The Natural Artisan: Spring 2016

ISSUE 11 | SPRING 2016

KLARA MAROSSZEKY: TRANSFORMING BUILDING ONE HEMP HOME AT A TIME

A HOME THAT DEMANDS ATTENTION

THE INTRIGUE OF EUROPEAN FINISHES

STRAWBALE EXCELLENCE IN CANBERRA

Spring 2016

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The Natural Artisan

SPRING 2016

CON TENT S 04

COMFORT ZONE: BOB CAMERON, ROCKCOTE

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CREATE. DO. INSPIRE!

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KLARA MAROSSZEKY: TRANSFORMING BUILDING ONE HEMP HOME AT A TIME

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A HOME THAT DEMANDS ATTENTION

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THE INTRIGUE OF EUROPEAN FINISHES

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STRAWBALE EXCELLENCE IN CANBERRA

SPRING 2016

Cover Image: Klara Marosszeky from The Australian Hemp Masonry Company at Sky Farm in Northern NSW. See story page 08.

Cover Photography: Jules Hunt www.juleshunt.com

EDITORIAL

Editor: Rebecca Park

Design: Tiam Whitfield

Contact: editor@thenaturalartisan.com

Pearlescence ROCKCOTE Venetian Plaster by artisan Angelo Anagnostellis from Vitruvian Artisan.

Colour: artisan created Finish: Glass Photography: Ross Eason

Spring 2016

The Natural Artisan: bringing together ‘the creators’ of all kinds to celebrate and share the art of crafting beautiful spaces and objects. We do this with a collective intention to live in tune with nature.

As Tolkien said in The Fellowship of the Ring: “We put the thought of all that we love into all that we make.”

Published by ROCKCOTE 18 Machinery Road, YANDINA QLD 4561

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Bob Cameron, ROCKCOTE Managing Director and fishing enthusiast Blackfish are very different fish to catch. They don’t attract too many fishermen as you need specialised gear and skills to catch them.

Everyone who learns to black fish has a story.

Black fishermen are known to be very cranky people. If someone tries to fish here with a normal rig, they would be told off but you could have ten good black fishermen fishing all in harmony.

We spent childhood holidays at the coast at Port Macquarie and kids were not welcome by the black fishermen. In those days, a proper blackfish reel, called an Avon Royale, was worth $13.50 and all I could afford was a Bakelite reel and a rangoon cane fishing rod that I made myself.

This is the most beautiful place here where the Noosa River meets the sea. In permaculture it is known as the 'edge effect'.

It’s a special place because it’s the mouth of the river. It reminds me of being in Iluka where I used to fish with my Dad as a child in the mouth of the largest river on the east coast of Australia. Where the water meets the shore there is fish activity; where the river meets the sea is another productive area.

Nothing is ever the same here; everything is changing every day with different fish, different tides to yesterday, and different seasons. You can never be sure of anything and you have to take that into account when you set your gear up.

You learn to read the water. I’ve never made use of modern fish finders and rely on intuition and my knowledge of fish and how they respond to the food that’s in the water.

Fishing is a meditation of sorts; the benefits that this hunting instinct gives you must be similar to the benefits of meditation. I’m focused on one thing, at peace with myself, at one with nature – all of those things are there when I am hunting or fishing. There is no thinking. There’s nothing going on in there but when I return I am so refreshed.

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"Nothing is ever the same; everything is changing every day with different fish, different tides to yesterday, and different seasons."

Photography: Rebecca Park

Spring 2016

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Photography: Ross Eason

A LABYRINTH OF WONDER IN BANGALOW Wax Jambu Emporium is an eclectic store in the main street of Bangalow in the NSW Northern Rivers. Housing books, homewares, clothing, and gifts, the store is a labyrinth of wonder with an original timber faรงade. While you are there, check out the stunning polished ROCKCOTE Venetian Plaster feature wall by artisan Angelo Anagnostellis.

More www.waxjambu.com.au

FOOD GROWN WITH LOVE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR Accessing the best quality, nutritious, local food can be challenging for busy people and families. Fresh Box is designed to make your life easy, delivering the freshest, organic fruit and veggies, and a large variety of wholesome groceries to your door. Select from a range of set boxes including fruit and vegetable, seasonal fruit, paleo, dairy and gluten free; or build your own from the extensive online catalogue. Fresh Box delivers from South Brisbane to Noosa.

