Built on the edge of the Southern Ocean, Wave House is a beachside abode originally constructed in the 1980s. Graceful yet unconventional, the home was built on a budget using modest materials such as corrugated iron, weatherboards, timber and metal. With intersecting curvilinear rooflines, curved internal ceilings and exaggerated geometric highlight windows, Wave House had a sound structure, but a heavily outdated, chaotic interior.

The new owners enlisted Studio McGilp to complete a renovation that honoured the existing architectural forms, while transforming the interior to create a feeling of refined, understated elegance with the sense of freedom that occurs when you leave the city behind. “We wished to respect the original lines, with the curves of the roof swinging both left to right, and right to left, like the movement of the sea,” says Alisha McGilp, director and principal interior designer of Studio McGilp. “We also celebrated the quirky accents such as the small highlight windows, and retained the iron balustrade, improving its sharpness by painting it black.”

Studio McGilp entirely reimagined the floor plan, removing internal walls to re-orientate the kitchen and meals areas, as well as redesigning the layout of both bathrooms. “We drew inspiration from both the sea which is visible from the front of the home, the beautiful she-oak trees in the garden, and the Otway ranges which are seen from the back door,” Alisha shares.

The careful, honest use of materials — including pure wool carpet, stainless steel, timber and hand-formed ceramic tiles — was key to the success of this project. A restrained palette of low chroma hues is repeated throughout the home to provide a restful yet dynamic aesthetic, a strategy that allowed the elegant lines of the home to shine. “Rather than integrating strong and directional patterns, we opted for movement within materials and their applied surfaces to provide contrasts, such as reflective versus tactile values. The interplay of light enables surfaces to be illuminated when the sun reflects off them,” Alisha explains. “We considered both warm and comfortable responses and juxtaposed these with sleek and lustrous finishes.”

The muted colour palette is punctuated by strong statements of colour. Woven pure-wool loop pile carpet in a colour reminiscent of a stormy sea is relieved by the warmth of bleached timber flooring mimicking driftwood found on the beach. Textured, matt-finish wallpapers in restful colours are used in combination with lustrous ceramic tiles and colourful terrazzo flooring.

In the kitchen, a custom-designed island bench marks the heart of the home. The Studio McGilp design references the curved roof lines and creates a sense of free and easy movement around it. Constructed from environmentally conscious silica-free Corian in a deep inky blue, with inherent curvilinear forms, the island bench waterfalls at one end to meet the floor and is cantilevered on the opposing side.

The benchtop features concealed under-bench lighting for a warm, gentle illumination experience, while a bespoke, handmade Blackwood pendant adds natural warmth, juxtaposed by the ceiling-mounted lustrous Qasair rangehoods. “Re-orientating the kitchen enhanced the views, with the ability to look one way and see the forest, and in the other direction, straight to the sea,” says Alisha. “It is the best of both worlds, and the clients were delighted that we were able to create views to both landscapes that were previously obscured behind internal walls.”

Carefully weighted joinery solidifies a minimal aesthetic inside the kitchen. The living room side of the kitchen features Tasmanian oak fluted timber cladding stained in a natural finish. The opposing side offers large and functional storage space with purposely designed streamlined sharknose cabinetry.

Ceiling and wall junctions inside the home were often not an easy 90 degrees, and windows angled from top to bottom in places, so conventional installation methods of window furnishings and fixtures had to be considered carefully. The bamboo roller blind window furnishings made by Studio McGilp are one of a kind, a nod to the quintessential “beach house” vernacular. Hand-loomed Japanese reeds were custom coloured, with 100 individually woven reeds creating just one metre of fabric. These blinds provide privacy from the street below, but allow vision to the beach and sky outside. They are fully automated and integrated into the structural environment by use of custom-made painted timber pelmets which span the entire living area to conceal all mechanisms and hardware.

