The powerful impact of Polytec’s Design Awards continues to grow each year. Now, it’s time to set new records in 2024.

The Polytec Design Awards celebrates design excellence, showcasing Australia’s finest projects. Designers, architects, builders, and joiners are given the opportunity for exposure and recognition amongst the best in Australia.

These awards serve as a testament to the dedication, innovation, and shine a spotlight on the talent displayed within the design and construction industry. Polytec is proudly Australian Made and Owned and we are honoured to unveil the many great Australian designs.

Get ready… it’s going to be a bold year and we look forward to seeing the outstanding entries.
O’Shea & Sons Builders have again excelled in their entries showing the best Brisbane has to offer.

Kamares sto Appia

The home is designed to represent modern Greece. Its name: Kamares sto Appia is arches on Appia. The home design was to reflect large open spaces with joinery to be expansive, blended with nature, functional and sustainable. The homeowners love to cook and entertain so the connection between indoor and outdoor seamless with capacity to cater for large gatherings.

Builder: O’Shea & Sons Builders
Interior Designer/Specifier: Merge Interior Design
Architect: DZ Architects
Joiner: AllFit Cabinet Solutions
Photographer: Shoot to Sell

Cast your vote

Voting for People’s Choice Award is now open. Voting closes 18th October 2024.

Sebonack

Modern Coastal Home designed and named ‘Sebonack’ due to the connection for the homeowners between the Sebonack Golf Club  in Southampton and neighbouring Indooroopilly golf courses. The journey throughout the home has natural contours, expansiveness, undulating whites, brass trims and accessories apllied in a manner that creates a unique look representative of the rolling fairways, bunkers, manicured appearance to the Sebonack fairways.

Builder: O’Shea & Sons Builders
Interior Designer/Specifier: Merge Interior Design
Building Designer: Jazz Designs
Joiner: AllFit Cabinet Solutions
Photographer: Shoot to Sell

Cast your vote

Voting for People’s Choice Award is now open. Voting closes 18th October 2024.
Here is your chance to vote for the two outstanding projects above.

For more information:

O’Shea & Sons Builders

The post Polytec’s Design Awards: O’Shea & Sons Builders Showcase Brisbane’s Best appeared first on Completehome.

On the day homeowner Claire went shopping for her AGA eR7 Series 160 at a local store, she also happened to be the lucky winner of an AGA eR3 Series 60. Now the owner of two AGA cookers, Claire has fully utilised both units in different areas of her home and they are an indispensable part of her family’s lifestyle.

The AGA eR7 has pride of place in the large family kitchen. Illuminated by a generously sized skylight, this newly built kitchen is the true heart of the home, with family members taking turns making delicious, restaurant-worthy meals to be shared. Whether it’s porridge in the morning or scrumptious casseroles for dinner, all the cooks agree the AGA cooker is a versatile and much-loved asset in the home.

Meanwhile, the smaller AGA eR3 60 plays an important role in the alfresco area downstairs, where the family does a lot of entertaining. This spot was initially meant to house only a pizza oven and barbecue, but after Claire won the AGA eR3 60 cooker in the competition, this area was redesigned and an entire kitchenette built around the AGA cooker. Serving as a pizza oven and barbecue, the compact cooker has made it much easier to create meals and entertain in this alfresco space.

For more information visit 

AGA Australia 

The post Make Your Kitchen the Heart of Your Home With the AGA eR3 Series appeared first on Completehome.

Did you know the coldest place on earth is the Eastern Antarctic Plateau, which is a very chilly -94°C? When blistering heat strikes in the middle of an Australian summer, you might just wish you could instantly transport yourself there if you don’t have adequate cooling measures at home. But there’s no need to take extreme measures to beat the heat. Cooling your home is about managing airflow through windows and doors, adding shade, and other measures such as fans and air conditioners to increase comfort.

Passive cooling principles

Making the most of passive cooling is all about designing a home to respond to the local climate and the site on which the home will be built. It covers things like aspect (the direction and position of the home on the block), external shading factors, and window type and placement.

Architect Mick Moloney from Moloney Architects says the concept of passive cooling means designing a building in such a way that it can be opened up to allow any available air movement to flow through and around the home. It’s one of the critical first steps in home design. “We spend a lot of time on site to assess and understand in what direction those cooling winds are coming from,” says Mick.