More www.freshbox.com.au

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SIMPLE, EFFORTLESS DESIGN Ellen DeGeneres has bought and renovated nearly a dozen homes over the last 25 years and describes her real estate and decorating adventures as “an education”.

In Home, for the first time, Ellen reveals her passion for home design and style.

Full of beautiful photographs, this book is a treasure trove of amazing California architecture, unique home furnishings and ideas for creating your dream home.

Available www.amazon.com

WHISK AND BOWL BAKE AT HOME MIXES Gluten free, grain free goddess Tania Hubbard has launched a new range of simply beautiful packaged baking mixes called Whisk and Bowl. Select from three of Tania’s most revered recipes converted into an easy bake yourself mix: Ginger Biscuits, Farmhouse Bread and Chocolate Chia Cake.

Order www.taniahubbard.com/shop

VENETIAN PLASTER TRIBUTE Builder Steve Sampson of Upper Level Living created this incredible mural of his wife’s racehorse Trophy Hunter, with ROCKCOTE Venetian Plaster. Steve is currently complementing his builds with natural materials finishes and crafted this tribute while learning to apply the product.

More www.upperlevelliving.com.au

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Klara Marosszeky is a woman on a mission – to bring the benefits of hemp to Australian buildings while creating jobs and value add opportunities for Australian farmers.

by Rebecca Park

Sky Farm on the NSW North Coast showcases the Australian Hemp Masonry Company model of collaborative hemp building.

Photography: Jay Miller

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he founder of The Australian Hemp Masonry Company (AHMC), Klara has been involved in the hemp industry for almost two decades, a trailblazing researcher and sustainability educator not afraid to challenge the status quo.

Klara first applied for a hemp research license back in 1999. Today, AHMC is Australia’s leading company in the development of hemp lime construction materials and processes. Its work spans the hemp construction and farming sectors with a view to supporting the transition from a fossil fuel economy to a carbon based economy.

Growing up in the Hunter region of NSW, Klara’s environmental education started at a young age.

Wiping coal dust generated by the enormous open cut coalmines nearby from the backyard play equipment became increasingly commonplace.

Her early career working with Greening Australia in forestry consultation and rehabilitation exposed her to the impacts of large scale forestry and the need for better solutions for resource challenges.

“I witnessed the vulnerability of forests – even though something can be called a national park or, if the government changes and decides it won’t be a national park tomorrow that’s largely out of our control. The Hunter Valley experienced enormous erosion from mining and logging and from that I gained a really clear understanding of the need for identifying resilient biomass crops that could take the weight off forests as well as minimise energy,” Klara said.

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Klara Marosszeky Photography: Jules Hunt

Spring 2016

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An award-winning hemp build by AHMC in Marrickville, NSW. Photography: Lena Barridge

Klara’s hemp research began with two contradictory pieces of information: a document in a NSW Government Gazette from 1856 that said hemp grown in the Hawkesbury region during that period had survived extreme weather; and a NSW Department of Primary Industries research report indicating hemp was not a viable crop for the state.

While undertaking agronomic research trials, Klara quickly realised that there was a major barrier to the development of hemp farming in Australia – the lack of a value added industry. Klara had the foresight to link the need for new opportunities for regional farmers with the increasing number of people seeking to live in organic buildings, and began pursuing innovative hemp growing, building and processing methods.

After conducting preliminary research on hemp building materials elsewhere in the world and obtaining basic recipes, a University of NSW research project was launched to identify sustainable product options and test block samples. More than 50 mixes were tested over a six year period from 2000-2006 with a view to developing viable building solutions with the lowest possible footprint.

“It was important to avoid using binders with negative health impacts so we needed to start with materials that had a lime base,” Klara said. “We looked at different crops of hemp in an attempt to find materials strong enough to give us the thermal performance characteristics we were after and that were affordable.”

By now based in Northern NSW, Klara’s work was gaining traction. Experiments were conducted with tea tree and lucerne harvesters indicating that harvesters and mills from other industries 10

were suitable for processing hemp. The farming community in Ashford in the NSW New England region was seeking an alternative crop after the tobacco industry folded, so Klara began working with farmers in the region to develop a hemp industry that while still in its infancy, will flourish.

