What do Cirque du Soleil acrobats and the design of Bayside Residence have in common? On the surface, the analogy seems weak, but scratch beneath, or cartwheel across it like a circus acrobat, and you’ll discover that both are complex exercises in flexibility and character.

 
Architecture firm Hayball was eager to embrace tradition while adding modern undertones in the refurbishment and extension of Bayside Residence. The visually distinct and historically dignified Edwardian home threw up some challenges, namely ensuring the new extension exuded a unique identity while respecting the original Edwardian structure. “We were lucky to be working with a beautiful existing Edwardian period home that was built in the early 1900s,” says Hayball architect Thomas Gilbert. “The original home and extension are certainly divided architecturally, but manage to complement each other despite their differences.”

 
The clients — a family of five (six if you count the dog) — wanted a space that would encourage and welcome large family gatherings and facilitate the multigenerational stream of visitors and children the home was expected to receive.

 
The brief was threefold. Firstly, the clients wished to maintain the family-centric integrity of the home as a communal space where parents and children alike could feel comfortable and relaxed. Secondly, the home needed to be a welcoming space for the many gatherings and celebrations that take place, most of which are focused on food. Finally, the design needed to showcase the construction dexterity of the owner, who doubled as the builder.

 
The project consisted of a refurbishment of the existing home and a new addition at the rear. As such, the house is in two parts and balances the Edwardian home with the addition of a three-level concrete extension. The extension is architecturally distinct yet the two spaces weave a common narrative that flows cohesively. Aiding the cohesion between old and new is a material palette of concrete and timber in both spaces.

 
The existing house acts as the main entry point to the entire home and was renovated to include a bedroom and ensuite, study, lounge room, powder room and laundry. A new kids’ bedroom and ensuite, with a small balcony overlooking the street, was added to the upper level, which now houses four bedrooms, two ensuites and one shared bathroom. “With a heritage overlay, we restored the interior spaces very carefully, paying keen attention to the leadlight windows, pressed-metal ceiling and ornate doors with matching architraves and skirting boards,” says Thomas.

 
The new addition delivers flexible living via an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room on the ground level that opens to an enclosed garden and pool. The ground floor also provides stairway access to the basement downstairs. More than your average basement, the underground digs include a garage, games room/bar, steam room and plant room.

 
“The incorporation of intricate design details was an essential component in both the design and construction of the home,” says Thomas. The courtyard facade is a prime example of this. It is wrapped in a screen of vertical louvres that were individually fixed by hand to the concrete instead of prefabricated off-site. The result acts as a showpiece for the owner’s vast and impressive construction skills. Internal timber joinery was sandblasted to reveal its grain and the colour of the tannins are evident against the grey concrete. Externally, the timber louvres are slowly greying to blend with the concrete walls.

 
Beauty is in the details, even when those details were unintentional. “It was actually an imperfection that became one of my favourite parts of the house,” remembers Tim. “In the process of pouring the concrete into the timber formwork, a single maple leaf worked its way into the form and, thanks to a rain shower, the tannins of the timber were stained into the concrete and so the shape of the maple leaf became fossilised into the ceiling.”

 
From fossilised maple leaves to original Edwardian features, Bayside Residence is a flexible home that is simultaneously intimate and spacious.

The post A Modern Extension to an Edwardian Home appeared first on Completehome.

A home with history is a rare buy. And the Belle Epoque villa in Vence, France, certainly has a colourful past. It was the former home of two English artists and one-time residence of the Dowager Duchess of St Albans, so it was important the design brief revolved around a healthy balance of preservation and renovation.

Initially undertaken as a solo project by interior designer Nina Laty, she soon called on the help of David Price Design due to the major interior architectural works that were required. Featuring three storeys, the home contains six bedrooms and is perched in the hills between Nice and Antibes. To better reflect the residence’s stunning location, the brief revolved around gutting the home and creating a seamless new configuration. “The existing house had a lovely overall feel, but the atmosphere inside was a little heavy and stifling,” says Nina. “The client requested a light and fresh feel and there was to be an overall emphasis on ease of maintenance.”

Although the facade of the villa remained untouched, David and his team increased the size of the kitchen and installed glass folding doors and a side window to maximise light and showcase the landscaped garden. The bottom half of the staircase was remodelled and downstairs rooms reorganised, with a new circulation route through the space. “On the first floor, the size of the master bedroom was increased, as was one of the guest bedrooms,” says David. “The second-floor attic, previously a painting studio, has been reimagined as a five-bed dorm for the kids to host sleepovers.”

A hub of relaxation, a bespoke stone fireplace was installed in the living space. Adorned by a gold mirror, the room’s pastel colour palette is calming and soothing to the eye, encouraging the family to kick back and relax. “Colour is introduced into the space with the bookshelves painted blue, and classic blue wood panelling around the lower part of the walls,” says David. “An elegant French window at the far end of the space is framed with light, cream-coloured curtains, with a final pop of colour coming from the cushions.” A subtle touch of glamour is introduced into the space with a glass pendant chandelier, which was selected by Nina and the clients.

