retire home
3. Window ledge blooms The wide window ledges in this sophisticated dining room have been designed to accommodate a series of planters filled with elegant orchids. What to plant: Orchids are popular house plants, and come in a range of sizes and colours. They require shallow planting; moist, well-draining conditions; and bright, indirect light.
The cabinetry of this planter box was constructed with MDF, and a waterproof membrane was applied with a brush to the interior. Inside, long plastic tubs have drip trays to ensure they don’t damage or warp the construction. “LED strip lighting was added to the planter as an additional highlight as it creates a beautiful ambiance in the evening,” Marlowe says. Marlowe also advises against making the planter box too narrow in depth as it needs to have enough space to house decent-sized plant containers. And, as with any permanent built-in cabinetry, care should be taken with over-watering and spillage.
. Window style There’s no reason not to be stylish and oh so practical while attending to the daily chores. The days of washhouse dreariness should have disappeared with the invention of whiz-bang automatic laundering devices, but it’s taken us far too many decades to catch on. These drying racks placed over the windows maximise any outside drying warmth.
5. ZZ Plant With its exotic looks, glossy green leaves and ability to tolerate neglect, the ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) has been the pride of many a black thumb. A tropical perennial plant hailing from eastern Africa, it is hard to kill, slow-growing and ideal as an office plant or table centrepiece.
Great for: This odd-looking plant makes a great talking point and can be easily shared with friends. Place a cutting or two in a spare pot of soil and they will easily take root. Light: This plant likes bright light, including direct sunlight. Water: Give it a drink every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter. OUR TIPS: Keep in a spot out of reach of drafts, open windows and air-conditioning vents as the cold air can cause leaf drop. String of Pearls is considered to be somewhat toxic so keep out of reach of children and pets. STRING OF PEARLS
1. Fiddle Leaf Fig Ask anyone who owns a Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) about their plant and, chances are, they will tell you how much they adore it. Fiddle Leaf Fig mania has taken the interior design world by storm in recent years. Loved for their large glossy, leathery leaves, they make great house plants. They are fantastic as larger specimen plants – in a large container they can easily grow to around two metres tall. Eclectic Hall by Lisa Sorgini Lisa Sorgini SaveEmail Great for: This plant adds a sculptural element and wow factor to a room. Light: Place near a window that gets bright filtered light, but keep away from harsh direct sunlight to prevent leaf burn. Water: As they hail from a tropical climate, most experts advise keeping this ficus steadily moist and in a warm room where possible. OUR TIP: Do not allow it to sit in too much water or it can suffer from root rot.
2. String of Pearls With its long tendrils of trailing foliage covered in pea-like beads, the unique String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) creeping succulent is an ideal plant to add to a quirky room. Pot in well-draining sandy soil and place in a spot where its trailing foliage can hang down and cascade freely.
9. Bromeliads Most bromeliads are epiphytes, meaning they gather moisture and nutrients from the air and rain, not through their roots. Many, such as this giant bromeliad Alcantarea imperialis ‘Rubra’ also have a central urn that traps water and insects to nourish the plant. If growing in a pot, all you need to do is keep the urn full of water and position the bromeliad in a spot that suits – some species prefer more shade than others. Anchor plants firmly in a bed of bark, pumice, gravel or any other free-draining medium inside the pot. TIP: To give bromeliads an extra boost, liquid feed occasionally with a diluted organic or fish-based fertiliser.
6. Box It has been grown as a container plant for centuries, and for good reason. Box (Buxus) looks stunning clipped as a topiary as shown, and is hardy, versatile and tolerant of poor soil and shady conditions. There are many different box cultivars to choose from, with the Korean and Japanese forms of Buxus microphylla better able to cope with the warm, humid conditions in many parts of Australia and New Zealand. Potted box plants need to be well watered in summer with ideally some shade from afternoon sun. TIP: To keep plants in good condition, liquid feed every month during summer and add fresh potting compost every spring.
. Cordyline Also known as cabbage trees, cordylines have an iconic sculptural form that can be seen throughout New Zealand. While the tree forms are suitable only for very large containers, new smaller cultivars such as Red Fountain that reach only a metre or two in height are now the preferred option for pots in many gardens. Frost-tolerant cordylines like a sunny spot, and good drainage is essential. TIP: Soil should be kept moist but allowed to dry out between waterings.
2. Cycads Cycads are ancient plants prized for their architectural shape, which is displayed to its best when planted in a container. Sago palm (Cycas revoluta), with its distinctive arching fronds, is the most commonly grown cycad. It revels in hot locations and will cope with dry soil, but does better with regular watering. The slow-growing sago palm will eventually form a trunk but this can take many years. Plants are long lived and will keep their good looks with a minimum of fuss. TIP: Use a free-draining succulent mix when potting as cycads hate wet feet.
1. Crucifix orchid Crucifix orchids (Epidendrum) will flower all year round outside in warm, frost-free gardens. Flower colours include bright cerise, orange, pink, mauve and white. Like most orchids and bromeliads, they are epiphytes and are best potted into bark, gravel, pumice or any free-draining mix. Tolerant of both sun and shade, they’re regarded as the easiest orchids to grow and will eventually become large specimen plants. TIP: The tall, cane-like stems of crucifix orchids form aerial roots, which allows you to break pieces off to start new plants if desired.
