Materials. The connective thread that weaves a design together, shaping atmosphere and experience.
Beyond spatial planning, the interplay of forms, and the nuance of lighting, it is the materials that create the space - the way they feel underhand, the way they catch the light, the tonal shifts that stir emotion, and the indelible imprint they leave on memory.
Axolotl’s surfaces transform sculptural walls and feature panels into immersive design statements. Whether a monolithic balustrade catching the afternoon glow or a textural statement wall that invites both the eye and the hand, these elements do more than divide or define - they tell your story.
From the restrained elegance of smooth metal panels enveloping a space to the layered artistry of a mural, from the rhythmic fluting of Doric metal to the organic patinas of aged Bronze and Zinc, from kiln-formed Textured Glass that filters light to Ripple Stainless Steel polished to emulate water, and custom-carved Concrete etched with depth and character - each surface becomes a chapter in your design narrative.
At Axolotl, materiality is not an afterthought; it is the envelope that holds the client’s vision, the tangible experience, the lasting impression that endures.
Your entryway is the first impression - the opening note of your architectural composition.
It’s an ensemble of elements working together to create an unforgettable design moment. Think of it like styling the perfect outfit. The door is your statement piece, while the pull handle, lighting, and surrounding details are the accessories that complete the look.
At the core is your door: a bold sculptural piece, a refined minimalist panel, or a textured surface that captures light and shadow.
But, an outfit isn’t complete without accessories, an entryway comes to life through the details - oversized pull handles that command attention, refined metal inlays that add understated luxury, or carefully positioned lighting that heightens drama and depth.
Some designs thrive on a hero piece: a striking, hand-applied patina door that sets the tone, with hardware and lighting as subtle complements.
Others find beauty in contrast - a minimalist façade punctuated by an oversized bronze pull handle or an intricate relief texture framed by sleek metal accents.
Whether grand pivot doors, custom garage façades, or integrated lift finishes, Axolotl’s surfaces transform functional elements into sculptural statements.
With an expansive palette of metals, glass, and custom finishes, every entry can be tailored to reflect its architecture, context, and personality.
Some homes are built for the moment. Others are built for life.
Perched above the crystalline waters of Gordon’s Bay, Emerald Sound is a home designed not to follow trends, but to stand the test of time - both in material and intent. Created as the owner’s forever home, every element of its design has been meticulously considered, materials selected for longevity and built without compromise.
As a design industry professional, the owner approached this project with an unrelenting focus on quality. Collaborating with Luigi Roselli architects and interior design studio, Atelier Alwill, the vision was clear: to create a luxurious residence that would endure, evolve, and enrich daily life.
A Threshold Between Land & Sea
The home’s architectural journey begins with an Axolotl door featuring the Doric Design. A fluted surface design echoing a minimal, modern take on the ripples of the ocean beyond. Finished in an aged Bronze, the portal into the home commands attention in the changing light.
Stepping inside, Axolotl’s Linen Glass graces the main and butler’s kitchen as an ethereal sliding partition. Made to order from bronze tinted glass with 3D Embossed Linen texture and framed in walnut timber, the glass filters light with a soft textured diffusion, balancing privacy and openness in equal measure.
Materiality as a Legacy
In a location as exposed as Gordon’s Bay, material selection is critical. Every finish in Emerald Sound was chosen not only for its aesthetic merit but for its ability to withstand the coastal climate - where salt, wind, and sun are constant forces.
Axolotl’s handcrafted metal and glass materials have met the brief.
True luxury is in the details
From the architecture to the interiors, this is a home shaped by a commitment to bespoke craftsmanship - where surfaces are not off-the-shelf but handmade, textured, and finished with an artisan’s touch.
In this way, Emerald Sound is more than just a residence; it is a reflection of its owner’s deep appreciation for design as a lived experience.
True luxury is in the details
From the architecture to the interiors, this is a home shaped by a commitment to bespoke craftsmanship - where surfaces are not off-the-shelf but handmade, textured, and finished with an artisan’s touch.
In this way, Emerald Sound is more than just a residence; it is a reflection of its owner’s deep appreciation for design as a lived experience.
As 2024 draws to a close, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the designers, architects, artists, builders, and clients who brought their visions to life with Axolotl this year. Together, we’ve achieved remarkable milestones across residential and commercial projects, pushing the boundaries of materials, design, and craftsmanship.
Your creativity and collaboration inspire us, and we’re honoured to play a role in shaping such extraordinary projects.
Residential Elegance
In residential design, we continued to elevate everyday living through bespoke finishes and standout features.
