Sommaire pour June 2020 de Inside Out

“Turn and face the strange… Ch-Ch-Changes” David Bowie hit it in 1971 with his art-pop anthem, Changes. He was right, change is strange, but powerful. Transformation has got to be the keyword for 2020 and we’re all a little bit changed after the year we’ve had. That may be why the Inside Out team enjoyed putting the Before & After issue together so much. To see the ‘befores’ and be totally wowed by the ‘afters’ is the ultimate transformation, a dip into the real-life stories behind an idea that becomes a building project that then becomes a home and the lives that happen inside it. The momentum of change picks up everything in its path and puts it down somewhere completely new. Two stories in this issue stand out for…

THE ORIGINAL Utrecht chair by Gerrit Rietveld, manufactured by Cassina The form A block-like armchair with angular arms, completely covered in fabric. What makes it special Designed in 1935/6 for the famous Metz & Co department store in Amsterdam by renowned Dutch Modernist architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld (part of the De Stijl art movement), the armchair was a radical break from traditional upholstered furniture. Originally produced in a heavyweight brown canvas inspired by the traditional sails of Dutch ships that were preserved by tanning with oak bark, the chair was released in coloured wool after World War II. Since the early 1970s, Italian producer Cassina has held the rights to Rietveld’s furniture designs, reissuing the Utrecht armchair in 1988 with the choice of a blanket or zigzag stitch to…

Sustainability has become a generic term. “Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, so it doesn’t mean anything anymore,” says Deborah Sams, the co-founder and creative director of luxury fashion label Bassike, explaining that businesses in the habit of greenwashing have diminished the power of businesses that are serious about sustainability. “We have been working hard on doing it, not working hard on talking about it,” she says. From the beginning, when Bassike launched with its range of twisted seam tanks and tee-shirts in 2006, the choice was there to either work with organic cotton – or not. It was a natural decision. “If we can actually make a difference on this Earth and still produce beautiful clothing, why would we not do that?” Deborah asks. Specifically, that meant using fabric…

“Nick gave me complete creative freedom inside the house and he absolutely loves the outcome”EMMA RILEY, HOMEOWNER After six years of living in a semi-detached house in South London, Emma Riley and her British husband Nick knew exactly what they wanted when they moved back to Australia in 2014 – space. “We loved London and had our second daughter, Flo, over there,” says Emma. “But we were living in a semi with a fake-grass lawn so we were craving some decent outdoor space and sunshine.” When the couple found a 12-year-old house on almost a hectare in the Byron hinterland, they knew it was the one, even if its dated style left something to be desired. “Nick had ridden his motorbike up first,” Emma recalls, “and when I arrived he…

Life doesn’t always go to plan. Case in point is Rosemarie Sills, who bought a 50-year-old home on Sydney’s northern beaches with her then-husband in 2016 and separated shortly afterwards. They’d intended to renovate the house and live in it with their two now grown-up daughters – both of whom soon moved interstate – so Rosemarie decided the best way forward from that point was to knock down the original house and start again. “The old brick place had had its time,” she says. “I wanted to build a forever home that I would feel comfortable in.” Rosemarie wanted a “quiet, unassuming” house that would allow her easy access to the garden. But after talking to building designer Jim O’Brien of Viewthru, her plans changed again. “The site is on…

Katharina Beckmann grew up with a father who owns a paint store so she is not afraid of colour – or hard work. The advertising art director’s confidence came in handy during the hot Danish summer of 2019 as she was renovating her second home, a loft apartment in Copenhagen’s Østerbro district. “When I bought the apartment it was pretty boring – all white walls with an institution-like kitchen and cat hair everywhere,” says Katharina. “But it was within my price range and I always put on my ‘transformation goggles’ when I see a space like that. It’s kind of a work habit I have. I knew I could make something great out of this space. The only thing I hadn’t considered was that the building didn’t have an elevator.”…

