The original details of this handsome Queen Anne home, its bay windows, ornate brickwork and beautifully carved timber verandahs have all been preserved, however, once inside, the past is transformed into an unapologetically contemporary addition sculpted in limestone and bathed in light. The form of the single storey addition is designed to direct the view outwards, its raked ceiling creating vignettes of sky, pool and garden. Deep reveals to the outside provide shade and protection, and connect the interior with the landscape. Monolithic in form, the inky blue pool is designed within a planted bed of wildflowers that act like a moat, removing the need for a pool fence and freeing up the view to the garden.
A clarity of form in the kitchen is created by referencing the period language and developing a new take on details and material language. Traditional square-set stone bench tops have angles, relief patterns on cupboards are reinterpreted, and handles are integrated. The dynamic cantilevered ceiling visually connects the interior to the landscape, its form further articulated by the black pendant light. In the living room, a fireplace creates whimsical wall relief through texture and geometry. Horizontal vents riff with an over-sized firewood nook and the playful lamp converses with the ceramic sculptures.
Here, public and private spaces are intertwined, with a natural flow to the outside. The new pavilion’s uninterrupted view and sweeping overhang enables all-weather indoor-outdoor entertaining. Throughout the house, finely tuned glass doors evoke classical modernity, such as the perfectly balanced geometry of the marble powder room. Details are pared back, but always remain connected with the home’s Federation-era history.
