Wrought Iron Quotes from local businesses Get Quotes »

Spoilt for choice about your new renovation plans? Sometimes it can be useful to get back to basics and have a think about the classic styles which have charmed homeowners again and again around the world. We take a trip through Scandinavia, France, Japan, The Netherlands, Andalusia, Indonesia and Germany to find out how you can mix and match aspects of architecture, design and decoration from different places to create the house of your dreams.

You can find everything you need for your renovation or construction project right here on Service Central. Whether it’s architects, bricklayers, builders, carpenters, interior designers or plumbers - the list goes on! Simply post your job with Service Central and be approached by tradespeople and companies who already know what you need and just how they’ll be able to make it a reality!



Scandinavia

The story

Thanks to the recent booming success of Scandinavian decor in Australia (largely due to Swedish giant IKEA and stationery brand Kikki K) this is a style you will be well familiar with! First emerging in the utilitarian atmosphere after World War Two, Scandinavian design is all about egalitarianism - crisp, clean lines, functionality, and understated elegance. Imagine spending winters that far north of the equator and it’s not difficult to see why Scandinavian homes tend to emphasise light, openness, pastel colours and pure white. It’s not hard to fall in love with aspects of this philosophy. Ensuring simplicity in your home means that it will always be looking its best, even in the perpetual messiness of day-to-day life. In a way, Scandinavian decor has the best of both worlds - highly functional and space-maximising, yet also famed for its charming and delicate decorations, such as papercrafts, fairylights, and pretty prints.

If nothing else, try channeling a bit of the nordic decluttering vibe and keep your accessories minimal to highlight cleanliness. Feature wooden floors and floating floorboards rather than carpet and emphasise the blacks, whites, and shades of grey inside your home.

Want more?

If you think the Scandinavians have the right idea, why not have take a look at some of these stunning blogs to get your creative juices flowing:

Dosfamily: Run by two Swedes - a photographer and a decorator - this blog features wonderful home decor ideas and image galleries of Scandinavian homes

My Scandinavian Home: A London girl obsessed with Scandinavian interiors documents her experiences in Sweden

Lovenordic: A design blog which pins beautiful products produced in Scandinavia

France

The story

Traditional French design found its feet during the golden age of the French monarchy - think baroque and rococo interiors, inspired in part by the Italian renaissance and then appropriated by the likes of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Following Napoleon III’s total renovation of Paris in the 1800s and the popularity of the French Art Deco style from around 1890, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t associate French interior design with a focus on elegance, extravagance, flowing lines and curves and an appreciation of the beauty of nature. Today we tend to think of French design in two categories - the stylish Parisian manor house and the rustic countryside cottage. Depending on your tastes, you could opt for chaise longues, antique furniture, fireplaces, chandeliers, marble benchtops, heavy curtains and plasterboard or wallpaper with patterns inspired by baroque carving. Alternatively, you could look at incorporating a lot of whites, earthy creams, mushrooms and subtle pinks into your home - and topping it off with a lot of white and floral linen, wrought iron, thin floorboards, black and white tiles or rustic French provincial furniture with cabriole legs.

Why not heighten the elegance of your home by choosing couches, beds, handrails and kitchen islands which have curved edges? There are lots of ways to present a francophilian vibe without overdoing it.

Want more?

The Enchanted Home: Very popular for its relative youth, The Enchanted Home features inspiration for home and garden, with the author having confessed a deep fondness for all things French

Bodie and Fou Blog: A spin-off from an online decor shop, ‘le blog’ focuses on French interiors

Flodeau: Run by a French interior designer - need I say more?

Japan

The story

Japanese architecture and decoration is now so iconic, it’s hard to believe that most of its idiosyncrasies actually originated in China and Southeast Asia! Until the middle of the 1800s, Japan was remarkably cut off from the world - trade with the West only properly occurred after the Meiji restoration, so Japanese interior architecture has always been strongly influenced by culture, especially the religions of Taoism and Zen Buddhism. The interior aesthetic we now know so well has sprung from this strong identity - minimalist, classic, efficient but with an incredible focus on subtle beauty. Japanese homes feature thatched roofs and a lot of wood. They value empty space and detail of smaller things: traditionally using floor cushions rather than chairs, minimal furniture, futons rather than permanent beds, tatami (floor mats) and shoji (sliding doors). Houses are very versatile and can usually be transformed according to each season by opening up windows and the paper walls which act as room dividers to maximise floor space.

