Inhaltsverzeichnis für December 2020 in Inside Out

Through a cold, confusing, cruel winter and global shifts that still aren’t settled, the light at the end of the tunnel was always going to be December. And now here we are! Things remain shaky, but they are shaping up, and so in this issue we are taking a beat to celebrate home, family, the renovations you’ve finished this year – and the ones you may be planning to start in 2021. Everyone is telling us that the number of people signing up for home renovations is going through the roof, so you may as well join in. For some seriously practical inspiration on how to create your own private backyard oasis and make the most of your space – big or small – see our backyard special on page…

STEP-UP MADE IN THE SHADE The new-season edit from Living Edge is a delicious selection of outdoor pieces from its impressive designer canon — bistro tables from Vitra, classic shell chairs by Eames and wire chairs from Herman Miller — all excellent foundations for an elevated outdoor experience. LIVINGEDGE.COM.AU KOALA CHRISTMAS local talent Well-known travel photographer Kara Rosenlund’s adventures around Australia have turned up on her range of souvenir tea towels, featuring baby kangaroos, glorious beach scenes, country shacks and – our favourite – a koala in a gumtree. All are $68. KARAROSENLUND.COM NOT YOUR REGULAR ROUND-UP JUST A FEW OF THE LOVELY AND UNUSUAL THINGS WE’VE DISCOVERED THIS MONTH… FRONT RUNNER GARDENERS ON THE GO The Plant Runner co-founders Duncan and Dominic are on a mission to keep your…

KARA ROSENLUND Travel photographer What was your last memorable celebration? It was on the timber deck at our weekender on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah). The outdoor deck is a lo-fi place for a gathering, though the atmosphere of the island makes everything feel more exciting – it must be the sea air. I think a great effortless trick to entertaining is to go high and low at the same time: serve fancy Champagne for the high, then have nostalgic sandwiches for the low. I love doing this with prawn sandwiches on naughty white bread and cold Champagne. When you entertain, what are you known for? The invitations. I love posting things in the mail, even if it’s just a casual gathering. I like to always make people feel really special…

Who lives here Sarah Foletta, architect at Studio S.O; her husband Hamish, a financial advisor; their three children: Edward, nine, Arki, eight, and Arlo, four; and pet dog Linky, a golden retriever. Style of home A partially renovated 1940s worker’s cottage in Sydney’s eastern suburbs that has been creatively transformed into a simple yet stunning contemporary home. After a year of planning, the renovation took approximately eight months. The couple spent $1 million on the building work, which included landscaping..…

Back in 2014, when the Sydney property market was in an upward swing, Kate and Charles Gerahty found they were quickly being priced out of their ideal suburb of Paddington. However, a serendipitous auction (attended by Kate’s parents) with only a few bidders won them a property in the beachside suburb of Bronte, a pretty decent second choice. “Our search area had been from Paddington through to Bondi, then to Maroubra,” says Kate. “We couldn’t believe that we landed in Bronte. The house was not decrepit or unliveable by any means, but it was very poorly kept, with an overgrown backyard and chickens in the back, making the small block seem ever smaller.” On further examination, the pair discovered that the property had structural issues and required extensive electrical and…

When homeowners-to-be Phil and Adriana first viewed a 1970s Mission Brown house in a quiet part of Sydney’s Carlingford in the middle of 2014, it was with heads rather than hearts firmly in place. “House prices in Sydney were rising and we wanted to buy a family home that we could rent out and then look to do something with in the future,” explains Phil. “My main criteria was that it was on a decent-sized corner block so we could also build a second [smaller] house. I saw it more as a potential investment. I didn’t really look at the house in detail because I thought we might knock it down and rebuild at some point.” Phil and Adriana asked interior designers Janice Yim and Theresa Chan from Studio Quarters…