Fast-forward to today and AHMC has developed best practice construction methods for hemp building along with workshop training for building professionals and do-it-yourself builders embarking on hemp building projects. Hemp construction is based on a monolithic building method where the frame is in the centre of the wall as it is a method most people can learn, has a low footprint and has excellent opportunities for thermal outcomes.

Initially, Klara and her partners constructed prototypes, trialling hemp building methods in different climate zones and on small builds. Now, AHMC has partnerships with farmers, architects, builders and manufacturers across the country, and a community of passionate, like-minded people has developed around hemp building. Architects consult with the company seeking feedback on plans, workshops are held at the ROCKCOTE Design Centre, Nerang and new builders learn from the more experienced hemp builders.

“There are some really progressive thinking companies and individuals including design companies now wanting to work with us who understand what we are trying to do and see the value in that,” Klara said. “Even though we don’t grow hemp ourselves, we have a relationship with each mill and each farming community. Together we are developing more sustainable business models that recognise social impact and actively try to address the needs of the community.”

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AHMC training for builders, owners and designers in Perth, Western Australia.

Photography: Australian Hemp Masonry Pty Ltd

What makes hemp such a sustainable building material?

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ustralia’s building industry is responsible for around one third of our carbon footprint, and in 2011 it was reported that the construction industry was also a major contributor to the nation’s solid waste, generating one third of our national rubbish pile. Approximately 41% of construction and demolition waste goes to landfill according to The Conversation1.

Klara sees the potential for hemp construction to reduce both the carbon footprint of the industry and the rubbish generated. She shared her perspective with ABC TV's Landline program in 2012:

Hemp building also offers advantages for health and wellbeing, partly due to its ability to manage moisture. “Allergies can be largely related to mould in buildings and you don’t get mould in hemp buildings making them healthier places to live and work in,” said Klara2 .

References

1. http://theconversation.com/cleaning-up-the-constructionindustry-31 2. http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2012/s3506777.htm CONTINUED

As a carbon sink, hemp “harvests carbon out of the air in the field, is chopped up and put into lime based material and locked up in that so it is literally carbon locked into a wall. It continues to soak up carbon after setting.”

“Australia is ideally poised for a low carbon future.

Industrial hemp is probably one of the most powerful resources that we have available to us and one of the most powerful tools we have for addressing carbon.”

Spring 2016

Raw hemp harvested for building Photography: Australian Hemp Masonry Pty Ltd

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Photography: Jules Hunt

This gorgeous retreat in the Byron Bay Hinterland showcases the AHMC model. Architect, Michael Leung first connected with Klara via a mutual friend on another local hemp build. At the time, the building of Sky Farm was well underway.

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ichael and his family had searched for a property in the Byron Bay region for a year before moving but what was on offer with existing homes didn’t suit their budget or how they wanted to live. Sky Farm had been on the market for seven years but Michael and Tiffany (pictured), a building biologist and feng shui practitioner, could see the potential. They bought the property with the intention of starting with a shed and art studio, followed later by a family home.

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“Our plan was to knock up a simple shed and save our grand vision for the large home we were going to build here,” Michael said. “But the project just went on its own journey. Materials just kept popping up like they do in Byron Bay. We were fairly open and let a lot of ideas take hold on the project and the site.”

The building, consisting of a 60 square metre ground floor and 20 square metre mezzanine, was constructed in sections, with each product carefully researched and verified for quality and low toxicity.

The Natural Artisan

“We all allowed each other to have an imprint on the final building. That brought a lot of confidence and collaborative connection you don’t often get on building projects.”

- Michael Leung

The sub floor was made from recycled timber and recycled windows were sourced from an old house in the region.

When it came to the walls, Michael was initially fixed on weatherboard on the exterior and plasterboard for inside. A friend nearby had built a small place from hemp and two of Michael’s team had attended workshops with Klara. He soon realised that hemp would be a healthier and more sustainable option.

Photography: Jay Miller

“We looked at different wall systems and then considered the breathable broadwall system that hemp brought and realised that was the key to living with humidity and preventing mould growth.

Once I understood how we can lock up carbon with infrastructure in buildings, we were right on board,” he explains.

The build was a collaborative process with Klara providing guidance and mentoring along the way.

“We all allowed each other to have an imprint on the final building. That brought a lot of confidence and collaborative connection you don’t often get on building projects.”

For now, Michael and Tiffany and their two children are so content with their smaller space and simpler life that plans for a larger home are on hold.

