dwell. on the Northern Beaches. 170920

You Must See.
On Trend.
Reclaimed timber
64 Rose Avenue
Agent Matthew Lemon welcomed
30 groups through the first open
of this family friendly property
located on a 620-square-metre,
north-to-rear block a short walk
from St Rose Catholic Primary and
Wheeler Heights Public School.
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom
home wraps around a huge,
covered deck which extends
into the garden to a separate
studio office. The level garden is
bordered in established greenery
and the kids will love the cubby
house. An all-white Corian kitchen
comes with gas appliances and
an island bench with breakfast bar
seating. Other features include a
tandem garage, ceiling fans and
air-conditioning.
$1.7 million; Cunninghams –
Matthew Lemon 0414 830 140
102/180 South
Creek Road
This classy one-bedder is one of
only two apartments left for sale
in the new development Livistona.
The open-plan living spaces
include a stone island kitchen
with Smeg appliances and flow
out to a covered balcony, while
the bedroom features a walk-in
wardrobe and en suite. There’s also
a media room which could easily
double as a second bedroom or
home office, a second bathroom,
a European-style laundry and
air-conditioning. The property is
located on level one of the building
and comes with lift access to a car
space and storage cage.
$924,000; Upstate –
Peter Mosedale 0408 177 207
From the exposed Oregon beams
in a clifftop cottage to the
polished elegance of a Blackbutt
dining table, you’ll find reclaimed
timber in homes the length and
breadth of the country.
Initially driven by architects and
designers, the trend for upcycling
wood found its way into the
mainstream thanks to its aesthetic
appeal and green credentials.
“The age and imperfections
found in reclaimed timber
give it character, warmth
and uniqueness,” says Rupert
Roxburgh, who together with wife
Poppy owns Avalon’s Beachwood,
which specialises in custom-made
furniture. “People like something
that tells a story and something
with history always has a story.”
Roxburgh says Beachwood has
been using reclaimed timber for
25-plus years, but its popularity
has surged over the past five to
seven years. Two of the company’s
most popular products are daybeds
fashioned from recycled fence
palings and custom indoor and
outdoor dining tables made from
recycled hardwoods.
While there are plenty of
applications for using reclaimed
timber in its rustic original state
– picture big old timber columns
in a warehouse conversion –
there are even more options for
transforming it into furniture for
the modern home.
“We’re using the raw material
and turning it into something
much more contemporary,”
Roxburgh says. “You’re starting
with the same product but you’re
working it differently and finishing
it differently so it appeals to more
people.”
He gives the example of a
clean-lined dining table made
from spotted gum which has been
salvaged from the Navy barracks in
Jervis Bay or a lovely outdoor table
created from timbers recycled from
the boardwalk at Clovelly pool.
“Sometimes you know the
history of the timber and that adds
to the appeal,” he says. “When
you look globally there’s so much
sameness. You can go into any big
furniture store anywhere in the
world and see the same things. So
the appeal of something unique
and local and green is strong.”
Of course it takes time and skill
to give aged timber a designer
edge, especially when current
trends reject the natural reds and
oranges inherent to Australian
hardwoods.
“They’re quite strong colours
Furnishing a bright future
and these days everyone wants the
pale style of American oak, the
Scandinavian look,” says Roxburgh.
“One of the things we’ve worked
on over many years is being able to
give the timber the finish people
want and making sure it’s still
practical and functional for spills.”
For Roxburgh,
one of the key
drawcards of
reclaimed timber
is its quality. As a
tree ages, its wood
grows denser and
stronger which
makes it ideal for
building purposes.
And with much of
Beachwood’s supply sourced from
inside buildings, the timber is wellseasoned
and less likely to split or
warp.
Committed to sustainability,
Roxburgh says they are mindful
of keeping their furniture-making
business low impact when it
comes to the environment. Locally
sourced reclaimed timber avoids
many of the processes new lumber
goes through – tree harvesting,
‘It’s about as
green as you
can be from an
environmental
point of view.’
transporting, drying and milling,
all of which use energy.
“It’s about as green as you can
be from an environmental point of
view,” he says.
Beachwood sources its reclaimed
timber from people who specialise
in demolition and also from local
builders who may
be pulling down
a home on the
Northern Beaches
and don’t want
good timber going
into landfill.
As a bonus,
a report by
Planet Ark found
wood elements
incorporated into building design
can have some amazing benefits
on the body, acting as a de-stressor
and lowering blood pressure. It can
also heighten social interaction and
promote a more positive emotional
response to built environments. So
if you incorporate reclaimed timber
into your house design or fit-out,
your house won’t just look good,
it might help facilitate human
wellness!
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