THE RIGHT ANGLE

THIS CREATIVELY REIMAGINED HOME IN INNER MELBOURNE IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR A YOUNG FAMILY

- JACKIE BRYGEL

TEXTURED TREAT Just a few kilometres east of Melbourne’s heart, the transformed family home of architects Kate and Andrew and their three children (Matilda, eight, Xavier, six, and Ellie, three) marries bold colour with the timeless beauty of organic materials. Juxtaposed against the ceiling – clad in V-joint shiplap hardwood boards from Radial Timber Sales – the living room wall of exposed bricks makes an impression, as does the home’s seamless transition between indoors and out. Natural light spotlights Ellie (pictured) as she enjoys a book, and a breeze, on the window seat.

LIVING ROOM DETAIL Morning sun spills into the living room, where a window seat crafted from Likewood Clear Oak is an ideal spot to catch some warming autumn rays (below). Anchored by a rug from Hali, the King Furniture coffee table partners perfectly with an inky Anaca Studio ‘Emi Pod’ that works as an extra seat. The eye-catching lamp on the shelf is the Surface Sconce by Studio Henry Wilson from Hub Furniture.

FAMILY ROOM “This is our living-family room,” says Kate of their contemporary, open-plan hub. “We love the connection it has to the outdoors and to the dining area.” As for the scene-stealing wall of glazed bricks (above), she explains they were a happy accident. “The bricks turned up on site as ‘seconds’ to be laid and painted over. But when we saw them, we realised it was an opportunity to sort the random colours into predominantly blues and greens – and the bricklayer was definitely on board. The wall is a punchy backdrop to our living area and always a talking point among new visitors to the house.”