Design Inspiration: Australia
This hasn’t come up on the blog yet, but I figured it was time to talk about Australia. Nothing inspires me more than the beautiful environment, vast open spaces, and bustling cities that make up this glorious continent. Australian design is great at taking on the large. You will find big paintings and prints, bold furniture design and textural elements that don’t shy away from making their presence known. I love that Aussies will commit to a style and with the right balance, will make their home thoughtfully designed and decorated. Below are three aspects of Australia that I pull for inspiration, for my own process.
The Colors
Our colors are pulled from our surroundings. Whether you’re in the city, the countryside, the desert, or the beach, we love to pull what is outside, indoors with us! You will see spaces that do punches of color, like one wall in a bright blue or sharp pink or you will find rooms that are covered in earth tones and very natural. Everyone of course has their own personal style, but we love to use the diversity of our environment to inspire how we go about choosing a color palette.
The Environment
Our environment in Australia is close to what you imagine when you close your eyes and picture big beaches, and vast deserts. Natural light, big open rooms, and large windows are three key elements you will find in so many homes. It’s a starting point for us to fill with color, textures, large artwork, and bold furniture. Aussies are laid back. Our rooms and homes will emulate a lifestyle that centers around the great outdoors.
Image: HomesToLove.com
The Look
We love the texture! Layered jute or wool rugs, large indoor plants with interesting leaves, big paintings with chunky brush strokes, and any element that can add a daring zest to a room-you will find it in Australia. We are known to be unfussy, but still exciting and I think the furniture we choose could also be described that way. I love to do that here now, with what I do in America. Whether it’s small apartments or larger homes, there is always a way to get an incredibly unique look, and I love to use my childhood in Australia to inspire it.
Image:apartmenttherapy.com
Interior design is of course about balance, and I find myself balancing what I know from back home with what I learned when moving to the states. Our styles have crossovers, and because both continents are such melting pots, I think many looks come into play. However, Australia will always be bold, spacious and light and those three elements are some of its best characteristics!