Behind these blinds, heavy-hitting block-out cellular blinds provide exceptional heat and noise reduction. All blinds are operated on battery motors so that they can be used when the power is out, which happens frequently in the seaside town.

Evocative of a relaxing beach stroll, the terrazzo floors found in both of the home’s bathrooms create cohesion and feature colours you would find if you scooped up a handful of sand, rock and shells from the beach. “One bathroom represents the sea, with blue hues, and the other represents the forest landscape through the use of she-oak inspired green,” Alisha notes. “The master ensuite was formed by moving existing doors and hallway to create a series of interconnecting spaces. Entering via a generous open area with a concealed cavity slider, we designed a wall-to- wall suspended Corian basin.” Downstairs, a redundant external door and mud room were removed to provide a larger footprint for the main bathroom. A frosted glass full-length window was added, enabling private and restful bathing rituals.

Wave House is a conversational home, full of surprises and delights. “It has an inherent calmness,” Alisha concludes. “We stripped back the layers of the past owners to reveal the simplicity and beauty of the original design. With views to the wild ocean and surrounding forest, the design response was to make the interior sing within these natural boundaries of beauty and serenity. The house sits comfortably in its surroundings, and the interior evokes a feeling of relaxed luxury, warmth and comfort.”

Details

House: Wave House
Location: Apollo Bay, Vic
Interior Architect/ Designer: Studio McGilp
Builder: Dave Merry
Interior Designer: Studio McGilp

For more information

Studio McGilp

Image credit: Nicole Reed

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Originally hindered by an awkward 1970s extension that severed the home’s connection with its garden, this 116-year-old Lane Cove Federation home faced both aesthetic and functional limitations for modern family living. The homeowners longed to retain the character and warmth of the original architecture, while addressing the demand for space and movement needed by a family of five with three teenage boys.

The Client’s Dilemma: A Charming Home Struggling with Space and Flow

As is the story with many older homes, this home had its fair share of floor plan challenges. While its Federation-style façade holds a timeless charm, the interior was suffering from a previous, poorly designed floorplan alteration executed almost half a century earlier. A low-ceilinged extension had left the house feeling stifled and cut off from its outdoor entertaining spaces. The galley kitchen was so confined only one person could functionally be in there at a time. It left the client feeling cramped, unable to enjoy internal living of the home together as a family, yet also unable to make full, regular and natural use of the garden and pool area due to its disconnect with the main house.

MILEHAM’s Vision: A Seamless Transition and Open, Airy Spaces

To breathe new life MILEHAM’s Principal Architect, James Pilcher, focused on two main goals: reconnect the home’s interior with its garden and pool, and redesign the extension to properly integrate it with the original heritage home. James’ design ethos centred on respecting the past while meeting modern needs, and the result speaks volumes.

They began by reworking the existing extension, opting for a design that embraced the sloping block on which the home sat. Rather than fight the natural slope of the land the new layout welcomes it, creating a soft transition from the front entry to the rear veranda by encouraging a subtle forward movement towards light and space and the curiosity of ‘what lies beyond’.

Design Excellence: Honouring the Federation Spirit

One of MILEHAM’s triumphs in this project is the way they maintained the integrity of the original home’s Federation architecture while injecting contemporary floorplan design elements. Drawing on heritage cues, the team seamlessly integrated features of the original façade into the new extension. The rich, historical details—such as the high ceilings and intricate mouldings—are echoed in the new spaces, ensuring the home’s heritage is ever-present.

In particular, the introduction of a 3.6-meter Mansard ceiling in the new expansive living/dining/kitchen extension adds an impressive sense of scale without overwhelming the intimate feel of the home. This delicate balance of grandeur and warmth was achieved through careful material selection and attention to period-specific detailing, demonstrating MILEHAM’s respectful understanding of historical design.

Tackling Architectural Complexities: The Sloping Block Solution

One of the most interesting aspects of this renovation was MILEHAM’s approach to the home’s difficult sloping block. Sloping sites often present significant architectural challenges, particularly when trying to create a cohesive flow between different areas of the home.

