live life outdoors issue #2

1ECO OUTDOOR | ISSUE # 2

2 AN OUTDOOR LIFE


As adults we still prize nature’s bounty. An old re-used length of timber that could tell countless stories of lives gone before. A stone floor that has carried a thousand footsteps from one life to another.

It strikes me as strange sometimes to focus only on the obvious environmental benefit of re-use when the most valuable inheritance is most surely the evolving character of the material and the textural hallmarks of time.

This affection for simple materials is heightened by our love for the imperfections found within them. The battle scars of a life well lived that rest in the patina and carry with them a textured sense of history and memory.

We have always been compelled by the belief that real beauty is imperfect and incomplete and this becomes a guiding philosophy when we make aesthetic choices about the materials we work with. Natural stone, fabrics, timber and even copper that age beautifully and change over time. We often talk about these materials as being ‘forgiving’ because they blend the unavoidable marks of life amongst the blemishes of ageing; but what we really mean is that these materials will keep evolving as they accumulate the marks of a life well lived.

We believe that a well designed space grounded in natural materials can have a marked effect on the person who lives there. So often living spaces can be defined by trends or fads and although the formulaic can be seen clearly in retrospect, it is often not visible at the moment of heightened popularity.

Our home is the corner of our world, our sacred escape from the gripping pace of life. Every choice of material builds a story and determines how well we will receive and accept the impulsive hands of time on the spaces we have made.

Sometimes it is only when we live with things, that we can appreciate the simple imperfect beauty they offer. This is true of the materials we use in our homes and the landscapes that surround them. And as the late artist Jef Verheyen who had a profound eye for both material and light, once said; aesthetics matter because “seeing is feeling with the eyes”.

WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ENAMOURED BY THE BEAUTY FOUND IN NATURE’S ARTISTRY.

AS CHILDREN WE CAREFULLY COLLECTED LITTLE TREASURES FROM THE GARDEN AND LOVINGLY STOWED THEM SAFELY AWAY. AN ODD SHAPED TWIG OR A SMALL STONE THAT WAS SO SHINY IT FELT AS IF IT MUST CONTAIN DEEP MAGICAL

POWERS EVEN AS IT JUST RESTED THERE IN THE GARDEN BED.

–

4 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

Garden Design by Rick Eckersley


MUSK COTTAGE _

I’ve spent the best part of my life making gardens for friends, family and clients, and almost 20 years talking about gardening on Saturday morning radio. When it came time to retire from 3AW, I finally had my weekends back and the freedom to pursue my own interests. As it happens, my chief love is garden making! Musk cottage had the perfect bones for me to stamp my philosophy of garden making – a quintessentially Australian garden.

As a garden designer, you act as both a creative force and as a catalyst for change. It’s an exciting and strangely daunting process to create something for you alone. Where to start when there are no rules? We all have a soft spot for native Australian plants but we tend to design with mainly exotic vegetation due to public prejudices. The garden was to be recognisably Australian in flavour but seamlessly knitted with plants from around the world. A melting pot if you like.

As with any ambitious project, there were a few steps backwards before we started forwards. It was the middle of the drought six years ago when the garden was started. Water was scarce and the dam was drying fast. So much time and effort went into drainage to harness whatever water was about. You can keep a garden on little water but it always needs some to get started.

‘I wanted to create a garden that challenged people’s preconceptions

about garden making.’–

Rick Eckersley

Plants of course are the main medium in making a country garden. How you knit the choice of planting patterns and how you achieve a seamless flow over a large area is a tell tale sign of success. I try to approach all plants as equals without bowing to fashion or marketing. It’s the way they’re put together that gives them impact. Plants that react enmasse to stimuli are favourites of mine. Branches that bend and toss, graces that ripple and sway, flowers that pop in sunlight and leaves that catch pearls of dew. Colours in bark and leaves as well as flower are what makes this garden meld together. Greys, olive greens, browns and brindles are all the colours of Australia and are the base palette for the garden at Musk Cottage.

The results, I hope speak for themselves. It’s unfinished but what garden ever is finished? And what true gardener is ever satisfied? To me, the measure of success is when a garden’s beauty touches your soul and begs you to linger.

‘MUSK COTTAGE HAD THE PERFECT BONES FOR ME TO STAMP

MY PHILOSOPHY OF GARDEN MAKING – A QUINTESSENTIALLY

AUSTRALIAN GARDEN.’