The dining and kitchen area is located just steps away from the living space, and continues the blue colour palette reflected in the custom-designed joinery from David Price. Calling on inspiration from the picturesque landscape, a rustic light oak table provides space for six. Revolving around a stone island bench, the open-plan kitchen boasts ample room for the whole family to participate in cooking.

Separating the common areas from the private ones, the first floor is home to the bedrooms and bathrooms and the second floor boasts the dormitory room. To address space issues, one bathroom was removed from the first floor, which led to an increase in size for the four bathrooms. The children’s getaway is ideal for weekend sleepovers and is a unique space just for kids. “Although the children are quite young, it was important the room would be suitable for a number of years, so the paper and decoration respect that,” says Nina.

Generous in size, the master suite takes up the full width of the house and boasts high ceilings and a moody aesthetic. The four-poster bed is the perfect addition to the room. Dark oak flooring adds warmth to the space and is the perfect companion for the timber furnishings.

A complete departure from the original interior, the new space brims with character and colour. This European villa ticks all the boxes and provides ample space for the family to come together or take some time out.

For more information

David Price Design

Written by Annabelle Cloros

Originally in Home Design magazine, Volume 20 Issue 5

The post So frenchy, so chic: a timeless French home design appeared first on Completehome.

Melbourne and bluestone go together like bricks and mortar. They’re a match made in architectural heaven; a pair so perfectly compatible we can’t imagine one without the other. In fact, Melbourne was built next to the world’s most expansive volcanic basalt plains, so it’s no surprise the heavy, dark stones went into edging many Melbourne laneways and constructing countless homes, churches and buildings.

Krassaris House in Caulfield is the latest bluestone gem we’re lusting over, and its transformation from heritage hag to regal estate is nothing short of miraculous, so we praise the angels from CBG Architects for breathing new life into this once dilapidated heritage home. Sitting smack bang in the middle of a large block, the home had seen limited attention for the better part of a decade, as the owners tried to work through heritage and planning concerns. “The weathered residence had strong backbones, but it was in need of a complete renovation,” says CBG architect Bill Katsabis. “Siting of the home on the substantial block made it extremely challenging to extend the home in its original location.”

Ultimately, the council concurred with the proposed plans, and allowed the home to be dismantled and moved from the centre of the spacious site and rebuilt closer to the front setback. This allowed for a considered, modern, and respectful extension to occur at its rear. With council concerns behind them, the next set of challenges emerged, namely, the pressure to design an extension that complemented the existing home, and one which would act as a modern backdrop to exhibit the original structure. “The clients wanted a residence that transitions between the old and the new,” says Bill “They needed a functional and inviting home for a growing family and their friends.”

The existing home was rebuilt and restored to its original glory, with the single level extension creating a respectful backdrop through form, volume, and materiality. A generous open-plan living area accommodates the family’s need for entertaining, with a slightly sunken area that boasts an oversized couch and plush carpeting.

Outlook to landscaped gardens, and access to daylight from each habitable space were key elements to the client brief, along with the creation of spaces that promoted interaction while providing privacy for the individual members of the family.

“Attention to detail through the old and the new was critical to client, architect, and builder to create a dwelling that looked impressive and inviting, whilst also being extremely functional,” adds Bill. Not only does the residence now allow family and friends to interact, it also gives each family member privacy when required.

Rebuilt, revamped and revitalised, Krassaris House will stand proud for generations to come.

For more information

CBG Architects

Written by Louise Smithers

Photography by Pietro Giordano

The post Bluestone beauty: Melbourne home appeared first on Completehome.

Details:

Location: Manly, New South Wales
Date commenced: May 2013
Date completed: August 2015
Cost: $610,000

Project Colour Palette: Red and charcoal grey give a Japanese feel to the bleached timber accents of this home. Federation green in the tiles of the bathroom are a nod to the history of the residence. Pistachio seating in the kitchen gives a contemporary feel

Upon first glance, this Manly, Sydney, abode is traditional and charming in style. But take a closer look, and you will begin to collect clues revealing its source of inspiration. Spot the scorched veggie planter boxes or perhaps the white pebbled driveway? Yes, this home’s aesthetic is very much Japanese in style, calling upon tradition to create a subtle nod to our eastern neighbours while retaining that unmistakable Australiana ambience.
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For homeowners Ian Kay and Sally Webb, it was time to update their kit home that hadn’t been touched since the 1980s. For a family of five, the dark and cramped spaces just weren’t cutting it, so they called upon Brooke Aitken and Samantha Hayen of Brooke Aitken Design to solve their dilemma. “We wanted to keep the beach house feel but have a separate family room and a master bedroom with ensuite,” says Ian. “It was important the new space was bigger and brighter, but not too big so the family could stay connected.”

