192 Australian House & GardenSTOP THE SLIP
Prevent nasty accidents
by ensuring the flooring
you choose is suciently
slip-resistant. “All
flooring surfaces can
become slippery,
particularly when wet,
so a non-slip coating is
essential,” says Bunnings’
Brad Lawrence. To boost
the slip-resistance factor
on timber decking, you
can apply a lightly
textured anti-slip topcoat,
such as Sikkens Cetol
Deck Slip Resistant.
DTA Domestic Anti Slip
does the job for glossy
ceramics and mosaic tiles.
For around the pool, be
sure to choose a material
that has been specifically
rated for wet areas.< “They are cost-effective, waterproof^
and UV-resistant,” he says. “They can be
made to mimic just about any surface,
from wood and stone to concrete.”
Dara Shashoua, director of tile
specialist Byzantine Design, concurs.
“They’ve come a long way in the last
decade,” she says. In terms of current
trends, she says it’s all about pattern.
“It could take the form of encaustics,
which are cement tiles inlaid with a
pattern, or laying tiles in chevron or
herringbone patterns.”
COST GUIDE Glazed porcelain tiles,
from $50/m², and encaustic tiles, from
$99/m² (supply only), Byzantine Design;
http://www.byzantinedesign.com.au.NATURAL STONE AND PAVERS
“Stone used to be very much seen as an
outdoor material but it’s now regularly
making an appearance in other parts ofthe home,” says Katie Rowley, marketing
manager at Eco Outdoor. For
continuous indoor-outdoor spaces, she
suggests travertine, bluestone, granite
or limestone. “If you use stone across a
large area, make sure it features some
natural variation, which will add a
sense of warmth to the space.
“Consider a polished finish for indoors
and a more raw finish, such as sawn or
bush-hammered, for outdoors.”
Another option is to use pavers in
brick or concrete. While they’re not
suitable for indoor use, the ever-
expanding colour palette available
means that you can match them to any
indoor flooring you like.
COST GUIDE Granite, from $67/m²,
travertine or bluestone, from $72/m²,
and limestone, from $89/m² (supply
only), Eco Outdoor; http://www.ecooutdoor.
com.au. #These Atelier timber-look
outdoor tiles from Amber
Tiles withstand the elements
and can be perfectly matched
to an indoor version.‘ TIMBER-LOOK PORCELAIN TILES ARE A GREAT OPTION IF YOU WANT THE
LOOK OF TIMBER BUT NOT THE MAINTENANCE.’ DARA SHASHOUA, BYZANTINE DESIGN