MILEHAM took on this challenge headfirst, creating a floor to ceiling design which maintains a consistent eyeline throughout the space. This approach not only improved the functional layout of the home but also enhanced its visual appeal.

To ensure the home felt unified from front to back, the new extension was designed with a simple stepped floor plan that followed the natural slope of the land. The wide stairs that connect the old and new parts of the home serve to lead the eye through the home, out into the garden beyond.

A Masterpiece Recognised: Excellence in Housing Awards Finalist

MILEHAM’s elegant transformation of this Lane Cove home has earned them a finalist nomination in the coveted 2024 Master Builders Association (MBA) Excellence in Housing Awards. Their nomination underscores the skill, creativity, and dedication they brought to this project, highlighting not just the aesthetic appeal of the renovation, but also MILEHAM’s ability to address complex design challenges. The MBA particularly recognised MILEHAM for their meticulous attention to detail in balancing the home’s rich heritage with its modern-day functionality, and connecting the two seamlessly.

A Testament to Thoughtful Design: A Home Reconnected to Its Roots

This Federation home renovation is an elegant example of how contemporary design thinking can reinvigorate Sydney’s heritage homes, ensuring they remain functional for modern life without losing their original character. This renovation not only reconnects a family with their home and garden, but also stands as a symbol of what is possible when architectural challenges are met with creativity, precision, and passion.

Project Scope: Heritage Renovation, Extension
Architecture: MILEHAM
Project Management: MILEHAM
Construction: MILEHAM
Award: FINALIST, 2024 Master Builders Association Excellence in Housing Awards, House Alterations and Additions – $600,001 – $800,000 (Winners to be announced 28 September, 2024)

For more information

Lane Cove Federation Charm

The post An Award-Worthy Fusion of Heritage and Innovation: Transforming a Federation Home appeared first on Completehome.

The pool house was constructed from the original modest dwelling on the site and the 12m-long pool was situated to make best use of this area, while also providing a visual aspect from the newly constructed home.

“A pool should be cohesive with the home so that at times of the year when you’re not using the pool, it still provides an atmosphere of relaxation,” explains Amanda from Swimmore Pools, who was entrusted with the design and build of this pool. “A pool should also be functional to the needs of its owners and provide a value add to the property.”

The modern rectangular pool designed by Amanda features a beach ledge at one end on which to lounge, and a feature line running down the centre to enable lap swimming. Surrounded by granite coping and tiled with matt-grey mosaics, it provides a naturally clean space to take in the ambience of the surroundings. The pool is solar heated and has a Sunbather DownUnder thermal pool cover to extend the summer swimming season.

With more than 25 years of industry experience, Adam Moore has been operating his own pool plumbing business for most of this time and founded Swimmore Pools eight years ago. The company constructs pools in all areas of Melbourne and the metropolitan area, as well as in the Bayside, Mornington Peninsula, South Eastern, Eastern and Gippsland regions of Victoria. All of Swimmore’s pools are custom built to the client’s requirements. Adam is a hands-on builder in all areas of the project, still working on the tools and ensuring everything is spot on.

“We meet with our clients to find out their needs, time frame and budget,” says Adam. “We then look for the best solution or design to meet their objectives. If they are comfortable with us and the solution we are providing, we look forward to the process of engineering their pool and working with them to bring their dream to life.”

Swimmore Pools is a licensed Paramount in-floor cleaning system dealer and has extensive knowledge and experience with hydraulics, cleaning systems and equipment, ensuring everything meets requirements.

The company is a member of SPASA Australia and is a Registered Building Practitioner with VBA.

For more information, 

Swimmore Pools 

The post An existing home was converted into a pool house appeared first on Completehome.