There are a number of strategies to incorporate when designing a new home to achieve that. Mick explains that good ventilation can be achieved with operable windows on both sides of the building so you get a good cross flow. “Casement windows that open up like a door — depending on which side you hinge them — can capture breezes from a different direction,” he says.

But the shape of the house also comes into play. “Homes that are designed narrow in plan, that are more pavilion-like, generally have better cross-flow ventilation access,” he explains. “Ideally, a long hallway with windows to one side and a run of bedrooms on the other will allow a very clear crossflow ventilation path.” Ventilation panels above doors can also work well. You might have a hallway with rotating panels on top of the doors. “You’ll often see this in older buildings,” Mick says.

Another way to passively cool your home, explains Mick, is adding a water feature in the garden. “If you have a small pond in the landscape, wind passes over the top of the water and there will be a decrease in temperature due to the evaporative effect,” he says.

Large windows and plenty of glass is visually appealing. However, too much glazing is one way a home can get overheated. According to Mick, it’s a balancing act. “As architects we like floor-to-ceiling glass — we want to get that passive solar orientation right, that free sunlight energy into the building,” he says. “But at the same time, we don’t want our buildings to overheat.”

Hey, smarty pants

Having a smart climate control solution in your home is not only good for your hip pocket, it’s also good for the planet. Smart air conditioning is a revolutionary innovation in home climate control. Adam Connell, marketing manager from Polyaire, says not only are the controls and touch screens easy on the eye, smart air conditioning lets you control the home climate from your phone from absolutely anywhere. “You can be on the couch or out and about,” he says.
Have you ever left home and thought, have I turned off the air conditioning? With a smart system you can check in to make sure you have so you aren’t wasting valuable energy. And you can also turn on the system remotely. “So before you head home from the office, you can come home to a comfy house,” Adam says.

With systems like Polyaire, Adam adds that you can adjust the volume of conditioned air going into each air-conditioning zone in your home, all from one device. “AirTouch 4 also sends you temperature alerts, so if the home is getting too warm or cold, you get an alert on your smartphone inviting you to turn on the AC,” he explains.

Ceiling fans are a great way to provide cooling comfort at home. They’ve come a long way in the last few years in terms of energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal, but that’s only part of the story. Amber Mostert from Big Ass Fans says a ceiling fan with integrated smart technology can provide users with unparalleled personalised comfort. “The technology offers the ability to monitor temperature and humidity, adjusting the fan speed to maintain constant comfort,” she says. “There’s also the ability to sense occupancy and learn a user’s preferences without pulling chains or flipping switches — it’s changed the industry. This smart learning technology, paired with an integrated inverter drive motor, will help to optimise energy conservation.”

New innovations in windows and doors

It’s not just air conditioners and fans that are getting a whole lot smarter. There are plenty of new innovations in windows and doors to help keep you cool.

Emma Truong, marketing manager of Rylock Windows and Doors, says a high-performance window and door system features materials that keep the home at an optimal temperature for year-round comfort. “Thermally broken frames incorporate a polyamide insulator between the internal and external aluminium extrusions to minimise heat transfer,” she explains. This barrier improves energy efficiency.

Low-emissivity (low-e) glass was developed to reduce infrared and ultraviolet light without impacting on natural light levels. Emma explains that low-e glass is an advanced technology that features an invisible metallic coating. “It’s applied to the internal glass surface and enhances the product’s insultation properties. It is our standard specification at Rylock,” she says.

Always opt for superior window solutions — it is your key to comfort at home. A quality window system will also feature multiple weather seals to minimise air leakage. Emma says that’s an important factor in maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the home. “If you want to take advantage of cooler evening breezes, select a manufacturer with keylock and flyscreen inclusions to enhance comfort, provide peace of mind and secure ventilation,” she adds.

Smart windows and doors are also evolving with new technology to keep you safe at home. Door and window sensors have components that can communicate with your smartphone. They can send an alert if a door or window is left open, and when combined with a complete security system, a smart sensor can trigger an alarm.