Photography: Jay Miller

“This is an incredibly calm and safe space. It feels homely. It has the texture and warmth of a little farm cottage. My children can rub against the hemp walls and I know it is safe for them. We know there is no mould or toxicity which makes for more relaxed living.”

Michael has now launched Balanced Earth Building, with Luke Wrencher and Ture Schmidt, focused on good quality well designed carbon negative, hemp based buildings. The business vision is to create buildings that are in balance with the people who live in them and with the environment itself.

“There is no point in eating organic food, and washing your hair in organic soaps if you are living in an unhealthy environment. We see an opportunity to be leaders, and change the industry to use more healthy materials.”

Photography: Jules Hunt

Spring 2016

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Words: Rebecca Park

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Images: Ross Eason

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When Lisa and Brad Schelberg set out to design and build their dream home in Brisbane’s east, they sought a home that demanded attention from the street while being a luxurious, functional retreat for their family.

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“It’s difficult sometimes to filter through what’s old design, a wide street frontage available and decide what you want in your own and audacious blocks of solid colour home. We are quite particular with the products deliver on the street appeal brief while and finishes we use as they are selling our business. a thoughtfully designed open floor plan But at the end of the day we still have a budget and and the use of energy efficient building it is good for our clients to see that,” she said. systems ensure the home is spacious and comfortable at all times of the year.

The couple purchased a large corner block that was With several decades in the building industry and practical for their lifestyle, with views to Straddie on eight years running their business Bay Haven one side and a lake across the road. The angular Homes, Lisa, an interior designer and Brad, a design of the home maximises water and park views builder, have access to the best products and from both the upper and lower floors. finishes available, making their home a showcase of The exterior of the home features the ROCKCOTE ideas for potential clients.

Thermal Dry Zone Walling System, a lightweight, weatherproof, insulated cladding system Every Bay Haven Home is custom designed for the location, block and clients’ lifestyle and taste overcoated with a full ROCKCOTE render system. and while the company doesn’t have a signature A black and white colour scheme was chosen for style as such, crafting quality homes that stand visual impact, with the darker walls positioned in out is a key priority, says Lisa. areas not subject to direct sun all day, an important consideration for dark coloured rendered walls on “There is so much monotony now where all the houses look the same. We want people to say lightweight substrates. Matrix feature panels in charcoal complement the low sheen textured finish. ‘that’s different, it must be a Bay Haven Home’.

Our homes have elements that other homes don’t “We used white to play down the overall look and have,” she said. make the black stand out. Several Grecian Gold The challenge with their own home was to walls added another element of interest and those determine which combination of products colours just worked while also enhancing the and finishes to use from the myriad of options exterior angles,” Lisa said. discovered through their work.

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Lisa Schelberg of Bay Haven Homes in the luxurious custom designed and built home featuring a black and white colour scheme

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The ROCKCOTE Thermal Dry Zone Walling System, a lightweight exterior cladding system, was selected for its aesthetic properties and energy efficiency

The Thermal Dry Zone System was selected for its aesthetic properties and energy efficiency according to Lisa, with the speedy install time a bonus.

“This system allows our rendering company, Ruzic Render Systems, to do everything so we only had one person to deal with and Goran managed the whole process which gives us more time to focus on the rest of the build. It looks the same as render over brick without needing to have walls bricked and rendered which I think is a good thing. It looks great!” she said.

The interior floor plan is designed to be effortless.

Every room has a purpose. The media room is placed towards the front of the home separated from the television in the living room. The office is in an independent wing away from the louder areas.

Both the kitchen and separate meals and living areas wind around the alfresco for ease of entertaining and family life. Two large bathrooms are family friendly, with baths and large shower recesses.

The Scandinavian style interior is subtle and minimal yet luxurious and elegant with timber, concrete, matt floor tiles, marble and stone featuring throughout. The black and white colour scheme 16

carries through from the exterior, bold highlights carefully balanced with lighter tones in each space to deliver contemporary style with a sense of ease.

“Many of our clients go for mostly white interiors because it’s an easier choice,” said Lisa. “You can have something beautiful and be a bit daring, use unique tiles, infuse the home with colour and personality. At the end of the day your interior design shows off your personality.”

The home was completed in December 2015 with the family moving in just in time for Christmas and the heat of the Brisbane summer.

