Metal Meets Tranquility

Metal Moods

Metal Moods is inspired by a thoughtful fusion of opulent colours and reflective textures, glistering minerals and metallic surfaces. Warm metals such as gold, brass and copper can be used in the same interior scheme. Be daring and pair it alongside cooler metals such as silver or even platinum. The combination of different metals adds multiple layers of interest and dimension to any room. Get the look with Pirouette Shadings, Range: Satin Metallic or Fabric Collection: Aria Botanics. 

Tranquility

From the horizon to the different ocean waters, the shades of blue offers a serene feeling whilst promoting relaxation. This trend is drawn from the Pantone Colour of the Year. The blue tones create a naturally connected sense of space.

Blue matches almost any décor so look for ways that you can bring calm and quiet into your space – pictures of the sunset or even the ocean. Find and print an image that you love and place it where you will see it every day, for instance, on your bedside table to be seen as you wake every morning. Let that calm inspire you throughout the year. Get the look with Luxaflex fabric ranges Tahlya, Colour: Amalfi or Ethos, Colour: Aquamarine. 

A Fish Out Of Water

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 11 Season 8

The Story: Margarita’s Art Deco home is a fish out of water. Nestled amidst an industrial suburb, it’s hardly your standard offering. The style is quirky, the floor plan crazy and the décor plain outlandish. It’s a sale that would challenge the most seasoned agent, yet Margarita wants to sell the place herself.

The Problem:  The art deco home had a lot of difficult issues, where the art deco design and look of the home polarised buyers. The house lacked street appeal because the garden was messy and the front fence was literally falling apart.

Also, in a million dollar plus home, buyers expect a big kitchen, and the kitchen in this home was far from big. There was also a bedroom that was literally in the middle of the house, which wasn’t very functional, and the home had a very dark and heavy feel.

The Solution: Broaden the appeal of the home without losing the home’s wow factor as the Brookvale house demands a grand approach.

The backyard was given that little special touch – new landscaping, plants and a beautiful pergola. Recycled timber posts were used to enhance the aged and worn in look. The pergola looked formal, yet still keeping with the heritage feel of the home, giving the backyard a whole lot of character.

The wall in between the kitchen and dining room was taken away and the floors were levelled to create a fantastic looking kitchen with more room and an island bench. High end finishes and kitchen appliances along with the dramatic black and white floor tiles added to the big money feel and the prefect compliment for the era of the house.

Traditional and Tiered Modern Roman Shades in the fabric Sheer Linen and colour White Dawn were also installed throughout the home to add a modern, yet classic touch, perfect for the art deco home. The neutral tone of the Modern Roman Shades made it easy to match any tone of colour. 

The non-functional bedroom in the middle of the house was changed into a living room, which made a lot more sense. A feature wall was painted a rich teal colour to add that pop of colour, which was a huge transformation from the old looking shades of brown, cream and maroon. Luxaflex® Duette® Architella® Shades in the fabric Menage and colour Daisy White were installed into the new living room. The neutral colour of the shade was the perfect complement to the colourful teal feature wall. Luxaflex® Duette® Architella® shades feature a patented honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb construction dramatically increasing the product’s ability to insulate in the winter and cool against the summer heart.

Duette Shades in the fabric Sheer Linen were also installed throughout the home. It gave the home a more open and airy feel, as a lot of the rooms throughout the Brookvale home were looking dark and claustrophobic. Duette Shades offer the ideal balance between function and energy efficiency together with versatility and style.

The master bedroom was transformed from uninspiring to inspiring. A new bed, a pop of teal colour and Modern Roman Shades in the fabric Sheer Linen and colour White Dawn were enough to give the master bedroom some selling power and that wow factor it was lacking.

Overall, the house had been transformed, adding a modern feel, yet still being sympathetic to its art deco period. The great mix of old and new will hopefully appeal to a wider range of home buyers.

All Luxaflex® Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex® Gallery dealer Stuart Blinds in Manly, NSW. 

Watch Selling Houses Australia every Wednesday, 8.30pm AEDT on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel. 

Selling Houses Australia – From Liability to Goldmine

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 10 Season 8

The Story: If you think an investment property will make you rich, think again. Anne and Garry’s house in Perth’s outer suburbs should have been a goldmine, instead it’s a liability. First the suburb failed to grow, then the house started falling apart. Anne and Garry spend every weekend mending, fixing, pruning, mowing and its draining their energy and resources. They want to cut their losses and sell up, but one look at the house and its clear why no one is buying.

The Problem:  This house was a cross between a new-age church and a Swiss Chalet. The home was okay as a rental, but buyers expected a lot more. The home was full of  little horrors and the actual shape of the house could not be changed. The exterior had horrible brick work and 70s style glasswork, enough to scare any buyer away. Not to mention, that there was an overgrown palm tree in the middle of the garden.

The interior of the house looked old, stale and stuck in the ages. There was an ugly ladder leading into the attic smack bang in the middle of the living room. Not only did it look out of place, but was also very unsafe.