Our custom kitchen finishes have added a layer of sophistication to homes, showcasing the seamless blend of functionality and artistry.
Front doors remained a focal point, with each design making a lasting impression. One highlight was the bronze front door created for Jamie Durie which will be featured on his Channel 7 series, Growing Home with Jamie Durie. Collaborations like the BronzeLinen Glass project with Luigi Roselli and custom Grid Glass and Linen Texture with Thomas Hamel further enriched possibilities, where the interplay of texture and light transformed interiors into spaces of refined beauty.
Commercial Design with Personality
In the commercial sphere, Axolotl’s work has brought personality with purpose to a diverse range of projects.
While aged Zinc ceiling panels remind us that the ceiling is truly the fifth wall that can transform any space into a marvel.
This year, we were also proud to contribute 20 hand-crafted Bronze doors to Sydney’s Metro at Martin Place, a monumental project that signifies our continued collaboration on this city-shaping initiative.
Looking Ahead: What’s Hot for 2025
The design trends for the coming year promise fresh ideas and bold statements.
Mixed metal tones will play the starring role. Ahead of the curve, Henderson & Co have curated a brand new multi-residential project in Bellevue Hill which features Gold Nickel and Silver Nickel throughout each apartment.
A push for individuality in design and functionality is making a call for glass to be reimagined, with organic textures, colours and shapes leading the way in modern interiors and exteriors. Forget the white on white, we can expect 2025 will be filled with earthy-tone comfort created with layered texture, colour and patterns. A finish that perfectly embodies these characteristics is Terracotta, a natural material without any limitations. Continuing the revival of natural finishes, our signature Verdigris patina is poised for even more creative applications, adding character and elegance to architectural and artistic projects alike.
Thank You
We wish you a joyful holiday season and a New Year filled with inspiration. As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited to continue bringing your visions to life with unparalleled craftsmanship and creativity.
Trends have a way of coming full circle, and few are as exciting to see back in the spotlight as Formed Glass. Once a hallmark of Victorian, retro and nineties design, this textured glass is enjoying a well-deserved resurgence. This time with a modern twist that balances nostalgic charm with contemporary sophistication.
Whilst Axolotl is renowned for innovation, our team deeply values the preservation of specialised crafts. One such tradition is the kiln-firing process, where flat glass is transformed into sculptural surfaces. Here, light and shadow dance together, creating a dynamic aesthetic that harmonises perfectly with today’s trends of layering textures and designing warm, inviting spaces.
From the understated sophistication of Faiba and NoZone textures to the striking presence of TidalZone and SoftZone, each design offers its own unique dialogue between privacy, light filtering, and depth.
The Modern Alternative to Fluted Glass With its organic aesthetic, Formed Glass is quickly becoming the preferred choice over traditional fluted or reeded glass. Its softer, more flowing textures provide a gentle elegance that fluted glass cannot achieve, offering a refined alternative for spaces that demand both style and subtlety.
Customisable to Your Vision Formed Glass is more than beautiful, it’s adaptable. Choose from a palette of flat float glass colours, including low iron, clear, bronze, grey, green, and blue, and with the freedom to customise your vision. Looking for something truly unique? Axolotl Spectrum opens the door to bespoke designs, enabling limitless creativity to suit your project where any colour can be realised.
Handmade for Perfection Every panel of Formed Glass is meticulously handcrafted by Axolotl’s artisans to meet your exact specifications in size, shape, and thickness. This ensures a perfect fit for every design, giving you the flexibility to explore without compromise.
Design tips, here are some of our favourite applications:
Windows (now that homes are so close together, instead of gazing into our neighbours home, use textured glass to allow light and keep privacy)
Shower screens
Wardrobe doors
Furniture
Entry doors
Room partitions
Facades
Glass splashback
Let light do the work for you. When used strategically, Formed Glass filters natural light to cast intricate patterns that shift throughout the day, adding a new layer of interest to your space; your very own artwork in motion.
Elevate your next project with the organic beauty and versatile potential of Axolotl Formed Glass. Contact us to order a sample today.
The allure of verdigris is that it can take decades to form naturally, shaped by the elements over time. Yet, with Axolotl’s mastery of patina, waiting a lifetime is no longer necessary.
In an age where design increasingly seeks to stand out from the crowd, be it with colour and form, a sense of depth and history, or the connection between the indoors and the natural world, Verdigris is emerging as the latest trendsetter.
Part of Axolotl’s core patina range, this renowned finish captures the beauty and essence of weathering when copper, bronze, and brass metals are exposed to the forces of nature — sea salt and moisture — producing a striking, bluish-green hue. The oxidation process, when left to its own devices, can take years, but Axolotl’s skilled artisans have perfected it, delivering this timeless texture with artistic precision within days, ensuring that each piece is a unique expression of the organic world.
