Spanning three levels, Elystan is a reinterpretation of the traditional Queenslander, shaped by natural light and a continual relationship with its subtropical surrounds, expressed through earthy interior choices.
The vision for the home began long before the owners had the keys, having lived opposite the leafy Brisbane corner block for years before it became available. Arriving with a clear understanding of the home’s potential and how they wanted to occupy it, a collaborative relationship with Samantha Leigh Interiors was formed from the outset, further strengthened by the owner also being the builder.
The brief for Elystan was to arrive at the intersection of contemporary Australian living and subtropical design, and influenced by tropical Brutalism. With the pool and lawn positioned as the centre of the home, sliding door panels dissolve the boundaries between interior and exterior, where materials are highlighted by the occurrence of natural light. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the garden room, where travertine paving was used throughout, “so when it’s open there’s genuinely no visible line between inside and out,” founder Samantha Leigh says.
The Brutalist sensibility is expressed through extensive use of concrete, which, as Leigh explains, gives “presence and strength, but it needs something to balance it, to add softness and warmth, otherwise a home of this scale risks feeling cold or austere.” That balance is achieved through tonal interior choices that introduce warmth, depth and restraint. Warm terracotta tones sit alongside muted slate, while Venetian plaster adds softness and subtle movement against off-form concrete. Further inside, materiality remains consistent while textures shift across the home. “French oak runs throughout underfoot, and the joinery is American oak that’s been lightly wire brushed and stained for texture and depth,” Leigh says.
