Hot essentials

What influences today’s trends? For some it will always be about visual appeal, beauty in design but for others there is a need for something more; how something synthesises into your life, or even the world around us.

Blue Eco Homes The Sapphire Passive House BAL-FZ exterior

Bushfire protection

Building in bushfire prone areas comes with additional considerations. HOUSING talks to a HIA member who has achieved Passive House certification to BAL-FZ, plus looks at several products that will help you to meet BAL standards on your next project.

Whether you sit in the style or the sustainable camp, are interested in what’s new or what’s a go-to essential, here are our picks coming into summer for kitchens and bathrooms.

Carefully crafted to bring the experience of Australian nature into the home, the new Caroma Elvire collection brings together a minimalist design aesthetic with beautiful materials.

Your indoor oasis

The semi-outdoor bathroom is a composed marriage of indoors and out, and an emerging trend in the residential market. Sitting on the scale between organic décor and poolside showering facilities, this style of bathroom is characterised by its eco-friendly elements, sliding or bi-fold glass doors, and lush displays of plant arrangements.

With consumers increasingly aware of their impact on the environment, and the positive impact nature can have on their lifestyle, they’re looking for ways to integrate the natural world into their homes.

‘For many Australians, the bathroom is an oasis away from the rest of the world,’ says Luke Di Michiel, Caroma’s industrial designer.

‘It’s a place of self-expression where you can put your personal touch on your home and create a luxurious space you can enjoy.’

No longer is the bathroom just a washroom with a cold atmosphere and a single purpose. In new and renovated homes, the bathroom is a soothing sanctuary to escape the stresses of a long day.

Carefully crafted to bring the experience of Australian nature into the home, the new Caroma Elvire collection is where nature and luxury unite. It brings together a minimalist design aesthetic with beautiful materials for a stunning bathroom experience. Caroma has paired sustainable Tasmanian timbers with sophisticated gunmetal finishes to create a unique collection that is grounded in practical, functional and ecological design principals.

The Elvire collection offers a wide range of bathroom accessories, including basins, vanities, showerheads, baths, toilet suites and tap-ware that will bring any semi-outdoor bathroom design to life.

Water-wise waste

When thinking about future directions in design, in an ideal world beauty will live side by side with green sensibilities.

Even when nature calls, there should be more options available than relying on flushing our waste into the water system.

In many of our towns and communities, water reserves are rapidly facing a time where rationing will only provide safe drinking water for a limited time.

It is safe to say that maintaining sustainable water supplies will be at the forefront of our minds for some time – not only in Australia, but worldwide.

Every day toilets consume four litres of clean water or more per use. However, Cinderella Eco Group has created a water-free solution both innovative and environmentally friendly.

The Norwegian-based brand offers the Cinderella Incineration Toilet, a system that efficiently burns all waste.

The remnant ash is sterile, odourless, and contains nutrients perfect to go straight into the garden.

The award-winning Cinderella runs on electricity and is currently available for specific applications in Australia.

So, what began as a go-to solution for nature-lovers building leisure homes in remote locations with no access to water or electricity, could now be an innovative solution to our own home-grown water crisis.

Cinderella incinerating toilet — The Cinderella Incineration Toilet offers a water-free solution. Remnant ash is sterile and odourless.

charcoal bathroom rainhead and extraction fan — The ground-breaking Rogerseller Tectonic shower and extraction system combines water, light and steam extraction in one.

black tapware — The Kohler Heavenly shower uses just 7.5L of water a minute to create an indulgent rainwater experience.

The good gas

In recent research conducted by Nature Research on behalf of Brighter, Australians were asked to state their most essential kitchen item and the trusted gas cooktop ranked number one – well above electric stovetops and microwaves. In total, one-third of Australians surveyed said they couldn’t live without their gas cooktop, while emerging homeowners agree, with 38 per cent under the age of 40 saying a gas cooktop was a ‘must-have’ appliance.

