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coorey atkinson house
Creative Interior Plan (CIP) for Therese and Dave
Therese and Dave,
Your house has been cleverly renovated and is filled with some really lovely architectural elements, abundant light, and a ton of potential to evolve it further into a stylish and contemporary home about which you’ll feel super proud.
The following CIP is a road map that will inspire, confront, excite and challenge you - it is designed to do all of those things to maximise your engagement with the process and your sense of self-determination in the end game. It is your home and I want you to feel that its transformation is a synergistic collaboration between us, achieved through close communication and alignment in the design strategy.
So let’s get started!
Hx
interiors:
Front entry:
Open the front door, open the heart of the Dave Therese sanctuary - currently, that occurs without any sense of ceremony!!!
What is needed is a point of arrival more deftly demarcated and so I propose the following:
First and foremost, we need to paint! Currently, the house is open and light, but it is lacking in any character. White was a sensible colour to paint it given you were unsure, but now is the time for revolution!
Porters Paints, Jute
Porters Paints, Irish Linen
The colours above are soft and warm, they’ll be the canvas onto which we create our masterpiece!! The colour on the left, Jute, is the wall colour and the one on the right, Irish Linen, is the woodwork. I propose painting the walls of the hallways right through to the back of the house (excluding both studies, bathroom and bedroom) in this scheme.
As you read further into this document, you will soon get a feel for the natural textures and tones I am specifying for your home, and it really does start with colour and light.
Next up, we need a visual distraction so that we can achieve an arrival /departure formality as we cross the threshold without entirely shutting off the rest of the living space. The answer, I believe, is joinery.
I propose two units, custom made.The first is a low sideboard that sits perpendicular to the back wall and projects towards the front door. It would have cupboards beneath (accessible from the hall side) and would frame this end of the living room furniture. A bookend piece, slightly deeper to accomodate a bar fridge and with open shelving above, would then give all the amenity of shelving without impacting the light to any extent.
Jason from Paradox Movement has supplied the plans and quote and I don’t feel that displaying the drawings here does them the justice they deserve. You’ll find the print out in your sample box and I’d encourage you to refer to them at this point. I have worked with Jason before - he is a craftsman and the product he turns out is really fabulous. I hope you’re able to envisage this aspect of my plan for you, but I would also think you’d benefit from a visit to Emma’s house to see what a great job he did there.
The wall between the stairway and the hallway is a spot I have given a lot of thought to. Options we’ve spoken about include an artwork, a mirror, a console, or coat hooks. This is where I have landed.
I think a mirror and coat hooks is all we need.
This is called the Pond mirror and I love it’s organic, irreverent shape. It lends a softness, an informality to the area that is disarming. W87 x H94 x D1.5 cm
close up brass edge
A coat hook on either side will lend amenity without taking up space.. They also add to the demarcation we are trying to achieve for this entry point to the home. They say, ‘take your coat off, hang up your hat, you’re home!’
On the wall directly opposite the front door, I suggest one of two sconce lights (the second will be mounted above the butcher’s block in the dining area) Made in Sydney by a designer called Henry Wilson, I am a huge fan of his beautifully crafted and innovative products. And I’m a big believer that organic materials do a whole lot of heavy lifting in any interior I design! and although I am a fan of the beauty of brass, this blackened bronze is a powerfully fabulous alternative!
The light source is hidden by the face plate and washes the wall behind, giving a quality of light that is so lovely. I was not surprised to see them hanging in Shiv’s house on the TV show Succession!!
With the storage in the unit described above, shoes and all the bits and bobs none of us seem to be able to live without is stashed away and this area has a relaxed, ordered and lovely mellow feel.
https://www.designstuff.com.au/product/ferm-living-pond-mirror-xl/
https://www.studiohenrywilson.com/products/f-ace-wall-hook
https://www.studiohenrywilson.com/products/surface-wall-sconce
Living room:
So now we can move to the living area and the pain I need to inflict…. (sorry guys…!!!)