+ New staircase “Getting rid of the spiral and building a new staircase in the corner by the dining area has worked very well,” says Phil. + Wooden baton screens “These are both practical and aesthetically pleasing.” + Partition/storage between kitchen and study “It’s a unique design that looks great and is a smart way to deliver on our requirements for storage and a proper study space.” + New kitchen “Adriana is a very keen cook and loves the new design, especially all of the storage. I was originally worried that the colour would date like the bright kitchens from the 1970s, but was assured that it was more of a neutral shade that would age gently.”…

A great deck is an asset to any garden – just as long as you understand its role and what you risk losing by running one off the back of your house. When it’s in the right place, a deck is brilliant to have, but what I see all the time is people putting their deck in the wrong spot. If you extend a deck out from the back of your house, it’s quite often going to be just a poor version of an indoor space that happens to be outside… or a poor version of an outdoor space that you have set up to function just like an indoor space. What a deck should be is a transition between indoors and out, and it needs to be subtle and…

Avoid slip-ups “For a super-durable, chlorine-resistant, non-slip paving option, I suggest a porcelain tile,” says Brett Ward of Brickworks Building Products. “For pavers or bricks around pools and wet areas, we recommend exposure-grade products,” says Amy Mancell of PGH Bricks. “Tested for strength, durability and slip-resistance, they provide textures, colours and sizes for those wanting something a bit different.” Matt Cantwell of Secret Gardens Landscaping loves natural stone. “Natural stones are porous and more slip-resistant, but make sure they are recommended around pools and won’t react adversely to chemicals.” According to landscape designer Ben Scott, “Natural stones that are dense and the least porous, such as granite or slate, are best, as the stone may not need sealing and is chlorine-friendly. But avoid honed stones, because they can be slippery.”…

What would you say provides the best protection for an entertaining space used year-round? A sunscreen woven blind is a great option for an alfresco or deck area. Look for a fabric with a 1% open weave as it will block UV rays but won’t obstruct the view. It will also handle rain and winds of up to 80km, and in winter it’ll help keep the warmth in if you’re using an outdoor heater. What are your top tips for choosing the right awning or shade? When you’re deliberating on window furnishings, it’s good to make a list of what your needs are. For example, do you want a view? Do you need protection from the sun, heat or wind? Once you have this list, it’ll help you compare your…

There’s a groundswell of Australian gardeners embracing the view of horticulturist Joe McAlister: that our native plants are not mere bit players, they can be the star attraction in a garden. “It’s always seemed logical to me to plant native species that are suited to the local climate and soil conditions,” he says. Joe’s company, Hungry Gecko Gardens, specialises in designing and installing gardens with native plants, so we asked him for his take on what to look for and how best to use natives at home. Do you think Australians are getting better at understanding and appreciating native plants? Yes, there is a growing recognition that native plants can be used to create all styles of gardens, whether that’s a natural bush garden, a formal garden or a Japanese-style…

Avoid thin legs on chairs if placing them on grass; they will sink into dirt quicker than a stiletto after a rainy day. Cover your fabrics and furniture. Or better yet, bring them indoors when not in use. Prolonged exposure to rain and sun quickly ages furniture. Use timbers designed for the Australian summer. Non-tropical timbers don’t handle humidity well, so get to know your woods. Black furniture and fabrics will absorb every bit of energy and heat from the sun, resulting in burnt bums and faded fabrics.…

kit in the kitchen Danielle Alvarez’s top five tools 1 Mortar and pestle It doesn’t have to be fancy. My mum had a wooden one she used for crushing garlic to make mojo sauce and I remember this ritual, especially on Christmas Eve. I also love a marble or stone one, which is good for crushing herbs and spices and making basil pesto. Blenders and machines tend to just chop things up rather than coaxing out the flavour that a mortar and pestle does so well. There’s a reason why some of the best food cultures in the world rely on them heavily. 2 Cast-iron pans I love them because they’re not expensive, they are super durable and they will last forever if you look after them properly. There is…