The professionals would whole heartedly agree. In the case of chef Adrian Richardson, star of Good Chef Bad Chef and Brighter’s series The Chef’s Secret, was recently interviewed on Style Rules, a podcast created by the team behind Home Beautiful magazine. In the episode he talked through some of his top tips for entertaining at home, such as cooking steaks to perfection on a gas cooktop, and his love of an indoor-outdoor natural gas connection.

Known for world-class meat in his inner-city restaurant La Luna Bistro in Melbourne, like most chefs Adrian chooses to cook with gas both at work and at home.

‘I always go outside [to cook]. I’ve got a hard-wired gas barbeque, and I’ll cook my steaks out there,’ he says.

He also notes ‘seamless flow’ is one of the key ingredients to designing the perfect kitchen: ‘I’m currently designing a house in inner-city Melbourne, so space is a premium.’
Adrian’s kitchen connects to the outside entertaining area, meaning all his gas appliances are in close proximity, and regardless of the weather, he has a gas cooking appliance ready to go.

For perfect performance inside or out gas will always deliver.

natural stone outdoor area — Natural stone is a versatile option, available in tiles, slabs, pavers and a wide range of products for interior spaces.

natural stone bathroom — Renovating a home with natural stone products increases the durability, sustainability and aesthetics of the build

The new stone age

Renovations are all about modern liveability – how a home looks, feels and flows. More than ever renovators are looking for solutions that combine long-lasting beauty and consistency of comfort. So the hunt is naturally on for a way to achieve the perfect solution, while keeping costs down, and using products that are durable, stylish and practical.

Natural stone is a versatile option, available in tiles, slabs, pavers and a wide range of products for interior spaces. It’s a dramatic substitute for materials such as ceramic and wood, with the ability to add sophistication to any room in the house, outdoor entertaining areas or garden landscaping.

‘Natural stone transforms homes,’ says Shaun Pakhiwala, RMS Traders Natural Stone Tiles manager. ‘There are no style fads, tricks or catches with natural stone, and once installed, an instant sense of luxury is achieved without homeowners needing to try too hard.’

Renovating a home with natural stone products increases the durability, sustainability and aesthetics of the build, which is an investment toward a better lifestyle – not just a more stylish home. By installing natural stone, renovators instantly add value to their homes and bring beauty and longevity to any space.

‘Once installed and sealed correctly, natural stones like travertine and limestone are soft to touch, retain cool temperatures, work perfectly indoors and out, and can withstand every challenge the Australian climate has to offer.’

With the right foundation, design and installation, a natural stone that flows through the home connecting outdoor with indoor spaces will allow homeowners to enjoy their property to the fullest potential, not only during summer but year-round.

Beyond the barbie

As the weather begins to warm up Australians look to ways they can utilise their outdoor living space by extending the kitchen to the out-doors.

‘We are seeing outdoor living spaces evolve to include eye-catching aesthetic designs and high-quality functionality,’ says Russell Crosdale – category expert, Winning Appliances.

‘Homeowners can expand their culinary horizons by creating a combined outdoor kitchen and entertaining area, which can include appliances, such as sinks and taps, dishwashers, fridges and beverage centres, wine cabinets and multi-functional barbeques.’

He adds that gourmet home-cooked meals can be achieved outdoors with a high-quality and functional barbeque, with multiple cooking features.

‘A barbeque with a variety of cooking options, such as multiple burners, grilling plates and warming racks, a rotisserie for slow cooking and an additional side or wok burner for cooking side dishes, will ensure any culinary creation is not limited to the indoors. The added benefit of cooking outdoors is it keeps the central kitchen clean and clutter free, allowing it to remain the statement piece in the home.

Both indoor and outdoor kitchens have evolved to incorporate more of the homeowner’s needs for summertime entertaining.

‘The addition of wine cabinets and beverage centres allows for the versatility and convenience of entertaining guests with a chilled beverage available on demand,’ Russell says. ‘We are also seeing a growing trend towards the inclusion of multi-purpose tapware, such as Zip HydroTaps, with chilled, sparkling and boiling water options, allowing for greater convenience when entertaining.’

This article was compiled with contributions from Caroma, Cinderella Eco Group, Brighter, RMS Traders Natural Stone Tiles and Winning Appliances.