Leaving the four bedrooms at the front of the house, the back of the property was the main construction site, with a new living, dining, kitchen, main bathroom, master bedroom with ensuite, family room and laundry created. Significant landscaping works were also undertaken, with a new driveway and barbecue area installed as well as the placement of vegetable boxes in the front garden, which were a must-have for Ian and Sally. Constructed from cedar wood, the ancient Japanese technique Shou Sugi Ban was utilised, which preserves wood through the process of charring. “We wanted to keep the cottage feel of the house, but also incorporate some Japanese design ideals like the genkan porch area with lockers for shoes, hooks for beach towels and a Zen rock garden,” says Ian. Serving as the favourite space of the home, the genkan porch — a traditional Japanese entryway — is drenched in light as the sun rises, making it the ideal place to catch some early morning rays.

Investing in quality joinery was a smart decision, with the results speaking for themselves. Birch plywood with a signature grain is present throughout the living and kitchen spaces, which serves as a contrast against the curved blackbutt timber wrapped around the kitchen island. Storage is integrated in a clever way, with the blackbutt housing a nook that doubles as a design feature. Flowing onto the living and dining area, the space is very much open, providing plenty of room for the family to coexist comfortably. “We enjoy the relaxed, open-plan living because we can all be together while we prepare meals and come and go,” says Ian. “Now we have enough space so everyone can sit down at the same time. It’s also great that we can eat from our vegetable boxes, which are brimming with lettuce, rocket, rhubarb, artichokes and herbs.”

Making the most of the narrow block was key to this renovation, with the couple seeking to create more space without significantly boosting the size of the home. Working closely with their architect, Ian and Sally were able to establish what they loved about their home and move forward with a new design that aligned with their vision, gladly admitting they wouldn’t do anything differently given the chance. By selecting the right materials, this Manly project is proof you don’t have to go big or go home — you just have to think big … Now that’s an idea.

Written by Annabelle Cloros
Photography by Gene Ross

The post Grand Designs Australia: A place to call home appeared first on Completehome.

Casa Allegra, as the name suggests, is a place of happiness and joy and is the new sister house to Daylesford’s Casa Adagio, which featured in issue eight of Australian Period Home Style. It’s the weekend getaway rental property of Melbourne-based French antiques dealer Miguel Meirelles and his wife Anna.

“We wanted to renovate and partly build with a classic and timeless design, and with a country/colonial feel,” says Miguel. “The property was to have views of the landscaped gardens, plenty of controlled light, the feeling of space combined with cosiness, and to incorporate the use of antique doors and light fittings.”

Casa Allegra is now a light-filled, elegant yet relaxed and comfortable, spacious home. The layout of the rooms and the colours of walls and flooring showcase the antique French provincial furniture and items from Miguel Meirelles Antiques. Stunning light fittings, objets d’art and artwork supplied by Miguel feature throughout. Every room is now a feast for the eyes, boasting beautiful, unique furnishings and decorative items.

The holiday house in the heart of Trentham is designed to host up to 10 people comfortably, whether five couples or two couples with children. The property has five stylishly appointed bedrooms and each can be configured with a king-size bed or two long singles. Each bedroom is comfortable and has a distinctive colour scheme, with beautiful linen, upholstered bedheads and good-quality, classic fabrics selected for the curtains and beds. Two bedrooms feature ensuites and the remaining three bedrooms are serviced by a bathroom with a full-size bath.

The main kitchen/dining area overlooks the landscaped grounds and is large, luminous and very suitable to cook in and enjoy meals with family and friends. The hand-made French farmhouse table with seating for 10 is adjacent to the fully equipped kitchen.

There are two living areas in the house. The snug drawing room is warm and cosy with an open fire. There’s also a fire in the living room, to be enjoyed on comfortable sofas.

“Separate from the house, there was a large metal shed standing on a concrete slab that housed six cars,” says Miguel of the studio. “The challenge was to transform this ugly building, which the house looked down upon, into a good-looking studio incorporating a fireplace and seating, as well as tables for billiards and table tennis.”

Now the “studio” (ex-shed) is a wonderful place to have a game of pool, table tennis, or to sit by the fire on the sofas for a chat. It’s also ideal for the kids.

The generous-sized garden studio provides an extra entertainment area, yoga space, meeting room, venue for small daytime weddings or just a place to relax. It’s a spacious, comfortable and beautiful area with a peaceful garden outlook — Casa Allegra sits on almost 5000m² of beautiful landscaped gardens.

“The landscaping posed a few issues, starting with the removal of seven huge and overbearing cypress trees that made the garden dark and dank,” says Miguel. “Taking these down was a major enterprise, considering their towering heights and close proximity to the buildings. Once they were gone, we moved earth to create ‘rooms’ in the garden, with different levels of flat areas as opposed to sloping areas.”

The expansive gardens and views to the lake make guests feel as though they are away from it all, even though the property is right in the heart of Trentham and an easy five-minute stroll to the town’s fabulous pubs, restaurants, cafes
and shops.

With an elevated view over the large garden and the lake beyond, the deck is the ideal setting for long lunches or dinner parties in summer. Alternatively, picnic in the spacious gardens, play croquet on the lawns, or find a quiet place to read a book. At night, admire the starry skies sitting around the fire pit in the garden.

The outlook and position of this magnificent restored home makes it a perfect property for all seasons.

