Trade Secrets

What’s your great Australian dream?

No matter what kind of dream home
you want, there are sustainable,
lightweight materials that can help
you build your perfect place.
By Valerie Khoo
Your ideal home is one that suits your personality
and lifestyle. Some people want a serene, ordered
environment to retreat to. Others want a bustling
place for family and friends to gather. When it comes
to creating the perfect home, it’s definitely not a case
of one size fits all.
Research by TNS for James Hardie in late 2006
revealed six emerging preferences based on the
unique needs of Australian home owners. Based on
this research, the following pages outline the typical
homes that suit our Australian lifestyle. You might get
ideas for your ideal home here.
Alternatively, while yours may not fit exactly into
one of these categories, chances are that you’ll relate
to some elements more than others. And this may
give you inspiration on how to create your vision.
Whether you want a coastal weatherboard look,
an urban townhouse feel or a solid rendered finish,
you can use lightweight materials that can help you
achieve any look, anywhere. ➜
Getty images
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Life is your playground
This home is an extension of your fun-loving attitude to
life. You love the outdoors and enjoy everything that nature
has to offer. This is the quintessential Aussie lifestyle – with
days at the beach followed by a barbecue on the deck of
your home with family and friends.
You spend your weekends enjoying the great outdoors,
walking the dog and exploring new activities.
You want your home to reflect a carefree and playful
approach to life. It’s a casual but vibrant place where you
feel totally comfortable. Sometimes, it’s almost a pit stop
between social activities.
You don’t care about having the latest and greatest
gadgets in your life because you’re too busy living life
to have the time for them! Nevertheless, you do want a
home that’s fresh, modern and the perfect fit for your
energetic and spontaneous lifestyle.
Sophisticated success
This home is one that’s distinguished and sophisticated
without being brash or ostentatious. It’s an elegant
home where your family and friends can enjoy what
you’ve created. This home is as impressive on the
inside as it is on the outside.
You’ve worked hard in life and you want a
comfortable home for your family. It’s an extension
of your personality and what’s important to you.
You have a busy lifestyle – but it’s not all about work.
Spending time on family activities and community
work is also important to you.
When it comes to your home, you’ve done your
research and you know what you want. Although
you’re successful and ambitious in life, you’re not
concerned with flashy statements. You’re selective, and
want a home that’s a reflection of your overall style. ➜
Designer: David Scott Stockxpert
Stockxpert / getty images plantation homes
This quintessential coastal look
is achieved with Scyon™ Linea™
weatherboard on the outside
and HardiGroove® lining indoors.
The classic look of decorative
render is created with easy-toinstall
Scyon™ Stria™ cladding.
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10 LOOK HOME LOOK HOME 11
Change the world from
the comfort of home
This home is cheerful, bright and a haven from the
hustle and bustle of the world. It’s a down-to-earth
abode where you can relax, think, read and have
lively conversations with friends.
You are particularly conscious about the environment
and tackling climate change is high on your agenda.
But you don’t just talk about it. You live it. This home
has recycle bins, low-energy lights and a garden you
love to nurture. It’s a house that’s a true reflection
of your personality. You are progressive and open to
ideas and you are not so interested in statements of
status or achievement. You live your life according
to your values and you’re not concerned with what
other people think. Your home is comfortable, in tune
with the environment, yet modern and sustainable.
Understated
yet exclusive
This is a discerning, refined home that reflects the intelligent,
well-thought-out approach of the home owner. It’s a place
that brings clarity and order to a busy lifestyle.
It’s a home that has a minimalist, structured feel and
everything is of the best quality. However, you don’t
feel the need to advertise this. Your wine collection
is behind closed doors. You buy art as an investment –
not to impress people. You understand quality and you’re
happy to pay for it.
You use gadgets to streamline your life. Your home has
clean lines and you like it to be maintained in a tidy,
ordered way. You indulge your pets without spoiling them.
Even though you enjoy socialising, it’s not likely that you’ll
invite the whole neighbourhood around for beers. Instead, hosting
small dinner parties with good friends is more your style. ➜
orbit homes
Architect: Environa Studio
Stockxpert / Getty images
Stockxpert / Getty images
This 6 star, eco-friendly
home features HardiFlex®
sheets and Scyon™ Linea™
weatherboard.
Scyon™ Matrix™ cladding
gives this home its elegant
urban industrial feel.
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Sharing your home
with friends and family
This home is a comfortable place for friends and
family. It has a classic yet contemporary feel that’s
sophisticated in its simplicity. It’s warm, peaceful
and spacious.
These home owners know exactly what they
want – and that’s a classic family home that brings
harmony into their lives.
You don’t feel like you need all the mod cons in
your home – even though you might have them –
because your priority is the people who live there.
Your pets are part of the family, you enjoy the
garden and you love being part of the community.
This home is a place where you can retreat but
also one you can share with the people around you.
A safe, sustainable
haven
This home is a safe haven for the ones you love. It’s
has a simple, classic style that blends in thoughtfully
with the environment. It’s been designed carefully and
deliberately, but is not pretentious in any way.
You care about the environment and you probably
use renewable energy. You love nature but that doesn’t
mean you go bushwalking every weekend. Instead,
you respect the environment and you have a home
that reflects that.
It’s a protective environment – because you’ve
created it that way. It’s also a cosy, intimate place
where your friends are welcome. When it comes to
your home, what you see is what you get. It reflects
your authentic personality and is an intimate place
to nurture the ones you love. n
Designer: Grant Millar
Treetops at Tarrangindi: Concept2Completion
Jupiter images / stockxpert
stockxpert / Getty images
This family home features
Scyon™ Linea™ weatherboard.
This cosy home
provides an intimate
environmental haven,
using HardiFlex® sheets.
This cosy home
provides an intimate
environmental haven,
using HardiFlex® sheets.
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