Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Australian Home With a Hidden Surprise

Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Australian Home With a Hidden Surprise - Nest Architects director Emilio Fuscaldo and his colleague, architect Imogen Pullar, cam up with an innovative idea to transform a dingy, cramped worker's cottage for a Melbourne family with a plywood-clad 'pod' in the heart of the living area. By using the pod structure to Facilitate a more functional layout, the home is now light, open and in tune with the demands of the family's lifestyle.

The project Involved the demolition of the shoddy 1980s expansion, the addition of Several square meters of floor space, and a 'clean slate' approach to the layout and decor.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Josh Barton, a lawyer, and Sarah McIntosh, a consultant, and Their two young children
Where Melbourne, Australia
Size 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Construction TCM Building Group
Architects Nest Architects
Designer's how Emilio Applauds' how brave the customer Was in embracing the design we put forward. They Had to trust us. '

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The principle design challenge Was to break up the Existing 'stacked' configuration of rooms from front to rear. The layout Meant the website's main advantage, a north-facing back garden, Was blocked from the living spaces by the Existing wet areas. 'There Was No flow entre les two sections,' says Emilio. Their response Was one 'where the owners' cam trust in.' This view from the rear of the house Reviews towards the front door shows the ingenious solution, a hoop pine plywood-clad pod in the newly-opened up the center of the house.

Emilio comments on the task in hand: 'The Site was not extensive at 265 square meters, and the rear section was a dodgy home-renovated nightmare, damp, cold and possum-infested. The layout Was dated and there structural Were issues with icts stability.

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The pod is an architecturally intriguing structure visible from all corners of the living spaces. This picture shows how it Separates the Children's play spot and the living / dining areas and allows access to the rear of the house down Both Sides. The pod Enables traffic flow around Both Sides.

The pod Appears to 'float' A couple of centimeters from the floor and ceiling Because of a black 'shadow-line' edge . The rectangular shape is broken up with panels defined by similar shadow-line grooves and the blond tones prevent prevention blade the square building from Appearing too solid.

Pod finish in Crystal Clear polyurethane, Cabot.

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The galley kitchen runs down one side and accesses the pantry dans le pod. Horizontal rows of black and white subway tiles, with gunmetal gray grouting, pick up the linear accents on the plywood panels. The worktop is polished concrete, and flooring Throughout the house, apart from the front hallway and bedrooms, is polished concrete with exposed aggregate. A compact utility room behind cabinet doors Is located beside the kitchen.

Tiles, Waringa UK in 'Gloss White' and 'Black Gloss' from Johnson Tiles.

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On the other side of the pod, the corridor allows access to the bathroom and cloakroom through sliding doors. The black and white kitchen tiling is repeated in contention rooms.

Flat roof live skylights light into the interior of the pod while ventilation is ducted through the ceiling and roof to the exterior.

Browse more black and white bathroom schemes

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The tidy clean-cut design of the house is complemented by a restrained approach to the decor - furniture with a Scandinavian feel fresh and light paint finishes That Enhance the plywood. The pine tones of the pod and cabinetry are effective year to foil the white bentwood Thonet No. 18 painted chairs and dining table with 'dipped' legacy.

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The sofa, armchair and ottoman , all in soft pastels, channel Scandi retro 1950s style, inspired by the designs of George Nelson and Florence Knoll. They are made in Melbourne, from Angelucci 20th Century.

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Open shelving and Generously deep drawers in the living / dining space continues the theme plywood in the simple and unobtrusive cabinetry. White walls emphasise Throughout the tones of the single ply.

Paint, 'Natural White' from Dulux.

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The feeling of spaciousness has-been amplified by the simplicity of the decor. The 'Touch' metallic pendant light over the table is by Ross Gardam. The single version of glass hangs over the concrete worktop.

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The 'big picture' of the pod placement can be seen from the rear of the house. Where the extension is now Stood an open living / dining area. A wide steel-framed door to the terrace Was installed, with a small entrance on one side. 'The door opens up the whole space,' says Emilio. 'It Gives instant connection with the terrace from the living / dining area and you see glimpses of the outdoors Down Both Sides of the pod.' The area is paved in honed natural Bluestone and circular concrete paving stones set in the lawn lead down the side of the house.

A chair and stool stool sidechair in Red, both, Tolix.

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The north-facing terrace is now a source of light and sunshine, visually connected to the interior whether the door is open or closed. It Provides pleasant private outdoor space for entertaining and an additional play area for the children. A recessed crank-handled awning Makes it usable on wet days.

Many homes in North Fitzroy (a suburb in Melbourne) are pretty close together, says Emilio, and this one is cheek-by-jowl with Neighbouring properties . Privacy has-been maintained with a high timber fence on one side and a Boston ivy-covered brick wall on l'autre.

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An oversized window looks onto lush ivy growing on the brick boundary wall and Reviews another way is the renovation HAS connected the living / dining spaces seamlessly with the outdoors. A bench in silvertop ash ( Eucalyptus sieberi ) runs the length of the window. 'This is our favorite portion of the house,' says Emilio. 'In summer, the dark green foliage keeps the cool space and shady, and in winter, the bricks absorb warmth from the sun and Reflect it back into the house.'

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From the modest brick frontage typical of North Fitzroy's early 1900s worker's cottages, a passer-by Would never guess the fresh and contemporary home behind it. Building règlements Prevented exchange to the facade, and the owners Were happy to preserve icts charming character anyway.

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There Were some features in the bedrooms que le owners wanted to keep a small brick fireplace in the bedroom and a pretty face plaster ceiling rose. 'It Had To Be very Carefully removed so We Could relocate it in the third bedroom,' says Emilio.

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The two original bedrooms at the front of the house and a third Retained Were created from an existing living area. Prior to this project, the owners HAD done minor renovations in this area, laying Victorian stained hardwood flooring in the entrance hall and freshening up an original white timber fretwork arch.

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Once the bedrooms are closed off by a wide sliding door, two corridors branch off down Each side of the 4 x 2.8 meter pod, qui is integral to the home's neat new functions on. It contains the main bathroom, cloakroom and pantry.

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