CAULFIELD NORTH

How do you reimagine a 19th century house with a 1990s extension to suit a young, growing family with special needs, in a post-Covid world?

Today’s home needs to provide defined spaces for family members as much as the traditional gathering spaces of the living room, dining room and kitchen.

This design provides flexible planning and allows interchangeable uses to enable the house to take on a range of functions that brings it into the 21st century.

The house is split between heritage front and contemporary rear extension with courtyard garden.

Soft muted tones and classic highlights thoughtfully feature throughout the front heritage half of the house. This gives way to a contemporary rear extension with bold graphic patterns, strong colours and dynamic curves that reinterprets the property’s rich history.

Bathrooms and ensuite offer spa-like serenity through a deep textured palette and filtered natural light. The kitchen is transformed into a highly functional collection of beautifully designed pieces of furniture that equally suits both families and entertainers. Jennifer and her eldest son collaborated in designing the custom neon artwork that overlooks the dining table and is often a bragging point when his friends visit!

Quality materials such as the Italian Porcelain tiles and quartzite stone supplied from Signorino feature throughout, while the incredible artisans at G C and B S Koumas built and installed the bespoke cabinetry.

To create a sensory experience I chose a muted palette of matt finishes (no bling!) including calming wall colours and bathroom wall tiles reduce glare from bright sunlight entering the large double glazed windows. Sheer linen curtains filter sunlight throughout the seasons. Velvet covers the high back sofa as a calming and nurturing place for rest. Discrete sliding doors zone spaces to create intimacy, reduce drafts and noise transmission when required. Large area rugs are soft under barefoot, visually textured and stain friendly for family living.