PREPARE to fall in love with the Palais, RiverStone’s new flagship display home, now open in Mosman Park. A riverside stunner arranged over three levels on an awkward corner block, it’s 580sq m of custom-designed luxury and wow-factor features.

The Palais, 56 Mathieson Ave

RiverStone’s biggest – and arguably its most impressive – display home yet, the Palais is an ‘upside down’ residence that takes in glorious river views from the upper-level living area.

The Perth-based luxury homebuilder has mixed the everyday practical with a host of show-stopping details to create a four-bedroom, three-bathroom family home with a price tag of just over $2 million.

As well as showcasing comfortable family living at its best, the creative geniuses at RiverStone have been let loose with a host of cutting-edge ideas and products.

Bedroom at The Palais

From the sparkling ‘night sky’ and geometric bulkhead design in the entertainment room, to the Kohler computer-controlled six-jet walk-in shower in the ensuite off the master bedroom, the RiverStone team has left no detail overlooked.

An underwater scene that has been custom printed onto glass panels greets visitors as they step into the glass-sided lift on the lower floor, while the outdoor fish pond that stretches across the back of the entertainment room can be enjoyed through a long low window.

More than two years in planning and construction, the Palais may be packed with detail but nothing feels over done or pushed too far. It’s been more about exploring the natural materials and finishes that RiverStone loves to work with.

The result is a look that is classy, clean-cut and very upmarket.

Ensuite at The Palais

Vast slabs of cleverly lit translucent onyx have been turned into a backdrop for the freestanding spa bath in the bathroom off the master suite, while the natural stone that has been used to clad each riser of the staircase is the perfect foil for the spotted gum used on the treads.

Hundreds of small cedar blocks have been individually laid on the ceiling of the temperature-controlled walk-in wine cellar to create a visual treat. Even the scent of the cedar creates an extra sensory experience.

In the study, a custom-built criss-cross bookcase makes a fabulous design statement, yet the 12 built-in filing drawers have been neatly concealed in the wall cavity, making them all but invisible.

There are talking-point features wherever you go in this home, yet RiverStone has been careful to make sure that the Palais is still comfortable and easy to live in.

On the lower level there is a four-car garage, the wine cellar and an American-style ‘mud room’ with individual storage lockers for everything from sports gear to the dog’s lead.

The middle level features an imposing entry foyer and three bedrooms, one with an ensuite bathroom, plus the dedicated entertainment room.

Cellar at The Palais

Not only does this ultimate ‘man cave’ include a fully equipped kitchenette and twin big-screen televisions set against a custom-made printed glass panel, but it also opens out to a sunny courtyard with a day bed on one side and to a quiet conversation area with a fire pit on the other.

But it’s upstairs, on the third level, where the Palais really shines.

At the top of the stairs, a short passageway leads off to the indulgent master suite on the left, while to the right a bridge leads to the kitchen and main living area with its stunning river views.

Like the rest of the house, this all-important everyday area is bright and airy and flooded with natural light.

Thermally broken double-glazing has been used in the windows and doors, ensuring the space is kept cool and cocooned from any outdoor noise.

Anchoring the main living area is the magnificent kitchen, where the RiverStone team has deliberately shied away from any of the obvious design trends.

There are commercial-style stainless benchtops and splashbacks, white glass cabinet doors with super-slim aluminium frames and a stunning three-piece island bench consisting of a cooktop set in a stainless steel surround, a stone-topped storage unit with a double wine cooler, and a cantilevered breakfast bar featuring spotted gum veneer.

Kitchen, dining, living & outdoor space at The Palais

Leading off the kitchen is a huge scullery with practical open shelves and numerous pull-out wire storage baskets beneath a long stretch of benchtop.

The large terrace leading off the kitchen and living area can instantly become part of the outdoors or the indoors thanks to barely-there walls of glass that glide to one side.

One set of stacker doors literally disappears into the wall cavity, once again proving that the smallest of details can make a big difference. After all, RiverStone wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Palais, 56 Mathieson Avenue, Mosman Park, is open 2pm-5pm Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Quality is one of those concept’s which we all think we know, but can we write a definition? The truth is it is different things to different people. What you mean by quality will be a function of your personality, your life experience, your social environment and your wealth.

Your level of wealth is probably the strongest influence on your assessment of quality. What is your definition of a quality car? Is it a Golf, an Audi, or a Rolls Royce? Which definition you choose is likely to be a reflection of your wealth not the actual quality standard of construction. In fact sometimes what we perceive as quality does not in fact have quality construction. Again to use cars as our example a Ferrari is the ultimate quality car for many people, but they are widely famous amongst professional motoring writers for their poor build quality. Yet each car is a quality product within its own market segment. The same is true of your home.

Your personality will influence what you think is important in the home and what needs to be of the highest quality versus material or finishes that you do not consider important. Some people say the kitchen appliances need to be of the highest quality.  While at the same time they may not consider the material in the structure of the walls as being important. It is perfectly reasonable for you make a quality assessment based on your own needs and wants.

Life experience will also impact these considerations. How and where you were brought up will often define for life the way you see quality in housing. If you lived in a simple beach house, but your childhood was fun, you may not see the quality in a glass and marble monolith behind high walls.

Lastly our society will define what is considered quality. In Perth for example we all perceive brick walls and concrete floors as the highest of quality. This is probably not the view in other parts of Australia and is certainly not the view in say the USA. In those places timber stud framing and plasterboards sheeting are the normal quality construction.