6 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

LUXURIOUS OUTDOOR LINENS–

When it comes to outdoor furniture, we often think of harsh scratchy fabrics in bold prints and bright colours. Those days are over. Here at Eco Outdoor we’re introducing a whole new range of luxurious outdoor Belgian linens across many of our furniture ranges. Linen is

an incredibly durable material and like all natural products, it will age beautifully over time becoming softer and more malleable with each year. What’s more, our natural Belgian linens are made

100% for the outdoors so you can be confident they’ll last the distance.

–

7

For me, outdoor styling is all about natural materials that have a strong sense of place. When I’m styling I’m aiming to make a space look legitimate but achingly covetable at the same time and without a stick of driftwood in sight! When I styled this shot I imagined someone playing bluegrass in the afternoon during that magic hour when the sun’s about to go down. This is a total ‘you wish’ room, it feels comfortable but still really covetable at the same time.

on styling for the outdoors–

@megan_morton

SMITTEN KITCHEN

From a tiny kitchen in Manhattan comes the most

delightful of recipes, and they’re easy to make too.

RRP $49.95

WHAT KATIE ATE After years of food styling,

travelling and shooting Katie Davis has compiled over 100 elegant recipes with the

most mouth watering accompanying images.

You’ll want to eat the lot. RRP $49.95

KINFOLK For a mix of beautiful food and truly inspiring lifestyle imagery you just can’t go past The Kinfolk Table.

Start planning your next gathering.

RRP $55.00

All available at Eco Outdoor

<

Belgian Linen gardening apron $149, available in two colours

–

Belgian Linen sailing tote $149

<

–Hutt sofa RRP $2699Eco Outdoor

8 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

–IMPERFECT

INCOMPLETEIMPERMANENT

THE BEAUTY OFCHARACTER

AGEWEATHERING

UTILITY–


In past decades, the Western world has been obsessed with the pursuit of perfection. But these days, more of us are getting tired of over-the-top indulgence and excess. We’re craving a simpler, more authentic way of being – a mindset that’s embraced beautifully in the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi.

More than just a design style, wabi-sabi is a way of seeing the world. It’s about celebrating the fleeting, flawed nature of life. Appreciating the moss that clings to stones, the cracks in treasured crockery, the fading bloom of flowers. In the words of designer Leonard Koren, Wabi-sabi is beauty that’s “imperfect, impermanent and incomplete”.

While it doesn’t translate directly into English, the phrase ‘wabi-sabi’ means having a detachment from material wealth; a quiet contentment in simple, uncontrived things. This comes to life in all sorts of Japanese art and design – haiku poetry, ikebana flower arrangement, the rustic pottery used in tea ceremonies and of course Japanese gardens.

The spiritual ideas that underpin wabi-sabi translate into a range of different design principles. For a start, there’s the concept of life being temporary. Unlike the youth-fixated culture of the west, wabi-sabi welcomes the ageing process. According to wabi-sabi, objects only grow more fascinating and beautiful as they weather, warp, crack and rust. It’s about well-thumbed books, faded rugs and wood that’s been worn smooth – things that have been cared for and used time and time again.

As well as accepting the passage of time, wabi-sabi also accepts nature as it is. Materials are organic, not manufactured, and they are often left raw (all the better for ageing!). Woods are untreated, stones unpolished and metal left to gently accumulate rust. Colours are very subdued – a palette of greys, earthy greens, rusts, browns and a million shades of black. It’s probably also no surprise that wabi-sabi spaces are full of odd shapes, kinks and quirks…after all, there are no straight lines in nature! Structure is never formal or imposed, and asymmetry is pretty much a given. Certainly a far cry from the perfectly aligned aesthetic of an English country garden or formal dining room.

Another characteristic of wabi-sabi that flies in the face of western culture today is its sense of modesty. At its heart, wabi-sabi is about appreciating simplicity, and seeing the value in small things. By finding satisfaction in very little, we can free ourselves from over-reliance on material indulgence – which, in our consumer-driven world, can be an attractive prospect indeed. Editing is key to wabi-sabi. To create the perfect balance, it’s necessary to pare things back to their very barest elements. A single chair replaces a cluster, and walls may be left deliberately bare. Empty space becomes a powerful way to draw attention to what is here. It’s an understated elegance that verges on austerity.