Verdigris brings a sense of depth and antiquity, making it a compelling choice for contemporary spaces. Whether applied to doors, facades, or bespoke furniture, Verdigris introduces an understated yet captivating touch of colour - its green-blue tones both grounding and evocative of nature’s own palette.
Aged bronze doors become art pieces, delicate lighting fixtures gain a refined pop of colour, and even joinery takes on a textured beauty. Verdigris, with its nuanced approach to colour, is a perfect companion to neutral materials like stone, timber, and concrete, lending a timeless patina that evolves with a distinctive character and charm over time.
Beyond its visual appeal, Verdigris offers functional advantages. As metal oxidises, it forms a protective layer, guarding the surface against further corrosion. This makes Verdigris an ideal solution for outdoor applications, where beauty must meet durability. Axolotl has refined this natural process, ensuring that the finish is not only stunning but also long-lasting. Verdigris fuses with the metal surface and, unlike paint, will never deteriorate or peel away.
Each piece, whether used in interior or exterior projects, is a work of art. The patina is hand-applied in our Sydney factory, guaranteeing that every surface is an original. Each project, whether bold or understated, is tailored to your aesthetic and architectural vision.
Explore how Axolotl’s Verdigris patina can redefine your next design concept. Visit our showroom, or contact our team to learn more about customising this exquisite finish for your space.
For more information on our innovative treatments and how they can elevate your next project, we welcome you to visit our showroom or explore our website. Our team is always ready to guide you through the possibilities and help you discover the perfect door solution for your project. You can also contact us directly by calling our office at 02 9666 1207.
At Axolotl, our mission is to continuously push the boundaries of innovation and design, creating materials that inspire and endure. Lustre Glass is a shining example of this ethos.
We created this product many years ago, which quickly made its way into our core glass surfaces range, and into our hearts as a favourite.
The magic of Lustre Glass brings solid colour to life with a luminous glow. It’s a material that is so versatile in the art of playing with textures that Lustre Glass can be the jewel of any space, making a bold statement or serving as a complementary material that supports and enhances other finishes.
Lustre Glass is available in many configurations, from our standard colour range to custom colours, patterns, and artwork using our Spectrum process. You can elevate your design further by creating your own hybrid Axolotl surface by incorporating options such as ‘Spectrum Emboss’ to apply a 3D emboss printed texture such as linen, or, ‘Veil’ to carve a logo, or ‘Link’ inlay of any metal, concrete, or terracotta to created a mixed media artwork. The choice is yours.
Architects, designers, and artists often seek materials that offer both aesthetic appeal and practical functionality. Lustre Glass fits this bill perfectly. It’s ideal for a wide range of applications, including high-traffic commercial spaces, luxurious residential interiors, and even as a medium for stunning artworks, Lustre Glass adds a touch of sophistication and a sense of depth that makes any space feel larger and more inviting.
One of the standout features of Lustre Glass is its low-maintenance nature with lasting beauty. A simple wipe-down is all it takes to retain its pristine, luminous finish. This ease of care, combined with its ability to withstand the rigours of everyday use, ensures that Lustre Glass remains as beautiful as the day it was installed.
Nina Maya, an esteemed designer, shared her experience with Lustre Spectrum Artwork:
"The piece looked absolutely breathtaking installed on the wall. It was so ethereal, floating and shifting light as you walked around it. The piece really turned out beyond expectations and is absolutely incredible. Thank you to you & your amazing team, we could not be happier with how it turned out! The client was thrilled!”
Lustre is a single-face glass product that can be glued onto frames or back-to-back. With initially six beautiful colours in the range, Axolotl is now able to create any colourway possible. In addition, the glass panels can be cut to size and carved to any design or backlit to create stunning signage or feature walls.
Incorporating Lustre Glass into your designs means choosing a material that is as resilient as it is beautiful. Its ability to retain its glowing finish over time ensures that spaces remain elegant and inviting.
Incorporating Lustre Glass into your designs means choosing a material that is as resilient as it is beautiful. Its ability to retain its glowing finish over time ensures that spaces remain elegant and inviting.
Human-centred design has increasingly become a hallmark of quality design in recent decades. For the blind and vision impaired, tactile maps afford a different way to experience architecture and design. Extending on a story told through braille, a tactile map is a dimensional object replicating to scale an object, building, or city, guiding users through a physical journey of scale and perspective.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, the tactile map was made by Modelcraft to a scale of 1:800 and finished in handcrafted Axolotl Applied Aged Brass. Assembled from nine seamlessly fused components, the model features a sophisticated array of textures, creating a distinguished and intuitive experience. The hand-polished and aged Axolotl Applied Brass surface was selected to reflect the brass accents featured throughout the landmark building.
