Rich timbers, rattans and furniture classics help realise the luxury look this 1940s modernist masterpiece always deserved.
Pettigrew House is a standout on three counts. Numero uno: it was the first completed residence of Melbourne modernist architect Robin Boyd, in tandem with Kevin Pethebridge, delivered in 1946 and now heritage listed. Second, it remained in the hands of the same owner until the widow Pettigrew relinquished it in 2015. Third, the new owners were visionary enough to engage a then little-known interior designer to reconfigure their family home. In the interim, David Flack has become one of Australia’s most renowned. “The exterior of the house is heritage listed but the inside isn’t,” says David, 34, founder and director of Flack Studio. “While I was very conscious of Boyd’s legacy and the new owners definitely wanted to celebrate the house’s history, we agreed the interior had to be moved forward.”
Moving forward meant clarifying the past, removing the layers that had accrued over time to arrive at a clear reading of the original intent. Designed when wartime restrictions on materials were still in place, the house was planned to grow in increments. The first stage was a simple brick rectangle oriented north-west; the second, in 1950, extended the living areas along the east-west axis and topped them with a second floor with a bank of timber-framed casement windows that extend to full length as they wrap around the western facade.
This story is from the October 2019 edition of Belle Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2019 edition of Belle Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The wow factory
The sisters steering Zuster furniture brand put a creative spin on their own industrial zone.
OPEN INVITE
This handsome home in the NSW Southern Highlands welcomes within its walls both generous rural views and a steady flow of guests.
DUAL ACCENTS
American heritage style meets Spanish mission design in this harbourside Sydney home.
Grand vision
It can be easy being green or it is for this house -that cleverly combines lavish spaces and timeless style, while also being kind to the planet.
POWER AND GLORY
An angular concrete structure packs a punch in a new build on an elevated site in Sydney while its interior design offers a softly layered and textured counterpoint.
COLOUR BURST
A joyful exuberance permeates this heritage home reinvented by interior designer Andrew Parr with zesty hues, lively contemporary art and iconic furniture.
LA VIE EN ROSE
Poised above Pittwater in Sydney's north, this weekender is alluringly relaxed - and offers holiday fun for family and friends.
COOL, CALM COLLECTIVE
An ever-changing array of covetable antiques, objets d'art and unique pieces ensure the interiors of this beautiful store has a collected feel and sense of permanence.
BOLD CHOICE
Architect and trailblazer Piero Gesualdi's Melbourne emporium, Mondopiero, is a celebration of timeless design and craftmanship, with a sprinkling of decorative flair.
HIGHER CALLING
In a world that is typically more about me, me, me, quietly luxurious day spa Venustus keeps thriving three decades on with a true commitment to inspired client service.