The walls inside the home were made out of brick, creating a very outdated and cold look throughout the home. The dining room had poor window coverage, where the harsh Western Australia light was coming through and blinding the dining area. The house was calling for a make-over.

The Solution: The exterior of the home was given a new transformation. The horrible brick work was covered with acrylic render and a new pergola added, which took decades off the look of the house. The 70s looking glass was replaced with new glass which improved the outside of the property, but also losing the ugly yellow tint on the inside of the home.

The interior of the home followed a simple modern theme, where decorating was concentrated on high impact areas throughout the home. The interior brick walls of the living room were banished and covered with plastered wood. New carpet was also added to the living room to create a brighter and lighter room, more full of life.

The kitchen cupboards were given a new paint job, which gave it a fresh new look. Roller Blinds in the fabric Temple in the colour Soft Dove were installed, and the perfect window covering for the harsh Western Australia sun. The colour Soft Dove was the perfect match to the brown brick wall in the dining room, as it added a pop of subtle colour against the wall, but also complimented the white cupboards and appliances.

The master bedroom was given a new soft grey carpet and up to date and modern décor and bed. Luxaflex® Duette® Architella® shades were installed in the fabric Elan in the colour Dessert Sand. The Duette® Architella® gave the master bedroom that special something. It finished the new up to date feel, but at the same time, being so versatile in colour.

Luxaflex® Duette® Architella® shades feature a patented honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb construction dramatically increasing the product’s ability to insulate in the winter and cool against the summer heart – perfect for the Western Australian climate.

All Luxaflex® Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex® Gallery dealers Sunmaster Canning Vale and Sunmaster Joondalup, both in WA.

Watch Selling Houses Australia every Wednesday, 8.30pm AEDT on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel. 

Selling Houses Australia - Playing Ghost Busters in Miles End

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 7 Season 8

The Story: When Carol and Michael bought their 100 year old cottage, they thought they had the perfect renovator. Then they discovered the ghost! Every time they fixed things up, the sulky spook showed its displeasure. Their renovation costs have spiraled out of control and they’re desperate to sell up, buy a cheaper place and use the rest of the funds for their wedding. Can our team turn ghost busters and evict the sulky spook to the land of the spirits?

The Problem: The problem wasn't really a ghost, but instead it was the endless list of half-done renovations. With a traditional house like this, one would expect the inside to be full of character, which it definitely lacked, and it had no street appeal whatsoever. The home also had a completely out of character spiral staircase, and complete wreck of a backyard.

The Solution: Inject character into the home. The barren front lawn full of nothing was transformed into a beautiful traditional formal garden. It became a place to relax and unwind, with attractive water features. Street appeal was created by giving the home and walls a new coat of paint.

The endless list of unfinished jobs that needed a finishing touch were tackled, and the out of character spiral staircase was too costly to remove, so instead was disguised by painting the staircase the same black colour as the black wall, which minimised the impact of the modern feature.

The modern kitchen felt very disconnected from the classic looking house, so a look of modern heritage was added into the kitchen. And the backyard was transformed from an unfinished wreck of a shed into an entertaining area.

The team from Luxaflex installed NEWSTYLE® Polyresin Shutters in White throughout the home. The Polyresin Shutters were a perfect match for the home as it brought an elegance into the traditional home. The Polyresin Shutters created the perfect mix of contemporary and traditional, and complimented the mismatch wall colours of each and every room in the home. They are also set to withstand time, as they are guaranteed to not blister, peel, flake, corrode or flake.

Luxaflex NEWSTYLE® Polyresin Shutters are energy efficient as they are completely adjustable, allowing you to fully control the solar energy entering your windows and doors. Their macrocellular construction creates effective dead-air insulation, and coupled with the vinyl’s low conductivity they greatly reduce heat exchange. Luxaflex Newstyle Polyresin Shutters reflect inbound solar rays back to the outside during summer, but can be opened to allow the warming sun into your home in winter, thereby reducing air-conditioning costs and making the shutters very versatile for any home.

All Luxaflex® Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex® Gallery dealer Solomons Flooring at Gepps Cross, SA.

Watch Selling Houses Australia every Wednesday, 8.30pm AEDT on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel. 

DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2015

A new year brings with it the opportunity to refresh the interiors of our homes. Looking to emerging design trends is a smart way to ensure your interior has longevity and makes the most of the products that are becoming available on the market.

But what are the fresh design trends for 2015? We’ve discovered three that are going to give your home a new lease on life this year.

Earthy Botanic

Both Dulux and Paint Place revealed deep greens as the major players in their colour trend forecasts for the coming year, with Dulux in particular giving a generous nod to the desire to have greenery in both our homes and workspaces.

While Paint Place’s Forge Ahead trend had a muddier and moodier colour palette at play, the general consensus in the marketplace is that a desire to get back to nature is a strong one for 2015.

Look for green feature walls and emerald homewares to become prominent, indoor plants (and pots) to grow in popularity and vertical gardens to dominate balconies and courtyards.