Essentially, wabi-sabi is a meditation on life. Spaces are not just designed to be attractive, they’re created with a deeper purpose – to reflect philosophical and spiritual ideals, and inspire reflection. At first glance wabi-sabi can seem haphazard, with its crooked paths, unexpected spaces and irregular-shapes. But every single object will have been carefully chosen and positioned to provoke contemplation.

There’s no specific list of rules for wabi-sabi, and no ‘how-to’ guide – which makes it all the more intriguing. The real challenge? Learning to live modestly, mindfully and to be happy with the barest minimum. Once we’ve mastered this, the rest becomes simple.

WABI SABI IS BOTH

A PHILOSOPHY AND A

DESIGN AESTHETIC.

WABI CONTAINS THE

ROOT WA WHICH REFERS

TO HARMONY, PEACE,

TRANQUILLITY, AND

BALANCE AND HAS COME

TO MEAN SIMPLE,

UNMATERIALISTIC,

HUMBLE BY CHOICE, AND

IN TUNE WITH NATURE.

IT’S A TRANSCENDENTAL

BEAUTY ACHIEVED

THROUGH SUBTLE

IMPERFECTION.

SABI MEANS “THE BLOOM

OF TIME” AND CONNOTES

A NATURAL PROGRESSION.

IT’S AN UNDERSTANDING

THAT BEAUTY IS TRANSIENT,

FLEETING, AND ONLY

COMES WITH TIME.

–

–It is the intrinsic beauty we find in peeling paint,

battered floors and weathered stone that is testament to our yearning for a deeper connection with the materials that surround us. Think about the rust that forms on metal giving it a weathered appearance. Consider timber as it ages into a stunning palette of silver gray or

stone which bears the hallmarks of a life well lived. Patinas and textures

in their most raw state become even more expressive.

10 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

Like many regions outside of the city, Pittwater has its own distinct style. Due to the long distance commute it often attracts corporate refugees with more flexible work patterns and of course the locals who have been privy to the secret that is Pittwater, all their lives.

It is these Pittwater folk and the distinct energy and the creativity that flows through the heart of this area that makes it feel so special.

There’s a slowing of pace on Pittwater; a respite from the clenching jaws of a hurried city life. But where some regional areas can feel remote and disconnected, Pittwater feels like a place brimming with cultural and conscious creativity.

–PITTWATER STYLE–

Some 40 kilometres north of Sydney lies a stunning body of water which stretches north from Newport all the way to Palm Beach; the Pittwater. This waterway connects a small enclave of coastal towns and local communities who live in and around the water and the surrounding beaches that make up the peninsula.

–Amos dining chair RRP $599Bremer dining table RRP$2999–Eco Outdoor

12 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

Tuckey and I moved from Melbourne to Sydney’s Pittwater with our daughters six years ago. Melbourne has so much to offer but with two small children Pittwater offered a playground of secret bays and beaches waiting to be explored, and we’d been keen to open a store in Sydney so move we did.

Our main business and workshop is still in Melbourne, and Pittwater is home to our second shop and the Tuckey family. Tuckey grew up here and it just made sense for us all to come back.

A lot of the furniture we produce has a real synergy with both beach and city. Our style really focuses on natural finishes and textures, a laid back organic style that is consciously deliberate but low key at the same time. We avoid all the obvious connections to beach interiors. No boats in-store, no blue and white stripes and definitely no driftwood. The connection is subtle, as it should be.

We’ve both travelled loads and if we could choose anywhere in the world to live, we’d still end up back here in Pittwater. Where we’re 5 minutes from work, where we can walk out of our front gate straight onto a beach, hop on our boat and go up river for a few days or head across the water to beaches in national park where goannas stomp out of the bush to steal your lunch (truly). Yes it’s true - we LOVE Pittwater Lx

Louella Tuckeystylist / co-owner of Mark Tuckey Furniturewww.marktuckey.com.au@mark_tuckey

–Malua lounge chair RRP $1799–Eco Outdoor

– Stick these locals

in your feed –

–At the beach, life is different.

Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by

the currents, we plan by the tides and we follow the sun.

–

–PITTWATER STYLE–

@tabletonic

@paddotopalmy

@captainandthegypsykid


Malua sofa RRP $3499–Eco Outdoor

We shot our latest ranges up around Pittwater because we felt like it encapsulated the lifestyle we imagine when we design our furniture. It’s a carefree, laid back, easy going kind of place. It reminds us of hot summer days when you can’t wait to get into the water; you wander home and sink into a comfy chair and while away the afternoon with a great book or a treasured friend. It’s the kind of life that makes us want to slow down and smell the sea air. That gives us energy and passion for life but always, a reason to stop work and come home. Who doesn’t want a bit of that in their outdoor life?

