House.Land.Home.

Design with Indre Kisonas

Inspirations

R

ECENTLY I have been travelling with my work. From the Gold Coast to the outback and you can't get more different. An outback retreat is updating its colours and furnishings from tired and much loved to yet-to-be loved. I was there to put the palette and materials together.

As this part of our gorgeous country is a new experience for me, I am staggered by the vastness of it. Space and light is endless, which changes the colours in the hills, rocks and sky from morning to evening. The array of colours all around you is so much more than you expect from first glance. So too, the geology. Different types and forms of rock sit side by side in abutting ranges. Deep gorges with mysterious petroglyphs containing “signposts� left by our first peoples. Many dry, old, creek beds with fossilised formations 800 million years old. These are the oldest exposed rock formations in the world and they are in our extended backyard. It is the age and isolation in these parts that gives us the feeling of peace and serenity. When we visit, and stay quiet, this is a rare gift to experience. The colour palette we will draw from for our outback retreat is straight from our surroundings. Due to tectonic upthrusts and compression, with weathering and erosion, I found maroon and rust conglomerate stone next to purple siltstone with orange granite, black silica and white kaolin. The river gums draw these minerals from earth and represent these colours in their bark. Everything is coordinated and blended. These will be the colours to use in our outback retreat's new colour scheme. It will blend with its surroundings if you stop and linger long enough to notice. In this part of the country, stopping to observe is not a difficult past time. Wherever you live, your home can reflect its surroundings. To become a part of our environment is soothing and harmonious. As windows with their double glazing or louvres will reflect your cold or hot climates, and verandah sizes will shade or protect from heat or frost, colour palettes will bring your outside in. Enhance your connection with your piece of paradise by taking the time to observe the nuances of the outdoors. Bring these colours into your home through wall paint, cushions, rugs, bed linen and art work. You will be glad you did.

Indre Kisonas - principal designer at iok design www.iokdesign.com.au | indre@iokdesign.com.au