“The floor plan design and building product elements including the ROCKCOTE system make our home extremely comfortable. In summer, I didn’t turn the air conditioning on once and that's what we love about our builds. After working for so many years in air conditioning, I encourage natural air flow these days. Natural airflow is more enjoyable and healthy, and you’re saving money without having to keep air conditioners and heaters pumping,” Lisa said.

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“You can have something beautiful and be a bit daring, use unique tiles, infuse the home with colour and personality. At the end of the day your interior design shows off your personality.”

- Lisa Schelberg

PROJECT DETAILS:

Owners: Lisa and Brad Schelberg

386 square metre custom build 5 bedrooms including office, 2.5 bathrooms

Builder: Brad Schelberg, Bay Haven Homes

Interior Design: Lisa Schelberg, Bay Haven Homes

Renderer/ROCKCOTE Thermal Dry Zone Walling System

Installer: Goran Ruzic, Ruzic Render Systems

Exterior finishes: ROCKCOTE Flexi Tex and two coats of ROCKCOTE Armour

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the intrigue of

EUROPEAN FINISHES Words and images by Tony Thorogood

In June, I headed to France and Italy for a wonderful four week family holiday. The plan was to relax and enjoy everything Europe has to offer but deep down I knew it would only be a matter of time before my eyes started to wander to the finishes on the walls and ceilings.

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t has long been a dream to go to the Louvre. My wife, Marielle and I are fascinated by Ancient Egypt so the Egyptian Antiquities exhibit was top of our priority list. As we entered the foyer, I could not believe my eyes when I saw that the entry statement was a two storey high concrete look Venetian plaster wall with an Egyptian statue in front. It was just amazing. When I rubbed my hands along it, it felt flat and smooth to the touch, exactly like our ROCKCOTE Venetian Plaster. It is in pristine condition and looks like an artisan did it yesterday despite the fact it was probably around ten years old.

This experience made me consider the relationship early civilisations had with Venetian Plaster and lime plasters generally and I am keen to find 18

out more about that history. I’m intrigued by their use of this look and finish in this location – why did they choose to use Venetian plaster? Was it a coincidence or was a traditional finish intentionally chosen due to its relationship with that civilisation?

Still in the Louvre, the Napoleon III Apartments were an unexpected marvel. The sheer opulence, the intricacy and work involved in the decorative finishes were like nothing I have ever seen. Two and a half storey ceilings adorned with stunning hand painted murals were embellished with arches and intricate carvings finished in gold.

I’m amazed by the skill required to create such art, the lavishness of the space for the period and the way it has been preserved.

We travelled through the countryside by road to the

coastal town of Saint-Malo in northwestern France. SaintMalo is a walled port city with hundreds of traditional stone buildings. Homes in this area are rows and rows of multistorey terrace types. Most of the externals are clean, exposed granite-like stone, some partly finished in lime washes or plasters in soft, earthy tones and beiges.

Narrow streets lined with the most vibrant coloured buildings make the Old City of Nice truly remarkable. Four and five storey buildings dating back to the 1600s in vivid yellows, sandstones, oranges and reds are incredibly photogenic.

Every home and building has a headstone above the door marked with a cross representing Catholicism. Each headstone also bears the date when the building was constructed, some dating back to the early 1600s.

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With vibrant coloured buildings, the city of Old Nice is incredibly photogenic.

Italy has long been a pillar in the world of interior design. Many people turn to Italian design to discover the latest trends to enhance their homes so I had looked forward to seeing what was on trend in modern Italy. The use of deep earthy colours is still very strong in and around the Italian countryside, inspired by food and nature.

Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera consists of five small villages perched on rugged cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea. The road is a single lane with a massive drop off one side and two-way traffic including buses fighting it out for road space.

That was challenging enough, without the added distraction of incredibly beautiful homes built into the sides of the cliffs, the bright yellows, terracottas and earth colours standing out from the lush green mountain foliage.

Spring 2016

Florence was astonishing. Our accommodation was reasonably new in Italian terms – about 400 or 500 years old. Upon stepping down into our subterranean room, we were greeted with this startling combination of old and new – traditional bricks, lime wash, exposed stone and modern facilities. The bathroom was a remarkable example of the old and new working effortlessly together: centuries old exposed stone with lime render; bricks with lime wash and lime plaster walls in the shower were contrasted with a glass shower door, contemporary shower head and modern floor tiles. It shouldn’t work. Everything about it tells you it shouldn’t but it absolutely did.

an appreciation of the how these products were developed, how they were and are used brings you closer to your craft.