– Weekend Notes– An early morning surf at Bilgola beach –

– Brekky at the Boathouse @ Palm Beach –

– Table Tonic @ Avalon for unique interior tidbits – – A low key feed around the fire pit –– Rust @ Avalon for a bit of hunt & gather –

– A lazy lunch at Nourish organic cafe –

– An afternoon stand up paddle board at Clareville beach –– MamaPapa @ Avalon for divine small folks’ gear –

– Watch the sun go down over

a cold bottle of something –

– Mark Tuckey store @ Newport for all things Tuckey style –

Ida chair RRP $449–

Eco Outdoor

14 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

I wanted to write a story about Nick and his thoughts on people, plants and power but soon realized it’s impossible to do so without delving into the realms of permaculture. It’s now become a story of the man, framed by the movement.

The word permaculture was coined in 1978, by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. Mollison defines it as ‘a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system’.

Holmgren describes permaculture as ‘consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of local needs.’ More than just a way of farming or gardening, it’s a set of ethics that can be applied to all spheres of life, from vast farms to inner city balconies, and corporate organizations to community groups.

Nick and his partner Kirsten Bradley started Milkwood Permaculture around seven years ago, upon moving to a farm near Mudgee in central NSW. The property became an experiment in creating a rural permaculture community, and a classroom for their permaculture design courses. The business grew rapidly and Milkwood has since outgrown its rural base. Nick and Kirsten have recently moved to the NSW South Coast, to be closer to Sydney and family, and are now building a rooftop permaculture demonstration garden in Redfern.

For me there is no cut off point where we can disassociate and say ‘that’s the other’. Everything down to the bacteria in our gut or soil is part of the incredible construct of nature, which has evolved on this planet to such a level of complexity that to deny our part in that complex ballet is the root of our destructive behaviour.

Our conversation, like all good ones, comes around to food. In so many ways, this is where the power lies in the exploration of our relationship to the natural world. We eat three times a day, and (hopefully) much of this comes from either a plant or animal. It is for many people the most obvious and regular way of interacting with the natural world. And an ethical minefield.

To Nick, the most important thing about eating is finding the story behind the food systems you are supporting with your mouth.

Every bite of food is a reflection of your ethics. That doesn’t mean becoming a food snob who is a pain in the arse at every dinner party, but it does mean that when you buy something, you exercise your power by taking the time to understand what you are giving your money to. The more you learn the stories behind your food the less black and white you become. Often this means sacrificing convenience. Ethics and convenience don’t always go together.

So, what does the bread you buy from the supermarket have to do with coal seam gas mining? As Nick suggests, everything is connected, in both positive and negative ways. He says,

‘If you are giving your money to commodified food you are supporting fracking. Fracking is producing gas which is used in the fertilizer industry. If you are buying food from producers using that fertilizer you are supporting coal seam gas. It’s a simple as that. So many things we don’t support, we end up implicitly supporting through our food choices. It’s probably the easiest way to exercise your power in this world.’

Holy hell. Nothing exists in isolation, huh?!

Permaculture has often been described as ‘revolution disguised as gardening’. I buy this. And Nick Ritar, with his close cropped head, not a hippy-ish dreadlock to be seen, could well be the leader. Or the pin-up boy. Whatever. The important thing, and what I feel Milkwood has done particularly well, is the way the messages found within the principles of permaculture are framed. Nick has done a brilliant job of sharing these in an intelligent, accessible and practical way, appealing to a wide range of people looking for reconnection with the natural world.

Nick is also, quite obviously, a questioner. The concept of lines in the sand, and thinking in greyscale rather than black and white, came up a number of times in our conversation. No one knows the answers, and god damn it gets rather boring when people assume they do. But questioning, pondering, exploring, this is where the good stuff is found, and this is where Nick exists.

www.milkwood.net

My first thought regarding Nick Ritar and the word power is about his work as a teacher – empowering people to engage with plants. I ask Nick about this and, as I soon discover is his way, he approaches the subject from a slightly different direction…

I could use the word oppression to describe our relationship with plants. Clearly their sentience is not at the same level as a farm animal but there is a complexity to plants, they’re not a machine; they’re more than that. We are completely dominant over them yet they’re at the root of all energy transactions on this planet. It’s an interesting prospect to look at these organisms which are completely subjugated, yet the basis of our civilization.