When you decide to ‘design’ your home, the best approach is to commit. This is the tough love! But to achieve that cohesion in design that really does transform your appreciation and enjoyment of your home, and of course the whole look of it, you need to bite that expensive bullet.
Truth is - the sooner you sell your lounge, the better price you’ll get and the easier it will be to switch it out for the newbies.
I acknowledge that it is a huge outlay, but the uptick in the value of your home in every sense of the word, is hard to ignore. In an ideal world, I’d specify leather, but I am aware that there is a lot in this plan and so giving you options makes economic sense.
My go-to, made-in-Australia suppliers are Jardan and Franka. MCM House can be a lower price point, but I think you get what you pay for.
Both Jardan and Franka are well priced for what they are and they’re beautifully made.
So firstly, lets look at Jardan.
Meet the Lemmy, pictured here in a sublime Elk velvet in the colour copper. This is the colour I’d specify for you. The Lemmy is a modular and each piece is 900mm wide, the corner piece being a tad wider. I have had a five piece quoted - one with an arm rest, one corner, two single units and an ottoman. It would be arranged as it is in the image above, but instead of a third single unit on the left end, we’d replace with an ottoman
In this way, we enfold the living space, much the same as you have now, but without the broad arm rests and back, which take up space!
An armchair then sits on the diagonal opposite the corner piece.
The style of the Lemmy is very relaxed and comfy, a hardwood frame covered with high resilience foam, it has all the qualities and the style that we are after, and the rationale for velvet is that is that to me, it’s just a soft leather!!
Being cotton, it is actually a practical material that is more forgiving than a linen and yet it has a ton of warmth and texture - it invites you in and persuades you stay a while….
The images here show the modular in alternative configuration and fabric. The configuration I want for you is pictured left.
A second option is the Franka modular, the Lennon (what is it with these names??!!) I have it pictured here in olive green leather because, well I just couldn’t help myself. But I have also had it quoted in the dark green velvet, because I do have compassion!!
The modular is available in a range of different sizes - I’d suggest the 2800mm wide with the 1800mm return, but if we needed to, we could reduce that to the 2600mm. I have had both sizes quoted.
Both velvet and leather options give that super luxe vibe, yet both are practical choices in terms of durability. The image above right has a reindeer hide - the most cost effective and practical tool we have that can add gorgeous texture and warmth draped over furniture, giving protection to the fabric beneath.
As for the armchair, I love this one. It is called the Jethro and is a Scandi design with beautiful leather upholstery. With either of the modular choices, it would look divine and it carries the black through to link the coffee table and dining table in our colour palette. As a bonus, it is currently on sale!
A chunky rug is the next focus and whilst wool is generally thought to be the best quality, modern jute or jute blends can be just as fabulous but at a lower price point.
I love the Armadillo range for beauty and price and this one below is a jute rug called the Mojave. The colour, Laurel, is sublime. I have included samples in your pack - giving you the Natural as an alternative. But I think this green is just spectacular.
Armadillo, Mojave in the colour Laurel
I have used this rug before and I am a big fan. It has that lovely substantial presence and with a thick underlay, it really feels dense underfoot. The colour choice will depend on the furniture you choose, but all the colours have a neutrality to them that are understated and perfect for the scheme we are building here.
A coffee table is needed, but with the joinery bookending this space, the table doesn’t need to be big. In fact, having a smaller table increases the sense of space and flow. The one pictured below is from Globe West. It’s called the Oberon table and is made of black oak and marble and measures 120W x 700D x 350H. I love the irregularity of the shape and the organic nature of the marble which both work well with the scheme. It is also a fabulous counterpoint to the dining table I have selected for you to consider.
We have spoken about art and I love your open mindedness! So here is a proposal…
What makes any artwork powerful is its context - not just the subject matter or the medium from which it is rendered, but also, its size, within the setting where it is displayed.
Photography has been elevated over the years to ‘enter the canon’, as the art dorks say!! Think of Bill Henson, or Tracy Moffat - two exceptional Australian artists who have really been a major part of this elevation in status and value of the humble photograph. A trend has been evolving more recently (perhaps in part due to major technical advances), of outsized framed photographic prints - and I think this is a fabulous option for you guys.