Long lasting, natural finishes have been used on the exteriors of European homes for centuries so why not here? While so many contemporary Australian buildings feature neat, straight finishes, neat and straight does not provoke the question of how? How did they do it? Lime renders by their very nature give buildings life and intrigue. They make you want to delve in and find out more. These buildings give the impression that they are ready to talk to you, ready to tell you their history.

There is huge value for every artisan in learning about the history of the materials we work with. Taking the time to develop 19

The interior of this beautiful, natural strawbale home in Tuggeranong features walls finished with ROCKCOTE Otsumigaki in natural white and tinted earth renders.

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Photography: Simone Pieta, Viva Living Homes

Building beautiful, natural homes for great people with great people is the motivating vision that inspires Sam Vivers and Simone Pieta to constantly raise the bar in strawbale building.

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his attractive strawbale home in Tuggeranong has all the hallmarks of a home built by their award-winning business, Viva Living Homes. Environmentally sustainable, energy efficient, beautifully handcrafted and with careful attention to detail, the custom home is designed to be spacious and peaceful.

“The concept of building with strawbale can be quite foreign to people at first. A lot of people are unsure what materials to use and wonder whether natural materials will be as good as conventional materials. Our courses cover a range of natural building techniques and give people the chance to learn and ask questions,” Simone said.

Set in a rural area in the southernmost suburb of Canberra, the home is surrounded by striking open plains and valleys, with views to a nearby river.

“As a builder you can take charge of a site and shut it down so no one else goes there but the builders. We tend to involve clients and build as a team. Having good people who you trust on your team is important and helps ensure clients get what they want.”

Such a picturesque aspect and wide block provided the opportunity to create a long home with a grand entrance, something that was important to clients, John and Carol Lilleyman according to Simone.

“John and Carol wanted their home to nestle into the land, and look grand as they drove down the driveway. There had to be a sense of arriving when they came home,” Simone explained.

The brief was to create a home that offered open, communal areas to suit a family of five adults including three ambitious, high achieving adult children still living at home, along with a private retreat for John and Carol.

Sam and Simone encourage clients to be actively involved in the design and build process with most clients, including John and Carol, taking part in a Viva Living Homes four-day strawbale building course before they decide to embark on a strawbale project.

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John and Carol judiciously researched inclusions to ensure longevity and quality. John even took the time to graph the performance of solar hot water versus heat pumps, ultimately selecting a heat pump as the most efficient option for water heating.

Strawbale construction is ideal for homes in regions experiencing extreme climates in summer and winter like the ACT. Straw bales provide insulation while thermal mass in the floor (concrete) and internal walls (rammed earth sourced from the site and cob) help to moderate indoor temperatures.

Other initiatives such as solar passive design with north facing windows, double glazing on north facing windows and R4 insulation in the ceilings help this home achieve a 7.5 star rating.

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The exterior of the home is finished with natural renders

Most Viva home designs include a truth window (a timber framed inset located in a prominent internal location that shows off the construction method) and a niche, both of which add character to this home. Additional creative ideas were explored on site, resulting in several artistic, handcrafted elements such as a wave rendered inset and timber shelf set into one of the bedroom walls.

All exterior and interior renders are completely natural with most of the interior walls finished in products from the ROCKCOTE Natural Materials range. The majority of the smooth, interior white walls are finished in ROCKCOTE Otsumigaki, a natural lime and clay render that can be formed to produce gentle curves.

ROCKCOTE Marrakesh in natural white, adds a sense of grace and elegance to the bathroom

“The clients sought a natural white colour and to have the home looking sleek and modern without using conventional tiles. Otsumgaki was ideal for that purpose,” said Simone.

ROCKCOTE Marrakesh features extensively in the bathrooms and wet areas, the natural lime plaster contributing to improved indoor air quality.

Simone describes the completed home as spacious, homely and peaceful.

“It’s open but still homely. A lot of conventional new homes can be a bit sterile but this one isn’t.

I just love the kitchen. The whole space works well with the rammed earth walls, natural finishes and lights. It’s modern but has a real country aesthetic,” she enthused.

A sculpted Otsumigaki inset adds elegance to one of the bedroom walls.

