Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
Decorate your world
A MONOCHROMATIC PALETTE AND PLYWOOD IS THE EPITOME OF COOL DESIGN
Mix a monochromatic palette with plywood for the ultimate in cool design
Toying with the idea of renovating from scratch or redecorating what you consider to be a nice but bland box of a home – or room? Keeping things simple can often reward you the most. First, make a list of what’s important. Open plan, good sightlines, views, storage, a feeling of calm and serenity? All of these? Okay, so go open plan, aim for dual-purpose storage where possible and install wall-to-ceiling glass windows or doors where you’ll get the most bang for your buck. Then decide on your palette. Some may say white and black is safe, but it’s also calm, sophisticated and timeless! Do you need to work with a trimmed-down budget? Economical plywood cladding looks chic and modern and can be used throughout and to disguise flat-pack furniture. Intrigued? Read on...
2 PERFECTION IN PLY Plywood cladding is a different wall finish to the norm, yet it’s a very effective treatment if you wish to zone an area in a vast openplan room, or highlight window niches, as here.
3 FIRST IMPRESSION Introduce your scheme from the first moment you step inside. Here, concerns that an allwhite interior may be bland led to affordable plywood being utilised to add warm character.
4 IT ALL STACKS UP Keep a ready supply of logs for the fire under your bench seating.
5 WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY Elevate a plain-jane white kitchen above the everyday through an elongated picture window si ing above the splashback. Not so ordinary anymore!
6 WHAT A SHELFIE! Staying on budget while renovating or building is always a balancing act. But where there’s a will, there’s also a way. Here, off-the-shelf, flat-pack base units are teamed with bespoke shelves for an economical yet u erly charming solution. Askersund melamine doors in Light Ash, ikea.com.au.
7 BLACK BEAUTY
For cohesion, choose black tapware, fixtures and fi ings to match the aluminium windows, and black grout to highlight the large-format white bathroom tiles. The rounded shape of the freestanding tub helps to soen the minimalist aesthetic of the room.
8 HUNG UP ON YOU!
No room in your home escapes the rule of repetition for cohesion, so a wall-hung timber vanity and black accents are an absolute must.
9 TWO-IN-ONE
If you have the space, divvy up your bedroom between sleeping and dressing areas through a half-height wall that serves double duty as a bedhead. Connected yet still separate, your dressing area will be flooded with light. PS, Diyers may like to build similar box-style floating bedside tables. 10 DRESSING UP!
The reverse side of your ‘bedhead’ is ideal for a dressing table. Plywood fronts and sides can be added to Malm drawer units from IKEA for a custom finish. Genius!
11 IN YOUR POCKET When you want to have a seamless transition between rooms, such as here between the bedroom and ensuite, consider pocket doors. They suit minimalist interiors and can save quite a bit of floor space compared with a swing-open door.
12 LAND A STUDY! Even without a landing, you can steal this idea and sneak a study into your home with flatpack units that make good use of wasted space. Kungsbacka doors in Anthracite, ikea.com.au.
13 TWO-TONE WONDER Enliven kids’ rooms with a colour-block effect. Reserve the deepest hue for the lower third of the wall and go for a lovely loy look with a lighter shade above.
14 FEATURE CHEST
Put your DIY hat on or ask a tradie mate to ‘customise’ standard flat-pack furniture to help tie a kid’s room into your other decor. Simply clad the top and sides of, say, a chest of drawers with ply and do the frame front drawer dividers with iron-on melamine edging tape. Too easy! Minnen white powdercoated steel frame bed with base, $149, ikea.com.au.