WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS INTERIOR DESIGN?

• It is a design where the outdoor spaces become a true extension of the interior living spaces.
• A combination of wood, steel and concrete used in the furnishings results in a balanced decor which is modern and cozy in a very different way.
• A quintessential element to an outdoor urban living room is an outdoor fireplace. Even without 4 walls coziness can be achieved in an exterior through the use of large cushioned armchairs that centre around the hero piece that is the outdoor fireplace. An outdoor rug helps to ground and define the space whilst adding more warmth and breaking up the timber work.
• Pattern in the furnishings adds interest and colour. In outdoor living, it was felt that this was important as you cannot add personality by putting e.g artwork on the walls. The clients had used accents of metal screens. This feature was drawn out in the selections of the black mesh dining chairs and reflected in the geometric patterns in the fabrics selected for the scatter cushions and the rug.

WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGING FACTORS INVOLVED (E.G. SITE ISSUES, REGULATIONS, DELAYS)?

• The apartment is up 4 flights of stairs so dimensions of the furniture selections was a consideration to ensure we did not require a crane!
• The outdoor area is not covered and is very exposed to all the elements so furniture selections needed to be hard wearing.

HOW DOES THIS INTERIOR REFLECT YOUR COMPANY’S DESIGN AESTHETIC?
Our ideal is very much that it is your space, your personality and we simply aim to bring inspiration to the space to maximise its potential and liveability. In all of our designs we try to be practical and keep in mind how you live and use the areas. For example in this project the clients like to entertain family and friends, they have a small toddler, they don’t like a great deal of clutter or fussiness…..so the decor had to reflect this. Although large, being an apartment means that every inch of space and every selection of furniture needs to serve a purpose.

WHAT ARE THE HERO COLOUR COMBINATIONS, MATERIALS OR FURNISHINGS USED IN THIS PROJECT?
At Rochele Interiors, we love using concrete in modern designs. The custom made and designed concrete/timber table was the first piece selected. The newly renovated kitchen (designed by others) adjoins this outdoor area and custom concrete pendants were designed to help tie these two areas together with the use of a common material. Colour selections in the outdoor BBQ area were chosen to complement the dark colours that had been used in the kitchen cabinetry.

Paint Colours
Fire Place Surround/wall behind BBQ: Dulux Domino.
Ceiling in BBQ area: Half Stone henge (Ditched boring Ceiling white and went for something slightly moodier. It is also a more practical colour given the inner city location and the soot that can come with this).
Render: Resene Triple Bison Hide
Furnishings: muted greys warmed up with the use of timber and a pop of an accent colour of orange.

WHAT WAS THE KEY STYLE USED IN THIS PROJECT, AND HOW DOES THIS DIRECTLY REFLECT YOUR CLIENT’S PERSONALITY AND/OR LIFESTYLE?

• Modern
• They are a young family
• They don’t like fussiness or clutter
• They like clean lines/geometric shapes and patterns

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ROOM OR FEATURE OF THE PROJECT?
Personal favourite is the “Batman meets Mr Bean” oil on canvas in the media room which is situated just off the out door BBQ area. The designer from Rochele Interiors that was involved in this particular project is also an artist and was commissioned by the client to complete the piece. The designer collaborated with the client to come up with the theme for the painting, which is very appropriate for a media room and also has mass appeal regardless of age or gender. Having the designer actually complete the painting herself, adds an extra personal touch to the Rochele Interiors service!