This garden lane house, bordering the Royal Botanic Gardens, was built in 1889 for the foreman of Mutual Store Ltd., Melbourne’s first department store. Back then, deliveries from the store arrived via horse-drawn wagon, not overnight from across the country. Home life was closed in and covered up; even table legs were often concealed.
Now, life’s fast pace can take over, if we let it. We crave an uncluttered, soothing space to recharge in. This homeowner, a busy events director with two young adult children (ages 17 and 19) has found the refuge of her dreams.
Oliver Du Puy, principal architect of Oliver Du Puy Architecture & Interiors in Sydney, reconfigured and extended her classic terrace home while celebrating original period details, such as cornicing, ceiling roses, windows, doors and fireplaces.
The old home was a modest, dilapidated two-bedroom with a high level of heritage protection and historical significance.
“After our overhaul, the property was a shell with only facade walls intact,” says Du Puy, who worked with Tenet Construction. “Now, the rooms are spacious and light-filled. The home feels like a sanctuary from the outside world,” he notes. He was inspired by Japanese architect Kazuo Shinohara to create a “sensory sanctuary for domestic rituals and pleasure,” including bathing and making meals, “for a sense of wellness for the busy modern woman who lives here.”
Every room and pocket is functional and beautiful, and the new design fits more within the walls. The ground floor now has an entry, library/study, powder room, kitchen, living room, dining room and garden, while the upper floor includes a main bedroom with en suite bathroom, walk-in closet, two more bedrooms, family bathroom and laundry.
For paint shades—gray-greens, mustards, pinks—Du Puy was influenced by Mark Rothko’s “color field” paintings, known for unbroken, rectangular fields of pure color. A thread of soft green-gray from Farrow & Ball at different strengths draws the eye to the verdant green around the property. Timber ceiling battens look welcoming.
His team chose nontoxic, cleaner materials for wellness and calm, including natural, breathable finishes, such as lime-based paints. Solar PV power helps harness the sun’s energy. From top to bottom, out went dark, cramped living and in came modern serenity and comfort.
Photography by Tom Ross.
Styling by Jess Kneebone.
Garden design by Kate Seddon.
Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.