However violently permaculturists kill plants, the approach is focused on respect and taking only what is needed, which is quite a contrast to conventional approaches to natural systems management, I suggest. We agree. Nick asserts that the practices involved in permaculture are an attempt to remove the line of disconnection between humans and the wider environment, an effort to develop a more holistic way of thinking about plants and nature. He says, ‘One of the main things we stress in our teaching is that there is no disconnection between us and the natural systems we utilize and engage with. It’s the pretend separation from nature that allows us to get away with all kinds of horrific things.’

Words by Georgina Reid Images by Daniel Shipp –

http://theplanthunter.com.au

NICK IS ALSO, QUITE OBVIOUSLY, A QUESTIONER. THE CONCEPT OF LINES IN THE SAND, AND THINKING IN GREYSCALE RATHER THAN BLACK

AND WHITE, CAME UP A NUMBER OF TIMES IN OUR CONVERSATION.

16 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

– x –If you’re a fan of Koskela’s beautifully crafted furniture

and homegoods, you’ll love the understated style and simplicity of Russel Koskela and Sasha Titchkosky’s

coastal retreat “Dickebusch” which lies about an hour north of Sydney in the small seaside town of Patonga.

The retreat really is an antidote to city living with its focus on natural colours and simple materials creating

a pared back aesthetic that invites you to slow down and just live a little.


–We wanted something that made you

feel like you were on holidays. So it didn’t feel like a city house – all down lights and polished surfaces and bright white walls.

We wanted it to feel really different.–

Dickebusch – Patonga–http://www.koskela.com.au/accommodation/–

18 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

In his early days, like many designers, Michael Cooke’s style was heavily influenced by how others were designing around him, at that stage it was a lot of English style country gardens. A far cry from his design approach today.

As Michael’s experience grew, so did his own ideas about how a garden should look and more importantly, feel. Today Michael’s gardens are about creating an emotional outdoor space that works in with the natural surrounding landscape. He explains that with 30 plus years of plant knowledge on his side, plant selection comes naturally. Ever modest it’s clear that Michael is renowned for his skill in selecting plants that not only complement and engage the surrounding landscape, but create layers within a garden; bringing depth of colour and texture to soft planted areas set against the more structured forms of a built garden.

For Michael, good design is never about money and it’s certainly not about the latest product or trend. It’s about creating a space that responds to you and the way you want to live outside. Equally it’s about creating a space that evokes a response from you, an area that is sensory and can’t be ignored. Gardens should be experienced; we should notice the changes from season to season as we move throughout the year, the smells and the sounds that make up the space.

Michael bought his current property at the age of 25. Back then it was un-cleared bush land with an old fence and a septic tank. Not much to work with. The garden has been transformed over many years and continues to be a growing, evolving and ever changing life force. Initially Michael bought the land to plant one of every species from his 2.5 acre nursery but as life changed, so did the garden.

When he and his wife Cathy started building their home, they began to adapt the garden around a living space. It changed when they brought horses onto the property

and again when they were raising their son. Each life stage brought with it a need to look at the way the garden was being used in a different light.

The end result is almost a planted history of his family’s life. For Michael, walking through the garden is like looking through a photo album; it’s full with memories at every turn. There are areas now that he thinks are a little old fashioned but recognises that those planted experiences represent moments in his own life from years gone by. To pull out that memory and replace it with something more fashionable just doesn’t feel right. It would be like updating your wedding ring ten years later and denying the significance of the one you both chose in your younger years.

When we ask Michael what it is that he likes most about his garden, there’s no one favourite plant or spot that he can pin point. We can see now that our question is like asking someone to choose their favourite memory or their favorite emotion. It’s simply impossible to have just one without appreciating the whole spectrum of other memories which make up your whole. On some days it’s the smell in the air that Michael loves, on others it’s feeding the horses or walking out across the paddocks without shoes. It’s the little moments that happen all around the place. It’s the feeling of a living and changing space that has been there his whole adult life, like part of the family.

What Michael has created is truly special. A living, breathing planted history that captures and holds tight his family’s memories within an incredibly beautiful space that be experienced every day. It truly is the garden of a lifetime.

