If doors are the entrance to the soul of the home, then expectations of what lies beyond must be pretty high when you look at these beautiful doors completed for our clients.

In fact, more and more we are seeing our customers view doors as less of an utilitarian item and more as a point of functional sculpture which adds architectural detail, colour, texture – and value - to their home.

Forget your old school moulded panel, natural wood or paint options and start dreaming. With Axolotl surfaces in metal, glass and concrete to design with, you really can achieve…

Get in touch and see how you can make a grand entrance.

Axolotl Paint was launched in October last year and has already seen great interest, with Axolotl Paints specified for a number of projects by top designers nationally.

We have been overwhelmed with the response and trust the industry has shown in the Axolotl brand since our launch. Our paints deliver the crafted quality and range of specialty finishes that has come to be synonymous with Axolotl. The Micaceous range has been particularly popular, with it’s unique shimmery matte finish making it a designer favourite.

It is now even easier to explore the Axolotl Paint range as our online shop is live and the full range is available to purchase directly through the website. You’ll also be able to find technical information, colour forecasts, advice, order swatches, paint outs, and sample pots.

With the launch of the Axolotl Paint online store, comes an exciting new Rust Paint to join the range. As global pioneers in developing a rust finish that could be applied for decorative effect, it is only natural that Axolotl should now include a Rust Paint. By adapting our unique process, which works with genuine iron, into an acrylic paint, anyone can achieve an authentic looking rusted effect on paintable surfaces. Axolotl Rust Paint can be applied on site for both interior and exterior settings to give an instant aged finish.

A cement paint is also due to be launched in the coming months!

We hope you enjoy exploring the new Axolotl Paint site. The full range of colours can also be viewed in our showroom where you can discuss your project with our expert consultants and order in store.

For more information on the Axolotl Paint range or to discuss your project, you can get in touch by email, phone, or visit the showroom today.

If you haven’t visited our showroom in Matraville before, or if you haven’t stopped in for a while, you will be blown away by our latest renovations!

Here you can browse hundreds of samples in our range of surfaces, taking a journey from the simplest metal surfaces, through to the most uniquely inventive Link products such as concrete inlaid in glass, or metal ingrained into wood.

Be inspired by Florence Broadhurst designs, which have been reinvented as metal-coated screens and carved doors. In fact, be stunned at our range of doors, which have been re-imagined to add an imposing beauty, as well as value to your home. And while you’re at it, imagine the myriad of other uses for our surfaces such as bathing in the most exquisite copper bathtub, which is as much sculpture as bathroom furniture.

Axolotl Paints are the newest addition on display and it’s instantly apparent how unique these designer paints are, from the hand painted sample cards through to gloss embossed tin labels and the inventive test tube sample pots. Our paints are also available to purchase in store.

On your visit you will also find the limited edition Anomaly furniture range on display, which is Australian made and created by key Australian designers, plus bespoke work from some of the best Australian artists.

And of course, the Axolotl designers work alongside the showroom and are available for consultation and advice – although we do recommend call ahead to make an appointment.

The new showroom is more inspirational than ever. To celebrate, from the 6th through to 8th March we will even have a glass of champagne, or coffee and cake here for you to enjoy while you browse. There is no better reason to invest some time in a visit to Axolotl, and to see how we can help bring your design vision to life.

We hope to see you soon. Call 02 9666 1207 to make an appointment with a designer today.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you to all of our clients, staff and friends for your continued support.

2016 has been a great year for Axolotl, it has seen the launch of our new Axolotl Paint range, Axolotl Stone and Axolotl Solid Surface, as well as our new partnership with Signature Prints bringing you the famous Florence Broadhurst designs in a new Axolotl way!

We look forward to seeing the exciting projects 2017 will bring! And as always, the Axolotl offer is sure to expand again with some new products and developments already in the works!

Axolotl will be closed from Friday 23th December and will reopen Monday 9th January.

Axolotl Art Projects are excited to showcase a selection of the recent public art projects and art collections we have been involved in.

Mallee (pictured above), by artist Jade Oakley is the most recently installed public artwork going up in its new home at Bendigo hospital early last month. A set of six kinetic mobiles link between two buildings at the new Bendigo Hospital, injecting the narrow void with an ever-changing canvas for the patients, staff and visitors to enjoy.

Each mobile is constructed from hand forged stainless steel hoops, a vine of intertwined stainless steel leaves with woven copper centres span the diameter. The mobiles were treated in Axolotl Copper metal and feature dappled green verdigris ageing.

Axolotl Art projects were commissioned to produce this intricate glass artwork, drawn by eminent Chinese pop artist Jacky Tsai. The piece is on its way to be installed in the Rouge Lounge on the Genting Dream Luxury cruise liner.

A fusion of pop culture and traditional themes synonymous with Jacky Tsai, the artwork is presented as a glowing red light box reminiscent of Chinese lanterns. The entry artwork has been created from custom laminated red glass with Axolotl Brass metal LINK on the surface. With intricate details as fine as 1mm wide, it took the Axolotl team over 120 hours just to produce the detail on the artwork.