Smith & Sons is the renovation specialist comprising many family businesses located across Australia, with a focus on delivering stunning renovations and customer satisfaction to the highest degree. The company has completed more than 15,000 home renovations and has amassed a huge following of happy clients, as well as a proven track record of concept-to-completion reliability. For homeowners, especially in the current climate, Smith & Sons offers an outstanding proposition for your next renovation.

“We live and breathe home renovations,” says Glenn Adam, Smith & Sons operations manager. “We know the lasting, positive impact that a special renovation can have on your family and lifestyle and we’re as excited about your home renovation as you are. We’re all about family values and we understand the pressures of daily life. That’s why we developed the Design-Plan-Construct process, for a stress-free build and added peace of mind.”

For people who are already busy, being able to rely on your builder to complete your project is paramount, while finding a builder with the expertise to match your requirements is a bonus. Smith & Sons can deliver on both. “Our team of builders and designers across Australia bring valuable, hard-won expertise to each of our renovation projects, and our proven process gives homeowners security and flexibility to achieve a unique home according to their standards, requirements and dreams. Whether you have no idea what’s possible or where to start, or you have some great ideas but are unsure about the next step, or maybe you have some plans drawn up but don’t know how to make them happen, we can step in and guide you through it all,” says Glenn.

For most people, their home is the background to their living and their biggest investment, but building and renovating can be incredibly challenging. Smith & Sons’ unique Design-Plan-Construct procedure was created to give clients transparency with a clear path forward, and no bill shock. Working with clients from start to finish, Smith & Sons makes the experience as smooth as possible. “We toss around ideas with our clients, we take on board everything they need and want, and we get an understanding of budget from the start. That means we can create precise designs and costings to deliver on stunning homes, in a way that is clear and transparent,” says Glenn. “This helps make the entire experience as streamlined and stress-free as possible, which is a win-win for both parties.”

What sets Smith & Sons apart from other builders is the amount of time the team spends with their clients in the beginning. “We want to learn about you before we put anything on paper — your goals, your lifestyle, your expectations and your budget — because there’s no one-size-fits-all renovation,” says Glenn. “Only then can we work with you to achieve your dream home, built to high standards and within your means, that you can enjoy forever. We’re completely upfront and open from the beginning and this creates a relationship of trust. We tell our clients exactly what’s included in their renovation, we provide a detailed cost estimate, and we give a clear indication of timeframes. They gain confidence with this approach and we deliver
on our promises.”

Each build has a project manager to coordinate the process and keep the client in the loop about progress along the way, and they also act as the contact point for the client’s questions, thoughts or concerns, as well as manage any unexpected circumstances that may crop up along the way. This means the client liaises with only one key person who takes care of everything, rather than having to deal with multiple trades or issues on their own — providing enormous relief for people who are already juggling work, life and kids.

The team at Smith & Sons pride themselves on respect — it’s what they stand on and it goes a long way. They undertake extensive project planning before a job begins in order to minimise disruption while undertaking a renovation. The teams of builders and trades are committed to working in a courteous manner within a home and they aim to keep things local, meaning your builder understands your community, takes pride in shaping that community and feels a greater sense of responsibility for a job well done.

The Smith & Sons family is made up of a large group of trusted builders and all of them are committed to excellence. It’s this approach that gives them their impressive reputation. When clients provide feedback, they use words such as “honest”, “prompt”, “efficient” and “high quality”, and say their trades were “friendly”, “respectful” and “outstanding”, so it’s no wonder they continue to recommend Smith & Sons to others.

“The best thing about specialising in renovations and extensions is the satisfaction of doing a job well, and knowing that you’ve created something the homeowners love and will live in for years to come,” says Glenn. “We get an enormous buzz out of seeing our clients’ faces light up when they enter their renovated home for the first time, and watching the kids explore their new spaces. We’re committed to this level of client satisfaction and work hard to achieve it, every time.”

For more information

Smith & Sons Renovations

The post Build with the Best | Smith & Sons Renovations appeared first on Completehome.