Colour was key in this kitchen overhaul, which formed part of a whole-house refurbishment for a family of five living in the Sydney suburb of Balmain. “The owner, Arabella, is a portrait photographer and her work is full of strong colours. I knew colour would figure in this project, too,” says the designer, Altus Design Studio founder Josie Simpson. When Arabella began showing Josie images of other houses she liked, a common denominator soon became apparent: the use of blue. The other main consideration was Arabella’s extended family. “She’s one of five children, and her relatives all live nearby,” Josie explains. “So, part of our motivation was to create a welcoming space for their large family gatherings.” first steps “The first things we decided on were the pendant lights above…

crowd pleaser When Dinosaur Designs and Designer Rugs collaborate, the results are always stunning. Made from hand-knotted Tibetan wool and silk, the six designs in their latest collection are graphic and power-packed with colour while revealing the two different artistic sensibilities bedhind them. Dinosaur Designs’ Louise Olsen is drawn to patterns in nature; life and work partner Stephen Ormondy’s designs take a dip into the subconscious mind. This rug by Stephen is called Crowded Room, a 240cm x 300cm design that can be custom sized to suit. designerrugs.com.au…

Interior designer Louise Walsh and her team recently renovated a Federation-style house near Byron Bay, NSW, which included a special wing for grandparents and other guests. This room is the combined kitchen/living area, decorated with similar elements to the main house but with a more calming, neutral palette. The Vicki chairs by Design Kiosk, supplied by Project 82, are a modern twist on a farmhouse chair, inspired by the green hills just outside the door.…

Who lives here Emma Riley, a meditation teacher; her husband Nick Riley, who runs a property-development company in London; daughters Ivy, 11, and Flo, nine; plus two Siberian cats: Whisky and Alaska. Style of home A dated five-bedroom red-brick house near Bangalow in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, which was extensively reworked internally and given a contemporary makeover throughout. Emma and Nick bought the house in 2015. Construction began in November 2017 and the family had moved back in by June 2019, with just the landscaping to do.…

Sitting on their balcony, gazing over treetops and Adelaide’s twinkling suburban grid to the Southern Ocean, brings Richard Rohrsheim and Danny Gallant daily joy. “We both have very busy schedules, but it doesn’t matter what has happened at work – the mesmerising calmness from this outlook is an instant salve,” says Richard, who knew about the therapeutic benefits of the foothills long before the couple moved in. His parents lived next door and at one time even owned the property, built in the 1960s by the manager of the local quarry. After living in Sydney for many years, Richard and Danny relocated to Adelaide and moved in with Richard’s parents. Two weeks later, the bluestone house next door became available to rent so the couple leased it for a couple…

Homeowner and interior stylist Emmy Clark knows a thing or two about balance. So it’s not surprising that the east Melbourne house she shares with her husband Jules and their three children is a perfect blend of the past and present. Emmy’s innate sense of composition and colour, along with the precise work of architect Lachlan Troup of Solomon Troup, has transformed the Edwardian gem. Its period features are now complemented by contemporary fittings and a palette of white, cool greys and sharp black details. “It wasn’t about clashing old and new together,” she says. “It was about bonding them, allowing their own elements and personality to be seen.” “Our architect suggested changing the flooring and lowering the ceiling in the carpeted area where the fireplace is, which has made…

Archiblox Archiblox designs sustainable homes that are eco-friendly and beautiful. Archiblox.com.au Ecokit Ecokit specialises in energy-efficient homes made only from natural and eco-friendly, low-VOC materials. ecokit.com.au Modscape Modscape build modular homes with minimal environmental impact but maximum energy efficiency. modscape.com.au; (03) 9316 6000 Pleysier Perkins Architects Working exclusively for Prebuilt residential projects, they specialise in simple yet elegant homes. pleysierperkins.com.au; (03) 9533 6766 Prebuilt Economical and design-led prefab homes by Victoria’s Prebuilt have a fixed price and completion date. prebuilt.com.au; 1300 734 544…

Knowing you have the ability to keep your home snug and toasty is a comforting thought as winter descends. But the prospect of the hefty energy bill that will surely follow soon takes the shine off those warm and fuzzy feels. If this sounds like you, now could be the time to upgrade to a more appealing and energy-efficient form of home heating. Here are your options... wood fires The oldest form of heating remains the most favoured – it’s thought that more than 900,000 Australian households today choose to use firewood as their main source of heating. The Australian Home Heating Association (AHHA), the industry body representing the wood-fire sector of the heating industry, says it’s a good idea to understand how many kilowatts of heat output you’ll need…

the pantry There are a number of reasons that food gets wasted in the pantry – for example it spoils before we can use it, or pests get to it before we do. Ideally, your pantry is in a cool, dry area of the house, away from the oven and other sources of heat, with doors that block out the light. Avoiding open shelves that get direct sunlight or keeping groceries directly above the stovetop will extend the life of your food. When you don’t have the luxury of choice when it comes to food storage spaces, you just need to be more mindful of not overbuying and of using things up more quickly. The best way to store items in the pantry is in airtight containers. This keeps out…

