A
ustralians remain fi rmly in love
with indoor-outdoor living. And
if there’s one singularly effective
way to express this, it’s through blurring
the lines between inside and out by
carrying indoor fl ooring out to a deck,
terrace or balcony. Add some beautiful
receding doors to the picture and it
becomes diffi cult to distinguish where
one space ends and another begins.
Our climate fosters this lifestyle, says
Kathryn Robson, principal architect of
Melbourne practice Robson Rak.
“Australians expect to be able to use
their outdoor space as an additional
room. Having a direct link between the
two areas, such as the same fl ooring,
facilitates this.”
You are able to take your pick from
timber, tile, stone and concrete fl ooring,
but be sure that whatever you choose
comes in different fi nishes: smooth for
indoors and a more textured, durable
version for outdoors.TIMBER
“Native Australian hardwoods such as
blackbutt and spotted gum are the best
options for creating a seamless look
inside and out,” says Brad Lawrence,
national fl ooring buyer for Bunnings.
“They’re quite fi re-resistant, which
makes them safe to install near a
barbecue, plus they’re durable enough
to cope with extreme weather.”SPECIAL REPORTFLOORING FOR
INDOORS & OUT
Create a seamless transition between indoors and
out by getting your fl ooring right. Here’s how to
create a fl ow-on e ect, writes Georgia Madden.
Softer wood such as pine is best
avoided outdoors as they can be
vulnerable to rot, warping and termites,
unless chemically treated. Bamboo
fl ooring is an eco-friendly choice and
the array of colours and board sizes is
expanding, but it’s recommended only
for indoor and undercover applications.
Right now, blonde timbers are very
popular. “They provide a fresh, neutral
canvas for interior design schemes and
landscaping, and can help to visually
open up small living areas,” says Clinton
Skeoch, national market development
manager at Boral Timber. “When it
comes to size, we’re seeing a continued
interest in wide boards, which lend a
casual and inviting look.”
COST GUIDE Blackbutt timber
fl oorboards from $70/m², and
blackbutt timber decking, from
$79/m² (supply only), Boral Timber;
http://www.boral.com.au.TILES
Tiles are ideal for indoor-outdoor use as
they’re durable, low-maintenance and
available in a variety of fi nishes, so you
can have a smooth tile indoors and run
the same design with a slip-resistant
fi nish through to your patio or wet
area. While stone, ceramic and mosaic
tiles all work well, Tom Hayes, fl ooring
buyer at Masters Home Improvement,
nominates porcelain tiles as his pick. >Using fl oorboards and
decking in the same timber,
as shown in these blackbutt
products from Boral Timber,
produces a streamlined,
unifi ed e ect.