Decorating
Sandstone in Your Way? Make the Most of It With These Rock-Solid Ideas
Sydney's plentiful sandstone can be challenging, but with a little imagination this beautiful warm material can become a home's best feature
Sydneysiders may have beautiful beaches and an eye-catching harbour to gloat about, but many also face the challenges of sandstone when they’re building or extending a house. If you’re in this boat, don’t despair – the added expense of excavation and rock removal may put a dent in your building budget, but you can make it worth your while by using sandstone to your advantage. Whether you repurpose sandstone into a garden wall, highlight a rockface as a feature or add some sculptural interest inside or out, you just may come to love the rocky terrain you used to loathe.
Ever taken a bath in a cave before? This bathroom is designed to give the homeowners that experience.
Mirrors add to the cave-like feel, as you can see in this shot looking from the rockface back into the bathroom and bedroom beyond.
See more of this bathroom
See more of this bathroom
The architect of this intriguing home in Sydney’s Waverton had a difficult site with which to work. Not only did he have to build over an escarpment, the site was also in a densely urbanised heritage conservation area. “The form of this house responds to the difficult site using the elements of cave, platform and canopy,” Richard Cole says. Upstairs, two platforms extend out from the anchoring escarpment into the valley, but downstairs the colours and texture of sandstone are invited inside. “The escarpment is retained, raw and open to the rooms of the lower ground floor,” Cole says.
See more of this house
See more of this house
Who needs a painting when you can bring the natural warmth of rock into your bathroom? Artificial lighting makes the most of the rockface in this Neutral Bay house.
Natural wonder
Rather than a blank white wall, a glass wall makes the space far more interesting thanks to the golden tones of the sandstone rockface.
Rather than a blank white wall, a glass wall makes the space far more interesting thanks to the golden tones of the sandstone rockface.
The same rockface helps merge inside with outside, by drawing the eye along the wall as it continues into the courtyard.
From the open-plan living and dining area, the rock wall continues to be a feature, and provides a natural backdrop to the pool. Now that’s what I call working with your location.
Have a look around this Vaucluse house
Have a look around this Vaucluse house
Solid foundations, good vibrations
This Rose Bay house may be grand, but the designers have managed to integrate the home into the bedrock on which it’s perched, toning down the man-made feel in the process. The rough sandstone wall to the left of the stairs is sure to feel the touch of far more hands than its smoother companion to the right.
This Rose Bay house may be grand, but the designers have managed to integrate the home into the bedrock on which it’s perched, toning down the man-made feel in the process. The rough sandstone wall to the left of the stairs is sure to feel the touch of far more hands than its smoother companion to the right.
The natural stone wall softens modern lines and serves as a solid base for the pool at the far end.
The rock enables the pool and deck to extend as far as possible into that fabulous view.
Garden helpers
In the harbourside suburbs of Sydney, many homes are built on steep hillsides to capture what they can of the views. Although this Castlecrag garden is leafy, exposed rocks bring interest and open up the backyard.
In the harbourside suburbs of Sydney, many homes are built on steep hillsides to capture what they can of the views. Although this Castlecrag garden is leafy, exposed rocks bring interest and open up the backyard.
The sandstone has been shaped along the driveway of this Curl Curl home, but the excavated rock has been put to good use as rough-hewn bricks used in retaining walls. The home blends more easily into its surrounds as a result.
Take a look around
Take a look around
Rocks can add sculptural beauty to the smallest of backyards …
… as well as the biggest. This Coogee house incorporates a variety of textures not just in the home’s exterior materials, but also in the garden with the help of softer than soft grass and bold boulders.
YOUR SAY
How does your house make the most of its challenging location? Tell us about it, and share an image or two, in the Comments.
MORE
Warm Up Your House With Materials Provided by Mother Nature
From the Ground Up: Designing for Your Location
9 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Garden
YOUR SAY
How does your house make the most of its challenging location? Tell us about it, and share an image or two, in the Comments.
MORE
Warm Up Your House With Materials Provided by Mother Nature
From the Ground Up: Designing for Your Location
9 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Garden
The sandstone in Sydney presents a challenge to architects faced with designing houses on steep slopes and rocky terrain. One solution is to carve out the rock to accommodate the house. Rather than hiding it away, the designers of this award-winning bathroom have made the rockface a highlight. Minosa designer Darren Genner not only opened up this bathroom to bring the natural texture and colour of the rockface in, he even extended the room onto a tiled terrace and used uplights to give it wow factor.