Even $1000 can go a long way with simple DIY updates such as painting, swapping out cabinetry handles, updating your splashback and adding floating shelves. “Also high on the agenda is replacing a dated vanity, tapware, lighting or accessories such as towel rails,” says Ania Forster, creative director at Gold Coast design studio Zephyr + Stone. “To really make an impact, concentrate on changing whatever is letting your bathroom down the most, or updating larger surface areas.” Paint will give you the biggest bang for your buck. “You can transform your bathroom for less than $600,”…

The bathroom is that one space of solace in the home where you can shut the door and forget about adulting for a few minutes. It’s usually the only room with a lock, making it a more private and personal place, with an added bonus: the power to thoroughly relax and refresh you. Traditionally utilitarian spaces, bathrooms used to be all about function and cleanliness, but, these days, aesthetics are also high on the list of must-haves. Most are after a day-spa feel, complete with organic materials and natural light, reflected in the ‘spaces of scrub’ gracing magazine covers and flooding Pinterest feeds. But beauty is more than just skin deep. The devil is in the detail when it comes to a wet area, and planning is key. Know what…

disappearing act Parker Studio The most extraordinary aspect of this Sydney laundry by interior designer Caitlin Parker-Brown is that it’s hidden in plain sight. Tucked away behind bifold doors in the kitchen/ dining area, the design allows unobstructed access to a sink, appliances and hanging space, courtesy of LED lights triggered by the doors’ opening and closing. “The joinery runs the length of the room, making it seamless,” says Caitlin. “And the pale green V-groove doors with timber moon handles are elegant yet striking.” parkerstudiointerior.com high and dry Carole Whiting Interior Design With cool tones and a serene feel, this lovely laundry by Carole Whiting performs double duty in its Melbourne home. Well proportioned and filled with storage space, its functional features really shine. Entry to the house from the…

GROUND FORCE Earthy tones of terracotta, honeycomb, cream and caramel reign supreme in Dinosaur Designs’ latest collection. Our favourites are the Crown dish in Terracotta Swirl (above left) and Caramel Swirl, both $55. dinosaurdesigns.com.au royal treatment King has released four rugs that reflect the Australian lifestyle and complement the King sofa range. Hand-loomed from wool, flax linen, ArtSilk and bamboo silk in a refined, minimalist palette, the company’s first foray into floorcoverings is set to be a stunner. Pictured is the Oceania rug (200cm x 300cm) in Night Sky (top) and Terra Firma, from $3380.kingliving.com.au RESTORATION PROJECT Count sheep in style with the Sealy Posturepedic Exquisite ‘Hammond Medium’ mattress. It’s been developed through orthopaedic research that promotes restful, restorative sleep. From $2699 for the queen size. harveynorman.com.au GOOD VIBES Concealing a…

roasted chilli & crab crostini SERVES 6 10 large long red chillies 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and chives Salt flakes 80ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing 300g picked crab meat 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved 1 day-old baguette, cut into 1cm-thick slices TO SERVE Small flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 Preheat the grill function on your oven to high and line a baking tray with foil. Place the chillies on the prepared tray, slide under the grill and roast, turning the chillies over as they blister, for 25—30 minutes or until blackened. Remove chillies from the tray and place in a zip-lock bag for 1 hour. 2 Remove the chillies from the bag and scrape off the skin. Don’t rinse them or you…

Jessica Brook and Steve Pearce formed Sage Creative Co out of their shared love for great food content, both on the plate and the page. Their professional partnership is an extension of the friendship they’ve forged over the years, working on many of Australia’s and the world’s best-loved food magazines, books and brands. Collaborating throughout the creative process to harness their passions, they each bring something very special and unique to Sage. As food and content director, Jessica crafts recipes and food stories with expertise. She brings her food knowledge, technical skill, intrigue in the multicultural aspects of food and personal style to every recipe she writes. Style and creative director Steve brings the immense beauty and stories behind the food to life on the pages. Meticulously selecting backgrounds, props…