So when you consider quality home building in Perth how do you decide which builder will give you a quality product? First you need to set your budget. Then you have to do some legwork. Visit displays, search the internet, read newspapers and magazines. When comparing builders always ensure you are looking at comparable standards of building. The builder’s standard specification will usually give you a guide. Remember there are no magic formulas in building. If something is cheaper it will be for a good reason. Try and narrow your search down to 2 or 3 potential builders and do a more in depth analysis of how they operate what experience they have and if possible talk to some previous clients.

You should always buy the best quality product you can afford. Some 200 years ago Benjamin Franklin said:

• “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”.

And lastly a quote from William A Foster:

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

So take the time to make a wise choice of a quality builder. The benefits remain long after the home is finished.

AS a little girl, Emily Marshall was always rearranging her room and persuading her Dad, RiverStone managing director Paul Marshall, to redecorate it for her.

“Poor Dad had to paint my room about once a year because I kept wanting to change the colour,” says Emily, now RiverStone’s talented in-house interior designer.

Emily in the RiverStone selections room

“I’ve always been drawn to interior design and always thought it would be a hard job to do well in; that there would be limited opportunities. But I just decided to go for it.”

Emily’s passion and persistence paid off. Work experience with the family business during school holidays led to TAFE studies and a full-time job at RiverStone after high school, working as an assistant to respected Perth interior designer Kate Barakovska.

Now it’s Emily, with her unerring eye for detail and creative flair, who RiverStone clients turn to for advice on everything from colours and curtains, to carpets and the comfiest chair.

It’s the talented Emily whose brains they pick to nail just the look they’re after, whether it’s classic Hamptons or contemporary elegance.

“I always start by getting a guide from the client about the styles that they’re drawn to and the looks that they like,” she says.

“But then I always remind them that it’s their home and they don’t have to stick to one style. Most of our clients want a nice, timeless, classy, elegant home that’s going to last.”

Emily also has the enviable task of designing the interiors for RiverStone’s stunning displays and her most recent work can be seen in the builder’s new luxury Minim Cove showcase, the Palais.

Natural products often feature prominently in Emily’s designs, with lots of stone, timber and glass teamed with textural elements and neutral colour palettes.

Example of some of Emily's work

Emily says she is inspired by American interiors that are comfortable and homely, and by the work of her favourite English designer, Kelly Hoppen.

“Kelly merges a lot of old and modern; more classic shapes and styles but in a modern way. I think it’s the perfect mix, really,” Emily says.

While clients building a luxury RiverStone home often have a corresponding budget for interiors, Emily recognises that a budget is still a budget.

“It’s about getting quality at a good price. It’s about value for money. I’m not just here to spend!” she says.

At RiverStone, there are no cookie-cutter designs or stock-standard selections. No two homes are ever the same and no two interiors are ever the same.

The homes that Emily works on are often sizeable properties that demand a hefty specification so product selection is broken down into manageable tasks over a series of weekly meetings.

Example of some of Emily's work

“Most of our clients are time poor and the idea is that they tell me what they want or they show me a picture of what they like and I go out and find it for them,” she says. “I do the shopping and running around.”

This includes accessing products from the global market via Emily’s network of contacts in design hot spots such as Melbourne and Europe or working with local suppliers to get just the right look or finish.

“We try to make it painless, easy and stress-free for clients because it can be pretty daunting. We want them to enjoy the experience,” Emily says.

While help with selections is built into the RiverStone service, clients also have access to extra advice from Emily, from picking window treatments and carpets, to specifying and ordering custom-made furniture.

There’s even a “turn key” service where everything down to the cushions, cutlery and crockery is bought so that the house is ready to move into.

“I love the variety of my work,” Emily says. “I’ve always got new jobs and new people to work with and it’s so rewarding when you see the client in their new house and they’re just over the moon.”

Example of some of Emily's work

Emily’s top tips:

• Always bring in magazines, photos and cuttings – even if you can’t say why you like the rooms.
• Always keep in mind your key areas. For some, it’s the kitchen or the ensuite. For others, it’s the alfresco.
• Always decide from the get-go whether there are any ‘must keep’ pieces, such as a favourite chair or antique bookcase, that need to be incorporated.

BUILDING YOUR BUDGET:

The simple fact is that building costs do not ever come down. Sometimes they stay constant for a time, but they never actually come down. It is also true that building extra rooms as part of a new build will always be much cheaper than adding a room later. So you should build a home to suit you now and for the foreseeable future. But you also need to ensure you don’t over extend yourself. The home should become a millstone around your neck.

So the first step is to set your upper limit. That is what is the maximum spend you can afford or want to make.

Now the total spend is not the budget you have for the home. There are a large number of other items to be included, or deliberately left out, but you need to consider all the elements that go into a home and not be left unhappy because you have run out of money.

Items to be considered are :

1. Site survey
2. Design fees
3. Planning Approval, Building license.
4. Site access and storage facilities.
5. Demolition and site preparation.
6. Siteworks, including retaining walls, dewatering, removal of rock.
7. Building Contract.
8. Interior Design fees.
9. Floor coverings.
10. Light Fittings.
11. Landscaping, reticulation and paving.
12. Children’s play equipment.
13. Fencing.
14. Sporting fixtures e.g. basketball net and backboard.
15. Window treatments.
16. Home entertainment systems.
17. Computer infrastructure.
18. Furniture.
19. Artwork.
20. House warming party.

Now you can easily decide some of the items listed are not required in your budget. If you are dealing with a full service builder many of the items listed will be included in the Building Contract. So once you have decided what you do need to include, and you have defined what will be in the builder’s contract you then need to put monetary allowance against the remaining items. The total of those will be offset against your upper limit with the balance being the maximum amount that can be expended on the Building Contract.