This is a new 4-bedroom residence in Thornleigh, where The Design Commission provided all internal and external design services for wonderful clients who are not afraid of pattern or colour but who also love the cleanness of a black and white palette. Blonde timber floorboards inside and biscuit-coloured travertine stone outside provide a warm, natural base.  Layered over this inside are white walls and ceilings with graphic black window frames and white timber louvres. The external palette is a combination of black bricks and wide timber, carbon-positive lining boards by Weathertex painted in black and white. Coloured and patterned tiles bring to life the kitchen, laundry, powder room and bathrooms, with super sustainable Mosa tiles featured throughout along with some splashes of hand-made cement patterned tiles. A lighting plan was developed with the clients, whose love of natural materials saw us incorporate pendants and chandeliers made of timber and shells. High ceilings and plenty of natural light create generous spaces for living and playing, with an easy flow between inside and outside provided by large sliding doors on both levels.

 

Some of the sustainable features in Thornleigh House include:

• Cradle to Cradle accredited Mosa tiles from Design Republic in all wet spaces – this means that Mosa tile production takes into account their full life cycle, optimising resource use, recyclability, renewable energy use, water efficiency and quality, and social responsibility

• Surface-mounted sinks by Apaiser – made from crushed, recycled marble composite

• FSC timber flooring + FSC timber feature lighting, including Marz Designs’ Bright Beadspendants

• Weathertex PEFC timber lining boards (external) – timber & natural wax tongue + groove boards with a Platinum GreenTag GreenRate Level A rating

• LED lighting throughout

• Low flow taps + shower heads throughout

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With many thanks to our wonderful building team from Life Structures.

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Client testimonial

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"Jacqueline was commissioned to be our interior designer at the beginning of the construction of our house. She met or talked with me often to discuss our needs, my style of decorating, and to give her input whenever I wanted her opinion. Her design presentations were spectacular and she provided us with 3D images of everything, which meant I could visualise how the house would look when finished. Everything she chose in terms of finishes and fittings - tiles, flooring, bathroom & kitchen fittings, external cladding and more - was sustainable, functional, practical and yet so eye-catching and unique. She also chose the lighting fixtures, which I admire everyday, and developed the lighting plan for the house as well as furniture plans for our open plan living areas.

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She has immense attention to detail, and listened to me and understood my design needs. Her special touches have made our wonderful house so much more special. She made sure she was on site when the lights and tiles were being installed and communicated with our builder, electrician and plumber about details whenever necessary. The whole process of building our house was made so easy because she communicated so well with everyone involved. It has been an absolute pleasure and blessing to have had Jacqueline as our designer." U.P.