When Deborah and Guy Smart decided to relocate from their two-acre property in Helena Valley to the suburbs of Perth, they wanted a home that could grow with their family in terms of both style and functionality.

The family teamed up with Mark Diedricks from Arklen to bring their vision of a robust, sleek yet always inviting home design to life with award-winning results.

“Our design brief was simple, we wanted a low maintenance industrial and sophisticated design that would maximise the space available to us on a narrow block, with a homely feel for our growing family,” says Deborah.

The design brief also specified no glass, tiles or grout in the bathrooms or kitchen and no skirting boards or cornices in other parts of the home.

Mark Diedricks from Arklen said it was exciting to work on a project where the owner had such a clear vision for their home.

“From the outset, it became clear that material selection would be key to achieving Deborah and Guy’s brief for an industrial and modern design with seamless finishes,” says Mark.

“A combination of colours, textures and finishes including brick, polished wood and stone along with Cemintel’s Barestone cladding range were selected to bring the design to life,” continues Mark.

While typically used as an outdoor cladding solution, Barestone was used for the majority of the homes upper floors and for the wall with the staircase.

“Barestone’s smooth and raw cement tones met the industrial brief perfectly while the silver wall fixtures added a modern edge to the design. The pre-finished, precision-cut panels also eliminated the need for cornices or skirting boards,” says Mark.

Deborah and Guy loved the look of Barestone and were equally impressed with the materials durability. 

“Our boys’ bedrooms and activity room are upstairs so we needed a surface that would meet the design brief and stand-up to the knocks and bangs of everyday living. Using Barestone was a simple choice as it will never require refinishing. If a panel is damaged, we know that we can easily replace it without having to redo the whole wall,” says Deborah.

The home’s artful material selection and design was recognised at the HIA Perth Housing and Western Australia Housing Awards, taking home the award for best Residential Interior Design.

“Our home is unique, the finishes in every room were carefully chosen to ensure the outcomes was a home that stepped outside the box, yet is comfortable and practical for our family’s needs now and into the future.

“Cemintel Barestone played a large part in bringing our vision and brief to life,” concludes Deborah.