Project Papers

At Eco Outdoor we craft and curate only the best architectural surfaces. We celebrate an imperfection and textural richness that can only be found in nature. And when you work with nature and not against it, the wonder that's brought into spaces and places is truly inspiring.
Front Cover: Backdune House Photographer: Derek Swalwell Back Cover: Burnley StreetLocation:Sydney,Australia
Architecture:PeterStutchburyArchitecture
nstall:ExactStone
Photography:DerekSwalwell
Backdune House is a story of materiality and connection to land, with its architecture draping elegantly across the landscape of Sydney’s Northern Beaches. he house reaches deeply into the memory of its surroundings, honouring context while looking ever-forward with enduring spirit. Its tent architecture and grand entry doors are the standout features, while the use of stone recalls the environment in which it sits, reflecting the sedimentary rock of the surrounding headland.
A double-height timber ceiling sits on top of boardmarked concrete walls, bolstered by a robust paving of stone underfoot. Wyndam limestone is used throughout the house possessing a rich earthy texture and warm grey tones.
The delicate movement and variation across the stone, and its hardwearing nature makes Wyndam an ideal choice for spaces that are to be well-lived in.
Outside, Porphyry which is a gorgeously fine-grained igneous rock is present in two formats laid side by side—Baguettes and Crazy Paving. Presenting a scope of shades, spanning soft grey to lush burgundy, the aesthetic opportunities and durability of Porphyry makes it a wonderful selection for outdoor entertainment areas.
“What I love about designing houses are the people. Trying to bring another sensitivity to people's lives, bringing enlightened awareness about things that otherwise might not be nurtured.”
Peter Stutchbury, ArchitectA feature wall separates right from left living zones overlaid with Baw Baw Dry Stone. Its organic rugged texture lends a breathtaking authenticity to the dividing wall’s character.
The home features lofty rooms and open-air spaces yet still feels warm and inviting, achieved by using textured natural materials—the ceilings are clad in Danish white oak, the floors use our Scala Travertine, and many of the walls are textured with natural stone.
Outside, 3500 square feet of covered patio space creates endless opportunities for outdoor living. The triumph here is how the Scala flooring merges with the soft landscape and is everywhere and nowhere at once.
Location:Sydney,Australia
Architecture:Cadence&Co
nstall:StoneMadeStonemasonry
Photography:ThePalmCo&MareeHomer
CharlotteParksitsontopofahillwithmajestic viewsoverthesurroundingcountrysidetothe lightsofSydneybeyond.Thisacreagehasbeen transformedintoatimelessfamilyhometobe enjoyednowandbygenerationstocome.
Thedesigniscontemporarybutretainsasense ofhistoryandengageswithitsruralcontext.This, combinedwithluxuriousfinishes,richtextures androbustmaterialsgivesthehouseasense offoreverness.
The grand fireplace in the Great Room is the main gathering place for the family. The grey neutral tone of our Wamberal stone sits in harmony here even at scale, while our rust coloured Korora stone picks up the warmth of the fireplace.
In the garden, our large format crazy pavers are used on the floor together with our freeform stone on the walls. This can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, but in this project it works, due to the sheer scale of it.
Location: Adelaide Hills, Australia
Interior Design: Enoki
Architecture: Proske Architects
Photography: Jenah Piwanksi
Located on a working vineyard in the Adelaide Hills, Vigneron House expresses strong architectural intent, engaging the external environment and encompassing a wide range of natural materials. The commanding form of the house effectively articulates its overriding character; a solid yet discerning residence, Vigneron House surpasses the common white-box dwelling and confidently pushes the boundaries of design.
As art collectors, the clients were highly attuned to the aesthetic impact of natural stone, likening it to a work of art. Our Dover Antique limestone flooring with its immersive dark grey tone and delicate veining, grounds the residence in a sense of sophistication. Each piece is distressed by hand and gets better with age. Our Apollo Random Ashlar walling features both internally and externally adding a rougher textural feel to the home.
In materiality, Vigneron House is a vision of contemporary comfort, in which distinguished stone spaces are tempered by softening detail; a striking timber ceiling creates an authentic feeling of warmth and soft furnishings function as a gentle counterpart to harder materials.
Location: Palm Springs, California
Architecture & Interiors: Woods + Dangaran
Photography: Joe Fletcher
Located in the hills above Palm Springs, this home is connected deeply to the desert environment in which it sits. A celebration of horizontal lines, natural materials and strong links between indoor and out, Desert Palisades is a minimalist, contemporary family retreat.
The material palette is considered; the exterior is clad in patinated brass panels that will weather beautifully over time, the floor-to-ceiling windows are made from low-iron glass known for its high transparency, and the floors feature our Scala Travertine, chosen for its natural texture and warmth.
This is a project of precision, with every surface lined up and laid with purpose. Our Scala flooring was customised to fit the scheme. It sits confidently alongside the extra-clear glass and spills effortlessly from the living room out to the terrace and pool area.
The interior design takes cues from the desert landscape. Sage green, dusty pinks and sandy browns form a muted palette that references the surrounding terrain. It’s texture on texture on texture. Wool rugs, velvet, leather, teak—all earthy materials that tie the home to its natural setting, with Scala at the very base.
Travertine—famously used in the design of the Colosseum—occupies an
Scala is our premium Travertine range. With a consistent light cream hue that perfectly complements modern architecture. We offer it simply sawn with no other intervention, embracing its imperfections and highlighting its unique aesthetic palette.
