Linea™ Weatherboards by James Hardie bring a dream home to life

Bonnie, Lana and Erin of Three Birds Renovations had a clear vision when embarking on the Three Birds Dream Home; to create a unique take on the Modern Coastal house style that people could buy and build on an average block of land. Working closely with builders, Rawson Homes, to bring their vision to life, House 14 has been meticulously designed by Three Birds Renovations to bring together all the best design features from their most loved homes, so Australian homeowners can own the very ‘best of the Birds’.

Each design element, building material, fixture and fitting has been hand-picked by Three Birds Renovations with the aim of creating the epitome of ‘Coastal Cool’. From the second you lay eyes on the Three Birds Dream Home, it’s clear that the team nailed the brief.

The stunning front façade is instant street appeal with its striking textured weatherboard exterior. Bonnie, Creative Director of Three Birds Renovations explains, “When it comes to your home’s exterior, you want to get it right. It’s the first thing you see when you pull up in the car, so you want to make sure it puts a smile on your dial. The street appeal of your home will have a big impact, good or bad, on its market value. You know what they say, first impressions last.” To achieve a fresh Modern Coastal look, Three Birds chose Linea™ Weatherboards by James Hardie in the wider 180mm width. Very familiar with the cladding products from James Hardie, Bonnie praised “its smooth, contemporary profile, with deep shadow lines” and the product credentials as the main drawcards. The look is also reminiscent of the summer holiday beach houses Australians are fond of.

“When we’re making design choices for the exterior of our homes, it’s all about how we want the home to look, so we turn to our vision board. It was imperative that we chose an exterior finish that gave the home the character to fit in with a street full of original cottages and bungalows. Using Linea™ Weatherboards by James Hardie was a no-brainer.”

“Linea™ Weatherboards are made from fibre cement, a combination of wood fibres, sand and cement which means it is super durable and won’t warp or swell. It’s also resistant to damage from moisture and termites - all the things that make timber weatherboards require ongoing attention. Fibre cement is low maintenance and won’t need to be repainted as frequently as timber boards either.”

Sitting front and centre of the block, the home captures the brightness of the location while creating interest with a slowly shifting play of light created by Linea™ Weatherboards, which are used around the full façade of the home.

While Three Birds Renovations have opted for a white, coastal look, Linea™ Weatherboard’s can be painted in a range of different colours to suit your vision. Where it is generally recommended to avoid dark colours when painting timber weatherboards, the fibre cement composition of Linea™ Weatherboard’s will stand the test of time. Homeowners can confidently choose a dark weatherboard look, without the concern of accelerated deterioration.

In addition to aesthetics, Three Birds Renovations chose Linea™ Weatherboards for a range of practical reasons. In terms of budget, the wider width boards allow for tongue and groove ends, meaning they can be joined without a supporting stud, reducing both wastage and cost, while preserving internal space. Bonnie explains, “The most common alternative to building your home with cladding is to use brick veneer. With brick you’ll lose up to 14cm of internal floor space, right around the perimeter of the house, as brick is a much thicker substrate than cladding. If you’re building a Three Birds Dream Home on a smaller block size, you’ll be thrilled we chose Linea™ Weatherboards instead of bricks because it’s gained internal floor space, giving the homeowners more bang for their buck in their living spaces.”

In addition to this, James Hardie’s range of fibre cement products are also bush fire resistant, so are suitable for use within BAL rated properties. With the careful selection of quality building materials and a strong design vision, Three Birds Renovations has created a beautiful dream home, designed to last a lifetime.