On Trend - May 2020

Creative collab 

Caesarstone and Wattyl has announced an inspired collaboration, creating eye-catching pairings of colours and materials to help industry professionals and consumers create the feeling of a designer-led project. The diverse collection of Caesarstone quartz surfaces are paired with Wattyl paint colours, Sussex Taps and Polytec cabinetry as an inspirational guide for designing or updating interior spaces. Catering to a wide selection of popular architectural themes and consumer demographics, the combinations – which range from crisp whites, soft neutrals to deep, dark charcoals – are both sophisticated and sublime.

Shine bright 

BEEM has added contemporary new products to its existing lighting range, including round and linear chandeliers, wall lights and a new desk lamp. Each new product has been composed to fit the four unique accompanying lightbulb designs, offering a modern yet retro look to interior lighting.

BEEM’s products are all made and assembled by hand from high-quality materials, and are combined with the latest LED light technology. 

Each piece is manufactured to maximise sustainability and offer a minimum of 25,000 hours of use for each bulb.

Warm cocoon

Smoke-free fireplaces by Cocoon Fires provides a versatile range of fireplace designs that the company says produce no harmful emissions. The new burner system, Cocoon 2.0, is available in three available ranges – Aeris, Pedestal and Vallum – which are all fuelled by clean burning and environmentally-friendly bioethanol. This creates a smoke-free fire and a suitable alternative to other forms of heating.

The simple orientation of the fireplaces makes them adaptable to any home design, offering suspended, wall-mounted and freestanding options. The different ranges are also portable and interchangeable.

All models incorporate a protective marine-grade quality finish to protect them from element exposure. 

For more information read Feel the burn.

Clever combination

The home appliances brand Gaggenau has revealed its new combi-steam ovens in its 400 and 200 series. The latest updates see both ovens include new features such as glare-free LED lighting, fixed water connection – previously only found in the 400 series – and an increased size of 50 litres.

Additionally, the 200 series now comes with a surface grill hidden behind ceramic glass and a fully automatic cleaning system. This system is able to clean the entire oven, leaving it washed in less than four hours.

Both models come with a multicore temperature probe that features three temperature sensors and continually revises the estimated cooking time based on the readings.

Better battens

DECO Australia has released its newest series to the DecoBatten range, the 25mm Designer Series, which is smaller and more lightweight than previous ranges. As with all DecoBatten products, this series is also made from 100 per cent solid aluminium and finished in DECO’s Super Durable™ powder coating technology. A selection of more than 150 DecoWood® timber grain colours plus a range of plain, concrete, marble or rust finishes are available.

Put together with DECO’s ‘Quick Click’, the two-piece batten system has no visible fixings and can be positioned at any angle on any flat surface. 

DecoBatten has been tested and certified to Australian Standards AS1530.1 and AS1530.3, and is suitable for bushfire prone areas.

Actively protecting  

Sentricon AlwaysActive is a revolutionary termite management system that can be installed during construction and maintained for the life of the home. The termiticide rod is more desirable than timber, and prevents the termite’s ability to shed their outer skeleton, which in turn eradicates the entire colony. The Sentricon system is backed by more than 20 years’ experience and more than 70 independent scientific articles, providing evidence of the ability of the system to eliminate termites worldwide.

For more information visit www.sentricon.com.au or talk to your pest manager.

Five stars

NewTechWood’s Castellation range now offers a good solution for creating a timber-look floor or feature wall. The five-rib panel cladding can be installed either horizontally or vertically – perfect for any project. 

The 196mm cladding boards are fully capped with UltraShield so there is no need to oil, paint and stain – providing the appearance of timber without the maintenance. The shield also gives high stain- and UV-resistance, making it long lasting and durable. The AW08 cladding clip holds the Castellation boards in place securely while allowing for air to circulate between the cladding and the joists.

NewTechWood says the eco-cladding boards include 60 per cent recycled dense wood fibre and 40 per cent high-grade recycled plastics (HDPE). 

Walls without limits  

The Mario Romano Walls range is an exclusive line of multidimensional walls carved directly on Staron Solid Surfaces. Forty-eight etched designs varying in colour options are available and can be further enhanced with backlight options. 

The surfaces are durable, non-porous and don’t require painting, sanding or grout. The pieces are carved and labelled ready for installation, and are bound together and attached to the wall with silicone.

Mario Romano Walls are suitable for all internal spaces including wet areas, and can flow around windows or sit smooth against corners. 

Next-gen taps

Kohler has introduced the next generation in tapware – Components – a collection with interchangeable spouts and handles that have a WELS rating of five-stars (6L per minute). Components is a simple, three-step process to create a unique look in the bathroom.

The three spout designs consists of: Row, a modern, angular design; Ribbon, a thin, flat design; and Tube, a classic cylindrical form.  

The four handles offer a variety of designs from single-control function with magnetic motion, to an industrial influenced design of machine valves and factory pipes. There is also a slender take on classic tapware design available.   

All are finished in polished chrome but other finish options are likely to be added at a later date.

Premium comfort  

Be prepared for the hot days of summer or the cold snap of winter with Daikin’s Premium Inverter Ducted Series, which provides discreet airconditioned comfort throughout the entire home. Engineered to deliver superior energy performance and design flexibility, Daikin’s premium inverter ducted series allows a maximum piping length of up to 150 metres (180–250 class) and are pre-charged to 30 metres (50–160 class). 

The inverter system provides a gentle increase and decrease in power, reaching the desired temperature quicker, and steadily maintains it without fluctuation. It also has a quiet mode feature for reduced noise levels during sleeping hours. 

Concealed air 

Ventilation systems traditionally prioritise function over style when facilitating air flow. But Aria Vent’s products seamlessly integrate into home designs, co-existing with all surfaces.

The Drywall Pro is its most popular ventilation range, designed specifically to contour to drywall surfaces. Complete with a drywall bead rim, this vent is mudded right into the drywall surface and can be covered with paint or wallpaper.

The Drywall Pro X collection gives the same sleek look as the Drywall Pro but in larger sizes, suitable for areas such as living rooms, hallways and foyers. 

Aria Vent’s design and shape prevents children from tossing items into duct systems and pets from catching paws or identification tags in the grille.

Step up

Scarabeo Ceramiche has recently released Step, its newest shower tray design that is suitable for indoor and outdoor bathroom use. The 27mm thick ceramic surface comes as a single sheet cut to size during installation and mounted perfectly flush with the floor, with a drain cover that matches the colour of the tray.

The product is waterproof, can support up to 1000kg, is resistant to impacts, abrasions and stains, and is non-slip. The surface texture colour, which is available in various options, is able to withstand exposure to UV light.

A selection of Scarabeo products are available in Australia through Paco Jaanson.