Try making your own potting mix It’s much cheaper to make your own potting mix than buying sacks of ready-made at the garden centre. Experiment with a homemade mix by combining two parts peat, one part vermiculite (a magnesium-aluminium-iron silicate) and one part coarse sand. You could also add sphagnum moss, perlite (a lightweight siliceous rock) and compost. If your plants are hungry feeders (e.g. vegetables and flowers) then add more compost. PRO TIP: For succulents, increase the amount of sand or add crushed pumice to improve drainage.
built in seat with under neath lighting
back privacy wall with vine on it
2. Pick up a paintbrush Spruce up an old piece of furniture with a lick of paint in one of the trending colours of the season. Start by checking the piece, tightening screws and filling gaps. Clean it thoroughly and leave overnight to dry properly. Sand the piece using a sanding block or a detail sander, then wipe down making sure there is no grit left on the surface. Use a prime sealer to do two coats, sanding in between coats. This coat doesn’t have to be perfect. Make sure you stir paint (don’t shake) thoroughly before applying the final coat or coats of paint. Use an additive to ‘relax’ the paint and eliminate brush strokes.
your shed is overcrowded or full of cobwebs, it’s time to have a clean out. After removing unwanted products and tools (usually Father’s Day presents!), it’s time to rework the space. Storage shelves are available in various sizes and can be freeform or fully installed. Wall-mounted cupboards, hooks, baskets and boxes are available and, depending on the space, a workbench and stool is a dream come true for any home handyman or woman. Remember, make sure there’s enough room to store larger equipment such as the mower, pool gear, paint cans and even an esky (a necessity if the workbench is regularly used!).
5. Adopt planter boxes Planter boxes can provide instant height and define edges. If you’ve found it difficult to keep plants healthy in a box, the key is drainage. Keeping holes open at the base of the walls, however, is just not enough. The trick is adding a 100mm layer of river gravel to line the base of the planter box, combined with a 75mm-diameter ag line attached to the drainage area. Getting the right soil is also essential, so rather than a standard soil mix, use one with extra-coarse river sand. This will further improve drainage.
4. Blitz the barbecue While the barbecue often gets little attention during the chilly months, it’s worth giving it a good clean and making sure everything is in working order. If it’s looking a little worse for wear, it might be time to update – the latest ranges offer many options such as warming racks, wok burners and viewing windows. Large units can include slide-out drawers, LED lighting and even a full sink. It’s also worth comparing different finishes to suit your exterior – stainless steel or black vitreous enamel are long-lasting and easy to clean.
2. DIY designer fence Fences certainly provide privacy and security but are rarely treated as a work of art. So why not unleash your creativity by adding striking materials and finishes? Draw inspiration from other elements in the backyard from flooring material to pot plants. Look at shapes, lines and textures, and make sure it all flows seamlessly with the interior. Experiment with a splash of colour – adding a thin strip in a vibrant hue makes a strong statement, but the good news is that it’s easy to paint over at a later date if you change your mind.
Replace cabinets with easy-to-reach open shelves The simplest way of retaining plenty of storage in a kitchen that doesn’t have wall units is by adding open shelves. Not only do these provide a practical solution for storing everyday essentials at arm’s length, they create a sense of space and airiness. What’s more, if you use crisp white glossy tiles behind the shelves, the light will bounce around the space even more and make the room feel super-bright.
hardwood fence painting in black stain
For a traditional look, a good rule of thumb to use is that a skirting board height should be approximately 7 percent of your ceiling height. So, if your ceiling is a standard 2.4 metres high, consider a 18 centimetre high skirting board.
Skirt the issue Skirting boards have a practical job to do, concealing the gaps between floor and wall finishes and hiding uneven finishes. But they can add huge aesthetic impact too. A skirting board should add depth and continuity to your home, but unfortunately, most new homes these days are built with narrow, underwhelming trims. A wide skirting board immediately ramps up the quality factor in a room. MDF skirting is a popular and affordable option if you plan to paint your skirting board.
oorway drama Installing wide architraves around a door opening between main rooms gives them real presence and heft. The larger the door opening, the wider the architrave can be.
Coordinated attack When you are adding mouldings to your window and door frames, skirting board and ceiling cornices (sometimes called crown moulding), be sure that the style and profiles work together. They should also be in proportion with each other, so, again, experiment with sample pieces from your timber merchant until you are happy with the balance. Aim to choose a crown moulding that is slightly narrower than the skirting board.
Panel perfect Take the divide and conquer principal a step further, and use narrow strips of picture moulding to create divided panels. This adds depth and interesting proportions to a room. You will need to experiment with the best sized sections to divide your walls. Use a level, plumbline and masking tape to mark the walls – and live with it for a few days to be sure it works with your furniture and art placement. Reserve the largest panels for your artwork. Pay particular attention to maintaining uniform spacing between frames so it is pleasing on the eye.
Create a living privacy fence - Cable wires mounted between fence posts create a sturdy support for climbing plants. Over time the plants can completely fill in the area, providing privacy for the patio.
fold out bed
lounges
3. Arco Lamp Designer: Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Producer: FLOS Country: Italy Year: 1962 Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002), like Henningsen, trained as an architect and after World War II worked with his brothers Pier and Luigi. Achille and Pier worked closely together in the 1950s and ’60s, collaborating on the design of numerous objects; and the two brothers proved to be particularly successful with lighting. They explored new possibilities of form and function to create aesthetically pleasing and practical objects.
ntique mirrors Standard square mirrors found at any local hardware store work for modern or traditional styles, and add a reflective quality that can visually expand the size of your kitchen. If you’re not too keen on an overly polished look, try looking for aged mirrors with patina.
Prevent a petite powder room from feeling too pint-sized by installing mirrors on one wall. The antiqued glass used here turns the mirrors into a decorative feature rather than a purely practical one, but they still perform the same proportion-boosting service as a standard mirror.
could be the day bed in office...then cover with sheets etc.
window in main bathroom with tiles and no wooden frame and also the black framed glass.
vanity
Exterior walls
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