How to nail a fresh Australiana interior
A versatile colour scheme, that’s as young, fun and homely, as it is sophisticated? That’s the brief for this fresh take on the modern Australiana interior design.
‘Perfect for young families, this theme takes its inspiration from the Australian bushland and offers a beautiful botanical escape every time you walk in your front door,’ says Homebuyers Centre Interior Designer Nadija Saluwadana, who recently executed a modern Australiana theme at Homebuyers Centres new Evergreen display home.
‘It’s a relaxed and calming aesthetic, while its mid-century modern elements provide a level of sophistication that will remain on-trend.’
Blending as easily in rural country areas as it does in city suburbs, it’s an interior design to suit every Homebuyers Centre customer. The execution of colours has Alisa & Lysandra’s Botanical colour scheme both internally and externally, creating the modern Australiana style throughout.
Below, Nadija provides her top five tips for creating a modern Australiana style in your own home:
1. Stick to a base of warm natural tones
The cornerstone of a modern Australiana interior are warm, natural tones. Botanical colours such as walnuts, earthy reds and deep greens work well.
‘At the new Evergreen display home, I’ve included deep green Polytec Forage cabinetry in the kitchen and Nataio Walnut cabinetry in the wet areas,’ says Nadija.
‘This works perfectly with complimentary walnuts, beige, tans and terracotta, used sparingly throughout the home.’
Thread your major and minor feature colours through your styling. At the Evergreen display, deep green feature walls bring life and colour to the bedrooms and key living spaces such as the study and theatre.
Your complimentary colours, such as warm walnut, can be used more sparingly though throw cushions, artworks and textured feature rugs.
2. Bring warmth through natural textures
Like all country-esque schemes, a botanical escape should include plenty of timber and other natural textures and materials, particularly through your flooring.
‘The Brooklyn Ridgewood laminate flooring brings a beautiful warmth to the living spaces at the Evergreen display home, especially when coupled with warm toned carpets in the bedrooms,’ says Nadija.
‘For your furniture, stick to timber, textured corduroy and scatterings of tan leather, rather than boucle or other super-contemporary finishes.’
Don’t forget your textured smaller ticket items. Textured rugs and throws in your feature colours are a great addition and can easily be swapped out during the hotter summer months. ‘Contrast these subtle country elements with mid-century bedding featuring Bauhaus patterns,’ adds Nadija.
3. Add mid-century elements
Adding mid-century elements are what gives this interior theme its longevity. At the Evergreen display, mid-century elements begin with the hard finishes, with beige and concrete-style tiles used in selected areas of the home, such as the bathrooms.
‘Mid-century furniture is timeless and structured. Choose pieces in black and walnut, such as geometric coffee and bedside tables, or leather footstools and chaises,’ says Nadija.
‘At the Evergreen display, you can’t go past the impressive deep green leather couch in the theatre; it brings such a striking modern element to the home.’
Bring an effortless mid-century sheen to your interiors through your lighting. Choose pendants and chandeliers with simple lines and geometric shapes. ‘At the Evergreen display, I’ve used the iconic Verner Panton Flowerpot pendants in the bedroom which are a hallmark of mid-century lighting,’ explains Nadija.
4. Offset your colour scheme with creams and blacks
Avoid too much grey in your base scheme. Instead, stick with creams and off-whites as your colour base, with injections of black. To ensure longevity, use warm-toned whites through the majority of your hard surfaces.
‘I love using Alpine Mist Caesarstone benchtops in the kitchen,’ says Nadija.
Insert modern, mid-century black through your furniture. A strong formal dining table or TV cabinet are a must-have.
‘And don’t forget your window coverings! Beige or off-white sheers will soften and bring warmth to the interiors.’ – Nadija.
5. Have fun with your styling
Despite its modern feeling, the Australiana interior design doesn’t need to be minimalist.
‘This interior design is warm and homely. Your styling should be curated and considered, but certainly not bare,’ explains Nadija.
‘At the Evergreen display, I love the clustered gallery wall in the study. I’ve filled it with bright and vibrant art prints featuring mustards, greens and pops of red.’
Play with botanical-themed wallpapers in your minor bedrooms. Think half-height painted feature walls in one of your feature colours, with the other half in a fun jungle print wallpaper.
Potted trees and plants are a must for this theme, so try to include greenery in every room. ‘For a unique feature, try hanging potted plants in your bedrooms – they’ll always be hit!,’ adds Nadija.
Discover the beauty of a botanical escape interior design in person at Homebuyers Centre new Evergreen display home in Clyde North.
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom Willow 25 display home featuring the Luxe façade is open with or without an appointment from Saturday 5 August. Get driving instructions.