Cutting Edge Design For many years house design in Australia has been predictable, straightforward and frankly ordinary, but in recent times all that has changed. The Burke’s Backyard team visited a wonderful house designed by Frank Macchia, an architect from...
Designing for the Future Queensland architect Gabriel Poole is passionate about improving the quality of housing in Australia by designing for our climate and building houses that everyone can afford. He believes that the houses people live in should enrich their...
Fashionable Fakes There’s nothing quite like walking into a room and seeing a beautiful arrangement of flowers, but unfortunately most people can’t afford to have fresh flowers in the house every day of the week. Artificial flowers have been around...
Fibro Makeover – Tuscan effect Late last year Don and the Burke’s Backyard team transformed an ugly backyard into a spectacular, Tuscan inspired entertainment area. One of the problems they had to contend with was an old fibro garage with flaking, powdery...
French Riviera Carport Whether we like it or not, the automobile is an important part of our busy, everyday lives. When it comes to the problem of where to keep the car, we can either go for the traditional garage, or perhaps something a bit more stylish. Don looked...
Tap Timers Watering is more complex than many people think. Standing out in the garden with a hose is really a very inefficient way of watering your plants. You’d cut down on garden maintenance, save time and waste less water if you installed an irrigation...
Why Timber Rots Don looked at a typical example of dry rot in the timbers of a house. Water had been sucked into the ends of the wood by capillary action, creating a wet zone which rotted as it dried out. This problem is less likely to occur if the ends of the timber...
Pictures and prints add cheer and colour to your home, but they don’t always have to be framed and hung on the walls. Rita Hill showed how to use découpage to turn a plain timber tabletop into a stunning work of art. You will need A small table, old or new...
Leaf Loo Paper – The French Alternative If you find yourself stranded in the loo without any toilet paper, don’t worry. Jackie French has a green alternative! Tree Mallow or Lavatera (Lavatera arborea) This famous dunny ‘leaf’ used to be known...
New Millennium House The owner of this fabulous, ultra modern beach house has combined vibrant colour, cutting edge design and the latest technology to create a home for the new millennium. Peta worked closely with designers and architects when planning her fantasy...