AURA HOME Melbourne-based Aura has been making the bed linen of our dreams since 2000, offering muted pastels and richer shades that are evocative of the Australian bush, as well as a tight edit of locally designed items, including the Organic Bed linen set in Eucalypt, $259. AURAHOME.COM.AU GREENHOUSE INTERIORS Led by former corporate executive Julia Green, this Geelong-based brand specialises in printed fabrics. Think vibrant homewares, bed linen and all manner of seasonal throw cushions. Julia even offers remote styling services, too. Greenhouse Interiors Tote Bag, $59. GREENHOUSEINTERIORS.COM.AU DUNLIN There’s no better place to shop for light fittings than Dunlin, which is the exclusive local stockist for several top-quality brands. The online store also carries a handpicked range of divine Santa Maria Novella candles and perfumes. Shown is the…

“Ask an interior designer to be involved at the architectural stage — or design a smaller house!”EMMA RILEY, HOMEOWNER “In an ideal world, we would have engaged Louise Walsh and her team at an earlier stage because [prior to that] it was quite stressful trying to make so many decisions about the interior design and not really knowing where to start. We’d only ever done a tiny kitchen renovation in London before, so Louise definitely took a lot of that stress away with all her experience and attention to detail.”…

Who lives here Richard Rohrsheim, an IT manager, and Daniel (Danny) Gallant, a doctor in public health, plus many visiting kookaburras. Style of home Mid-century modern cottage built in 1962 from locally quarried bluestone, which has been reworked internally. Richard and Danny bought the home in 2006 and put in a modern kitchen. They moved out in 2018 for nine months while it was renovated and new flooring installed. The total spend was $472,000, including landscaping and a driveway upgrade.…

+ Main ensuite “It completely delivers in terms of storage and functionality without compromising on aesthetics at all. It’s my elegant and refined sanctuary,” says Emmy. + Flexible layout “We love how the hallway doors allow us to close off different sections of the house.” + Window seat “Everyone gravitates to the big window and the light in this space near the kitchen. It feels like a room within a bigger space.” + The process “We wanted to work with someone who would really listen to our ideas but take things to the next level, which is exactly what Lachlan, our architect, did.”…

“The way interior designers work has been flipped on its head” The world we live in now is a vastly different place to what it was a mere six months ago. We are cautious about what we do and whom we see, but we are also a bit more focused on what really matters. A healthy home life and good work/life balance seem to top the list for most of us. During that extended period indoors, you probably started to notice in more detail the things that bug you the most: wine glasses that weren’t quite full enough, nagging kids and, you guessed it, the way your home looks and performs. Many of us picked up on annoyances relating to our living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, from dodgy floor plans…

Q We are building our dream home and I am conscious of using environmentally friendly building products where possible. Do you have any recommendations? Hannah, via email When planning to build a sustainable home, you really can’t look past brick. The humble brick is an iconic Australian building material that has incredible eco credentials, and is also extremely cost efficient. Bricks last forever, can be reused and recycled, are energy efficient and reduce your home’s carbon footprint. Bricks also have excellent thermal mass, which has the potential to keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter, creating an inviting home for you and your family to enjoy. BRETT WARD, GENERAL MANAGER OF INTERNATIONAL MARKETING, BRICKWORKS BUILDING PRODUCTS Q I’m finally ready to tackle my pantry. What are the…

Matthew Cantwell from Secret Gardens designed this lovely green courtyard in Sydney’s Coogee. It’s a small space, so the sense of journey was a clever device to make it appear bigger. Lining the crazy-paved bluestone path is Olea europaea, Dioon spinulosum, Viola odorata and Arthropodium cirratum, plus many other featured plants that stand proud of the Dulux Domino-painted boundary walls.…

The new Laminex Landscape series is a delicate palette of 13 colours inspired by the Australian outback, the sea, the winter sky and our flora and fauna. Designers are using the scratch-, bacteria- and fade-resistant range in exciting new ways and places throughout the home, where it’s turning up in bespoke joinery, cabinetry, shelving and custom furniture pieces. In a word (or two), Landscape is strong and beautiful. laminex.com.au…