Five sculptural pieces, finished in a palette of muted, earthy tones, make up the new collection of stoneware items from L&M Home. Each vessel is handmade and unique, paying homage to the beauty of organic materials and traditional craftsmanship. Available in three colours – Black, Fawn and Chalk – the success of the range lies in the subtle juxtaposition of curvaceous silhouettes and rigid concrete forms. The vessels are priced from $128 each. lmhome.com.au…

An unlikely series of events led chef Matthew Touma to explore concrete as a design medium – and career. On a break from a 15-year work stint, he was in Canada snowboarding when he discovered the creative possibilities of the building material. “I was staying with a friend who had recently made a concrete benchtop for his kitchen, and every day after snowboarding we would sit at his bench, having a meal and talking into the evening. I loved to sit there,” he says. “The look and feel of it made me feel so grounded.” Back in Australia in 2009, Matt rented a small garage around the corner from his apartment and began researching concrete, teaching himself how to pour and polish it, and how to make formwork (the timber…

ALYCE TRAN GIRLY BRUNCH Alyce is a former corporate lawyer whose love of a party table inspired the launch of affordable tableware company In The Roundhouse, with her friend Brooke Bickmore. What is your idea of a perfect table? One with a lot of colour, something special my guests haven’t seen before, and really delicious food ready to be served. Name one thing you can’t stand at your table Oh, it’s got to be bottle caps on the table. What is the greatest extravagance for your table? Always plenty of flowers! Do you have a starting point for creating a great table? Naturally, my starting point is always deciding which plates I would like to use on the table, then I work from there. How do you collect your tableware?…

Functionality is key in a kitchen. I design with a place in mind for everything from the outset (such as a spice rack to hang on the inside of some pantry doors). Storage is crucial, so I design my kitchens with low drawers instead of cupboards, so you don’t have to bend over to find things and can easily access everything from above. In every kitchen, I include: + A dishwasher and bin on either side of the sink + Ample bench space on either side of the sink and cooktop + Hidden space for electrical items + A golden triangle design, with the oven, fridge and sink at the points of the triangle + Bench space to load and unload the fridge + Powerpoints in several locations.…

From the vantage point in the kitchen of her riverside Brisbane home, Kirsty Morland enjoys a 180-degree view of her property and its parkland surroundings. While preparing dinner or washing dishes at the marble-topped island bench, she can survey the landscaped gardens, take in the pristine pool, soak up the vista of frangipanis and jacarandas, and keep tabs on her three children under 10 as they play on the grass. “I spend a lot of time in the kitchen,” says Kirsty, “so when we were designing this space, it was important for me to see all of the outdoor entertaining areas at all times.” The solid concrete home that she and husband Ben built two years ago is split across three levels on an elevated block, with the kitchen and…

Young Perth couple Carly and Chez knew they were onto a winner the moment they stumbled upon this 1960s home in City Beach. A residential suburb with contemporary dwellings, it was once flush with mid-century buildings designed specifically to house athletes participating in the 1962 Commonwealth Games, held nearby. “Most of the modernist family homes in the area have been knocked down since then, which is a shame, so we were lucky to have found it,” says Chez. “The land value was much more than what we anticipated, but we couldn’t let the opportunity [to renovate] pass. The house had such great potential.” The couple’s dream, for themselves and daughter Cleo, was to live by the beach, and they loved the strong sense of community in the street of just…

new chapter Renovated with the greatest respect, a traditional charmer has come to life “The careful selection of furniture and art was very important in this project,” says interior designer Gillianne Griffiths of the Ballarat home. For the fireplace in the main bedroom, she added subtle but striking detail to the original marble mantel with Mutina ‘Puzzle’ tiles in Edge Smoke from Urban Edge Ceramics, and accessorised with a Shady floor lamp from ISM Objects and stunning artwork by Sydney’s Danielle Cross (DanielleX).…

