Australian House & Garden

Question: I have an obsession for H&G and have read each issue from the last 3 years at least 50 times. I now probably have too much inspiration! Accompanying an article was a photograph of a kitchen with Linda at her Pietra Serena limestone island bench. The splashback is chrome film polyurethane in ‘chameleon’ paint. What exactly is the splashback product as it looks great. Many thanks, Sophie.

Answer: We have been in contact with the owner/architect of the house you refer to and she informs us that the splashback treatment is derived from chrome film flakes being added to a two-pack polyurethane finish. The chrome film flakes were purchased overseas and may be available in Australia from an automotive paint supplier. The finish can only be used over MDF. The splashback should not be splashed so the cooktop has to be installed as close to the bench edge as possible. The owner brought her cooktop forward to 50ml from the edge of her benchtop.

Question: My apartment has a lovely balcony with glass doors that open it up to the outdoors, but I have a problem with the afternoon sun. What can I do to block out the glare, but not the view or the breeze?

Answer: There are a number of solutions, involving either internal or external window coverings, so it depends on the kind of look you’re after. To block out the glare and protect your balcony from the elements, you could install a folding arm awning with a control to alter the angle to suit the climate. Awnings are available in either manual or motorised versions, with the option of sun and wind sensors. Alternatively, semi-transparent sunscreen roller blinds will give you privacy and block out the glare during the day while still keeping a lot of the view. Install them with other standard blinds on a dual blind roller to make sure you get just as much privacy at night. They won’t, however, give you as much access to the breeze. You could also try plantation shutters, made from natural timber or man-made materials. They can be hinged, sliding or bi-fold and the blades can be adjusted to let in more or less of the view and the breeze, while still angling the glare away.

Question: My family and I recently spent a fabulous six weeks in Europe. How can I creatively display photos from our trip?

Answer: An interesting way to display travel photos is to hang them on a zettel – a type of hanging wire which has tired wire ‘arms’ with little pegs to clip on individual photos. You can then hang this from a central light fitting, over a table or by a bench in the light of a window. An alternative is to screen your images in a digital frame or album. You get to see them as an always-changing picture show. But the simplest way to display a whole stack of photos at the one time is to do a picture collage within a huge wall frame. Stage your images first, secure with Blu Tack and move them around to get the balance right. You might have to cut or shape your photos to fit within the frame.

Question: Hi, I have a duck egg blue and cream sofa, shades of brown stone fireplace and can't decide on the wall, carpet and curtain colours. I want the room to look cosy and comfortable.

Answer: To complement your existing furnishings, you could paint your walls in a warm creamy white like Wattyl Orchid. You could have a light mocha-coloured woollen carpet. I think you need to pick up on the duck egg blue – a colour that is very fashionable at the moment. Find a fabric for the curtains which has a hint of this colour in the design. No bold patterns, however, possibly a geometric and something that would harmonise with the pattern in the sofa upholstery. Good accent colours are chartreuse and burnt orange.

Question: I love the black floors in Monica Blinco's "Black Magic" apartment so much that I recently had my Blackbutt parquetry floor stained a deep black. However, I'm finding that straight black is tending toward a purple look - can you recommend a mix of stain colour to achieve a warmer black? Thanks

Answer: We believe you can use a walnut stain with the black Japan stain to get a softer, less ‘purple’ look for your floor.

Answered by Rose-Marie Hillier