Above and below are photographs by Sydney based photographer, Poppie Pack. Above left is Blue Jay Way and next to it, Post Coast Coffee and Dip. Framed in a choice of white, black or natural in woodgrain or smooth, and with perspex instead of glass, the artworks measure, at this size, 120 x 160cm. So I’m talking really big - though there is one size selection that can be printed even bigger.
Below lett is Punjab in Pink and next to it, Ready Set Go, taken at Bondi Icebergs. I love this combo, I love them all!
I am not suggesting Poppie Pack is a Bill Henson or a Tracy Moffatt - but what I am suggesting is that in your context, the size, the quality framing and the subject matter and potential pairings - these represent amazing value and high impact.
I’d encourage you to consider placing two above the sofa. Poppie has a shop in William Street Paddington where you can go and see the selection of works in person and potentially decide on a pairing different to these.
https://franka.com.au/products/jethrow-chair
https://armadillo-co.com/shop-all/mojave?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm66pBhDQARIsALIR2zDBcQNpUvmCg8C_N1wm4_--kUcpRBbOrcxBw93SO9QEnjukRWmScssaAjLKEALw_wcB
https://www.globewest.com.au/oberon-curve-marble-coffee-table-matt-storm-marble-matt-dark-oak-ct-ober-crv-mar-matt-dark-oak
https://poppiepack.shop/collections/large-format
Dining Room:
A dining table is absolutely a critical part of the design puzzle - it sets a mood and a style emphatically because of its sheer size! You guys are big entertainers, but I want you to consider two different shaped tables of the same design. The first is elliptical and could seat up to 10, and the second is round with a capacity for approx 8. The reason for this suggestion is that we again want to preserve floor space for ease of flow, and the larger elliptical table does this without capacity compromise.
It’s a Globewest table called the Kin and it is truly beautiful. The elliptical is 240L x110W and the round is 150 in diameter. Note what a lovely match it is with the coffee table.
Dining chairs are super important too, for comfort and style. I have two options here - the first, a Tom Dixon design is at a higher price point of more than $2000 per chair, and the second from Globewest, at less than half that.
These are the radically stylish and comfy upholstered Tom Dixons - an English designer of world renown. Beautifully crafted, it might come down to how long you want your dinner guests to stay, because seated in one of these, they might want to stay all night!!
The next option is a leather weave seat that would fit with our palette, be really comfy, and not completely do your head in price wise. They’d be striking against the black table and the detail in the leather work is really lovely
Underneath the round table option, you can not go past a big cowhide. Utterly practical, perfect on a wooden floor and really reasonably priced, I cannot speak more highly of them. They’re so durable, I often specify them for people with pets or children because almost any thrill or spill can be easily wiped away. You don’t see too many stained cows in the paddock after a heavy rain!!
Colour and texture can vary, but I have a great supplier and would choose a creamy colour with slightly longer hair.
Hides are a by product of the beef industry. Like you I am an animal lover - so the old ‘nose to tail’ ethic makes me feel better!!
If you choose the elliptical table, I would suggest that instead of a hide, we repeat the same rug as we use in the living room.
A pendant light is a must for this space, not just for lighting but for delineation to get the dining room vibes happening - make the area feel like it has an identity!
This pendant is made by a Melbourne designer called Anna Charlesworth and it’s called the Four Bowl Pendant with Arch. It is over a metre wide and has a minimum drop of 800mm, so it really claims its space. I like it because it is simple and beautiful and being white, it makes a quieter statement. It is unique and artisan - well worth the circa $5000 trade price tag.
A couple of other options are below, but I really think the Anna Charlesworth is so right for your house!
Above left is the Weaver and Ducre Bishop light and it measures 800mm diameter. Full disclosure… I have this in black with a gold interior in my living room, and a white one like this also in my house. So I’m a fan. I also adore the one by Normann Copenhagen on the right, called the Phantom. Both a similar price point to the Anna Charlesworth, but not quite as unique!
