The brief was simple: an open and inviting space brimming with functionality. The kitchen needed to work well as a thoroughfare between the adjoining spaces, while also providing plenty of functional storage.

The clever design includes several access points to ensure it can be easily navigated. The existing laundry door was relocated to extend an old linen cupboard, which became the kitchen’s new concealed pantry. The pantry includes plenty of storage space, as well as several of the family’s most-used appliances. A seamless transition into the home’s laundry room was facilitated through a cavity slider, which closes on the VJ-grooved panels.

The panels appear throughout this kitchen, introducing a sense of cohesion. They also create a striking contrast to the white Shaker-style cupboards and Caesarstone surfaces.

This modern, clutter-free kitchen showcases a seamless aesthetic and is exactly what the homeowners were after.

For more information, 

Carrera Kitchens 

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It requires a sensory approach to design that considers what the place looks, smells and feels like over time, fostering a connection to nature.

The fundamental goal is to create good habitats for people to contribute to their everyday health and well-being. This concept is a key driver to how interior designers and architects alike are building spaces for home.

HOW IS BIOPHILIC DESIGN ACCOMPLISHED? CHANCES ARE, YOU MIGHT ALREADY BE INCORPORATING THESE ELEMENTS INTO YOUR HOME!

Bringing the Outside in

We might be sounding like a broken record, but Bringing the outside in is a driving trend for 2023 Home design whether it’s through materials, spaces or ventilation.  Biophilic Design brings natural elements into interior spaces, including skylights (for natural light), green walls or plant walls, and incorporating water through fountains and ponds.

Natural Textures and Patterns

Mimicking textures found in nature is not a new discovery, we have seen it before in using timbers and wood grain textures. However, new shapes and patterns are emerging like curves in the form of waves, fractals and geometric shapes like honeycomb.

Plants Plants Plants!

Biophilic design in a home often incorporates landscaping as a primary importance in a homes infrastructure. Open air sanctuaries, exterior hallways or stairwell lined with plants and even atriums to allow for sunlight in the buildings interiors and connection to nature.

Materials of the earth

Working hand in hand with incorporating natural patterns, Biophilic Design gravitates towards wood and stone over polished metals and plastic.

SO WHY SHOULD YOU INCORPORATE SOME OF THESE ELEMENTS INTO YOUR HOME?

Studies have shown the benefits of Biophilic Design on a person’s health, well-being and feelings of peace and calmness inside the home.

Access to natural light throughout the day has been proven to help regulate your internal cycle (circadian rhythm ie sleep – wake cycle), helping you to feel more rested and less stressed. Increased productivity also occurs by designing to incorporate as much natural light.

Regular access to nature may also help reduce heart rate, and lower blood pressure, and in turn has a positive impact on a person’s mental health if they have changed their scenery from urban to greener.

Creating spaces for better health and well-being not only is popping up in home design, but also in office spaces and commercial buildings.

WANT TO START BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN?

Ceiling fans are a great way to increase ventilation. Choosing ceiling fans that use natural materials like a Moso bamboo will also help bring nature into your own home.

For more information

Big Ass Fans

The post The Fundamental Goal of Biophilic Design | Big Ass Fans appeared first on Completehome.

Who doesn’t love stylish, cosy outdoor rooms? Somewhere you can make lifelong memories with your tribe or entertain your friends and family in your own bespoke style.

Plenty of sizzle

Ramp up the warmth factor at home with a gas, ethanol, electric or wood heater or a firepit. Outdoor living is very much a part of the way we live, but to extend the time and comfort of your outdoor rooms, heating is a must. Not only does outdoor heating add warmth in the chilly months of the year, it also creates a cosy ambience your friends and family will love.

If you are short on space, a firepit or ethanol heater might be just the ticket to keep you toasty warm. Electric strip heating adds a designer edge to alfresco dining.

Gas heating can be portable, so you can move the heat source with ease, or there are inbuilt models that have plenty of style. Many contemporary gas heaters can mimic the look of wood heaters, with special effects that dazzle. Some models are also frameless to give them a sleek designer edge.

The time-honoured outdoor wood heater never goes out of style. With new technology and stylish good looks, wood-burning fireplaces remain a popular favourite for many. They are available as a built-in feature, a freestanding option or a sculptural pod that is suspended from the ceiling.

Neat as a pin

As more of us gravitate to outdoor spaces at home, there is a greater need for storage. Indoors there is inbuilt shelving or storage cupboards that allow you to be organised and pack away items you don’t need, but outdoors it’s often a different story. The good news is, there are plenty of options to allow you to store items to not only protect them from the elements, but to keep your outdoor space tidy. From cupboards to boxes to cabinets, there’s a diverse range of options that are easy on the eye to suit any taste or budget.