– The garden of a lifetime

–


Images by Brigid Arnott–

20 AN OUTDOOR LIFE


Far from being a newcomer to the design scene, copper has been used

in design and construction for thousands of years. Durable,

malleable and resistant to corrosion, it’s no surprise copper has earned

such an enduring place in design history.

_

With its distinctive reddish tone and rich metallic lustre, this material embodies a character that’s as striking as it is unique – an alluring aesthetic that almost belies its hardy practicality. And of course, there’s the intriguing way in which copper evolves over the ages.

As copper ages and resists its exposure to elements such as sun and moisture it flaunts beautiful imperfections – technically known as patination. Over time, its original blush tones give way to vivid turquoise, blue and green tones; a change in pigmentation often seen occurring on grand architectural structures. It’s a process that’s unpredictable, mysterious and visually captivating.

So how does copper fit into the modern design and architectural landscape? Still boasting its definition as a high-end building material, copper is also filtering down into the intricacies of interior design. Currently, copper is finding renewed popularity with contemporary architects, who are using it in offices, homes, roofs, water features and exterior cladding on buildings. However, copper has also clearly

caught the eye of today’s interior designer – finding its way into light fittings, fireplaces, taps, bathrooms, cookware, and even interior walls and staircases. As well as injecting its undeniable premium feel into a home, it also conveys a subtle sense of European modernism and grandeur – and a warmth that only grows over time.

What is so paradoxical and fascinating about copper, is that the element’s celebrated beauty comes through its increasing imperfections with age. As the design and architectural landscapes continue to experiment with materials, styles, shapes and textures, it is no wonder materials as diverse, durable, and naturally beautiful as copper are coming to the fore and trickling through multiple facets – whether its presence is as grand as a feature roof, or as demure as kitchen cookware.

COPPER

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

Copper saucepan RRP $49.95–Eco Outdoor

22 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

Tully sofa RRP $2499–Eco Outdoor


–Outdoor summer fun

for small folk –

There’s nothing more delightful than a glass of cool lemonade on a warm day, especially if its served by little folk. Making your own lemonade from scratch is easy and means you avoid all the nasties that often come with the pre-made stuff.

Here’s what you’ll need:

– 1 cup castor sugar – 5 cups of water (or soda water) – 6 to 8 lemons (about 1 cup of lemon juice) – Ice – Sprigs of mint for garnish

What to do:

1_ Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over a low heat to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat to cool.

2_ Squeeze the lemons until you have roughly 1 cup of juice.

3_ Combine the cooled sugar syrup with the lemon juice and the remaining 4 cups of water in a jug and add ice. You may like to add a little more sugar if you like it a bit sweeter.

4_ Garnish with mint and serve.

24 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

The initial design brief for this project was to demolish the existing 1920s Art Deco bungalow and build a new property from scratch. However, the charm of the original home won over the client and a large scale renovation was planned instead.

Working with LA based architect Scott Mitchell, construction team Gibson & Szmyd carried out extensive work to the home and gardens. The initial curves of the building were all preserved, and additional Art Deco cues from both LA and French architecture were incorporated. Extensive ground works were also carried out, adding an extra floor underneath the home allowing space for a cinema room, gym, 6 car garage and another bedroom. Externally the landscaping has been kept simple with the strong architectural profile of yuccas complementing the building’s form. The front fence was removed allowing the full frontage of the house to be displayed from

the street. Sesame cobblestones cover the driveway and front entrance to the home as well as the side passage down to the basement car park.

The rear of the property was completely redesigned. An existing annex was demolished and a structured garden and entertaining area created instead. Working with several different subtle levels in the garden creates multiple spaces. There’s a terraced concourse for outdoor dining which continues to run the width of the property to become a pool lounging area leading to a raised spa. An adjacent lowered sand pit area is perfect for relaxing on the outdoor sofa. A new pool was built at the end of the garden, cleverly disguised behind an Alpine dry stone retaining wall, the pool drop creates an extra level of depth to the outside space.

The overall effect is a beautifully refurbished home with complementary landscaping that works together to create a true Art Deco revival.

Architect: Scott Mitchell StudioBuild: Gibson and Szmyd developmentsPool build: Aloha Pools

–

THE OVERALL EFFECT IS A

BEAUTIFULLY REFURBISHED

HOME WITH COMPLEMENTARY

LANDSCAPING THAT WORKS

TOGETHER TO CREATE A TRUE

ART DECO REVIVAL.