Stereotypical elements to incorporate into your home would be things like bamboo ornaments, silk, cherry blossom motifs, black repeated window frames and colour schemes of black, white and red. However, the real lesson to be learned from Japanese design is the power of multifunctional spaces, simplicity, straight lines and subtle beauty.

Want more?

Spoon & Tamago: Based in New York and Tokyo, this blog is focused on Japanese style, art and design

Gurafiku: A blog exploring the important role of graphic design in modern Japanese culture

Japanese Design: Fairly self-explanatory, this one features interesting products (including a lot of home decor) designed in Japan





The Netherlands

The story

The Netherlands might not jump to mind when you’re thinking about distinctive international design. You probably have quite a few Dutch-inspired elements in your home already - for instance, blue and white porcelain tiles feature in a lot of old Victorian houses and Dutch graphic design and a revival of ‘de stijl’ art really took off in the 1980s so you probably have a few cushions, curtains and paintings which feature these funky retro boxes and lines. Dutch colonial architecture - houses with gambrel roofs - is a big thing in the US. Yet, the real reason the Netherlands has been included in this list is to make a point - perhaps in the history of the world there has been no other nation quite so innovative about space and quite so obsessed with finding ways to escape building costs! The Dutch were an immensely wealthy trading empire around the 1600s and the population was growing. The iconic brown-and-white narrow houses of the large canal cities, influenced by the Venetian style, may seem cute - but they were only built like that because the owners were taxed by house width and not height. It wasn’t uncommon to build your brick foundations only two or three metres wide! When the US was hit by the 1798 Federal Direct Tax which taxed homeowners based on storeys, they looked to the ingenious Dutch for help and started building gambrel roofs which were considered single-storey, but were actually rather spacious.

The moral to be learned is - do your research. Things can be a lot cheaper in construction and renovation if you’re savvy about it. And limited space can be a blessing in disguise!

Want more?

If you’re keen on finding out about contemporary Dutch design, which is similar to Scandinavian, try:

Bloesem: Run by an Amsterdam-born graphic designer, this blog is filled with beautiful home ideas with a focus on Dutch designers.

Design.nl: A news directory perfect for keeping up with new and innovative products from Dutch designers

newelty: Although intended as a travel blog, one of the authors has a fondness for Dutch design and frequently posts inspirational pieces about architecture and home decor





Andalusia

The story

Southern Spain is world famous for its traditional Moorish architecture - a remnant of the area’s rich Islamic history. You would definitely recognise the colourful and intricately decorated azulejo (tiles) which originated from the Moroccan zillige and spread like wildfire throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Like in Japanese design, these tiles have a strong cultural and religious backstory, most famously used in mosques and Moorish palaces where beauty was considered something to be hidden from the outside world in elaborate and detailed interior mosaics. Like in Oz, homes in the region of Andalusia have to withstand their fair share of hot weather - so they tend to feature stone, clay and brick, which absorb heat well. Exposed stonework, wrought iron, sponge textured walls, and dark wooden furniture, especially mahogany, are staples for this kind of home. Avoid wallpaper and instead invest in indoor plants, pottery, and vibrantly coloured decor in hues of red, blue, green and orange.

You can include some Andalusian features in your own home, perhaps in the creation of an outdoor courtyard - a secretive place for relaxation with wicker or metalwork furniture. Tiles, handpainted with wonderful geometric patterns, are popularly used to decorate stairways and outdoor patios, but why not try them as bathroom or kitchen splashbacks?

Want more?

Blogs centered around Andalusian design are few and far between, but there are some great alternatives:

This post on Adoreyourplace.com, written by an interior designer, explores ways to design an Andalusian home

This post on homebunch.com showcases a newly-restored Spanish cottage in all its glory

This post on interiordesignipedia.com is all about Spanish interior design and features beautiful stone and tile work





Indonesia

The story

A vast amount of modern Indonesian homes are post-war Western concrete creations - so it’s easy to forget that Indonesian architecture has a rich history. A lot of what we think of as “tropical design” comes from Indonesia and many houses in Queensland and Northern Territory are built in this style - stilts, screens, and carved dark wooden furniture spring to mind. Again, the history involves the spread of religion and empire - ever since the introduction of Islam from Gujarat, India during the 11th century, temples have been an iconic aspect of the landscape. Their architectural features diffused over time throughout the kingdoms of the archipelago and homes started adopting the triangular roofs and open roof-to-floor windows. Dutch and Portuguese colonisers were interested in the region’s natural resources and trading potential - so the regional identity became intertwined with the idea of craftsmanship, especially with local wood (the Dutch introduced stonework). You’ll see a lot of furniture patterned to imitate nature, wooden blinds, terracotta, handicrafts, curvy bed frames and chair legs - and a lot of teak, mahogany, manggo and durian timbers.