When contemporary Aboriginal artist Rachael Sarra was creating the designs for this joyous collection, she was – as so many of us were this year – navigating through a time of darkness. The result is something truly beautiful. “What I’ve chosen to capture in each piece is the moment where I felt a mental switch in an attempt to ignite that same feeling of optimism in others,” says Rachael. A little bolster of energy and light, each piece is designed to spread happiness and can even be framed after use. Priced from $6 for the cards; $10 for the wrap. rachaelsarra.com…

Each year, Jess Brown, also known as The Plant Stylist, creates a knockout wreath for her friend Alanna Smit’s front door. Interior designer Alanna is also a fellow resident and co-founder of Cove Creatives, the studio space Jess and others share on Sydney’s northern beaches. Having developed “a bit of a cult following on Instagram”, Jess says each abundant, verdurous Christmas arrangement takes its cues from the owner’s preferred palette. “This year, Alanna painted her door white so I went with something dark and moody to contrast.” Sprawling fan palms, preserved hydrangea and amaranthus, succulents and native ferns take this year’s creation to lush new heights.…

For years I clumsily lugged around an inherited (well-used) bagged vacuum. The old gal, despite taking chunks out of walls when I took corners at high speed, was a loyal one and never let me down. Fast forward to many years later, after a few run-ins with some less-than-impressive stick vacuums, and I was ready to give up on the more mobile solutions for good. Enter Miele’s first cordless vacuum, the Triflex HX1 Runner. I was sceptical at first; after all, I have been known to be sucked in by flashy marketing and promises of convenience (only to be let down six months in), but this cordless vacuum cleaner just feels different. The sturdy machine boasts a 3-in-1 function to allow for ultimate reach everywhere from the crevices of your…

Architect Sarah Foletta wanted a project and this house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs was exactly that. Once she and her family had resolved the two disjointed levels, the colour scheme started coming together, helped by a unifying backdrop of Dulux Natural White on the walls and Sarah’s collection of raw-looking vintage timber furniture and accessories. A few shades of grey were added to the mix and the rest is... history.…

While one might assume that age and maturity lend a degree of skill, knowledge and worldliness to a building project, in the case of this new build by the beach, youth was in fact pivotal to its success. Property developers Scotty Bemelen and Eliza McCarthy were both a year or two shy of 30 when they embarked on the exciting journey of building their own home in 2018, and while they had completed a number of commercial and residential projects together in the past, they approached this one with open minds and a great deal of flexibility. Their enthusiasm was evident right from the beginning, when they snapped up the perfect parcel of land in the Victorian coastal town of Red Hill as soon as it came up for grabs,…

Locations don’t come much more extreme than Scarborough, a beautiful conservation village that also happens to be the very last town at the south-western tip of Africa. To put things into perspective, the next land mass in a southerly direction is Antarctica. So when journalist Kerryn Fischer and her family decided to relocate from Cape Town to their beach house in Scarborough, their friends were a little perplexed. There’s no question that Scarborough is a fantastic place to live – it borders a nature reserve, offers great surf breaks and has a close-knit community – but it’s a world away from city life. “We’d never really hankered to live out of town because we’d rented a rambling old timber bungalow on one of Cape Town’s loveliest beaches, so we already…

Who lives here Phil, a technology business manager; his wife Adriana; and their two sons, aged three and one. Style of home A dated and dark two-storey 1970s brick-veneer house in Sydney’s northwestern suburbs that has been transformed into a light and contemporary home. The couple bought the property in 2014. In 2019, interior-design firm Studio Quarters was engaged to help them turn the rundown house into a long-term family home. Building started in September 2019 and finished in March 2020. Between $450,000 and $550,000.…

nigella news The Domestic Goddess is back with a new book, Cook, Eat, Repeat ($49.99, Chatto & Windus), full of much-loved recipes and a serve of her wonderful writing on the side. COUNT US IN Coffee lovers, Christmas is sorted: Nespresso has created an advent calendar for your benchtop that includes 23 different coffees... plus a surprise accessory behind the last door. $42; nespresso.com BURNING NEED Light up your life with Maison Balzac’s gorgeously coloured taper candles. Shown left are Sky and Teal, $29.99 for four; maisonbalzac.com fabric of life Soft French linen napkins will bring a touch of luxe to any table setting. Shown below in Ochre and Sage, this set of four napkins from I Love Linen is $39.95; ilovelinen.com.au BIGGER & BETTER LG has unveiled its 56L…