“Every room feels artistic, there is something else to look at and enjoy because of the materials used and the personal touches,” Being constructed from straw bales, the home is also incredibly quiet and peaceful, the thermal acoustic properties of the walls preventing noise travel between rooms and creating a tranquil escape from the sounds of the surrounding countryside.

PROJECT DETAILS:

Strawbale home, Tuggeranong ACT

Owners: John and Carol Lilleyman 300 square metres 4 bedrooms including retreat 2.5 bathrooms The classic, homely kitchen features timber benchtops and a rammed earth wall.

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Builder: Sam Vivers, Viva Living Homes Renderer/Artisan: David O’Mahony

The Natural Artisan

“Every room feels artistic, there is something else to look at and enjoy because of the materials used and personal touches�

- Simone Pieta

Niches such as this one finished with seamless, smooth Otsumigaki add character to the home.

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Contact: www.rockcote.com.au

SPRING 2016 ISSUE FEATURED ARTISANS: Klara Marosszeky, Australian Hemp Masonry Company www.hempmasonry.com.au

Lisa Schelberg, Bay Haven Homes www.bayhavenhomes.com.au Goran Ruzic, Ruzic Render Systems www.ruzicrendersystems.com.au

Michael Leung, Balanced Earth Building www.balancedearthbuilding.com

Ross Eason, Eason Creative Photography www.easoncreative.com.au

Jules Hunt, Jules Hunt Studio Gallery www.juleshunt.com

Sam Vivers and Simone Pieta, Viva Living Homes www.vivahomes.com.au

Angelo Anagnostellis, Virtuvian Artisan astellis@gmail.com

BEN DEARS

NATURAL FINISHED DESIGNS (SE QLD)

LUCAS RENARD

RENARDS RENDER (QLD)

GORAN RUZIC

RUZIC RENDER (GOLD COAST)

JULIEN FANTONE

ALAN HAWKINS

A.H. PLASTERING (NORTH QLD)

KEN LONGSHAW

SOUTHERN NATURAL FINISHES (AUST-WIDE)

ADAM ESSERY

AE INTERIORS (SE QLD)

RYAN LOWSECK

IDEA CREATIONS (AUST-WIDE)

IDEA CREATIONS (AUST-WIDE)

SHAWN DONLEY

JOHNNY DE BOUCHERVILLE

SD PLASTER (BRISBANE)

ANGELO ANAGNOSTELLIS VITRUVIAN ARTISAN (NSW, QLD) 24

PAUL DE BESTEN

SHOGUN CONSTRUCTIONS (QLD)

MARK KENNEDY

CUSTOM ART FINISHES (QLD)

SHANNON WHITEHILL

AUSTRALIAN ARTISANS (AUST-WIDE)

PAUL GEACH

CR8IVE SURFACES (ACT)

KATE OGDEN

BELINDA FAZEKAS

PLASTACRAFT (AUST-WIDE)

JOSH GLOVER

JA & SL GLOVER (VIC)

GORNI CAHANI

RENDER IT OZ (VICTORIA)

BRAD BENTON

GRAHAM LEE

SAM VIVERS

SOUTHERN NATURAL FINISHES (AUST-WIDE)

VIVA LIVING HOMES (NSW, VIC, QLD)

RONNY HELOU

PETER KRALJEVIC

CREATIVE WALL SOLUTIONS (SYDNEY)

LUKE RUSSELL

IDEA CREATIONS (AUST-WIDE)

BRUCE ALLEN

4E SYSTEMS (NSW, QLD)

B & H SOLID PLASTERING (QLD)

(GOLD COAST)

PETER HOLMES

TADELAKT SYDNEY (NSW)

MIKE CORKIN

BLUE MOUNTAINS NATURAL RENDERS

(QLD)

MUDMOB (AUST-WIDE)

PLASTACRAFT (AUST-WIDE)

MARK DOLBEL

IGOR STAINWALD SO SOLID (QLD)

THE MODERN ARTISAN (SA)

RAY HALL

PETER TOROK

JOHN FERGUSON

CHRIS FERGUSON

MICHAEL FIORELLI

JOHN GELTCH

TOROK ENTERPRISE (AUST-WIDE) JWC INDUSTRIES (SYDNEY, CENTRAL NSW) JWC INDUSTRIES (SYDNEY, CENTRAL NSW) ADVANCE PLASTERING (BRISBANE) KUSTOM FINISHES NATURALLY (SE QLD) The Natural Artisan