Designed for the son of a bricklayer and his family, the new building extends the masonry palette of the existing home, with its position behind the original structure making it discreet from the street.
With the existing building converted into children’s and guest’s bedrooms and a bathroom, the addition forms the family hub, containing living, dining and kitchen spaces opening onto the garden and pool, with a master bedroom suite and additional guest room above. Central to the living area is a sunken lounge with a true ‘cool factor’. Contained by a solid external wall that helps to focus attention inwards, the lounge features sumptuous, velvety teal couches framed in timber. These are matched with a rich carpet underfoot, with Tasmanian oak cabinetry allowing for the display of records, books and clay pieces for a true retro look.On either side, the kitchen and dining open to the outside with large, symmetrical sliding doors that bring light and airflow while also framing views of the garden and city skyline beyond. The kitchen island and splashback are adorned in grey and white Cicala stone with bold, patchy patterning, the tones of which add depth to the blues in the sunken lounge and also pair cohesively with the polished concrete floor. Warm Tasmanian oak cabinetry is consistent across the living space and is also used for the hardwood ceiling lining. Lighting in these spaces, including above the Andy Ward-designed hardwood dining table, add to the retro styling, which is accentuated by the ever-present terracotta tones of the masonry external walls.