No budget to renovate? Create a new look for your vanity with fresh accessories, says Kaety Thompson of Sydney’s Oliver Thom: + Add some metal magic Brass or gold accessories add instant elegance. + Keep a consistent theme Create a cohesive look by pairing chrome tapware with accessories in a similar tone, such as pewter or brushed nickel, or brass with bronze accessories. + Explore the dark side Accessorise with dark colours, such as dark grey, for a sophisticated feel. + Anchor accessories Use trays to keep products such as your handwash, lotion and scent diffuser together. Have a separate area for hand towels.…

We often talk about the use of colour in visible zones, such as kitchens, living rooms and dining areas, but we rarely flag using bold hues and bright accents to great effect in wet areas. Although bathrooms aren’t usually spaces made for display, injecting a little life and personality into these workhorse rooms will elevate your overall interior style and add a little luxury to your morning routine. SELECTION There’s no right or wrong way to apply colour, but Julia Green, interior stylist and founder of Greenhouse Interiors, recently renovated her own bathroom and has some excellent suggestions for ideas you can try at home. “I tend to lean towards fresh palettes of greens and blues for the signs of life they can add to an otherwise hardworking space,” explains…

The once-forgotten laundry is back, and with a bang. Today, we see it being a space that is super functional and beautiful. This important room is now receiving its share of the buzz and increasingly fitted with ‘jewellery’ to match. We work with BuildHers to get the location and flow of their laundries right, and want to share some of our top tips: 1 DIG DEEP The ideal depth for benchtops in a laundry is usually between 600mm and 700mm. One of the key factors that will determine this is the appliances. If you have an underbench washing machine and dryer, they will need to fit neatly under the bench, with enough room to form the tap connections. Another factor to consider is the sink or laundry trough that integrates…

“We weren’t using the backyard so we wanted something that was conducive to year-round entertaining and pet-friendly”THE OWNERS While it’s the perfect spot for rest, relaxation and reflection, this small but stylish courtyard garden in Sydney’s inner suburbs also rolls up its sleeves and earns its living – big time. And the hardscaping does much of the hard yards. “As it’s only five metres by 10 metres, our approach was to make every millimetre count, from a functional perspective or [an aesthetic one] through the inclusion of beautiful finishes and details,” says its creator, Trystan Graham of Outdoor Establishments. “When space is limited, if the landscape performs poorly or the construction is not executed well, there is no hiding it.” The owners, who had bought the property two decades earlier,…

choc-chip cookie dough brownies Can’t decide whether you love choc-chip cookies or brownies more? Our two favourite choc treats are together at last in this incredible mash-up that will be adored by all. SERVES 12 160g unsalted butter, chopped ⅔ cup (150g) firmly packed brown sugar ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar 1 egg 1⅔ cup (250g) plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) ¼ tsp table salt 200g dark chocolate chips 200g milk chocolate, chopped BROWNIE LAYER 90g unsalted butter, chopped 200g milk chocolate, chopped ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract ⅓ cup (50g) plain flour ¼ cup (25g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted 1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 20cm x 30cm slice tin and line with non-stick baking paper, leaving a…

Pip Goldsmith, the creative director of The Boathouse Group, has hit the nail on the head again with the renovation of The Boathouse, an iconic over-the-water restaurant on a pier in Sydney’s Rose Bay. This is the ninth property in a group portfolio that includes fine-dining restaurants, beachside cafes, a hotel, a bakery and a homewares store – all reinforcing a warm, beachy style that veers momentarily into tropical kitsch but then settles comfortably into a clean, coastal vibe. “The Boathouse is the sister restaurant to Barrenjoey House [on the Northern Beaches] so it feels similar, but we wanted it to be more polished for the local crowd,” says Pip. “It’s welcoming enough to make you want to settle in, but also feels a little bit special.” Helping this is…