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Booralie Project

iCreate Landscape & Design combined natural materials including our Lavarosa Limestone, exotic plant selection, trendy firepit and BBQ zone to create a contemporary coastal alfresco area.

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Project by iCreate Landscape & Design
Landscape Exotic Nurseries
Project Type Residential
Category Residential
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When looking for the natural stone that would fit the design brief, iCreate Landscaping wanted to maintain the coastal aesthetics. They selected Lavarosa Limestone that mimicked the sand at the beach and had a beautiful texture with natural fossils and markings throughout.

Project Highlights

Lavarosa Limestone in Terrey Hills

Lavarosa Limestone forms part of the coastal-inspired material palette within this Terrey Hills backyard by iCreate Landscape & Design. The stone was selected for its warm, sand-like colouring, texture and natural markings, and was incorporated into the firepit area alongside sandstone cladding, blackbutt timber seating and surrounding planting.

The firepit is one element within a larger multipurpose garden designed for entertaining, dining and everyday family use. A covered dining and BBQ area sits closer to the house, while the wider landscape incorporates lawns, native and exotic planting, a vegetable garden and raised hardwood planter boxes.

The completed Booralie Project received Gold and Best in Category for Residential Construction at the 2021 Annual Landscape Excellence awards. Sareen Stone supplied Lavarosa Limestone for the project.

Products Used

Lavarosa Limestone tiles showcasing warm natural tones

Lavarosa Limestone

Other Projects

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FAQs

What natural stone was used in the Booralie Project?

Lavarosa Limestone was selected for the Booralie Project by iCreate Landscape & Design. Its warm colouring, texture and natural fossils and markings suited the coastal-inspired material palette developed for the garden.

Where was Lavarosa Limestone used in the Booralie Project?

Sareen Stone’s detailed project feature specifically confirms the presence of Lavarosa Limestone in the firepit area. The current sources do not provide a complete application schedule for the stone across the rest of the backyard.

Why was Lavarosa Limestone selected for this garden?

iCreate Landscape & Design wanted a natural stone that maintained the project’s coastal aesthetic and referenced the appearance of sand at the beach. Lavarosa was selected for its warm tones, texture, fossils and natural markings.

What other materials were paired with Lavarosa Limestone?

Within the firepit area, Lavarosa Limestone was paired with sandstone cladding, a blackbutt timber seat and coastal-inspired planting. The wider project also incorporates Australian hardwoods as part of its natural material palette.

What spaces were included in the Booralie backyard?

The multipurpose garden includes a covered dining and BBQ area, firepit zone, vegetable garden, lawns, planting and raised hardwood planter boxes. The design was developed to support entertaining, dining and everyday family use.

Did the Booralie Project receive a landscape award?

Yes. iCreate Landscape & Design received Gold and Best in Category for Residential Construction at the 2021 Annual Landscape Excellence awards for the Booralie Project.

TAKE US THROUGH THE INITIAL STAGES WHEN YOU WERE DESIGNING THE HOME.

We were very fortunate to work with the noted Southern Highlands Architect, Martin McGrane, on the creative design and layout of our home. Together with Martin, we created a beautiful, contemporary open plan home to enjoy with our family and friends.  This is our forever home.

Through a friend of ours, we came across an interior designer, and a beautiful outdoor material, the Cathedral Limestone, which we just fell in love with. We worked closely with Peta Daniel, Interior Designer from Daniel Baker Design, based in Sydney.  Which was wonderful, Peta just got us and what we were wanting to achieve in our home and helped us to make it a reality, in the selection of materials and finishes.

 

WERE THERE CERTAIN PEOPLE/PLACES THAT YOU TOOK INSPIRATION FROM WHEN DESIGNING/BUILDING THE HOME?

We were looking for a contemporary design, however, I didn’t want it to be too modern.  Inspired by a property in LA, that my husband came across, which we took some concepts from and added our ideas, and made it our own.

The LA contemporary look and detail leading into the house from the front door was something that we just loved.  Along with having one row of tiles that runs along the inside of the glass sliding doors leading into the living/dining room from the alfresco space was also a unique detail we wanted to include.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING PROCESS?

The build started in February 2020, and with all the delays throughout COVID, material delays, supplier issues, constant rain, mud pools, you name it, we had it!  Encountering all the possible elements, it felt like we were living in gumboots most of the time during the build.  It took 3 years to build the property, and 8 months just to get the roof on!

We had a deadline for our home to be finished by, which was our daughters’ wedding, being held in March 2023.

There were delays happening everywhere, including issues and delays with the quarry who were providing the Limestone that was to be used in all the outdoor areas surrounding the property.  We had chosen Cathedral Limestone in an alfresco finish with a lovely organic distressed finish on the edge, that we knew would complement the other natural materials we were using.  Time was of the essence, and it came to crunch time and the quarry could not provide a guaranteed time of delivery.  We thought what a disaster!

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH SAREEN STONE.. AND HOW THE TEAM HELPED TO OVERCOME THE SUPPLY ISSUE WITH THE CATHEDRAL LIMESTONE.

Working closely with Michael Mastro, from Sareen Stone, he had been in constant contact updating me as best he could.  Then an alternative solution was presented, another Limestone of the same size and finish, with similar tones, which I hoped would work and arrive in time.  Sareen Stone had been behind the scenes working closely with another quarry, to create a new product ‘Lavarosa Anticato’, just for our project, so that we had a solution and were able to finish our home in time for our daughter’s wedding.

When the material arrived, we couldn’t have been happier.  We just loved the Lavarosa Anticato, and it worked so well with our colour palette, and love it even more than our previous selection.  We were over the moon!

 

DESIGNER COMMENTS:

Working with Kate and Eugene on this project was wonderful. They were passionate about the overall design but also the finer details and the interplay of the natural materials with the surrounding landscape.

It was very important that the natural material palette was harmonious, and that each element was both complementary and warm.

I’ve worked with Michael from Sareen Stone on a number of projects and have always been impressed with his professional advice and clear communication. The magnificent home warmly wrapped with the “Lavarosa Anticato” is simply stunning.   A beautiful project!

Peta Daniel, Daniel Baker Design

 

IN COLLABORATION WITH:

Interior Designer:  Daniel Baker Design, 0414 341 778
Architecture:  Martin McGrane Architects, 0412 242 253
Photography and short film:  Bolt Media, 0426 607 040