A timber deck generally needs a good clean at least annually. For best results, wash it first with a product such as Cabot’s Deck Clean ($41 per 4L at Bunnings). This will rejuvenate your timber and prep it for a recoat. Before recoating with a stain or oil, give it a thorough blast with a pressure washer. “Using a pressure washer can be three times faster and 10 times more water-efficient than just hosing your deck,” says Greg Wright, category manager for Mayo Hardware, which distributes DeWalt Pressure Washers. “It’s also the difference between slightly improving your deck and it looking near brand-new again.” If you’re not keen on the upkeep that timber requires, you might prefer a composite deck — plastic-based boards that won’t rot, split or fade. “Composite…

How can I add wow factor with paving? “Use pavers in everything from creating walkways to framing garden beds. Pair them with gravel to break up a large area, or use one main paver to create flow and spaciousness,” says Brickworks’ Brett Ward. PGH’s Amy Mancell weighs in: “Fired-clay pavers provide extensive colour and size options, while also avoiding fading and requiring little upkeep. Bricks and pavers make a style statement when laid in patterns. For a sophisticated and classic look, try herringbone or, for a modern statement, a basketweave.” How should I use it? “For mid-century homes, cobblestones or traditional bricks will add a rustic feel that warms up a space,” says Brett. “For a more contemporary-style garden, a traditional square or rectangular paver is ideal, and the most…

An outdoor kitchen is something many of us have dreamed of building into our backyard or pool area to amplify summertime entertaining. But creating a good one isn’t a weekend project. It requires planning and construction know-how to get it right, and a dash of personal style doesn’t go astray, either. 1 pick your purpose The first step towards designing an outdoor kitchen is determining how it will be used. Are you looking for a secondary location to express your culinary expertise, or are you simply looking for a barbecue set-up, a place to smoke meats or even a spot for a wood-fired pizza oven? Once you know how the space will be used, you’ll know which appliances need to be integrated into the build. “Generally, an outdoor kitchen is…

In the heart of Sydney’s Redfern is a thriving garden with a delicious point of difference: it’s Australia’s first native rooftop farm. Situated on the top of Yerrabingin House, more than 2000 edible, medicinal or cultural native plants are being grown, with a view to supplying restaurants around the city — and seeding an understanding of native plants as food. “Most people know a couple of native bush tucker plants, such as quandongs and finger limes,” says Christian Hampson, CEO and co-founder of Yerrabingin, “but many are surprised by the diversity and health benefits of edible Australian natives.” Everyone is welcome and encouraged to visit Yerrabingin, with the farm regularly hosting tours and events such as workshops on Aboriginal culture, native permaculture and sustainability. Threatened native species are also being…

In your experience, which potted plants deliver the best instant impact? More mature plants with larger scale and/or dramatic foliage give the best instant impact. Think about large agave or aloe specimens, dragon trees, frangipanis (the best summer tree) or more traditional olive or citrus trees for a Mediterranean vibe. Advanced cloud trees are great, too. What are the most important elements to consider when choosing plants for pots? Light: match the plant to your conditions. Care: know how much you want to nurture them. Do you need drought-proof, resilient specimens you can leave for weeks in summer without watering etc. Space: give your plant room to grow into the pot. Which plants are trending right now? We concentrate on resilient performance plants that work in containers, rather than focusing…

It takes a lot of wisdom to make things truly simple. For recipe columnist Katrina Meynink, the years invested in building her culinary knowledge included training at Le Cordon Bleu and a series of scholarships, most notably the Julia Child Research Scholarship from The Culinary Trust. These placed her in good stead as a cookbook author and consultant on other chefs’ books. With that much knowledge under her belt, there’s a lovely discipline to the simplicity of these summer-entertaining dishes created for Inside Out and shot at Katrina’s Brisbane home. “I believe the cooking and sharing of food is everything, and that it should be simple, flavoursome and enjoyable to prepare,” she explains. “That’s what this menu really attempts to achieve. There’s plenty of pre-prep to minimise last-minute cooking and…