As I mentioned to you recently, I have come across a supplier in Victoria who makes beautifully crafted butcher’s blocks, and I have come to the conclusion that this is the best solution. Because it is hand made with a ton of amazing details, it is really an attractive piece that will give you all the amenity you’re after.
They come with castors so it can be rolled out of the way when not in use, and they have a drawer for storage and a rack for hanging a tea towel or apron if required!
The photos are not great, but the product is absolutely genuine and very impressive.
The base can come in about 12 different colours but I think the black is the pick with a walnut stained Tasmanian Oak top. The retail price is $3500 but trade is $2864 +GST and a further $350 for delivery by furniture removalists from Victoria to Balmain.
Finally, I love linen sheer curtains and believe they’d look divine on the back doors. Curtains humanise a space better than anything and I think that once again, it’s due to the extent of coverage or the space they occupy. Hung from the top of the wall to the floor, with minimal or no puddling, they close your space in on a cold night, giving that cosy, intimate feel, and then in the heat of summer, having them closed against the heat of the day keeps the room cooler and calmer.
The colour I have chosen for you is made by Hemptech, called Volterra Parchment. It is a very gentle neutral which will look sublime with the wall colour and the mix of black, leather and hide.
And imagine how glorious it will be framing the view to the garden.
https://www.manyarahome.com.au/products/tom-dixon-fat-dining-chair-hallingdal-65-black?pr_prod_strat=use_description&pr_rec_id=72846c0f6&pr_rec_pid=7279013036197&pr_ref_pid=5280062963877&pr_seq=uniform
https://www.globewest.com.au/kin-dining-table-matt-dark-oak-dt-kin-x
https://www.globewest.com.au/kin-oval-dining-table-matt-dark-oak-dt-kin-ovl-x
https://www.globewest.com.au/willow-leather-dining-chair-light-tan-natural-teak-ch-willow-lth-natural-teak
https://www.annacharlesworth.com.au/4-cup-arch-pendant/
https://surrounding.com.au/normann-copenhagen-phantom-lamp-large/
https://estlighting.com.au/product/bishop-8-0-2
https://www.butchersblocks.com.au/
Study:
Therese’s study badly needs love - not only is it the second largest room downstairs that also can accomodate guests, more importantly, the ‘lady of the house’ spends all day in here and it needs to look good in order to BE a good space to live and work in.
First up - we get rid of that enormous cupboard. Gone-skis! Then we wall-paper and paint, re-furnish, new rug, new desk, and a light fitting - and a new world blossoms!!
Why wall paper, you may ask? This one from Porter’s Paints answers the question in one. Style.
The beauty of this ‘grass cloth’ wallpaper is the textural body of it and in this very earthy tone, it would look amazing in your study.
As you can see in the images below, the feature of the grasscloth is that you SEE the join lines - in traditional wallpapers, the emphasis is on DISGUISING where the joins are and so there is a lot of wastage involved.
I love this colour with its bizarre name - Hyena - because it is full of warmth and character, enough for you to laugh out loud??!! The replacement colour I suggest is Safari - getting you away from the beige. I’ve left the images in below so you see the texture but will deliver new sample
I propose that we paper this room and your bedroom for a really luxe, unique and designed finish.
I love using grasscloth because it adds so much character and style, the colours are incredible and it’s just so unexpected and different! Although we have switched colours, I’ve left the images below for context as they don’t have good images of all colours!
Safari will also works beautifully with the Irish Linen woodwork and I think your tall timber cupboard currently in the living room will look great against it, too. Keep an eye out in the magazines - you see more and more grasscloth or seagrass papers!
The wall-paper is not cheap, but it pays you back in spades. I have specified it in two rooms only and I do so because I think it adds just so much in terms of that detailed designer impact.
Repeating elements is a way of bringing about and ensuring design cohesion. The old ‘less is more’ edict is never more true than in interior design. So the rug I have selected is another jute one in the Armadillo Mojave range, but this time in a lighter colour.