If you’re after beautiful tropical decor, natural wood and a house which makes the most of the nice weather, this is the style for you. Indonesian homes are also good for insect protection - our mozzies may not be carrying malaria but are certainly not welcome in the house!

Want more?

Djawa Home: An interior design blog run by Indonesian furniture companies with a focus on environmental living

Virgo Oktaviano, Architect: Stunning image portfolio of an Indonesian designer and photographer

Scolberg Interior Design: A spin-off of a Dutch home renovation company based in Jakarta and Batam





Germany

The story

Forget dingy Bavarian lodges, the modern German home is bright and increasingly Scandinavian. However, what they’re really known for is an obsession with innovation and craftsmanship which began with the Bauhaus movement. Between 1919 and 1933, the Bauhaus school pioneered the idea of comfort and practicality over aesthetics; essentially, the birth of modern minimalism. Since then, and especially after the massive rebuilding projects in the 1940s and 50s, German designers have always focused on producing homes and furniture in an industrial way. Innovations in kitchen and bathroom appliances are dominated by megabrands like Siemens. The modern, grungy vibe of the Berlin art scene has cemented the worldview of Germany as futuristic and unfazed by traditional ideas of beauty. What’s more - when you think about the nation’s long history of scientific rigour, it’s no surprise they’ve become a world leader in renewable energy for residential homes. Architects, such as the famous Thomas Herzog, are constantly examining ways houses can be built to sustain themselves and from recycled materials - and the German government has invested a lot of money in green energy, hoping for 35% of the nation’s energy to be renewable by 2020.



What can be gained from this nation’s ideas about home improvement? Why not have a think about ways you can modernise your home with sleek kitchen designers or consider warehouse homes and open floor plans. Solar power is the most popular renewable energy for Australian homes so do some research to find out more about how it could fit with your home.

Want more?

Happy Interior Blog: Run between Munich and Paris, Austrian-born author Igor posts about home improvement, especially German and Scandinavian designs

Kitchen Blog: Based at a German kitchenwares shop in Edinburgh, this blog features new innovations in German products and news from international shows

German Energy Blog: Comprehensive blog about the development of renewable energy





So what about Australia?

Sure, some Australian homes have Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian interiors - and since Britain historically had a strong connection with France, this includes upholstered furniture, intricate plaster walls and floral wallpaper. Federation houses with filigree metalwork feature prominently in the Melbourne area and revival Queen Anne style architecture cropped up around 1901 as well. We all know the concrete suburban jungle which is post-war architecture all too well.

But what about home decor? How would you describe the typical Australian interior design? If there’s anything to be learned from these international styles, it is that weather and culture have a huge impact on how an interior will look and function. But, as a richly multicultural nation, and a geographically large one, we will never be united in one style.

Moral of the story? Pick and choose your home interior from the smorgasbord of international trends and traditions! Finding the right design for the specific nooks and crannies of your space can be a tedious process and there are benefits and drawbacks to deliberately sticking with one definitive style for your entire renovation so have a think about how combining different elements of these styles might be an option in your home.





Want more?

Want to chase up any of these photos?

You can find everything you need for your renovation or construction project right here on Service Central. Whether it’s architects interior designers or plumbers - the list goes on! Simply post your job with Service Central and be approached by tradespeople and companies who already know what you need and just how they’ll be able to make it a reality!

Scandinavian print - cushions - bedroom - cabinet - kitchen

French dining room - bedroom - table - kitchen - wallpaper

Japanese living room - bathroom - textile - sliding doors - lantern

Dutch houses - gambrel roof - dining room - tiles - graphic

Andalusian stairway - tiles - kitchen - interior - patio

Indonesian living space - couch - view - cabinet - screens

German kitchen - appliances - turbines - bauhaus stools - artwork