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Rugged Charm: Additions that Up the Rustic Aesthetic in Homes

rustic wooden stairs

Rustic design elements give any space unpretentious warmth.

Rustic designs embrace nature — inspired textures and muted, earthy hues that give the space a unique atmosphere of combined ruggedness and charm. Traditional rustic designs might appear a bit heavier as they incorporate dark-coloured elements as well as features that more discerning homeowners may now frown upon, such as authentic animal hide rugs. Rustic design, however, has evolved to become lighter, fresher and more grounded. The contemporary rustic style is now softer while still maintaining its genuine, nature-inspired appeal.

Here are some additions and changes you can do in your home to achieve a contemporary rustic charm:

Muted, Natural Colour Palettes

Nature’s vibrant hues are equally gorgeous, but typical rustic style calls for more muted tones. Think rich, mud-brown furniture, sand-coloured accents, or pine-green trimmings.

Alternately, you may also simply go for plain white walls. White walls make a great blank canvas for your rustic décor, and when left plain, they elevate the bright, cheerful atmosphere that’s characteristic of rustic spaces.

Raw Elements

The most important component of the rustic design is the raw, natural elements present in both the architecture and décor. Incorporate some natural-looking faux sheepskin throw or some zebra or cowhide rugs that maintain the cohesiveness of your contemporary rustic style.

As rustic style accentuates the natural state of things, it pays to incorporate raw wood accents that highlight its knottiness, tones, and grain. If there aren’t enough wood elements in your home, you may consider installing large, chunky beams on the ceiling or changing the floors to wood. The stairs are also one area of the home that you can quickly transform to wood.

Timber is a popular material for flooring systems and stairs because of its strength and aesthetic. When looking to install wooden stairs, you may turn to Ackworth House for the real thing. We use quality timber to create beautiful, long-lasting wooden staircases that will blend well with your existing contemporary rustic home.

For more information or to receive a free quote, fill out our form, and we’ll get in touch with you the soonest time possible.

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Getting the Stairs You Need: What You Have to Consider

designer staircaseWe love being able to add a striking feature or a sturdy, quiet beauty in our customers’ buildings. If you are looking for designer staircases, you have come to the right place. We value our customers’ satisfaction, and we want to help you every step of the way, starting from deciding which stairs to get. Here is a guide we would like to share with you on deciding on the kind of stairs you need.

Logistics

If you are starting with a new building, you might have more liberty with choosing how big you want your stairs to be and where you want to place them. For commercial buildings, how many people do you think will be going up and down the steps at the same time? For homes, would you like the stairs to be just wide enough for your hand to reach the hand rail easily, or do you want more open space? Will the space in your building allow for a straight flight or will you need to have a landing or turns?

If you are renovating, we will need to get the dimensions of your existing stairs. You will have to decide if you want bigger stairs and if you are willing to rearrange existing furniture or fixtures near the stairs.

Design goal

This is the fun part. Do you want floating stairs with open risers?  Or would you prefer a traditional staircase and balustrade?  We have a wide range of designs you can choose from, but we can also work together to create customised stairs for you.

Materials and finishes

You can ask yourself, do you want your stairs to stand out or tastefully blend in?  We can paint the stringer to match your surrounding décor or a contrasting colour to make it a statement.  The timber treads can also be stained to match your timber flooring or choose a different finish to make your stairs the real wow factor!

So if you have more questions on stairs, let us hear about it. With our years of experience in designing and building stairs, Ackworth House can help you.

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Hygge and The Colours of Cosy

Cosy homeOne of the latest trends in interior design is all about stepping back. Interior designers used to bring in impressive visuals to a home to create an ambience that promotes relaxation. Now, cosiness is taking the opposite approach.

In the art of the cosy, primary design elements are taking a step back and assuming a background position, allowing occupants to live comfortably with enough space, both physically and visually. Dark coloured walls, neutral furniture, a timber staircase stained to provide a richer colour is what the art of cosy entails.

Roots in Hygge

This aesthetic isn’t new, and it has links to “hygge” (pronounced “hoo-gah”), a Danish concept. It prioritises greys and dark, cool hues. Homes that exemplify the hygge are often blanket-coloured, the kind you’d wrap yourself in by the fire on a winter night. The cosiness doesn’t make way for distracting elements, instead, preferring textures like metallics to provide depth.

Surface Colours

For a comfortable home, interior designers recommend dark, neutral shades over whites. Dark wall colours mute lights, turning harsh rays into gentler beams.