You’ll see again from the sample, the rug is a winner. This very soft colour will be a lovely balance with the wallpaper and provide a lush texture underfoot that looks and feels like wool, but doesn’t carry the price tag.
My suggestion would be to remove the curtains in this room as you have the shutters and as the best place for Therese’s desk is under the window, the curtains just get in the way.
The chandelier needs to join the wardrobe and emigrate!!!!! Instead, consider this one. Danish designed and handmade in Vietnam, the soft ‘off white’ colour adds to the warm palette of the scheme and its 70cm diameter is the perfect size. Love.
As there is no imagery of the off white pendant in situ, I have left the photo in on the right to give you the sense of proportion. The off white is beautiful too!
A timber desk under the window and potentially, your tall narrow timber cupboard beside it. In fact, the tall cupboard has greatly informed my design for this room as it is a particular look and I wanted it to feel like it belonged - not that is was a relic from your past! So we have gone warm and earthy - always my tendency anyway!!!
This is the Floyd desk by Globewest and at 1800mm wide and 700mm deep, I’m guessing it is around the size of the existing. It has lovely lines and the Natural Ash veneer would work well with the scheme.
And finally, this room needs a sofa that can double as a bed for occasional guests. But it’s so important that the room looks like it is furnished as a living/working space, not as a guest room that Therese camps in! So to have a sofa that is really attractive and comfortable will make a huge difference to the look and feel of the room and by choosing a modular, we fit the furniture to the available area and it suddenly looks like a lovely room that is lived in everyday, not just when guests stay over..
We are creating a new and expanded sense of how the different spaces of your home can be enjoyed!
This one from Freedom is perfect. The bed is queen size when opened out and the chaise end also provides a spot for guest’s bags. I have subbed out the cream for this gorgeous colour - Charlotte Paprika! More practical and just a sumptuous!
Add a reindeer hide or sheepskin and the look is casual luxury. Below left is the fabric that is pictured in the above photos and it’s called Alpha Natural. You can see how these creams and timbers and rich earthy tones are working together - the reindeer hide adding a stronger pop of colour as it does its job of looking divine and protecting the sofa from thrills and spills as it does so!
People have relied on hide since time immemorial and I see no reason to stop. My homes are both full of them on the floors and on the furniture and they’re a particular favourite for our furry family members!!
I think the reindeer hide on this Paprika colour will be divine and I think given the texture of the fabric, you’ll find it to be Vinny friendly!
I’d recommend a mirror on the wall facing the window to reflect the light source. This is something we can add later, but this is what I have in mind, an irregular, organic shaped mirror with a minimal black edge, like the one inside the front door.
This one is from Life Interiors and measures 70 x 120cm. It’s called the Middle of Nowhere mirror and I cannot explain that?!
Hung horizontally over the sofa, the mirror would look beautiful against the grasscloth wallpaper.
A coffee table in here is necessary, too. I say that because I don’t really want to interrupt the flow of the room - it’s nice for Therese to walk straight across the room to her desk without the furniture obstruction there presently!! So this is a good solution -
It’s called the Freda table and it measures 500mm in diameter. I think you could even have two in here. And the best thing? Currently on sale for $270 each, I have two on hold for you if you decide to take advantage of the sale!
Finally, a lamp. I think Therese doesn’t currently have one on her desk, so I’m thinking to add one to a side table. Lighting is everything - something I never get sick of preaching!!!! So when the room is being used in the evening, lamps totally change the mood and it is essential that this is never forgotten.