–

ART DECOREVIVAL


Stonefields is Australian landscape designer Paul Bangay’s home and garden and it exists on a truly grand scale. It’s a deeply personal project for Paul whose great, great grandmother most likely occupied some of the land where his monumental garden now stands.

The determination and passion that has driven this project is astounding. Sitting on a 40 acre block the size of Stonefields is almost unfathomable. Paul has drawn on his own experience from previous property St Ambrose Farm, and right from the beginning placed the garden as his priority. It’s symmetry, sight lines and connectedness were all meticulously planned before any construction began. In an inversion of typical building procedures, Paul Bangay planned his park-like gardens first and the house, while still having its own

aesthetic, was designed very much to complement the gardens and outside space.

Stonefields displays a plethora of trees, grasses, flowers and herbs. Fine pebble paths weave through gardens and large pebble paving areas provide a European flair. Paul explains this is something he holds dear and ensures pebble paving has a place in each of his personal projects. Eco Outdoor’s Raven granite is also used throughout the garden and the ground floor of the house as a unifying stone base. Stonefields is without a doubt a massive achievement and a tremendous amount of work, and is a truly stunning garden that will be enjoyed for many, many decades to come.

Design: Paul Bangay Garden Design

–

STONEFIELDS IS WITHOUT A

DOUBT A MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENT

AND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT

OF WORK, AND IS A TRULY

STUNNING GARDEN.

–

STONEFIELDS

26 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

The design task was two fold, firstly to consolidate and reinstate the existing heritage parts of the home and secondly to create a new architectural language that would transform the rear and become the soul of the new indoor and outdoor living areas. Internally a generous kitchen larder disappears behind sliding timber wall and the remaining kitchen merges together with the dining and living areas to create a gesture of communal living. A truss across the rear balcony becomes a decorative structural element, repeating in a grape vine covered pergola that cantilevers over a deep swimming pool and BBQ area to provide dappled light to the table and the waters edge below.

The use of similar materials throughout the project, such as the timber detailing and Lagano granite paving helps to create the seamless transition from the indoor outdoor living areas. This detail is carried further into the outdoor space with Lagano again used by the pool for both the coping and a pool feature wall. The end result is a stunning home that perfectly integrates the old with the new and embraces Australia’s outdoor lifestyle.

Design: AM Architecture

–

THE USE OF SIMILAR MATERIALS

THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT,

HELPS TO CREATE THE SEAMLESS

TRANSITION FROM THE INDOOR

OUTDOOR LIVING AREAS.

–

NEWTRADITIONS


The site, within a former defence barracks area has significant views of Middle Habour to the North and Bradley Bushland Reserve to the West. The brief was for the construction of a new single family dwelling that took advantage of the wide north facing site and potential views.

The architectural design results in a calm building that expresses itself neutrally within the landscape. The form is a simple composition of four off-form concrete walls with a metal vaulted-roof that lightly hovers above. A terracotta box containing the library rises above this vault to best command views of the harbour. A series of implied and formally defined spaces create an architectural promenade, which is enriched through the continuity between the exterior material palette and the building’s interior. This promenade commences with an avenue of trees, directing views towards the

rising form of the terracotta clad library, the off-form concrete entrance canopy and timber-lined entry vestibule paved with Cashmere architectural concrete pavers. Beyond the front door, a series of spaces are defined by changes in level below a ceiling vault. A curved timber wall directs the eye through wide openings of sliding glass toward panoramic views.

Architect: Popov Bass Architects –

THE FORM IS A SIMPLE COMPOSITION

OF FOUR OFF-FORM CONCRETE

WALLS WITH A METAL VAULTED-ROOF

THAT LIGHTLY HOVERS ABOVE.

–

COOLCONCRETE

28

We’re big fans of cooking outdoors and this low key super stylish wood fired oven fits the bill perfectly. It makes a great outdoor fire feature and can be used for cooking wood fired pizzas, meats or anything you fancy. What’s more, it’s made out of corten steel which means it will develop a stunning rusted texture over time and just get better with age. Look out for these new wood fired ovens in Eco Outdoor stores over the coming months.–

NEW PRODUCT SNEAK PEAK OUTDOOR WOOD FIRED OVEN


We’ve been talking about the blurring of indoors and out for years.We don’t just want a blurring of indoors and out. We want to

create a whole new kind of living space for ourselves that reflects the way we live outside.