Blue-greys, darker creams and dark blues are popular but almost every colour has a cooler shade. Surface finishes like dark marble and brushed metal also compliment the theme. For lamps and furnishing details, earthy colours are go-to.

Staircase as a Likely Centrepiece

Often, the selection of stairs is limited by their function, which is to link two floors. However, stairs with attractive designs can be strong statement pieces for any home.

At Ackworth House, we carry an extensive selection of staircases meant to become an active design element. From classic grand stairways to minimalist floating options, homeowners have the flexibility to choose what works best with their idea of the perfect home.

The purpose of a house is simple: provide a venue to create a home. Based on the above mentioned design element, a house that puts cosiness as its top goal comes with muted elements but ones that invite you to curl up and find your most comfortable position.

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Glass Balustrades are a Modern and Safe Solution for your Staircase

Staircase with glass balustradeGlass balustrades are a decorative architectural feature which also serve to keep people safe. This is best seen today in how they are utilised as a safety and decorative feature of staircases. Advances in glass manufacturing processes have meant that glass balustrades have the potential to add a sleek touch to a 21st-century home.

Nowadays, glass is a commonplace element in almost all corporate, commercial and domestic buildings. The production of toughened glass transformed the architectural uses of the material and made the glass balustrade an ideal protective barrier for elevated spaces. When combined with chrome, stainless steel or even fine wood, glass gives any space a sophisticated, minimalist look.

Safety First

The New Zealand government has strict regulations when it comes to what are acceptable solutions to staircase balustrades. All new structural glass (toughened or toughened laminated) framed barriers complying with B1/AS1 need to have an interlinking top rail combined with an edge support system. Interlinking rails must be designed to resist serviceability limit state (SLS) loads specified in AS/NZS 1170 Structural design actions and B1/VM1 in the event that a glass pane breaks.

Frameless glass barriers (no interlinking top rail) must be constructed from laminated toughened or laminated heat-strengthened safety glass with a stiff interlayer designed to retain glass and prevent collapse, if broken. The stiff interlayer must be capable of preventing collapse in the event of a breakage of both panes of glass.

The Most Popular Choice

As an exterior feature, glass balustrades permit natural light to enter the building and, when used on balconies, present an uninterrupted view of the landscapes. Glass balustrades are just as beautiful inside the house. Their seamless finish complements designer staircases, providing both style and safety.

Glass balustrades are low maintenance, requiring little cleaning. Simply spray the surfaces and wipe off the excess water with a microfibre cloth. Trustworthy providers engineer their glass balustrades to meet high standards, ensuring their durability and safety.

If you are looking for the newest additions to your home, choose a business that prioritises quality. Visit ackworthhouse.co.nz for a range of first-rate glass balustrades and other interior structures.

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Top Reasons Why Floating Stairs Stand Out

Floating Stairs
Floating Stairs

The staircase can be a striking architectural feature of a home, occupying a central and highly visible position. Floating staircases are a popular choice in modern homes. With their subtle design that gives an impression of being suspended in air, these staircases add a unique and distinctive element to any home.
Here, we’ve compiled some reasons why you should consider floating stairs. Beyond being simply trendy, these architectural feats in staircase design offer both style and functionality.

A Better Look

Essentialism is a key tenet in contemporary design. Floating staircases create an open feel, making the surrounding space seem larger than it actually is. In addition, they do not entirely block views or the adjacent wall. This makes them a top choice for those looking for sleeker home interiors. Well-designed floating stairs create an edginess that traditional options just can’t emulate.

Versatile

Floating stairs are more versatile than traditional stairs as they can be fitted in many more areas of the home.  Cantilevered versions only require a strong wall. For many models in our Ascendo range, it is possible to create beautiful half-landing staircases that still look light.

Space-Saving

Because floating stairs do not have a solid structure to support them, the space beneath the stairs can be used in a variety of different ways. The area can make a handy reading nook, a spot for a shelf or a space for a home office. Smaller multi-storey homes make clever use of floating staircases for this reason. When space is scant, a floating staircase is a top choice.

A Subtle Statement

In the past grand staircases were a common feature in homes of the rich and noble. Nowadays, design has shifted to prefer ingenious design over sheer grandeur. Floating staircases offer the perfect blend of elegance and imaginative design, perfect for the modern home.

Floating stairs are a great choice for many homes. They create a feeling of light and uncluttered space, being both functional and stylish. At Ackworth House, our extensive experience in designing and building these stairs will help you create just the right feature for your home.