Green roofs

These high-rise gardens have a host of benefits. By providing shade, and absorbing heat from the air above as well as C02 emissions, green roofs have much to offer. Not only is a green roof aesthetically pleasing, it can reduce urban heat island effects (when natural land cover is replaced by buildings that absorb and hold heat). Green roofs also reduce stormwater run-off and provide habitat for some animals and beneficial insect species.

If you are not into the green roof scene, opt for a lighter-coloured roof — it can cool interiors by reflecting rather than absorbing the heat.

Smart textiles to keep you cool

Smart fabrics have been around for a while but many were bulky, expensive and very fragile. In 2020, the American Chemical Society created ground-breaking wearable technology, a garment that adapts to changing weather conditions. It heats and cools the skin, with no external power source. It’s made from silk and chitosan, a material from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish. With the technology still in its infancy, who knows what will unfold. Perhaps chair covers, couches, sheets, doonas, and throws made from fabric to keep you cosy all year round? We will have to wait and see.

This article originally appeared in Grand Designs #10.4

The post Learn to Stay Cool and Comfortable This Summer appeared first on Completehome.

Melbourne couple Jen and Brad Higgins know how to renovate – and have an eye for style. As soon as the couple spotted a rundown post-war timber cottage in Heidelberg, they could see its potential.

Brad works in the building industry, Jen works in marketing and together they make a great renovation team. They immediately saw what could be done to the house, which was in a great location on a decent-sized block of land.

The house was built in the 1950s, and although it was structurally sound, it was ugly and had an outdated floorplan, says Jen. The couple has three-year-old twin girls and were keen to turn the house into their forever family home. As soon as possible after settlement, they set to work.

“It had an old kitchen and brick tiles on the floor,” Jen says. “It was horrific. We ripped up the floors in the lounge and dining; we ripped out the laundry; we opened the space up; we built a butler’s pantry; we changed the zoning of the bathrooms and created an ensuite for the master.

“We moved the location of the hallway. We put built-in wardobes in; we recarpeted. We repainted; we changed windows, doors, we did everything!”

After six months of intense work, the inside was looking pretty good, she says – as was the exterior, which had freshly painted charcoal-coloured weatherboards. That’s when they decided it was time to tackle the roof.

“The house was built in about the ’50s and the roof had not been updated since then,” Jen explains. “The cement tiles were clearly decaying and the roof’s colour and quality had worn and it did not look good . They hadn’t been maintained and there was lots of dirt and mould – it was horrible.”

“We had done a lot of work internally and externally and it was really bringing down the look of our house. We had painted the house; we’d redone the gardens; we’d renovated inside and the roof was kind of just this ugly thing that stuck out.

“We decided to invest in a good-looking black tiled roof.”

Jen and Brad chose Monier’s Nouveau terracotta tiles in Titan, which are incredibly long-lasting – they have a 50-year warranty – and their colour will never fade, ensuring that their good looks will remain. They are also made locally in Melbourne, which is a nice touch.

“We have painted the house a lead grey colour with white window trims and so the black roof was going to work really well,” she adds. “We did consider steel as a roofing option, but we thought it just wouldn’t work with the look of the house and we didn’t want to see the wearing and colour fading like we did with the old roof.”

Brad’s brother runs Higgins Roofing, so they had access to great tilers, which also helped in the decision making.

“The Higgins Roofing tiles guys checked for structural defects and anything that did need to be upgraded and they looked at replacing all the sarking,” Jen adds, an addition which helped to insulate the house. Terracotta tiles are made from natural materials and are known for their thermal efficiency.

How to Modernise a Post-War Cottage

1. Look to implementing a modern palette. Jen and Brad went with a striking monotone colour scheme with charcoal coloured paint on their weatherboard home, offset with crisp white trims.
2.  Jen wanted to have a striking front entrance and loves her new front door. “It’s a gorgeous front door,” she says. “It’s white with black handles and in a period style; beautiful.”
3. Classic roof tiles. The Noveau terracotta tiles chosen by the Higgins family have a traditional profile that complements the period of the house and showcase the intense colour that Jen wanted.
4. Plantation shutters. These classically styled window coverings work well with period homes, but still add a modern touch.
5. Use greenery for contrast. Evergreen planting against the dark exterior creates a striking contrast that makes a statement.

For more inspiration

check out www.monier.com.au

The post Dark Victory appeared first on Completehome.