Written by Danielle Townsend
Photography by Patrick Redmond

Originally from Australian Period Style magazine, Volume 10

The post Historic house: A feast for the eyes appeared first on Completehome.

The story of Mooramong, in Skipton, Victoria, is one of privilege and glamour — Hollywood glamour, no less, something you perhaps wouldn’t have expected to find among the wealthy squattocracy of Victoria’s Western District in the 1930s.

Not many young men are given a 4500ha sheep property, complete with an elegant homestead, as a 21st-birthday birthday present, but at least Donald John Scobie Mackinnon (known to his friends as simply Scobie) used his generous endowment well, becoming quite the conscientious and successful grazier. In fact, he worked hard and innovated to achieve record wool clips.

A gift from Scobie’s father, Lauchlan Kenneth Scobie Mackinnon, a solicitor and racing identity, the property had originally been part of a 15,000ha squatting run owned by a trio that included pioneer pastoralist Alexander Anderson jnr, one of the earliest settlers in the Western District. Anderson had enough money to build the homestead in 1874, having sold off most of the land in 1871, naming what was left Mooramong. He commissioned Geelong architects Davidson & Henderson to design the home.

After its sale in 1889, the property passed through a few owners, who made small additions and developed the gardens and surrounding park, before being acquired by Mackinnon senior in 1926. Young Scobie, a Cambridge undergraduate, made little change to the homestead, apart from remodelling the front verandah, until he met and married former silent-movie star Claire Adams in 1937.

Canadian-born Adams, who had been left very rich on the death of her first husband, acted in no fewer than 46 Hollywood movies, including five Zane Grey films, working alongside the leading directors and actors of the day. In London, she met tall, ruggedly handsome Scobie, who was there for the Coronation.

After a whirlwind romance of just three weeks, they took their vows at their Mayfair high-society wedding and embarked on a year-long honeymoon through Europe, the UK and the US. Finally, in 1938, the Australian sheep farmer and Hollywood starlet headed for Australia to set up home together at Mooramong.

Glamour makeover

The couple soon set about creating their own private paradise, transforming the staid 19th-century homestead into a fashionable abode, redecorated in the Moderne style with Art Deco elements and Georgian accents. Claire had commissioned Melbourne architect Marcus Martin to undertake the modernisation.

The external footprint of the homestead itself remained, though the weatherboards were rendered and most of the original 19th-century Gothic detail was removed (reluctantly, it’s said, on the part of the architect) — perhaps because the style was roundly ridiculed by American House and Garden magazine at that time. A heated swimming pool (the first in Victoria), pavilion and pergola were added and a garden plan was prepared by designer Edna Walling, though it was little implemented.

Much of the 18-month-long renovation work was done on the interior. Of course, a home theatre was an essential part of the brief for this couple. Other entertainment areas included the music room, bar and games room, the latter two being all the rage in fashionable homes of the time. These areas all displayed the influence of modernism, as did the pool furniture and light fittings throughout the home.

The style of the bar with its green leather dado with chrome strips, recessed fireplace and curved bench took its lead from the interiors of ocean liners such as P&O’s new Orcades. Another fashionable 1930s innovation adopted at Mooramong was the use of built-in furniture, particularly in the kitchen but also in the bathrooms. The use of Formica, too, was cutting-edge, as it was not generally available in Australia until after World War II. Wrought-iron features, such as the front screen door, also appealed to Martin.

Claire, it seems, may not have been Martin’s easiest client to work for, not because of temperament but due to her reported difficulty in understanding drawings. So it was often a case of “build and demolish until it is right”, according to Stephen Dorling, Martin’s assistant at the time. The lounge mantelpiece, for example, was rebuilt six times. She also, apparently, returned a grand piano to London because it wasn’t exactly the colour she’d ordered.

The Mackinnons were very popular, though, and great charity workers. They entertained the cream of high society and local community folk alike, throwing open their home for parties, film nights, musical evenings and card nights, and welcoming all to swim in their pool. Claire’s natural charm and beauty won hearts and her love of animals was legendary.

She even came in for criticism when in 1944 a great bushfire threatened Mooramong and Claire’s first thought was to save the dogs by letting them off their chains — before worrying about the expensive farm equipment. Still, almost single-handedly, she managed to save most of the property, only losing some outbuildings and the manager’s residence, which was rebuilt in 1947.

More work was done on the house over the years, though wartime shortages made it difficult during that period. Scobie died of cancer in 1974. His devastated wife had myriad photos, home movies and press clippings to remind her of their wonderful life together, until her own death in 1978. The couple had no children, and the house and bulk of their estate were bequeathed to the National Trust.

Mooramong today

After the war, more than 2000ha of the land was resumed for soldier settlement and the property now stands at over 1500ha, running 5000 head of Merino sheep as well as cereal crops. The Donald and Claire Mackinnon Trust was established to preserve the house and gardens. The income from the working farm provides financial support and the property serves as a model of good farming and conservation practices.

A chunk of the land is given over to the Mackinnon Nature Reserve, an important habitat for the endangered Eastern Barred Bandicoot. The reserve’s native grasslands are also home to kangaroos and swamp wallabies, as well as many bird species, including brolgas and wedgetail eagles.

