If you check out the Instagram account of sister duo Zephyr + Stone, you will get an immediate feel for what these creative women are all about. Take a look at their stunning interior designs and amazing style and you’ll understand why they have a following of thousands. Ania and Kasia are recognised experts in home design and styling and are passionate about designs that are both functional and aesthetically beautiful.

We spoke with Ania Forster for a Q&A to learn what inspires them, challenges them and of course, to gain a few tips on designing a coastal style home.

Congratulations on the completion of #Coastal2Ways – tell us more about this design style? 

For us, Coastal style homes encompass easy, relaxed living. Australians have a strong connection with the beach and outdoor lifestyles, and this flows into our homes with Coastal design. Coastal style homes are light, airy and not too formal, with predominantly light colours; whites and greys, combined with feature accents in colours that reflect elements of nature. They feature timbers like oak, natural fibres like rattan and indoor plants. Coastal homes are generally open plan in design, with good flow and ventilation, and the finishes used in them should be low maintenance for easy living –both in aesthetic and design. Our Coastal2Ways Project is a duplex where we took the same floor plan and created two different Coastal looks; one featuring what we describe as Classic Coastal finishes, and the other with Contemporary Coastal finishes. We used DecoBatten screening in DecoWood Natural Curly Birch on the home façade, which really brings home the Coastal style before you even step through the front doors. The beautiful light oak colour of Curly Birch contrasts beautifully with the otherwise white exterior, and being low maintenance, fits the bill of carefree living.

Where do you find inspiration for your projects? 

For me, inspiration really come from anywhere and everywhere, and generally starts with a single idea or element, which then builds into a design and colour palette. Lines, shapes and textures reflected in art, design and nature transpire to elements of a space, and then build and develop to details and concepts. I generally use digital media like Pinterest and Instagram when searching for something in particular, but for me, inspiration and ideas really come at the oddest of moments when I’m not actually looking for them. Some of the best ideas often develop from a challenging design problem or when I’m trying to create balance or fill a void in a space.

What was the greatest challenge in designing this project? 

Being a duplex on a 506sqm block, one of the biggest challenges was fitting as much home as I could within the limited site coverage. This is another reason the DecoBattens were the perfect solution for the Coastal2Ways homes. I was able to design the duplex making full use of the site, right up to the front boundary. The battens created the depth I needed on the façade to give the homes street appeal. They also provide privacy from street traffic for our front rooms which accommodate the master bedrooms, whilst filtering through ample natural light. 

You chose DecoBatten for your façade, screening and fencing on this project. Tell us why. 

When I discovered the DecoBatten product, I knew it was the perfect choice for the façade. I wanted to add timber accents without the maintenance, so the aluminium DecoBattens in the timbergrain finish were the ideal solution. They allowed me to create a virtually maintenance free timber-look feature, whilst providing Coastal Style street appeal. Adding the DecoBattens to our fencing and screens for our services out back was actually an afterthought during the building process. I knew I wanted to add elements of timber to fences and screens, and when I realised my carpenters could cut the front facade battens to size onsite, the DecoBatten offcuts were an obvious choice for adding features. The screen and fence features also help connect the home from front to back with the repetition of the same material. 

What advice do you have for creating a standout facade? 

Choose a ‘hero piece’ cladding or feature, and then repeat elements of it on your façade. Don’t overcomplicate things by using too many colours and features. There’s a beauty in simplicity; and design is generally more successful when everything works in harmony, rather than having features that dominate.

What’s up next?

We’re actually trying to slow things down a bit for the second half of this year. We’re working on a couple of special client projects which we’re really enjoying, and continue to use social media platforms to educate our audience with home design tips, trends and products, to make their own projects as clever, beautiful and stress-free as possible. I do have an exciting project in the pipeline though. My husband and I recently purchased a small acreage property in the Gold Coast hinterland, and I’m in the early stages of designing something special there for a tree-change weekender...so watch this space!

Credit: Ania Forster, Zephyr and Stone

Check out Zephyr + Stone’s latest project, Coastal2Ways here.