In partnership with Sydney Living Museums and Vision Australia, Modelcraft and Axolotl created a tactile model of The Sydney Hyde Park Barracks. As with all of their models, Modelcraft has utilised cutting-edge technology and 3D printing to create this model, providing visitors with a tactile narrative of this heritage site's storied corridors.
Although miniature in size, these models boast an impressive level of intricate detail and are a true testament to the skill, precision, design, collaboration, and most of all inclusivity required for their production. The three dimensional representations provide the opportunity for a wider audience to appreciate the buildings' forms, cultural significance, and design as a whole.
The versatility of Axolotl Applied Metal knows no bounds. With less than 1mm in thickness, the Applied Bronze metal surface adheres to each grain, curve, step and crevice, allowing the 3D models to achieve the strict guidelines for braille and tactile maps whilst referencing the grandeur and history of this iconic building.
Not only are these artefacts for the visually impaired, but they also bring a sense of connection to architectural scale and detail to all viewers, fostering a deeper appreciation for design. Viewers observe a previously unrealised perspective of a building, inviting them to stop and assess their surroundings, and personal sense of scale in the world.
These models are on public display now at the Sydney Opera House and The Sydney Hyde Park Barracks for everyone to admire these landmarks in an inclusive manner.
At first glance, one might not even realise that this monumental mural conceals a set of double doors. The mural is a masterful collage, capturing the client’s childhood and landscapes of his upbringing, forming a visual symphony of personal and cultural significance. Axolotl was commissioned by a private client to complete the mural artwork, bronze surface and door fabrication for their palatial home in Saudi Arabia.
This piece was a first of it's kind for Axolotl, which truly epitomises the transformation of an entryway into a narrative-driven masterpiece.
Spanning across four full-height panels and doors, the client's vision of a seamless integration of art and architecture, reminiscent of ancient cast bronze doors, was realised. Axolotl wove together various personal images supplied by the client into an intricate tapestry translated into a digital format for 3D printing.
Each layer contributed to the intricate tapestry of the artwork, building depth and dimension with every pass. The crowning moment came as the pieces were bathed in bronze, meticulously hand-polished and aged. This transformative process bestowed upon them the weighty presence and timeless charm reminiscent of traditional bronze craftsmanship while maintaining a remarkably lightweight finish.
More than an entryway, this door is a temple of memories, a testament to the client’s past, and a beacon of innovative design. It exemplifies how modern technology and craftsmanship can create something extraordinary, inviting us to consider the possibilities when imagination, technology, and tradition coalesce, leaving us with a first impression that will last a lifetime.
Stained glass windows have been used for centuries, and hundreds of years later have been imagined in modern designs created by architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright.
Now, modern technology developed in-house by Axolotl allows a contemporary spin on a traditional aesthetic and unlimited potential in customisation. Any pane of glass, be it a fixed window, screen, or door, can be transformed into a translucent artwork.
Including all characteristics of being completely bespoke in linework, metal finish, glass texture, glass colour, and options for framed and frameless, Axolotl Grid Glass will always be tailored to your project across residential, hotel, hospitality, commercial, and more.
The beauty of Axolotl Grid Glass lies not only in its visual appeal but also in its versatility. . Whether it's a combination of etching, carving, kiln forming, or 3D printing, you can leverage Axolotl's diverse range of processes to bring your vision to life in stunning detail.
The beauty of Axolotl Grid Glass lies not only in its visual appeal but also in its versatility. Our team of artisans create each piece entirely in-house including carving the grid pattern into the face of the glass and inlaying any of our signature metals into the glass itself. Resulting in a single pane of glass ready to install.
Unlike traditional stained glass windows or metal-framed screens, Axolotl Grid Glass is available in expansive panel sizes up to 3000x1800mm and uses glass thicknesses 6, 8, 10, 12mm and monolithic glass 15mm thick. Any panel can be made to suit your design, including cutouts for hardware or finger pulls. Grid Glass can be toughened or laminated to Australian Standards depending on your requirements.
In an era where clean lines and tailored spaces reign supreme, Axolotl's Grid Glass emerges as the epitome of refined elegance, offering a modern interpretation of a classic art form.
A selection of Grid samples can be viewed in our showroom in Matraville, and custom samples can be manufactured and purchased to order.