SMC Design Art Consultancy sourced art for the Genting Dream on an international level and worked with renowned artists, as well exciting up-and-coming talent. Our own Emmaline Tuza was also commissioned to create a series of eight custom artworks for the Junket room on the luxury cruise liner.

The oblique distance set above by artist Lynne Roberts-Goodwin was created for her for closeupatadistance exhibition held in October at Kronenberg Wright Artists Projects in Sydney.

The set consists of twenty photo-etched negatives, laser embossed and etched onto 10mm thick aluminium metal. Within this key series the work has engaged with the Dead Sea and surrounding contested sites of environmental and political impact from aerially oblique and ground positions.

We also had the pleasure of working with Jade Oakley on her private commission for Otto Ristorante Brisbane.

Sketches of intertwined mangroves inspired from Jade’s first site visit were translated into laser cut, hand rolled and welded mangroves in 3mm thick Brass sheet, aged to represent tide and watermarks. The tips of the branches are adorned with kinetic mobiles with leaf elements in brass, stained timber and dyed silk which move gently in the breeze coming in off the river.

These projects, along with many of our latest art projects can be seen in more detail on the Axolotl Art Projects website. You also can find more information on showcased artists through their websites below.

www.jadeoakley.com.au
www.jackytsai.com
www.lynnerobertsgoodwin.com

 

The launch of Axolotl Paint expands upon Axolotl's already extensive range of surface finishes. Our new architectural paints merge the highest quality finishes, with a palette of colours and effects that represent the most current and upcoming trends.

Axolotl Paint has been developed with traditional craftsmanship as the starting point and then enhanced with the latest technological developments, creating stronger opacity, fuller colours and better paintability.

The palette on offer extends from extroverted bright tones through to moody lustrous shades, and has been chosen to deliver the highest standard of finish demanded by the best commercial and residential architectural projects, internally and externally. The range of colours and textures on offer have been designed to complement Axolotl's metal and concrete surfaces, whilst also delivering a finish you can be confident will work with both the natural environment and design trends.

As would be expected of Axolotl, quality craftsmanship and a bespoke approach are paramount in our practice. Our swatches, fan decks, sample test tubes and paint tin labels have all been designed and made in house. In a labour of love, the full range of swatches and fan decks have been individually mixed and hand painted to give you the most accurate representation possible.

The Axolotl Paint collection is water based, has low and zero VOC's, is easy to use and comes in a range of acrylic paints, micaceous iron oxides and timber washes for internal and external use. You can view the full Paint range online, but the true beauty of the range is fully realised by visiting our showroom, open Monday to Friday. An online store will also be available soon.

“Night falls early in this place. Above the canopy, birds wheel and glide in the sunlight while below the wet air rises from the earth. Fig trees tower above, their tangle of roots reaching into the piles of skeleton leaves below. Moss and lichen adorn every surface and the green air is alive with the sounds of small birds and flowing water. I stop and breathe the earth in this place of rain and shadow.” Jade Oakley

Photography by @carolynpricephotography

Photography by @carolynpricephotography

Axolotl have had the privilege of working closely with Australian artist Jade Oakley on a series of recent art projects. We have received a strong response from our clients, with a number of Jade Oakley maquettes on display in our showroom from current public art ventures.

Rain Shadow is Oakley’s latest project, a solo exhibition opening August 23 at the Australian Galleries Sydney.

This breathtaking exhibition presents a series of 15 hanging mobiles, 5 ‘Rain Shadow’ lights which combine lighting with copper mobile elements and 4 small free standing mobiles. The body of work is made up of more than 200 individually perforated and aged leaf elements.

“Rain Shadow is a new body of work inspired by a rainforest walk in the hinterland above Byron Bay. I have made mobiles from copper, which I have obsessively perforated by hand to reveal the patterns of veins and texture of leaves. I love the sense of translucency that is achieved through this process and I am fascinated how a once solid material can become ethereal and, to my eye, magical. The effect of light and shadow created by the perforated mobile elements is beautiful.” Jade Oakley

Photography by @carolynpricephotography

Photography by @carolynpricephotography

Each of the copper leaf elements in Rain Shadow have been hand polished and many have been treated with an Axolotl Pearl Patina ageing. The Pearl Patina ageing adds an organic, dappled honey glow to the surface and enhances the delicate styling of the artworks. The metal treatment is also sealed to provide a long-lasting effect that avoids the bright and inconsistent tarnishing raw metals are subject to.

We would like to extend the invitation for you celebrate Jade Oakley’s latest project by visiting Rain Shadow – open 7 days, 10am to 6pm, current through to 11 September 2016. Artworks will be available for purchase through Australian Galleries.

Australian Galleries Sydney | 15 Roylston Street Paddington NSW 2021 | australiangalleries.com.au | jadeoakley.com.au 

Axolotl Stone is a new lightweight surfacing treatment that revolutionises how natural stone can be used in architecture and design. The stone sheets are extremely flexible allowing stone to be used in unique designs at a fraction of the cost of solid stone. 

The genuine stone veneers are derived from natural slate and quartzite slabs. Each piece is unique and showcases the inherent beauty, texture and lustre of natural stone. The raw split surface of the slate and the interchanging colours of each stone layer are unique, meaning no two pieces are alike.