The light above is by DCW Editions and was designed in France in the 1950’s. I have to say, it’s a favourite of mine and handsomely replaces the brass you didn’t like. It is also available in a desk lamp.
https://tigmitrading.com/collections/lighting-pendant/products/ufo-pendant-cashmere
https://www.globewest.com.au/floyd-desk-natural-ash-desk-flo
https://www.freedom.com.au/product/24527224
https://lifeinteriors.com.au/products/middle-of-nowhere-pebble-mirror-90-x-150cm?variant=33263313125475
https://lifeinteriors.com.au/products/mayfield-lighting-pia-floor-lamp?variant=40118417686627
https://franka.com.au/products/freda-side-table
https://www.winnings.com.au/p/dcw-editions-gras-gras-317-table-lamp-black-317bl
https://www.winnings.com.au/p/dcw-editions-gras-411-floor-lamp-black-satin-411bl
https://lifeinteriors.com.au/products/middle-of-nowhere-pebble-mirror-120-x-70cm?variant=33263313158243
Bedroom:
We’ve saved the best til last! This room is of course the most important because even though you spend more waking hours in other rooms of the house, this is the place where we are all at our most vulnerable. This is the place you need to love the most because this is the place that is the very heart of your home.
So! We need to get all the elements absolutely right and to start with, grasscloth wallpaper will provide the backdrop or the canvas that will be the foundation of the design.
Sometimes it’s hard to find accurate imagery and whilst the colour of the grasscloth on the right is paler that the one I have chosen (Outback), it’s not far off.
Curtains are essential in this room not just for privacy and warmth, but for what they add to the general tone of a bedroom. Shutters are fine, but curtains are so much softer and give so much more in terms of mood.
Again, a linen has been selected, to be hung ceiling to floor. The colour is by Laconia Air and is called Rust and I have included in your sample box a swatch of the lining fabric too. You need lining for warmth and privacy.
You’ll see from the swatch that the colour in this image is not an exact replication. The image on the left is more true.
The lined curtains will hang from just below the bottom of the cornice. Length adds grace and by maximising the length, you maximise the impact the curtains will have on the room overall.
And a rug! Once again, the Mojave rug for the reasons I have explained, but this time, the colour is Natural.
I have spoken to you about a bedhead I have designed one that is made from hide, here in Sydney. The bedhead itself is a very simple rectangle so that the hide is the hero!! It will be professionally photographed next month and in the meantime, I can only offer these photos of one in cowhide, and one in shearling.
When the professional photos of both versions are completed, I will send them to you - these pics are both pretty awful, but it gives you the idea. Whether you’d prefer shearling or hide, the cost is the same.
Lighting - you’ve already had your lecture from me on this!! Sooooo important…. As you have a ceiling fan, a pendant isn’t required, but the wall sconces I have found are so brilliant I can hardly contain myself!!!! Meet the Arum Swivel Wall Lamp!
Bedside lights take up valuable real estate on the bedside tables and wall lights are a fabulous and stylish alternative. These powder coated iron structure with aluminium adjustable shades are by Danish designers Ferm Living, available from Trit House and are very reasonably priced. Just So Perfect!
The Arum Swivel Wall Lamp is characterised by an organic shape that is elegantly suspended from a curved metal arch in a leaf-like manner. With the matte, off-white inside of the shade, the lamp provides a soft, evenly distributed light. The arm of the lamp includes a swivel mount, allowing the lamp to turn in all directions, ensuring that the Arum Swivel Wall Lamp will provide optimal light in every situation. The lamp includes a fabric cord with a switch and comes with a wall bracket, making it is easy to mount the Arum Swivel Wall Lamp on your desired wall.
Bedside tables are next - I love these from Globewest because the colour, Snowgum, is fabulous and they’re simple and practical. Called the Maxwell, they measure 600W x 450D x 550H and having just that little extra storage is a bonus.
Replacing the large chest of drawers will make a huge difference to the room and I am conscious of both the need for storage, and the space for Vinnie! Below is my solution - it’s the Hermitage Dresser from CoCo Republic and it measures 1800W x 450D x 900H. So it’s commodious but at the lower height, it doesn’t dominate.
I figure that Vinnie’s little nest can move a little further into the corner so that there is room for this piece and room for him. With a new cover on his crate, his sleeping space could have a make-over too!
I searched everywhere for low wide dressers with character and I really think this one nails the brief. It has lovely brass inlay and like all CoCo Republic furniture, it is good quality
A simple lamp on top will set it off beautifully and give that extra lighting option and with a mirror or artwork centred, it will be divine.