The single-storey homestead is still very much as it was enjoyed by the Mackinnons, with many of their personal effects making it homely and the photographs, furniture, curios and art evoking some of the upperclass glamour of the ’30s and 1940 in particular, as well as the ’50s and ’60s.

Outbuildings include a laundry, boiler room, former fowl feed store, dairy, toilet, milkman’s house, tool shed, two meat houses and a coal bunker, as well as the manager’s, overseer’s and stockman’s residences. There’s also a house that was originally built in 1978 for family friends, the Youngmans.

Farm buildings number a shearing shed and shearers’ quarters, single men’s quarters, stables and machinery and storage sheds, as well as a garage, vehicle shed, killing shed, dog kennels and water tanks. The farm buildings house many interesting historical items and implements.

As well as its significance as a showcase for the privileged way of life enjoyed by the Western District squattocracy, and its poignancy as a much-loved family home, Mooramong is unique among historic Victorian homes for its fascinating historical, aesthetic, architectural and natural value.

Mooramong

Glenelg Highway, Skipton, 3361, Vic

Website nationaltrust.org.au/vic/mooramong

Originally from Period Style magazine, Volume 9

The post Hollywood Glamour: 1930s Mooramong home appeared first on Completehome.

On a leafy street in Sydney’s upper north shore, a decorative corner house stands tall and pretty. Passers-by stop to admire the period detailing and snap photos of the cottage garden. On the hunt for a new home, another disappointing Saturday spent looking through poorly renovated period homes led a Sydney couple to the door of this remarkable North Shore property “just for a bit of fun”. Their fun soon turned to those recognisable oohs and ahhs and within months this Federation stunner was their home.

“We had been looking for a few months and walked into this property and never wanted to walk out again,” says homeowner Heather. “I feel at home here, it’s like the house spoke to us.”  Heather’s love of history, and years spent researching her family tree, led to the discovery of a collection of personal family letters dating from 1875 to 1920 through the era of the First World War. It was these letters that ignited her passion for period style.

“Reading about the intimate lives of these people as they shared with each other across the world, I began to feel that I could relate to my family back then, and I had a lot of respect for them. I’d operated with this idea that we were more sophisticated now than people were a hundred years ago and when I read these letters and heard their caring, their compassion for each other, their commitment to spirituality and God and family, making a difference with each other, I felt a real closeness to people back in that time. When I walked into this house it was as though I could be part of owning, contributing and nurturing a piece of that 100-year history.” Having lived in, and built, a slew of modern homes in Australia and New Zealand, including NSW’s regional wine country the Hunter Valley, the owners’ decision to choose a period home speaks to their growing concern for preserving Australia’s architectural history.

“Federation came about at the end of the Victorian era and it was the first awakening of Australian nationalism,” says Heather. “Federation houses were that first expression of Australians saying ‘we’re a nation in our own right and we are now going to adjust the architecture to suit our climate, and we are going to decorate with our plants and our motifs.’” The home enjoys the beauty of a Victorian house — the incredible detail and high levels of quality workmanship, but with an overlay of the Australian ethic and nationalism and pride in who we are as Australians. This home has a powerful connection with our country and represents a defining moment in our history as a country.

Having been lovingly cared for, restored, and changed over time, the house is a truly beautiful home — the architecture boasts tall ceilings and a detailed cornices, dado rails, pictures rails, stained glass windows, fireplaces, and encaustic tiles.  Previous owners’ renovations are in total sympathy with Federation style and appear seamless within the walls and roofline of the home. The additions have increased the house size and include an upper storey and freestanding guest accommodation and laundry. A highlight of the home’s interior is the formal parlour, which looks out over the front garden. With its beautiful stained glass windows, dual fireplace and mantel, piano, and ornate joinery, the owners furnished the room in a style that showcases the period. “I love the front room, which is a parlour and a lounge room connected,” says Heather. “I also love the conservatory that’s off the kitchen. In the morning, it’s a fantastic place to have breakfast and in the afternoon, the sun streams in and you look out on the garden and you feel like you’re outside although you’re inside.

“It’s wonderful to be in a space that’s like an octagon; it feels like you’re in a special place, almost like a relaxed cathedral. Every afternoon my husband picks up our grandkids and that’s where they hang out. They sit around the table and do their homework, practice violin or draw, and he reads them The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. It’s a wonderful space where people love to be because they feel so comfortable there.” When considering the purchase of a period home, often the question arises about whether the décor should be true to the period or a more modern expression for family living and contemporary taste. The owners opted for a blend, learning about the Federation period from books, people and websites dedicated to the era, and the styles that sit either side of Federation — Victoria and Edwardian, both of which are obviously English inspired.