After a stint working overseas and a summer spent soul-searching, Jess Brown decided to enrol in a floral design course to test the waters. Work experience soon turned into a part-time job, which led to a full-time love of everything botanical, and from there the bulb of entrepreneurial pursuit blossomed into her current business, The Plant Stylist. Here, Jess shares her top tips for keeping our flowers happy and creating breathtaking blooms for this year’s festive season. What do you love about creating floral arrangements? I love being the last piece of the puzzle. Whether it’s an event, home styling or editorial floristry, I am usually the last person to create the magic that ties the whole story together. Is there any difference in how you approach an event installation…

TOP ROW FROM LEFT Living Outside by Sharon Mackay and Diana Snape, $70, Thames & Hudson. With photography by Christopher Frederick Jones, this collection of Australian residential gardens representing our take on the mid-century modern aesthetic could be the definitive push if considering a design-led tree change. High Grade Living: A Guide To Creativity, Clarity And Mindfulness by Jacqui Lewis and Arran Russell, $49.99, Thames & Hudson. This incredible handbook, essentially a guide to finding your higher self, makes it seem infinitely possible to find the serenity in your space. Inside its delicious cover, you’ll find Jacqui’s warm take on “auditing, editing and refining” your home. Places We Swim: Sydney by Caroline Clements and Dillon Seitchik-Reardon, $39.99, Hardie Grant. For the water-lover or fitness fanatic, this dramatically photographed guide to…

Every now and then, something kind of wonderful emerges from the most curious of beginnings. And so it was in 2014 when Sydney architect Sarah Foletta and her husband Hamish embarked on the renovation of a strangely disjointed and partly dilapidated home in a coastal suburb. “It had already undergone a few transformations, or overlays,” says Sarah, “from 1940s worker’s cottage – or cockroach den – to an Italianate interpretation, and it was spectacularly wrong. The previous owners had lived downstairs, and when that became too rundown, they moved upstairs instead of renovating! So the home was set up like dual living, but in two different eras.” Yet Sarah, the co-founder of architecture and design practice Studio S.O, and Hamish were struck by the home’s potential as a family home…

It isn’t often that a husband can successfully get away with purchasing a property before his wife has seen it in person, but in the case of Sarah and Joel Hood, moving quickly worked out just fine. “Joel works in real estate and saw this place before it hit the market; he knew it had great potential,” says Sarah of their home on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. “We fell in love with the house’s 1968 features – the large windows and slanted roofline – and the rolling hills in the background. It felt like Palm Springs,” Sarah continues. “We always wanted a project we could sink our teeth into and put our own spin on, rather than purchasing something that was finished. Ours is a peaceful suburb. We have the beach…

In this Sydney home, a few seldom-used square metres at the front have been semi-enclosed with a wonderful piece of joinery by the design team at Studio Quarters. Inside is a longed-for study space. Some parts of the painted unit have been left open to allow light and air to flow, and niches created to hold favourite pieces. And did we mention all the storage? Plus it’s been tonally matched to the nearby kitchen’s palette, making for a cohesive look from front door to back wall.…

+ Open-plan kitchen/living/dining “Adriana didn’t want the kitchen to be some kind of tucked-away compartment, but for it to be the centre of our home,” says Phil. + Home o›ice “Adriana was after the ideal kitchen and I wanted my ideal study.” + More storage “The existing house was lacking in storage so this was very important, especially in the kitchen.” + Multifunctional guest room/second living space downstairs “We needed space for guests — Adriana’s parents in particular — and for the room to function as an extra living area as well.”…

nature rocks Every square metre of outdoor space is precious – and useful This built-in bench in a courtyard by Melbourne’s Peachy Green epitomises how wonderful garden design has become. Not only is the seat multifunctional (also providing wood storage), it’s perfectly placed to take advantage of sun and shade in its few-square-metre spot. And though it’s surrounded by built structures, the seat is encroached on by nature in the form of a nearby tree and wall creeper – exactly how an outdoor space should be. Read on for lots more ideas and inspiration...…