Location: Sorrento, Australia
Architecture & Interiors: Wolveridge Architects
Build: Smith Builders
Photography: Derek Swalwell
Heartily welcomed into Courtyard Residence’s design are influences of coastal serenity that challenge the traditional white beach house aesthetic. Rather, soft sandy tones of timber, textiles, stone and rammed earth enrobe the home, proposing a calming permanency that communes easily with the natural world.
Establishing an apt foundation for the home's earthen inspiration, our La Roche limestone tiles form the interior flooring. The stone stitches seamlessly with the home’s aesthetic and ethos; celebrating the inimitable imperfection and raw richness that arise from natural environmental processes.
Emanating a subtle caramel hue and wellacquired character, our La Roche tiles duly complement the residence with their lightly distressed appearance and thermal properties. They are shaped and crafted to impart distinct textural character, enriching spaces with organic soul and augmenting this modern design with unexpected softness.
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Architecture: Tom Eckersley Architects
Photography: Jonathon Griggs
Photography Styling: Lucy Gough
Our newly renovated 1200-square-metre flagship showroom in Melbourne is a multi-use creative space. It’s home to the latest materials, formats, furniture and ideas that we have to offer. The design brief was to evoke the senses, elevate the store experience and craft a space where designers, architects and creatives come together—to meet, eat and create. Architect Tom Eckersley talks us through the process.
“ For me the main consideration for this project was toshowcasetheproductinthebestwaypossible bymaximisingnaturallight,andtocreateagreater senseofconnectionbetweenspaces.Future proofingthebuildingbyimprovingitspassive thermalperformancewasalsokey.Thespeedof thebuildandcollaborationwiththeEcoOutdoor teamwasparticularlyrewarding–inarchitecture it’sraretomakedesigndecisionsonlytoreturn daysorevenhourslaterandseeitcometolife.
Withthebrand’slongstandingconnectionto natureandoutdoor iving,enhancingnatural lightwasparamount.Theexistingshowroom reliedheavilyonartificiallightingwhichlimited theabilitytoshowcasethenaturalbeautyofthe products.Tocounteractthis,wepunchedina doubleheightvoidwithalargeskylightabove theentrancespace,creatingawelcoming feelingthatdrawsthecustomerinwards.”
“ This project presented a unique opportunity to play with and explore a range of textural materials, formats and colours in a single space. The in-situ displays are built to scale, highlighting natural tone and colour variations while providing a perfect backdrop for a curated range of outdoor furniture. As time goes by each product will change and develop its own patina–something we are all very excited to see.”
“On the ground floor we removed a major dividing wall which established a direct visual connection from the front door through to the main showroom area. We also eliminated most of the first-floor walls, which gives the appearance of mezzanine levels. These areas now house a combination of communal meeting spaces, offices and retail.
The existing saw-tooth roof was retrofitted with two continuous bays of highlight windows that run the full length of the showroom. The windows are equipped with an operable function and let the warm air out during the warm months and keep it in throughout winter. Large fans were also installed to circulate fresh air and contribute to the passive heating and cooling of the space.”
Our Melbourne Flagship features an original bronze sculpture by Danish-Australian artist Mika Utzon Popov. Here, Mika shares the inspiration for his work, his collaborative process with Eco Outdoor founder Ben Kerr, and what drew him to work with bronze.
“When walked in, felt a strong pull to create a work which would grab people’s attention as they moved from the foyer to the main hall and mark a point of transition. Like the showroom behind it, which is filled with natural materials, I wanted to create something with texture that builds on nature, because that’s how we always build, whether it’s a timber deck or a bronze sculpture, it all starts with nature. With two giant semicircular panels facing each other, their contrasting surfaces create a circular void which absorbs the light from above and illuminates the opposing elements.
One of the reasons I enjoyed this collaboration was the process—Ben and I are both innovators who are constantly working within an industrial process and wondering how we can push the boundaries. We wanted to create an artwork for a place that has a purpose, creating a visceral experience for anyone who spends time here.
With bronze you’re never completely in control of the process or outcome, you have to let it run its course. It's both delicate and weighted and it seemed the best way to create a narrative of holding space and light from the ground up. The limitation of course is that it never stops absorbing its surroundings, changing and ageing. But once you surrender to that, it becomes part of its uniqueness. It has its own fingerprint in time.”
Location:EcoOutdoorMelbourneShowroom,Australia Artist:MikaUtzonPopov Fabricators: UAP CompanyLocation: West Hollywood, Los Angeles
Client: Great White
Welcoming patrons via a rustic path paved with cobblestones, Great White Melrose offers a sumptuous melding of natural materials and textures in an open-concept restaurant. The space celebrates communion with its surrounding environment and elegantly challenges the boundaries of traditional exterior and interior materiality—utilising reclaimed cobblestones throughout.
Contributing to the restaurant’s distinctive character is the uncommon application of our reclaimed cobblestones. Typically an exterior flooring choice, here Mulhall was laid within the restaurant’s interior, uniting spaces and blurring all the lines.
After a centuries long life on the streets of Europe each stone was removed one-by-one to have its top sliced off before being re-laid.
The Eco Outdoor reclaimed cobblestone range repurposes these salvaged tops, affording
the timeless material renewed life within a contemporary context. With each distinctively aged stone, a piece of history is preserved, along with remnants of the past that chronicle its colourful existence.