Shelving offers places to display items and also have things you readily use at your fingertips. There are also discrete storage solutions, such as a bench seat with built-in storage and hidden storage compartments, and occasional furniture with built-in storage, like a coffee table with cupboard underneath.

Cheers to that

The outdoor watering hole has become a popular inclusion in many Aussie outdoor rooms at home. From a stylish bar cart and bar stools to a complete built-in bar, you can design your bar your way.

Repurposed pallets and furniture, as well as pre-loved vintage wine barrels, can look fabulous. Perhaps you’d like your bar to be an extension of your indoor kitchen — you can pull up a bar stool at a bifold window. Other more elaborate bar set-ups can be part of a complete designer outdoor kitchen.

Culinary capers

Of course, if you are serving drinks to your guests, having food on offer is always a smart idea. Contemporary outdoor entertaining is a breeze and there are so many ways you can cook up and serve your guests in style. Backyard chefs across the nation are enjoying the veritable feat of options to cater for outdoor cooking, from barbecues to complete outdoor kitchens, portable gas smokers and pizza ovens.

Do your research before you buy and consider what you love to cook, how many you’ll be catering for and how often, to take the guess work out of choosing your outdoor cooking appliances.

Switch up your lighting

Lighting can readily transform a space; it can illuminate light and shadow, brighten up dark corners and make a space feel inviting. Lighting, of course, is essential to shine the light on what the chef is whipping up on the barbecue, or to guide the way down pathways or decks for safe passage.

Lighting often dictates the mood in a space too, so sourcing the right lighting goes a long way to determining the atmosphere in an outdoor room. An outdoor pendant positioned above a dining table introduces a hint of glamour, while lanterns placed in seating areas add a soft romantic glow. Beautiful wall lights generate a soft radiance that is warm and subtle.

The key to effective outdoor lighting is to get the right blend of lighting which, when layered, creates visual appeal. Along with task lighting, accent lighting adds depth and highlights. For example, it can showcase a piece of art or a feature pot in a space, while ambient lighting offers general illumination to an outdoor space.

Shade savers

From permanent structures like awnings, pergolas, cabanas to flexible solutions such as umbrellas and shade sails, finding a shade option that complements your home and lifestyle has never been so easy.

Umbrellas combine functionality and innovative design. Marine-grade stainless-steel components offer durability. Cantilever umbrellas can be adjusted to offer shade where it’s needed without a post intruding on the space. Some also have wheels so you can move them as required.

For square, rectangle, hexagonal or triangular shade sails, try overlapping several shades to create a design feature. Alternatively, you can place the sails at different levels to achieve an interesting shape and form.

Innovative new-look awnings are a sophisticated and functional shade solution. Many typically have sun and wind sensor systems to allow you more control over the elements, and can become a design feature in your home.

Poolside playground

Have you ever dreamed of sitting around your own designer pool at home with your mates sipping cocktails, or splashing about with the kids? How about sitting in a soothing spa, relaxing as the day’s stress melts away?

If you are thinking about a pool, start by researching the different types of pools and spas on offer, their shapes and sizes, and where it will fit into your outdoor landscape. Then consider additional extras like water features, ledges that allow you to sit immersed in the water, spa and pool combinations, pool fencing, lighting, pool paving or decking, and garden surrounds to create the look you want. Cleverly integrating the pool into the backyard, working with the shape of the block, using similar paving and materials, and working with a colour palette that harmonises with your home will all help you to create a beautiful contemporary swimming pool.

Clever connection

Finding ways to promote a harmonious indoor-outdoor connection continues to be a strong contemporary trend. That sense of flow between spaces extends internal and external living areas, blurring the lines between them.

One way to achieve this is through new-look folding, sliding and stackable doors. These continue to impress designers and movers and shakers in the industry with their versatility and good looks. Doors can be opened fully, partially closed, or fully closed in order to protect you from the scorching summer sun and winter winds.

Architectural stackable glass doors connect you to the outdoors seamlessly. Timber and aluminium products add endless appeal and suit any style of home. These doors can also be automated with the latest in technology.

Doors can be constructed with toughened glass, double- and even triple-glazed. They are energy efficient and many offer quality sound acoustic protection to dampen or block noise.

Safe as houses — security systems

We all want to protect those we love. Taking measures at home like installing security screening and fencing, cutting back thick vegetation and adding security lights that are activated by motion are good deterrents. Letting trusted neighbours know when you are away on holidays so they can collect mail and rubbish bins also helps.

