A Word from Matt Di Costa

2013 was pretty crazy! The day afterThe Block I project managed and designed a 350m2 home in Carine, Perth. It was a 10 week project for a couple from Zimbabwe. The task was mammoth given the budget and drastic changes that we made.

While that job was going, my other business Sky High Renders, also took off at lightning speed. The day I finished the Carine interior I was off to Melbourne, Adelaide, Geelong and the Gold Coast for work. We started with feature walls and fireplaces and quickly moved to full rooms, then full houses, both internal and external.

Sky High Renders has quickly set itself as one of the leading polished plastering companies in Australia and in 2014 we have an amazing underground home in Adelaide, a large one-room home in Tasmania, Cafes in Perth… the list goes on. As expected though, Melbourne continues to lead the way with contemporary use of our range of products.

2014 will see Sky High Renders all over the new series of The Block and that is definitely all I can say about that for now. We take things to the next level, introducing a new range of products used in ways that no one else has yet. It’s really exciting. Stay tuned for our new website, our new range of products and a new system of design. We will combine interior design with polished plaster to help guide you through the possibilities of your own home.

Ok next… Kim and I teamed up with Channel 9 for the Christmas in WA special. We took a very modest budget and over two days totally transformed the inside and outside of Oasis House, a home for disadvantaged teens. The whole weekend was amazing and it was a big hit in Perth, even beating the news for ratings.

Throw in some small interior jobs, a little writing for The Home Journal of course and that wraps up what is easily the most incredible year of my life. I am so lucky and so tired all at once.

Oh, and as a final achievement for 2013, our most recent project in Mount Waverly is up for an award in 2014.

So 2014 will be interesting. We’ve been working on something very big that looks like it has a go ahead, but we can’t quite chat about it yet. So all I’ll say is this; it’s going to be amazing and viewable from your couch, so tune in.

In regard to interior design I’m creating a styling package for a massive block of apartments in Perth. The company is calledPsaros and they are doing huge, exciting things.

On a personal note, my partner Kim and I are getting married in 2014 and just sold our house. So it will be on to the next one very soon, which promises to be just crazy.

This leads to final thoughts on The Home Journal. I love the new direction they have undergone. Architecture and design writing is what keeps the creative world appealing. While fashionable magazines document what is hot and cool, architecture blogs showcase one-off creativity that has the potential to change the world. You aren’t supposed to feel familiarity when you look at new design, but rather feel exposed to a new concept, a new direction. Its a bold move that I feel will separate The Home Journal from the pack.

Thank you to Dani and the crew for this piece and if anyone wishes to get creative with me, interior work or polished plaster, please email matt@skyhighrenders.com or thisunrealcity@gmail.com.

To check out Sky High Renders visit our Facebook page or our website.

Renovation and design project completed by Matt in Carine, Perth.

Renovation and design project completed by Matt in Carine, Perth.

Renovation and design project completed by Matt in Carine, Perth.

For more from The Home Jounral click here.