Innholdsfortegnelse for 2402 i Australian House & Garden Specials

Nothing extends the life of an outdoor space quite like the right furniture. A comfy lounge, sleek side table or generous dining setting will set you up to relax and entertain in style, but there are a few key things to keep in mind when selecting these pieces. First, they need to stand up to our harsh Australian climate, so look to stained or painted timber, resin wicker, heavy-duty wrought iron and stainless steel, as well as water- and UV-resistant fabrics. Prioritise comfort with cushioned seating, supportive armrests and cool fabrics, and create that highly sought-after indoor-outdoor flow by investing in pieces that mirror your inside furniture, both in colour and style. The new King Living Outdoor Collection ticks all of these boxes and a few more, with cabanas, sofas,…

This modern Mediterranean family home on Sydney’s Lower North Shore leaves no hints of its past life as a 1950s brick box. The creative minds behind this spectacular Spanish-inspired villa – Lana Taylor, Bonnie Hindmarsh and Erin Cayless of Three Birds Renovations – have created a space that celebrates the sub-tropical greenery and 180-degree harbour views, with coastal exteriors to match. “This was our most challenging project ever,” says Lana. “The home is positioned in the middle of a steep block with limited access, which meant logistical complications and the need for many of the heavy materials to be craned in.” Using the slope to their advantage, Three Birds Renovations was able to design two unique outdoor areas – a pool and terrace overlooking the harbour at the front and…

“From the very beginning, the focus was about restoring the homestead through both minimal external architectural intervention and considered landscape design.” David Neil, architect Having previously worked with Mim Design and landscape designer Ben Scott, these owners knew the pair could be trusted to transform their Mornington Peninsula home. Completing the design dream team, Neil Architecture was recruited to restore the existing residence, with the addition of a new two-storey pavilion. “From the very beginning the focus was about restoring the homestead through minimal external architectural intervention and considered landscape design,” says David Neil. “The orientation of the outdoor spaces and, to a larger extent, the home had to make the most of the ocean views.” The focus was placed on creating a large, open garden and pool space…

Accessible only by boat, this Pittwater retreat, north of Sydney, offers serenity in a bushland setting. Before touching the interiors of the 130-year-old home, Trincomalee, landscaping was the priority for the garden designer Richard Unsworth and his partner Greg Dean, who bought the property with friends in 2016. “We set about simplifying the existing gardens, removing many small planting beds around lawns and unsympathetic plants, such as cocos palms.” The new lawns provide necessary negative space to take in the bush views, however, the planting process had rocky beginnings. “The local wallaby population are ferocious eaters – I’ve learnt to plant what they don’t like to eat.” It’s still a work in progress – the pair are currently working at removing all the asparagus weed and lantana, with hopes of…

In a beachside suburb in Sydney’s east, this light-filled semi is bookmarked by two lush outdoor spaces that breathe life into the home. Husband-and-wife owners Ryan and Alex bought the property in 2013 without viewing it in person. Living in London at the time, they decided to bite the bullet, buying the property three months before they returned. “It had great natural light, coastal breezes and huge front and back yards,” says Alex. But as is often the case with long-distance love affairs, the reality fell short of their expectations. In 2020, they decided to undertake a major upgrade, their second leap of faith, as Alex decided to take on the interior design and landscaping herself. The goal was to create a better flow to the north-facing front garden, more…

The design concept for this home by Ben Robertson of Tecture Architecture and Interior Design and Bethany Williamson Landscape Design allowed for two outdoor spaces. At the rear is a south-facing garden with a lawn and built-in seating, and to the north is an alfresco pool zone complete with cooking facilities that connect to the home’s secondary lounge, making it an especially practical front yard for summer. As the house is elevated, privacy was important and in addition to the fencing, “planting played a large part”, says Ben. The outdoor scheme developed by the landscapers includes a vast array of plant species including ficus, licorice plants and cacti. Given its close proximity to the street, a large wall abutting the pool adds extra privacy. At the back of the house,…

An ambitious undertaking on a steep, heavily vegetated site on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with limited access, this project took landscape design and construction company Formed Gardens 18 months to complete. At its highest, the elevated site sits 40 metres above street level with uninterrupted views over the ocean below, making the home the perfect weekender for its city-dwelling owners. As the site was covered in dense foliage, it was initially difficult to ascertain what lay beneath. “Through multiple stages of clearing, the natural beauty of the site began to emerge,” says landscape architect Luke Baldwin from Formed Gardens. The persistence of the owners, evolutionary design approach of the landscapers and the know-how of local engineers was rewarded with the discovery of breathtaking boulders that now form the centrepiece of the…

What was once an old bakery and warehouse in Sydney’s trendy inner west has been reborn as a distinctive residential space, grounded by its whimsical central garden. In a collaboration between interior designer Anna-Carin and landscape architect Asher Cole from The Garden Social, the home’s nuanced history is elevated in the rambling outdoor space. “This courtyard space was like an empty gallery, looked at from every angle and the central piece of the home,” says Asher. “When you entered, you were so aware of the rich layered history, and this really needed to be respected and highlighted.” Wanting a nature-led garden, the owners requested for the visual impact of the space to be prioritised over its functionality. “We love the way the planting has taken over the courtyard,” says Asher.…