I have replaced the brass mirror with this lovely one from Life Interiors - it’s a beautiful shape! But I have left in the lamp as it is an aged brass finish that is much softer than a black alternative and as this is a bedroom, that’s important. It will work well!
Bed linen is always a major element that so often gets overlooked and relegated in importance. But given the amount of space it covers, it should arguably be one of the absolute essential focuses as we put together a bedroom scheme.
I am a big fan of linen sheets - and a huge fan of an Australian manufacturer called Hale Mercantile. I would strongly suggest selecting some sheet sets from them to go with this divine bedspread from Manyara Home.
Made of the most beautiful latte velvet, this quilt and matching lumbar pillows are a perfect match for the room - and they’re well priced.
Sheet ideas below:
A mix of the soft tobaccos, browns and creams are all delicious! I can help you choose a mix and match when the time comes.
This is not going to come as any surprise to you…. but the mirrored shoe storage needs to join the big old wardrobe and chandelier - I’m sure they’ll make a new home together somewhere far from Trivetts Lane!!!! We will wallpaper that wall and install a large mirror in its place. This will reflect light back in to the wardrobe and open the walk through to the bathroom more. The shoe cubbies are off.
The mirror below is also from Life Interiors and doesn’t come in black - but even if it did I’d want to stick with this bronze as it is softer in this space!
Measuring 77cm x 182cm, this will be perfect!
As the bedroom comes together, we will look at different art options for here and what you might like to hang, or buy, or relocate. But I feel that what I have designed is going to be very beautiful and I am so excited to help you bring it life.
https://www.trithouse.com.au/collections/wall-lamps/products/arum-swivel-wall-lamp?variant=43078463520949
https://www.globewest.com.au/maxwell-modern-bedside-snowgum-side-max-mod
https://www.cocorepublic.com.au/592716-hermitage-dresser.html
https://www.bloomingdales.com.au/product/mia-table-lamp-gilded-iron
https://www.manyarahome.com.au/products/latte-super-king-coverlet
https://halemercantileco.com/collections/linen-sheets
https://lifeinteriors.com.au/products/middle-of-nowhere-pierre-mirror-bronze?variant=40700194553955&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhL6pBhDjARIsAGx8D5-qgwW_lw-YI9iSuc6oAlW5qB_7AKla5WJO_8HtQszbTBWRQ-TJw3IaArl6EALw_wcB
https://lifeinteriors.com.au/products/middle-of-nowhere-pebble-mirror-55-x-70cm?variant=33263312961635
EXTERIOR:
The front of the house is very attractive with its height and simple ballustrading that draws the eye up, giving a sense of grandeur to the building as it stands proud in the sun!. What would make it so much more appealing is creating a cohesive garden design that could include excavating out the concrete in front of the lower balcony to create a space for in-ground planting. A tree that offers a softness and increasingly needed shade in a warming world, could be the starting point for the design -
A frangipani, a jacaranda, magnolias - the list of what would look fabulous in this position is endless. Professional bed preparation to allay Therese’s fears about moisture close to the house, rich, new soil and and an irrigation system would all be advised, but a tree with sustainable planting of resilient species beneath (see above left image), would guarantee a significant impact on the entire property that would be transformative.
As we’ve discussed, a landscape plan takes in the garden as a whole, from the front boundary to the rear. It focusses on cohesion of planting in a way that considers the visual as much as the conditions specific to each of the places to be planted, and how it all threads together in a continuum. That is what design is about - a story that starts at the front of a property and flows through in a coherent narrative to the back.
The suggestion therefore is to engage a landscape designer/gardener (potentially Yvonne Beckhurst) who can devise a scheme that would tolerate the prevailing conditions well and really enhance the look of the property. The front garden, the patch to the right of the front gate, the pathway leading to the front door, and the rear of the property.
Entry:
The house would benefit from clearer signposting, as we have discussed. Considerations would be a substantial porch, new lighting and planting. The louver window above the door is a limiting factor, as are the downpipes to the left of the door itself, but I think the solution is as Therese suggested, a wider structure which would incorporate the downpipes and offer increased amenity.
