Luxury Home Renovations: Creating an ‘Inside, Out’ Space

Thank you to Natalie Hadlow-Vlismas of Wanda-Michelle Interiors for submitting this project.

For this renovation project we wanted to create living areas that connect the space outdoors with the interior. We felt that a home can be a part of its surroundings, rather than an intrusion on them and set about a design that would convey this idea.

One of the ways we did this was to ensure a flow from inside the home to the exterior. This included creating a ‘floating’ dining room. We set a 12-seater table on a marble platform that extends into a rock pool and water feature, giving new meaning to the phrase ‘eating out’.

To enhance this indoor-outdoor feel, the roof above the table was replaced with an extensive glass skylight, inviting the sky into the dining area. Further connections were made with the use of earthy tones that match the nearby rocks and the smooth marble and high-gloss table which assume the reflective properties of the water outside. We then added a rug that seems to capture both the essence of stone, and the play of light and movement on the pool.

In other areas of the home, we opted to remove large sections of concrete wall and replace them with glass. Sturdy pillars were added to provide the necessary structural support. Some of the glass walls were set on rails so that, during good weather, they can be completely folded open. This creates the sense that you are somehow both inside and outside at the same time; a feeling enhanced by the floor and ceiling extending from the interior.

In keeping with the attention to detail of the design, we looked at how the outdoor furniture, décor and lighting could assist with the theme of the project.

The outdoor furniture, for example, is smooth and rectangular. This reflects the marble floor slabs, the pillars and the leveled ceilings. On a more literal level, it reflects the ever-changing sky.

And, as evening sets in, irregular spots mimic the city lights sparkling below and the stars above. Glowing blue orbs invoke planets and satellites, and the view extends to the horizon. Fanciful? Most certainly. Fantastical? Of course. Effective? Absolutely.

Finally, we looked to integrate natural elements into the home’s design. Natural stone lies comfortably with cement paving and benches outside. Likewise, you can actually see the wood for the trees as the regular lines of our wooden decks give way to the sprawling branches of Jacaranda trees.

Overall, the space, tones and elements of the outdoors became part of the house. Sky, stone, water and wood all play their roles in making this home a place of natural beauty.

Natalie Hadlow-Vlismas is the Interior Project Manager at Wanda-Michelle Interiors. For the past seventeen years, their team of experts with a keen eye for detail, have ensured their solid reputation, which has been built around a business that represents savvy design, innovative thinking, team innovation and bespoke brilliance. Wanda-Michelle Interiors (WMI) are involved in various markets, predominantly within luxury residential renovation and the leisure sector, including boutique hotels and lodges.