Axolotl stone veneers are available in a selection of 21 different finishes, and in two styles: Axolotl Stone and Axolotl Flex Stone. Both stone veneers are ultra-thin at 1-3mm thick, they can be curved to a convex or concave profile, and can be bent to a minimum 20cm radius in some stone types depending on the grain direction.

Axolotl Stone can be applied over nearly any solid substrate including concrete, metal, plywood, fibreglass, MDF, Masonite®, door skins and cabinetry. And most importantly it is easy to work with using standard woodworking tools, sealers and adhesives.

By using Axolotl Stone in place of natural stone, we save more than 80% of natural resources in the form of stone, sand and cement and leave a smaller environmental footprint.  And Axolotl Stone panels weigh up to 20 times less than that of a solid stone object of the same size, making them easier to transport and handle.

To see more of the Axolotl Stone range, including the brochure and technical data sheet please click here. Please call 02 9666 1207 or get in touch by email at info@axolotl.com.au for samples or further information.

Florence Broadhurst

Acknowledged by TIME magazine as one of the world’s most influential post-war designers, Florence Broadhurst's signature designs are as recognised in design today as they were when first released in the 1960’s.

We are big fans of her work, and as such are thrilled to announce that in partnership with the Signature Design Archive, Axolotl will now represent the iconic Australian designer’s range!

Florence Broadhurst’s celebrated designs can now be used with Axolotl’s metal, glass, concrete & timber products. Over 500 iconic prints ranging from tapestries to geometrics, florals, psychedelic, and delightfully eccentric chinoiserie can now be transformed into breathtaking laser cut screens, custom entry doors, feature walls and more.

To help inspire your next project, we showcase examples of how Florence Broadhurst designs can be used with Axolotl’s semi precious metals, concrete, laser cut screens and LINK glass below.

With a variety of patterns for all design styles, you will have no problem choosing a design for your next project. The samples above exemplify how when paired with the right Axolotl processes Broadhurst's designs can translate effortlessly into elegant, vintage, and modern features. Coupled with Axolotl's ability to carve, etch, inlay, emboss, laser cut, patina, invert and scale the designs - the possibilities are limitless.

Make an appointment to come in and speak with our team, and we will work with you to determine the best way to use a Florence Broadhurst design on your next project.

To see more of the Florence Broadhurst for Axolotl range, including design folios with descriptions of how the designs can be expressed through Axolotl materials please click here or contact us on 02 9666 1207.

Brass finishes have become prominent in the design and home-wares sphere over the past twelve months. There has been a move away from the high shine and even finish of gold and chrome towards metals with warmer aesthetic; softer more appealing tones such as brass and bronze that can be treated with beautiful texture and patina.

Brass is a dynamic metal that has transcended design styles over the decades, from vintage, to industrial and contemporary. Today we provide a masterclass in how to incorporate Brass for brilliant effect in your next project, no matter the style.

Above, hardy 1.2mm thick Brass Sheet metal was aged with a Brown Florentine and wrapped around the counter for the recent AHL fit out designed by Nic Graham & Associates.

The brass counter is glamorous without being ostentatious. Fused in a palate of natural stone, neutral tones and warm ambient lighting, the brass metal enhances the rich, moody feel of the space.

This project also features an Axolotl Brass three-dimensional feature wall with integrated lighting. Spanning the length of the hallway and covering over 130m2, the applied Brass finish in a fine lunar texture with Florentine ageing offers a soft and organic element that unifies the design of the central foyer.

The Ovolo in Woolloomooloo recently underwent a major re-design by our friends at Hassell Studio. Here Axolotl Brass with a hi-cut polished effect was used over the reception desk and fluted concierge desk, as well as on fluted planter bases and in the kitchen. Mixed with Axolotl Concrete Shale, lime washed timbers and black accents, this design exemplifies how to design with brass with a fresh, modern approach.

Our brass metal was left unsealed for this particular project, meaning that with time the brass will take on its own unique patination. We love this effect, it gives the rich lustre of polished brass, while the metals appearance will continue to evolve and be shaped by its interaction with its environment.

One example of clever design with our materials is shown in the reception counter that incorporates two textures within the brass hob. A textured lunar finish was applied to the top face to help disguise daily wear and tear, and this texture fades out to a smooth polished front to match with the surrounding brass coated planter pots.

An example of a more traditional approach with brass is shown in the screens pictured above. These fine MDF screens are coated in an aged Brass Florentine finish and have been applied as a decorative element onto the doors in the recent Langham Hotel revamp by GA design.

The new interiors are classic, with lots of soft grey, textured fabrics and metal accents. "I think this is the only hotel in Sydney with such a strictly classic interior," says Su Ball, executive director of London-based design firm GA Design, who oversaw the refurbishment.

The projects showcased here today exemplify the different effects that can be achieved when using brass and you can rest assured that you will find the perfect accent for your next design with us. Selecting from our range of textures, polish levels and aged effects you can customise a brilliant look for your next project.

For more images, or information on the products and projects listed please click here.