Houzz Tour: A Toorak House Built With the Twilight Years in Mind
This one-of-a-kind home made the most of its challenging location to deliver long-term comfort and flair
Joanna Tovia
24 September 2014
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well.... More
When you’re building a home you don’t ever plan to leave, incorporating maximum comfort and easy access into the design is a smart move. The owners of this new build in Melbourne also wanted a warm, practical home that would look as good in the years to come as it did the minute they moved in. They hired BG Architecture to come up with a modern design big on sustainability that would not only accommodate their needs as they aged, but would also suit their live-in adult son and visiting grandchild.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with their adult son, and the occasional grandchild
Where is it: Toorak (suburb of Melbourne), Victoria
Size: 751 square metres
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with their adult son, and the occasional grandchild
Where is it: Toorak (suburb of Melbourne), Victoria
Size: 751 square metres
The block’s shape largely drove this home’s design. The block is bound by five properties and has narrow shoulders at both the front and rear. Despite being surrounded by so many other homes, the homeowners were keen to create a private sanctuary and so their architects designed a series of internal zones choreographed to suit the natural lay of the land.
Each of the five levels in this unique property has direct access to a series of north-facing exterior terraces. A lift rises from the basement to the main level and first floor.
The front door opens to a hallway that runs past the stairway and around to the kitchen/sitting/dining area. Clever woodwork and lighting, rather than walls, define the different areas of the home. The stunning staircase has been made with spotted gum timber, stainless-steel tension wires and a stainless-steel handrail.
The powder room off the entry echoes the penny tiles used in the other bathrooms of the house. The vanity is made from recycled blackbutt. The team at BG Architecture worked with kitchen, bathroom and laundry consultant Mary Noall to select the fittings in all three bathrooms.
Tuscany ‘dot-honed’ wall tiles: Volaré Concepts
Tuscany ‘dot-honed’ wall tiles: Volaré Concepts
Although the building appears quite angular from the street, it actually curves in a wide arc to enclose a private outdoor entertaining area and pool at the rear. Along that curve, multiple windows and glass doors open to the landscaped outdoor areas, filling the interior with natural light and enhancing airflow. “It’s a comfortable environment while ensuring privacy for day-to-day fundamentals,” says architect Donna Brzezinski.
The living room, tucked away from the open kitchen/dining/sitting area and raised a few steps, has a slow-combustion fireplace for the cooler months and sliding doors that open to an upper deck when it’s warm out.
Dining chairs: Hub; dining room table: MAP
The living room, tucked away from the open kitchen/dining/sitting area and raised a few steps, has a slow-combustion fireplace for the cooler months and sliding doors that open to an upper deck when it’s warm out.
Dining chairs: Hub; dining room table: MAP
The kitchen zone is centrally located and user-friendly. The team at BG Architecture collaborated with the experts at Pepper Design to custom-design a renowned Poggenpohl kitchen.
The ‘Last Minute’ Viccarbe kitchen stools from Hub are intended to blend in rather than stand out – the marble and timber features in the kitchen create more than enough design interest. The ironbark timber cladding houses a recessed TV in direct view of anyone sitting up at the kitchen island.
“The entry level living area contains the public domain of this home with some areas able to be concealed from view to become spaces of retreat,” says Brzezinski. “Each joinery design is flexible to conveniently conceal mess.”
Polished concrete flooring unites each zone on this level.
Polished concrete flooring unites each zone on this level.
A dedicated wine fridge and butler’s pantry located behind the main kitchen area is just what this couple needs to entertain a crowd.
The decor in the sitting room adds a splash of colour to the otherwise restrained colour palette used in the house. The custom-made Hespi floor rug works easily with the B&B Italia Lazy 05 armchairs from SPACE Furniture. Interior designers from Merinda Garrett and Nexus Designs worked with the homeowners to select key furniture pieces – the red leather ottoman is a standout.
Zanotta Time side tables, Foscarini Twiggy floor lamp: SPACE Furniture; sofas, ottoman: Jardan; Hespi floor rug: Loom
Zanotta Time side tables, Foscarini Twiggy floor lamp: SPACE Furniture; sofas, ottoman: Jardan; Hespi floor rug: Loom
The sitting room overlooks the pool and is filled with natural light. It has a direct connection to the dining deck via a series of timber-frame pivot doors with glazed glass.
The study is a few steps up from the sitting area. The study’s Tretford Cord Carpet, in a colour called ‘Wild Rice 555’, is made primarily from goat hair.
Upstairs are two bedrooms (one with an ensuite), as well as a main bathroom, additional study and rumpus room.
The master bedroom is located in the basement level and has a private north-facing courtyard, spacious ensuite and walk-in wardrobe. The lower level also houses a triple garage, laundry (complete with chute), lift and lounge area.
The ensuite has a dressing table incorporated into the curved Corian topped vanity.
Victoria Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck: SPACE Furniture; Windisch Wall Mounted Mirror: Sydney Tap and Bathroomware
Victoria Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck: SPACE Furniture; Windisch Wall Mounted Mirror: Sydney Tap and Bathroomware
The walk-in shower has a rain shower as well as a handheld shower fixture and bench seat.
Basins: Parisi; Zucchetti basin mixers: Streamline Products
Basins: Parisi; Zucchetti basin mixers: Streamline Products
A barbecue and pizza oven are sheltered under the curved timber overhang. The Moooi Container Table from SPACE Furniture is a good match for the Accademia Vela Chairs, also from SPACE.
The ironbark decking has been left bare rather than sealed so its weathered tones tie in with the paving and concrete used on the home’s exterior.
Sun loungers: Tait
Sun loungers: Tait
Landscape architect Sam Barber of Barber Design collaborated with the team at BG Architecture to build a garden that fits in beautifully with the home. Barber created an evergreen outlook with strategically located dogwood trees to stand as sculptural forms within the stepped landscape.
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Thankyou for your kind words and yes, I do feel we've done a good job making this home suitable for our twilight years.
It wasn't hard making the changes but it did require commitment for example, to forfeit substantial space for the toilet, could have almost had an ensuite for the area lost but I wasn't fused about having one.
A ramp isn't an attractive thing to have but again the point I'm making is, we've made some sacrifices and it's been well worth it.
Cheers,
Barbara
Sam Hill, why d'you think the bathroom will need refitting (just curious)?