The key to successfully lighting your outdoor areas is subtlety, says Adele Locke, lighting designer and owner of Melbourne’s Mint Lighting. “Your outdoor lights should give you a sense of the entire space, so you can enjoy sitting in gentle light.” Strong light is very effective at defining a zone, so if you blast your alfresco area with light, you risk feeling like you’re sitting in a tiny yard with a great big black hole behind it, she says. A better approach is to aim for an ambient glow, adds Clayton Driessen, architectural lighting designer for Beacon Lighting. “Using low-output, low-lying and discreet fittings such as garden spotlights, you can create a soft, warm atmosphere around shrubs, grasses and flowers. Another option is to use LED strip lights along planter…

The light has turned golden and the sting of the day’s sun has finally fizzled: summer evenings are made for spending time outside, preferably with friends or family and a glass of something nicely icy in hand. If you’re keen to set up a gorgeous outdoor entertaining space, take a few tips from Frances Hale (pictured above), the founder and principal landscape designer for Peachy Green Garden Architects in Melbourne. Think about what you gain Space, precious space! A well set up outdoor area increases the living zone of your home very effectively. Even if you only have a small area to work with, you’re creating a new open-air room you can spread out into. Get the fundamentals right These are: sun and shade in all the right places; warmth…

What do you look for in the perfect outdoor speaker? Aside from providing high-quality audio, the perfect outdoor speaker should be able to withstand the elements, so durability is key. You’ll also want a speaker with a high IP rating for water-resistance, allowing you to enjoy brilliant sound regardless of whether you’re splashing by the pool or barbecuing in the sun. What’s the ideal summer set-up for outdoor entertaining? That depends on your space. Priced at $649, the Sonos Move has a wall hook so you can easily bring great sound outside. If you’re in a large space and want double the sound, you can add an additional speaker and pair them. If you want to take your sound to the next level, you could also get outdoor Sonance speakers.…

get in the zone The holiday period is peak time for catching up with family. While that can be wonderful, putting related people together means that things can get awkward and stuff may be said. A good way to handle this is to split the crowd, literally. Set up zones to create moments and opportunities for conversation in your outdoor space, but also to inhibit the craziness that comes with a crowd. Create multiple spaces for a couple of people to connect and converse, and you’ll have an outdoor set-up that invites people in and encourages them to stay (this may or may not be a good thing). These zones could be anything from a few settings around a pool, a couple of spots to sit on the deck, or…

Right on the doorstep of Sydney’s bustling CBD is Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant and its magnificent garden, bursting with edibles incorporated into the menu by celebrity head chef François Poulard. All the produce is grown by lead horticulturalist Peter Hatfield, in line with Matt’s legendary garden-to-plate ethos. Not surprisingly, the crops on the Woollahra land can’t totally service the kitchen, but François says there’s always at least one element from the garden in every dish. Menu items with freshly picked produce may include garden beetroot with sprouted lentils, radicchio and sunflower, and garden pea risotto with snow pea, basil and ricotta salata. “I understand how much work and passion goes into the garden,” he says, “so we use as much of the plants as we can in the kitchen, from…

Everything changed during the pandemic year for a lot of us, so the idea of a total transformation – one that delivers a good recharge – is deeply seductive. Anything that promises to take control of the mad mind whirl so many of us are experiencing is worth a try. Which helps explain why meditation retreats are so popular right now: they’re exactly what we need. A retreat is a very effective way to start your meditation journey, often because it’s a line in the sand and a physical change. “The group setting is really powerful,” says Jacqui Lewis, who runs The Broad Place and hosts retreats in London, Los Angeles and now Byron Bay in NSW. “You’re cocooned in this environment, surrounded by like-minded people, and you give yourself…