If you’re looking to channel this vibe in your own home, connect with nature by opting for

LUXAFLEX Pirouette® Shadings, which will allow you to see your garden from inside your home, let in light but still retain a sense of privacy.

Baroque Revival

Love Game of Thrones? You’re set to revel in the medieval interior revival that’s been inspired by this TV genre. Leading UK-based trend forecaster Victoria Renshaw who presented at Australia’s Décor + Design Show says that people are looking to history for inspiration, with sumptuous fabrics like velvet, damask patterns on walls and brass decor making a comeback. Expect to see vintage store finds with a baroque quality returning, too. A sense of opulence is strong in this trend.

Pantone’s colour of the year for 2015, Marsala, is a rich red that further proves the baroque interior aesthetic is set to return. Its deep, romantic qualities will give your home a soulful and seductive edge, so expect to see more of it pop up across homewares and fabrics.

If you want to play to this alluring interior aesthetic, look to the introduction of the latest Silhouette Shadings Designer Series fabrics. The colours French Linen, Myst, Brio, Mystere, Monaco, Chateau and Nouveau all evoke classical elegance in a contemporary and striking way.

Future Industrial

Industrial design is going to be pushed further in 2015, with darker and moodier colour stories at play. Expect to see charcoal grey, dirty blue and muddy purple paints making their presence known, while raw textures like weathered woods and beaten metals will be prominent.

Both Colourways (a leader in local trend forecasting) and Victoria Renshaw seem to agree on this, with Victoria pointing out that the metals we’ll see won’t resemble the shiny varieties that were big last year, but materials that are beaten, stamped and chiselled to look as though they’ve been through something.

A more masculine interior trend with a lot of hardness at play, you can elevate this look in your own home with a set of LUXAFLEX® Newstyle Polyresin Shutters, which will further enhance the rawness of the Future Industrial look

Luxaflex chats with Lynn Malone

Luxaflex is proud to work with Australia’s top trend setters in the interior design world. Recently we sat down with renowned stylist Lynn Malone, who was happy to share with us her story and inspirations.

How did your career start?
After university, I worked as a junior interior designer for a one-year apprenticeship then founded a US-based interior design firm: Coordinated Interiors.  Other than the one-year experience as an employee, over my career I have the good fortune of being self-employed and hiring talented design practitioners to work with me.

What are your career highlights?
Over the last 30 years, I have practiced interior design taking an eight-year hiatus to work with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and 2000 Sydney Olympics in a sports marketing and corporate hospitality role which was the impetus for my relocation from the US to Australia.  Residential design has always captivated me; I am continually on the lookout for products that enrich everyday home life.  I look to best-practice companies such as Luxaflex that invest in product research and strive toward creating products that bring value home.

What do you consider as key elements in the home? 
A key design element often overlooked or under considered is lighting – either ambient, task lighting or natural lighting.  Light sources within an interior space are optimal when regulated and glare-free.  Window treatments play a significant role in lighting regulation solutions and contribute an aesthetical value as a bonus. 

What are you working on now?
Projects underway are several Sydney high-rise apartment-remodelling projects for respective private clients.  Coincidently each apartment was last remodelled over 15-years ago and due for a complete makeover; and all have key features such as high ceilings; an abundance of natural lighting; and visionary clients seeking quality, innovation and incorporating modern conveniences through technology.

This is the first of a three-part interview series with Lynn Malone. Check out this blog again next month for the second installation which will feature Lynn’s to tips for re-decorating.

Habitus Magazine at Salone del Mobile in Milan

Nicky Lobo, Deputy Editor of Habitus magazine shares with us her experience at the Salone del Mobile in Milan...the biggest fair on the Australian and international design calendar!


Milano,

Where do you start?

The fair ground is a good place, 40 minutes out of the city, on the train along with some 285,000 others over the course of five days.

It's possibly the only thing that is actually bigger than Ben-Hur - in size, scale of production, cost and export dollars (7.8 billion in 2013). The fair itself is spectacular. All the biggest brands, their newest products and the world's most prolific designers (think Urquiola, Bouroullec and Lovegrove) at your fingertips.

It's also spectacularly tiring. Twenty-four pavilions on either side of a kilometre-long central walkway, and over 1,200 exhibitors. Luckily, most of the brands that make their way to Australia are grouped in about six main pavilions.

And then there are the city showrooms. And the satellite events, exhibitions and districts....



MAIN TRENDS:

Metals - increase in copper and burnished / softened rather than highly polished
Timber - lots of it!
Resurgence of old materials like leather, rope, cane in combination with other finishes
Craftsmanship (detailing / inlays) incorporated to deter copying subdued colours - not much vibrant/bold colour
Textiles - also muted, natural materials
50 / 60s Silhouette - return to better times / nostalgia
Japanese influence - clean, simple details, dark timber

 

 Event Photography by Alessandro Russotti, Andrea Mariani
Product Photography courtesy of the brands