#5910

It’s hard to discern exactly where the Yackandandah Sawmill residence ends and nature begins. This impressive Australian house design is sleek and modern, yet looks perfectly at home within the untamed rural wilderness that surrounds it, cantilevering over the edge of an old dam. Reinvigorating the notion of a traditional Australian veranda, the house features moving doors and external screens that allow the building to adapt to the Australian landscape: described by designer Ben Gilbert as alike “huge branches our ancestors could sweep from the cave entrance”.

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Modern and minimalist, every window of the Kyneton Flat Pack House design is strategically planned to frame incredible vistas into the Australian landscape. With home owners avid gardeners, the dual focus on exteriors as well as interiors has made this Australian house design exceptional. Much like the Yackandandah Sawmill residence, it’s sleek architectural lines contrast with surrounding nature, yet it’s dark neutral colour palette and sweeping windows add to it’s appeal in the Australian landscape.

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It’s easy to believe that the designers and subsequent home owners of the Turners Beach home in Tasmania are avid conservationists. One look at the property, and the intrinsic links between architecture and nature are clear. And the outcome is stunning. Generous windows and skylights grace every room, and despite a minimal building budget, the home is a testament to sustainable design done well. In terms of Australian house design, the Turners Beach home is the Australian relaxed, nature-loving spirit encompassed in spectacular and unique design.

#35916

This Australian house design was inspired by the concept of a black box expanding out of the ground: the power of design in transporting simple ideas into stunning and complex realities is encapsulated in this residence. Making use of the sharp, sleek edges of it’s boxy design, the lines of the Rhyll House’s roofs sweep out over expansive balconies that take advantage of the stunning outlooks of Victoria’s Phillip Island. With ample entertaining space, the house design is a testament to the Australian love of connection and community.

#44824

A farmhouse design reimagined, the Stirlin Glass Stone House is an Australian house design that blends Australian heritage and history with modern styles and inviting atmospheres. Situated in the Adelaide Hills, the light and modern glass box welcomes light and warmth into the home, while providing a stunning contrast to the old-style charm of the stone.

Interested in more examples of stunning Australian home design? See more here!

The post 5 incredible examples of Australian house design appeared first on Completehome.

This home is spacious, contemporary, clean and functional with a sprinkling of luxury thrown in for good measure.

For this retired couple, a home that ticked the opulence box was important. The clients wanted a residence that presented beautifully and accommodated themselves and their grown-up sons when they came to visit. Bellmarch Homes was the builder of choice to bring this client’s home to life, having been referred to these homeowners via other clients, and selected because of its excellent track record building exceptional luxury homes in and around Sydney.

The home is situated in Terrigal, NSW, a well-sought-after corner of the world. It is less than two hours to Sydney’s city, and is a particularly beautiful stretch of coastline with a stunning beach and excellent accessibility to outdoor activities such as fishing, swimming, surfing, boating, diving and scenic walks. The home is a stunning architecturally-constructed abode that peeks over the canopy of the trees around it, reaching above the treeline with its four floors; capitalising expertly on its vista out to the ocean.

=QUOTE=The home celebrates a theme of water throughout every space, starting with that view out to sea. This is complemented by a luxurious infinity edge pool that reaches out towards the horizon, and an indoor water feature that ties in beautifully with the theme of the home.

“Our brief was to optimise the views out towards the ocean, make the most of open-plan living, as well as capitalising on the outdoor lifestyle homeowners could enjoy here,” explains Mark Cairney of Bellmarch Homes. The homeowners also wanted to bring a sense of opulence to the home, which — as luxury builders — we were well-equipped to do.”

The home includes many luxury inclusions across its floors. Extensive use of glass helps to maximise the views and allows light to flood the home. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors also facilitate these views as do the ceiling-height windows found throughout.

Although water is an integral part of the home’s theme, it also meant some careful planning needed to be enlisted by Bellmarch Homes. “The home’s position so close to the ocean meant that preservation and resilience to corrosion were concerns,” explains Mark.

“Other challenges we encountered included a 20m gradient over the build envelope, and restricted access,” he adds.

Despite these challenges, Bellmarch Homes was able to deliver this spectacular home to its clients, enabling them to make the most of their lifestyle here.

The post Room with a view: a luxury custom home appeared first on Completehome.