Australian Interior Design Awards 2017

The Australian Interior Design Awards shortlist was recently announced and a number of key architectural features and design approaches were common across the shortlisted homes.

From much-loved materials to recurring design styles, here are our top 5 takeouts from this year’s residential category shortlist.

1. Timber treatmentsTimber interior elements have always helped ground a home and give them a warm and inviting feel, as is expertly implemented in this project from Bower Architecture.

A combination of light and dark timber treatments gives each room the perfect balance, softening the timber where required, allowing it to be bold in other areas.

2. Defined spacesOpen plan living areas are the mainstay of apartment design, giving buyers the opportunity to define for themselves how they use the space. But there’s also room for having defined areas for specific activities, and for individuals to have some solitude now and then.

6 Brookville Road is a collection of six large apartments by Developer Neometro and MA Architects and features a number of small, personal retreat spaces.

3. Occasional opulenceNo-one likes a show-off. But a touch of decadence here and there can really lift a home and give it a bit of understated luxury.

This penthouse renovation by Studio Tate was all about adding a touch of ‘LA glamour’ to an apartment that was originally purchased off the plan 15 years ago. Opulent textures, standout furniture pieces and feature tiling help give key rooms that sense of flamboyance.

4. Concrete wallsWe’re fans of concrete, in particular, board-formed concrete, the architectural shortcut to ‘urban chic’. It can be seen in many of the shortlisted projects this year.

Lepton Pointon Architects used it powerfully in Twig House, where concrete is the major material on show throughout the home. Used to create and define each space, concrete is left bare in every room.

Far from being cold and impersonal, concrete can have plenty of character, texture and tonal difference making each room completely individual in nature.

5. Minimalism

It never goes out of fashion, for the simple reason that there’s nothing there to actually go out of fashion.

We showcased this home from BoardGrove Architects late last year, with its museum-like quality and lack of any unnecessary adornments. Whilst this may be an extreme example, minimal interior design does create a calming environment free from distractions, which, let’s face it, many of us could benefit from.

The annual Australian Interior Design Awards give a great indication of current and timeless trends, and it’s clear that architects and interior designers who stick to timeless materials are able to create homes that are forever fresh.

source: australianinteriordesignawards.com