“Federation is not really a furniture style per se, however, there’s lots of information available about the period,” says Heather, who spent months researching how to decorate the home. “My favourite antiques website that I enjoy reading is run by a woman called Johanne Yakula (johanne@fromtimespast.com) who posts wonderful blogs with stories about gardens and antique houses. I also talked to people in antique shops and asked them about periods of style and they helped us to find pieces that suited the home. That’s when I began to distinguish the different kinds of furniture styles that would suit the house, and why.” The owners found many furniture gems on eBay and at local Vinnie’s and op-shop stores, which regularly receive spectacular pieces of period furniture. “Second-hand wares are often no longer valued and that makes me sad so I’m delighted to be the beneficiary of such authentic furniture,” says Heather.

With adjustments made for family living, the formal lounge is not technically within the period, but more designed and upholstered to a classic style. “I felt that if I stayed completely true to type with the seating and lounges in the home, my husband may never sit on them!” regales Heather. “I wanted to balance comfort with the fit and style so that it was a space where you felt at home, that also looked beautiful.” And what of colour schemes? When the house was placed on the market the previous owners removed some of the wallpaper due to ageing. The owner’s choice of colour scheme was informed by the wallpaper, curtains and custom rugs that remained. Working with the blues and greens and the fresh white walls, the interior became a wonderful canvas against which the owners played with furniture options.

Having always lived in modern homes and being drawn to brighter colour palettes of red and orange, moving to a period home required some level of adjustment and learning for the owners. “Colour is something that I embrace because it gives me energy and yet, I had to recognise that different houses require different styles and it would be jarring to have the type of bright colours that I do love in this house,” says Heather. “Purchasing this home has been a real exploration and a discovery of what was going to work and what was going to make a difference, and it was quite painful at times because it’s not natural for me to be an interior designer. My daughter-in-law helped me. It was wonderful to phone her and say, ‘Hey did you want to go to this antique shop and check out these things with me?’ She has a lovely eye so she’d say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to certain pieces, but I also took my husband with me for big purchases because if he wasn’t happy it wasn’t going to happen!”

Federation homes often appear suited to today’s modern lifestyle in terms of their floorplan. Having hosted a number of family and work events already, the owners have noted guests flow comfortably through the house and congregate in particular alcoves. There’s also the spectacular welcome on entry to the home with its chandeliers and large, ornate gold mirror. From a day-to-day perspective, it appears to be an effortless house to live in. The kitchen is close to the living areas and dining spaces, which in turn are close to the bathrooms and downstairs bedrooms, which are all connected to the outside through large bay windows or balconies. The garden is an important part of the landscape and leans towards a traditional cottage style that could be considered a “plantsman’s garden”.

Around the Arts & Crafts era there was a focus on finding plants that were unique and so English men and women would travel the world and bring their findings with them back to England to sow beautiful gardens. The garden in this home is worthy of great note with its riot of colour. With a number of distinct outdoor rooms, the first to make its impact is the front entrance. Looking up from the front windows and front door, a beautifully soft cottage garden looks out over the streetscape and is framed by magnolias, azaleas and flowering plums, with scented roses, daffodils, jonquils, yellow clivias, abutilons, primulas, delphiniums and sweet peas. There’s year-round blooming at regular intervals set against the more ceremonial buxus balls.

It is a lovely juxtaposition of formality and informality. To the right of the house is a serene swimming pool and spa neatly set into a formal sandstone surround with a tall hedge for privacy, water fountain and wistful statues. To the rear of the house is a functional herb and vegetable garden offset with a criss-cross trellis growing jasmine. To the far side of the house is the framework for an orchid garden, which is in development as the owners learn more about shaded spaces in the garden. “My husband and I sit outside or on the verandah when we can,” says Heather. “The house is north-easterly facing so it’s nearly always in the sun. We sit and look out over the garden and it provides this real sense of wellbeing.”

Originally from Period Style magazine Volume 8
Written by Karen Miles
Photography by Sue Stubbs

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South Lodge was originally a cottage, built as gardener Thomas Ricketts’ residence for the JB Were estate in the late 1840s. South Lodge was extended around the original cottage in the 1880s, and has been extended and renovated a number of times, all sympathetic to the picturesque style of the building.

It is best described as Victorian Rustic Gothic (1840-1890), an anti-monumental style suitable to houses in the suburbs or country. In Australia, the Rustic Gothic style was used for houses of brick, stone or timber construction. The house is a perfect example of the cult of the picturesque, an attachment to a romantic image of a rural medieval past. The Rustic Gothic style gave a feeling of security to expatriate Britons who felt themselves to be inhabitants of a raw, hostile environment half a world away from home.

The main characteristics of this style are irregular massing, modest-scale and steeply pitched gabled roofs with decorated bargeboards (timber fretwork connected to the gables).

On cloudless moonlit nights, when there is a slight sea breeze off nearby Port Phillip Bay, the ghost of Thomas Ricketts is reported to have been seen in the South Lodge garden, tending the roses.

The current custodians of the 17-room South Lodge – a family of four – undertook the revival of this magnificent 1842 Brighton property approximately six years ago, starting with the main bedroom.

The floorboards were polished and revived to their original appearance. The owners then took to painting wood graining on all the timber architraves and chose Haymes Sky paint, a restful and peaceful pale green for this room, with all painting of walls and cornices completed by them.