Below is a rough sketch of what is proposed, but I am reasonably certain that council will require a DA to be submitted with proper drawings and plans, so we need to discuss further and if you wish to proceed, we can organise this together. Sam has yet to provide his estimate and I will forward it as soon as he has.
The gate to the rear is replaced with a timber v-join gate with a panel above to fit between gate top and portico roof. There will be good internal space for hanging dog leads, umbrellas, coats, boots, even a bench seat, all undercover.
My suggestion would be to deck a platform that would cover the existing top step and second step. A new step would be constructed up to the deck in the paving stones as exist there now. However, I totally understand Dave’s reluctance to cover up any of his handiwork and Sam assures us the porch will be just as effective without a timber deck!
A v-join solid wall, matching the side gate would face the front door, thus blocking out the elements and creating a spacious, all weather porch. As an added bonus, the view of the unattractive commercial building beyond would then be partially obscured.
Planting can also make a huge difference - it may be as simple as a couple of pots in just the right spot. Yvonne can help with the choice of plants and pots, or a selection or grouping of them for grater impact. A colourful flowering vine reaching up into the timber work of the new porch would look beautiful
Finally, lighting. What you have currently is very discrete - arguably too discrete!! It is a nice fitting, and we may be able to re-use it elsewhere, but for the front door, something with a little more oomph is what is needed!
A classic Australian porch needs a fabulous porch light which we could mount directly centred above the entry to the porch
One feature sconce light to choose!!!
A brass or bronze light would add a softness to entry and make it a bit more special than the silver or black alternatives. And always always always…. a warm globe, not a cool one. It’s all about creating welcoming warmth - that is what makes the biggest first impression of any home.
Given the house has only relatively recently been painted, only the new porch would need painting and I’d suggest it be the same white as the existing exterior woodwork. The roof of the porch to match house roof.
The courtyard:
We’ve already agreed that decking the area would be a brilliant idea and I am very impressed that planning for this has begun! But it occurs to me that the shade of a lovely timber pergola would be a great addition, given the need to shade and cool in the warmer months. It would also further block the view of the building behind. Planted with something like wisteria, shade would be available through summer and in winter, the leaves drop and the light increases, which is what we are after.
Again, a master plan of how the deck would look is valuable, as opposed to simply building a platform.
There is opportunity to add in seating with storage underneath, screening where appropriate, a pergola like the one to the left here…. and of course the garden shed in the back left.
Sketching it to include these add-ons will help you formulate a more comprehensive vision of what you could achieve and if help is required, I’m sure Sam could be our man.
If you think of the courtyard here as functioning like any other room of your house, not just as the ‘outside’, your approach will match that of all the rooms inside; from wall covering, to furniture, lighting and layout, you need to honour the space and what it adds to the amenity of your home. It’s so worth it!
The green walls you have already incorporated are fabulous - I’m a major fan. These too, need to be consiidered in the deck construction and we need to get some advice to maximise success on the right planting so that you can perhaps mix kitchen herbs which are often annuals, with succulents or other plants that remain green all year round.
Furnishing is the next step and I am loving this new range imported by Franka, one of my favourite suppliers. Consider this: when a dining table and chairs occupies the space for outdoor living, you are sacrificing all the space for an activity of limited duration - eating! Rather, the bulk of your activity outside is spent relaxing, so the choice of outdoor furniture then needs to reflect that. With a dining table and chairs just on the other side of the glass doors, it’s crazy to repeat the setting for outdoors when it means there is no room for comfortable furniture to sit around on.
I very much believe that when there is limited space, like a small deck, garden or courtyard, you need to prioritise and furnish it according to the way you use it most.
This furniture is similar to Hay, a danish brand that is more expensive and not quite as heavy. That makes it even more attractive!! Made from powder-coated aluminium, the available colours are similar to Hay, and I think the green is divine - it adds to the feeling of garden bliss. The chairs are stackable too, which is a bonus. I’d recommend a coffee table and three chairs.
Available in Australia in green, charcoal and white.
