The original Victorian home had been added to over the years to create two buildings. On the left, the external mouldings, architraves and windows, were once the side facade, and the tiled hallway the original verandah. The newer building on the right was an extension over the original backyard, with a glass roof, now renewed and refined, to connect the buildings, providing the bones to layer with character and nuance.
With living spaces and kitchen to the left, and bedrooms to the right, the small and quirky interior doesn’t shy away from colour, texture or detail. Instead, layers of crafted materials feel lush and flamboyant. In the kitchen, bronze cabinets converse with stained glass to create rhythm and add reflection. Leather wraps the curves of the marble bench to bring depth and patina, and a custom-designed dining table and bar in a punchy green further pushes the colour palette. Here, details were approached with microscopic focus and explored right down to their bare bones. Spray painted and then sandblasted, the solid oak table wears its original texture through a fresh new lens. The floorboards are laid at an angle to give the illusion of more space.
Texture and colour features throughout the interior, including the bathrooms, where the shimmering hand-rendered walls act like an organic waterproof skin, bouncing light and creating moody shadows. There is bespoke everywhere. from the tiles to the marble top in swirled pinks that looks like delicious nougat. Curving surfaces creates calming, soft spaces. The powder room has its own magical language. This space is defined by the verdant landscape of the French wallpaper that takes it to another level. The custom-designed monolithic marble sink with integrated shelves and drawers for storage is flanked by a vivid blue toilet to continue the joy of surprise. Material and detail continue in the large shower. The finely detailed cantilevered seat was designed in response to the brief for a home that will adapt in response to the needs of the household.
Like a gallery of emotions, different lights feature in every room. In the living room, the whimsical leaves in the vibrant orange chandelier highlights the extraordinary Victoriana ceiling rose, riffing off the warm wool and silk rug, and two joinery units wrapped in maroon leather, creating an overall feeling of ‘ahhh’. In the bedrooms, textured fabrics wrap a bench seat that is cantilevered between padded fabric wardrobes with toffee-coloured resin handles. The oversized lights expand the feeling of space in each room, instilling a language of sophistication and opulence that is in tune with the original Victorian home.