The owners contacted Michael Holgate, director of Michael Holgate Design, to see what fabric he could suggest for the curtains. “I chose the fabric design Owen Jones in red, with the same design in gold as a reverse lining on the underswags to act as a natural contrast to the wall colour, and the tassel fringing and tie-backs were sourced to complement the fabric,” says Michael. Owen Jones was a contemporary of William Morris and is best known for his opus The Grammar of Ornament (1856) and quote “Form without colour is like a body without a soul”.

The bay window with arched bulkhead presented some challenges as total precision with the measurements was needed. “My wife and business partner (Bo Chao) drafted the window in consultation with the clients, to ensure correct proportions and depth of the soft furnishings, the swags and curtains were given a thick bumph interlining and were all hand sewn by my wife,” says Michael. “The owners and I installed the window furnishings and timber holdbacks which were adapted and extended, and hand stained by the owners for continuity with the pelmet. The timber pelmet crowning these soft furnishings was skillfully created by the owner and his daughter using hardwood to ensure perfect stain colour and whimsically turning one of the spindles in the balustrade upside down as homage to the belief that only God is perfect.”

The formal sitting room was decorated next, the floors having been polished and the architraves painted by the owners. “It was then my task to cover them up,” says Michael.

The owners had chosen Hamyes Deep Cream for the wall colour, a perfect choice that brightened an existing dull room. The sitting room presented new challenges as it was part of the original cottage and had an unusual number of windows of differing heights and dimensions which were arranged to give the original resident (the gardener) a view in every direction.

The largest window, which overlooks the drive, required a substantial treatment. The owner has a grand piano with its lid raised, placed in front of this window, so it was decided that an asymmetrical treatment would frame the piano beautifully.

The window treatment would provide casual formality (tautology) and the fabric chosen was Dorothea, (a pretty floral trail design, beautifully embroidered on a pure silk ground and based on an 18th century rococo silk) from the Royal Collection 2011 © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Back curtains and swags were in antique green silk. The trimmings of the front curtain are tassel fringing with beads and bullion fringing for the back curtain. Stephen created and stained the timber pelmet for this window to match his work on the architraves.

With this work installed and completed, Michael turned his attention to the other window in this room, of lower height and extending to the floor. The decision was made that the best way to overcome the differing window heights within the room was to recess the swag in the window frame and extend the swag height to the picture rail.

The choice of fabric was the same as the back curtain of the main window, so that it would not look contrived. “We could not change the height of this window to the same height as the main window, however we were able to achieve a feeling of continuity,” says Michael. This window stands alone within the room in harmony with the main window.

Once again, the swags and curtains were bumph interlined and hand sewn by Bo. These were drafted first for correct proportion. “We have immense satisfaction with this room as there is an appearance of simplicity, when in reality the soft furnishings were extremely complex to achieve and are constructed to an international standard,” says Michael.

The guest bedroom was next in the renovation, the timber architraves and wardrobe doors receiving the owner’s skill and expertise, with his daughter helping him for the wardrobe doors. They chose Haymes Country Spun paint for the walls.

The fabric chosen for this window is William Morris’ Kelmscott Tree in mulberry/russet. The inspiration for this design can be seen on the bed curtains surrounding the four-poster bed situated in Morris’ bedroom at Kelmscott Manor (1891).

The soft furnishing design for this window is a corded flat valance (to show the beauty of the pattern in full) with jabots and tails. The valance has a roman blind in purple silk to match the reverse tails of the valance and trimmings. As this room is for guests, a decision was made to do without side drapes for ease of use.

The combination of fabric and thick interlining with this design required the use of traditional assembly methods (long tacks) to achieve the desired appearance.

The final area of the house undertaken was the family room, for this the owners chose Haymes Regency paint. The room presented an interesting situation for Michael, with the combination of the blue of the walls and brown of the painted woodgrain architraves, the natural inclination would be to use a neutral cream colour for the soft furnishings or alternatively a terracotta.

“I suggested a stunning fabric, Savill, in platinum. A cherub addresses a higher power in this beautiful embroidered silk inspired by a fragment of French toile de jouy discovered in the Windsor archive, The Royal Collection 2011 © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Sandra bravely agreed that this colour and design would work beautifully to bring the room together.

The shaped flat valances with jabots, rosettes and undertails (bias cut) provide a comfortable, relaxed and sophisticated feeling within the room. A bonded blind in cream silk with lace insert, as well as cream silk for the reverse on the tails, was used. Once again the owners crowned the valances with a hand-stained timber pelmet.

This labour of love was undeniably a team effort. The final result is an historic home to be greatly admired, both inside and out, that will surely continue to stand the test of time.

MICHAEL HOLGATE DESIGN

1519 High Street,

Glen Iris Vic 3146

Tel: 03 9885 9339

Mobile: 0433 299 363

Website: michaelholgatedesign.com.au

About the architect, Lloyd Tayler:

South Lodge, Brighton was designed by architect Lloyd Tayler (1830-1900). Born in London in 1830, he moved to NSW in 1851 and by 1856 was working in Melbourne. His most significant building was the design of the former CBA at 333 Collins Street, Melbourne (1890). Today the only piece of the original building remaining is the domed chamber.