The way we use our outdoor space is different. It’s messy, unhurried, spontaneous and unpredictable. It’s friends dropping

round for a last minute BBQ or throwing a wood fired pizza on for the lunch that somehow became dinner. It’s bring a plate

and don’t be too fancy; dress down not up and mostly, it’s about community with friends and with family.

What’s your outdoor life look like?

This is celebrated landscape designer Paul Bangay’s inspirational

story of creating Stonefields, one of Australia’s most

beautiful country gardens.

RRP $100 Available at Eco Outdoor

LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL TREAT FOR SMALL PEOPLE

AT MOVIE NIGHT?

Get yourself a handful of sweet crackers, thin chocolate squares & big marshmellows. Melt your

marshmellows over a fire pit until they’re soft & goey and press between

the crackers with a chocolate square in the middle.

Now you’ve got the perfect outdoor dessert!

Australian-born landscape designer Bernard Trainor has made it his life’s work to capture the wild soul of his

adopted home of Northern California.

RRP $50 Available online

_Book Reviews

Stay up past sundownMake the most of those long summer nights and set up an outdoor cinema in your own garden. It’s super simple to set up and means you’ll have the best seat in the house.

What you’ll need:

A projector and laptop or iPad, extension cord, nearby powerpoint, wireless speakers and a large white sheet to use as a cinema screen.

Get loads of outdoor cushions, daybeds and bean bags, as well as a few blankets to snuggle into later on. Now all you need is a ton of old school movie treats. Think choc tops, popcorn, maltesers and jaffas. Tilba daybed RRP $999

–Available from Eco Outdoor

30 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

There is no easier way to get the taste of summer than to whip up your very own batch of

homemade popsicles. They’re healthy and delicious, what’s more they look good too.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED

APPROX 350G OF MIXED FRESH BERRIES (YOU CAN ALSO USE FROZEN)

¼ CUP HONEY 2¼ CUPS VANILLA GREEK YOGURT

¼ CUP HEAVY CREAM (FOR A DIFFERENT TASTE GIVE COCONUT CREAM A TRY).

AVOID LIGHT OR SKIM OPTIONS AS THIS WILL REDUCE THE CREAMINESS OF

YOUR POPSICLES

–

Combine ¼ cup honey, vanilla yogurt, and heavy cream in a large bowl. Whisk the

mixture until all the honey is blended smoothly.

Using a spatula gently fold the berries into the yoghurt mixture for a marbled effect.

This will provide both sweet and tart bites.

Pour the mixture into the ice pop molds. Cover molds and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from molds and serve immediately. Serves: 10 big popsicles or 20 mini pops

- INSTA INSPIRATION -4 more to add to your feed >

ANTHOLOGYHome, lifestyle,

interiors and design with a good measure of people watching

thrown in. Great stories & an inspiring read.

RRP $24.95

< SWEET PAUL

Founded by Norwegian borne blogger Paul Low, this magazine is a

makers delight.RRP $24.95

<KINFOLK

A much needed reminder that a real

and meaningful life is in the smaller details. A delightfully

refreshing read.RRP $24.95

>GOOD MAGAZINE

This quarterly is written for your soul,

your sanity and the drive we all have to be a better person. Big ideas from

humble people. RRP $19.95

–Fruity yoghurt

popsicles–

– All magazines available at Eco Outdoor –

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Avalon sofa RRP $3499–Eco Outdoor


–BELGIAN LINEN

TEA TOWELS RRP $24.95

–BELGIAN LINEN

APRONS RRP $149–

If you’ve ever seen

a really good looking fan, chances are it’s a Boffi. Designed by Giulio Gianturco for Boffi and propeller

inspired, this stunning sleek timber ceiling fan has a stainless steel

engine and contoured timber blades with a beautiful natural wax finish. The blades circulate at 5 speeds and are controlled by an infrared

remote control. Finally, a ceiling fan that actually enhances the space.

–Available from Eco Outdoor

–

–Reminiscent of the old school

director’s chair, the strong architectural frame of the Ida deckchair has all the makings of a classic. Available in a

selection of five outdoor linen fabrics, this dining chair is an easy fit for any space. Available from

Eco Outdoor. RRP $449

32 AN OUTDOOR LIFE

www.ecooutdoor.com.auT. 1300 13 14 13NSW VIC QLD WA SA

- be eco inspired -

live life outdoors issue #2

Documents

natural materials

philosophy of garden

simple materials

outdoor life3eco outdoor

garden bed

australian garden

garden designer

unavoidable marks of