LET'S STEP OUTSIDE: 5 ESSENTIALS TO A MODERN MALLORCA-INSPIRED ALFRESCO
When your vision says #ModernMallorca but your home says #1950sBrickBox, what do you do?
Here’s what we did… added five hallmarks of a Spanish casa to transform the exterior of House 15 into a Mediterranean manor.
ARCH ARCH, BABY!
When we think of Mediterranean materials, it’s the textured render, and organic stone finishes that first spring to mind. And those products were essential in creating this slice of Spain in Sydney. On the top two storeys of the home, we achieved the rendered look using a product called Acratex from Dulux, which gives a rough textured finish. The top coat is coloured Dulux White Dune Quarter, a creamy white with a super subtle green undertone which, alongside the Dulux Coalition on the window frames and doors, is a match made in Mediterranean heaven.
THE CROWNING GLORY OF THE CASA
We often refer to the roof of the house as ‘the crowning glory’ because it really can make (or break!) the whole vision for your home. If you want to truly transform your home’s exterior, it’s time to turn your attention upwards and pay attention to the big guy up top that’s keeping you and your family safe and dry.
We gave House 15 a brand new roof, and Bonnie and Erin are pretty much convinced it’s identical to the ones they lusted over in Mallorca. We chose the Curvado tile from Bristle Roofing which is kiln-fired terracotta (don’t let its colour fool you!) crafted to suit the harshest Australian climates… and did we mention that it’s a dead ringer for the roofs Bonnie and Erin lusted over in Mallorca?
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT
It’s official, we have a new favourite outdoor light, and she’s just beautiful, on or off! She’s called Escarpment and is from the Made By Mayfair Seaside range from Beacon Lighting (hello, Reno School discount code!).
We’re in love with the handsome bronze wall bracket and delicate (in looks only) Spanish alabaster shade. But don’t let the beautiful materials and soft glowy light fool you; these lights are cast in solid bronze and have superior anti-corrosion properties, making them perfect for harsh climates and coastal living.
While the wall lights bring the beauty, the Sentinel spotlights with motion sensors bring the practicality.
Courtyard Dining
Walking through the streets of Mallorca, you’ll always find patio tables filled with people enjoying a coffee or some tapas on the terraza and the rear of this house was screaming out to become a terrace-style entertaining space. The beauty of alfresco spaces on both sides of the house means you have alfresco entertaining options, whatever the wind direction.
We transformed the rear courtyard into the BBQ area, complete with a pizza oven and built-in beach seating, so there are places for guests to sit when they’re entertaining. A pizza oven offers so much more than just an oven for cooking pizza. Think wood-fired fish, veggies, toasted marshmallows… it’s so versatile; just ask Sophie Bell. She used her pizza oven at House 10 more than the regular oven!
JUST ADD WATER
An island-inspired vision requires water views, and this beautiful home comes with the real deal - 180-degree views of waterways.
If you don’t have coastal views, a pool is a fabulous way to fake it till you make it. This home already had a swimming pool, but it needed some upgrades, like a new fence to bring it to code and a general zjoosh up.
Unplanned expenses like pool fencing, tiling, and final styling to finish off a project are often a killer to your budget. But, you’re in luck because now there are services like humm who can help. If you’ve got some unplanned essentials to complete your project but your budget doesn’t quite stretch that far, you can use humm to help with spreading repayments into instalments and pay no interest for up to 60 months. With over 20,000 retailers and up to $30,000 to spend, getting your project wrapped up can be possible.