Tayler became a member of the Victorian Institute of Architects in 1856 and was president in 1886-87,1889-90,1899-1900. His important buildings include:

Portland House 8-10 Collins Street (1872)

Australian Club, William Street (1879-1885)

St Mary’s Church, Queensberry Street, North Melbourne (1860)

Rippon Lea Tower by Lloyd Tayler (1881) in Victorian Italianate style (Lombardic polychrome brick version of the style)

Edward Wright House, King William Street, Adelaide (1875-78)

Sources: Identifying Australian Architecture (Richard Apperly, Robert Irving, Peter Reynolds) 1989, Bayside Architectural Trail, Bayside City Council

Written by Danielle Townsend

Photography by Patrick Redmond

Originally from Period Style Volume 8

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With four children, three dogs, one cat, one crazy Eclectus parrot and an occasional horse, Melanie Strathdee and her family needed a home that was low maintenance, durable, gorgeous, stimulating and perhaps most importantly, fun. They discovered this one five years ago, after living a very different life in suburban Melbourne, and unexpectedly, it fit the bill.

“We hadn’t planned on a seachange, but fell in love with a neglected Cape Dutch house in Orange Grove, Western Australia,” says Melanie, an interior designer at Leo & Lotus.

She recalls the family’s early days in the home with horror. “It was an overgrown mess on 10 acres,” says Melanie. “Our windmill didn’t work, our bore had dried up, the power kept shorting, we had no insulation and heard gunshots at night. We were very tempted to give up and move back to Melbourne with its running water and electricity. We had lived in a few countries, but never had I lived on land like this before.

“The pipes kept bursting, racehorse lizards seemed to like our kitchen, old kangaroos always came to our dam to take their last drink, then would fall in … the list goes on. But we fixed things, learnt how to handle storms and heat and developed a very good relationship with our local wildlife hospital.”

The family’s now much-loved house was built under the influence of Cape Dutch architecture. “As an interior designer, it is important to respect the architectural influences, creating a happy marriage between the two,” says Melanie. “It doesn’t mean you are confined to the perimeters of historical design, but it must be respected and considered during the design development.”

Melanie says for the project, she was her own client, therefore had free reign and was inspired by beautiful colours – and it most definitely shows. “I am a colour lover, I can’t live without it,” Melanie laughs. “I have always been intrigued by the power of colour so it plays a significant role when designing the interior of any home.”

“I love our bedroom, our quiet space, painted in emerald green, which has always been my favourite colour because of its wonderful healing properties. It is no accident that the plant kingdom is green; the green ray has a specific healing element, contributing to the feeling of peace when you enter our bedroom. Green aides relaxation, contemplation and sleep.”

Melanie has also drawn inspiration from her ever-changing surrounds. “I love the season changes in Western Australia, how the light changes the colour of the land and the interior of our home.”

The family’s seachange has changed their life dramatically, to say the least. “Since moving to Orange Grove we have had to slow down considerably,” says Melanie. “We have had to learn to repair things ourselves simply because tradespeople weren’t available or were too busy. We are all definitely a lot tougher and have become very self-sufficient. We are only 20 minutes from Perth’s CBD, but still ‘off the grid’ when it comes to amenities. The storms can be quite wild here, we have lived with no electricity for a week – I was beginning to lose my patience, but the kids loved it and want to do it again some time!

“Today we are making headway,” says Melanie, as she recalls her family’s start here five years ago. “The kangaroos no longer come to our dinner table, the snakes stay around the dam and the racehorse lizards only occasionally come inside.”

The revived Cape Dutch house is definitely a work in progress for Melanie and her family. “There is so much more we want to do,” she says.

Project details:

The project was designed by:

Leo & Lotus PTY LTD

30 White Road,

Orange Grove WA 6109

Tel: 0414 798 989

Email: melanie.strathdee@leoandlotus.com

Website: leoandlotus.com

Flooring

Living areas: Jarrah parquetry

Kitchen: Black and white linoleum tiles

Bathroom: Porcelain tiles

Bedrooms: Supertuft carpet   

Walls

Living areas: Painted render

Kitchen: Brick and painted render

Bathroom: Porcelain tiles

Bedrooms: Painted Gyprock

Outdoors: Render

Lighting

Living areas: Theodore Alexander

Kitchen: RT Lighting

Bathroom: Vintage chandelier

Bedrooms: RT Lighting  

Outdoors: Vintage finds

Kitchen

Cabinet doors and panels: Black Japan stained timber

Benchtop: Cararra marble

Bathroom

Tiles: All original

Bath/shower/vanity: Vanity is made by The Maker, designed by Leo & Lotus. Vanity top is Caesarstone Snow

Windows: Jarrah framing

Doors (external or internal): Jarrah, some stained, some painted

Furniture and accessories: A combination of vintage finds/hand-me-downs and Leo & Lotus designs

Written by Danielle Townsend

Photography by Stephen Nicholls

Originally from Period Style Volume 8

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If selected you could be appearing in Renovate soon.

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