There are many things you can now do to take things to the next level of safety. Stay one
step ahead of criminals with in-home security systems including cameras, alarms, sensors and locks. Would-be thieves will think twice if you have a security system and other layers of protection — many will move on to an easier target.

Many modern systems are now more affordable, with improved image quality. You can also keep up-to-date with what is happening in and around your home with automatic alerts on your smart phone.

You can buy a DIY kit that can cover things like smart locks, alarms that monitor and alert and CCTV that records and sends to a smart phone. Or you can opt for a professionally installed one that will cost more, or a fully installed and monitored system.

The post Discover the right elements for cosy outdoor rooms appeared first on Completehome.

Create interesting spaces

Curves and nooks in a garden naturally entice us to look around the corner, discover hidden pockets and immerse ourselves in the experience. These design elements help to create interesting spots within the overall space.

The options are plentiful when selecting punctuation points. Courtyards or little balconies are often used to create an area of focus. A small water feature tucked behind a sweep of planting or a perfectly positioned chair so you can sit and enjoy the ambience will also evoke a feeling of presence and place.

As well as being aesthetically pleasing, cosy pockets stimulate our sense of curiosity and discovery. They create a sense of purpose and provide an excuse to venture through the larger space and pause to enjoy your surrounds.

Develop a spatial plan

A well-balanced space depends on a delicate balance of horizontal and vertical planes. Utilising height is a technique designed to draw the eye upwards and follow the lushness as it soars towards the sky, making an area feel much larger.

Vertical gardens can take a variety of forms and growing plants on a suspended panel helps to create the impression of elevation and abundance. A vined trellis and towering trees also entice the gaze higher and have the additional benefit of blocking out unsightly buildings or surrounding neighbours.

Make it multifunctional

Small outdoor spaces often need to work hard. One modestly sized area may have to perform a multitude of functions and thoughtful design is essential to creating a harmonious result. A rear inner-city courtyard might need to double as a car spot, for example. Perhaps a narrow side garden has to harbour a clothesline, as well as taps and a ladder.

Some people require a living room-style arrangement and others need a dining spot with storage — some may need both in the one area. Ensuring the space can accommodate different serviceable areas is crucial and needs to be carefully considered, right at the start of the planning phase.

Include a special feature

Including a meaningful object will entice you to venture outside and immerse yourself in your surrounds, whether your garden is large or small. It might be an exquisite sculpture, a special table or a pot passed down through the generations that tells a particular story, bringing a smile and certain ease to your experience.

Whether it’s a place to restore your spirits, or an environment of inspiration, having points of interest and employing good spatial planning will help to create a feeling of place and ease in the smallest garden. An intimate space provides an opportunity to nurture the mind and soul in the cosiest of ways.

Nicola Cameron is an award-winning landscape architect and the Director of Sydney-based Pepo Botanic Designs.

The post Creative ideas for designing an inspirational small garden appeared first on Completehome.

Prestige Carpets use New Zealand wool sourced through Pamu endorsed farms. Pamu ensure the farms rear their sheep to the highest standards, guaranteeing the wool quality and integrity. This ensures the yarn can be manufactured into the highest quality wool carpet.

1. Wool has an excellent springback

The climate in New Zealand means sheep grow strong resilient wool, with a great crimp allowing it to spring back. Because the fibre is naturally curly, wool carpet has a better tendency to spring back than synthetic carpets.

2. Wool is easy to clean and will keep its look for years

Wool fibres are naturally shaped like scales, overlapping to prevent dirt from attaching itself to the fibres. Wool is also easier to clean than other fibres, and because of this, retains its colour better.
Because wool carpet cleans better, stain protection is unnecessary and, as a result, has greater longevity. Further, because dust is trapped on the wool’s surface, it can be easily vacuumed out and there are less allergens in the air.

3. Wool keeps you warmer in winter and cooler in summer

Wool is breathable and thermo-regulating. This means that, as a 100 per cent natural fibre, it can respond to changes in temperature and keep you toasty in the winter and cool in the summer.

About Natural Spirit wool carpet:

The newest addition to our family, Natural Spirit is a super chunky 65oz twist pile. It joins our natural undyed range (Natural Velvet, Natural Twist, Natural Loop and Natural Cord). All products are available in the same undyed hues – Pinto, Palomino, Mustang, Buckskin and Appaloosa. Made in Melbourne from 100% New Zealand wool.

For more information

Prestige Carpets

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