Melbourne Houzz: A Home in the 'Burbs Inspired by India
A creative, outdoor-loving couple looked to the design of traditional Indian homes when planning their new house
Georgia Madden
28 April 2022
When a pair of empty-nesters looking to downsize approached Gaurav Rajadhyax, architect and director at R Architecture, to design their new home, they had a very clear idea of what they were after. “We wanted to capture the lifestyle of traditional Indian homes, which have open courtyards and lots of shared space,” says the female owner, who is a potter. “Because it’s a warmer climate [in India], we’re used to lots of sunlight, so we wanted to incorporate this aspect into the design too.”
The new build needed to reflect the owners’ love of contemporary design, and feature flexible areas for entertaining and to accommodate visiting guests on occasion. Plus, there needed to be plenty of space to display one of the owner’s extensive pottery creations and collected artworks. Rajadhyax, who had designed the owners’ previous family home, was more than up to the challenge.
The new build needed to reflect the owners’ love of contemporary design, and feature flexible areas for entertaining and to accommodate visiting guests on occasion. Plus, there needed to be plenty of space to display one of the owner’s extensive pottery creations and collected artworks. Rajadhyax, who had designed the owners’ previous family home, was more than up to the challenge.
Images by Dylan James.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their dog
Location: Berwick, Victoria
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: Three bedrooms and two bathrooms
Budget: Around AU$800,000
Size of the house: 370 square metres over two levels
Architect and interior designer: R Architecture
Builder: Blufern Projects
How did you use Houzz Pro for this project?
We used Houzz Pro to create Mood Boards to illustrate the look and feel of the project to our client.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their dog
Location: Berwick, Victoria
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: Three bedrooms and two bathrooms
Budget: Around AU$800,000
Size of the house: 370 square metres over two levels
Architect and interior designer: R Architecture
Builder: Blufern Projects
How did you use Houzz Pro for this project?
We used Houzz Pro to create Mood Boards to illustrate the look and feel of the project to our client.
Ground-floor plan.
A connection to nature and spaces to relax and entertain in were priorities for the owners with their new build. “They wanted to capitalise on the site’s features, orientation and views, and have a connection with most of the living spaces on one level.
“They also wanted their home to be environmentally conscious and feature low-maintenance materials and finishes,” says Rajadhyax.
Considering building your own home? Find a local building designer on Houzz to help
A connection to nature and spaces to relax and entertain in were priorities for the owners with their new build. “They wanted to capitalise on the site’s features, orientation and views, and have a connection with most of the living spaces on one level.
“They also wanted their home to be environmentally conscious and feature low-maintenance materials and finishes,” says Rajadhyax.
Considering building your own home? Find a local building designer on Houzz to help
Lower-ground floor plan.
“The form of the house is driven by the layout of the internal spaces,” he says. “Our aim was to establish a rich inner world that was comfortable, connected and welcoming. The rooms are centred on simplicity and functionality – we wanted them to be easy to live in.
“Having an understanding of the family’s cultural background and the features of a traditional Indian home, we tailored the design in a way that speaks directly of their heritage, within a contemporary Australian context,” says Rajadhyax.
“The form of the house is driven by the layout of the internal spaces,” he says. “Our aim was to establish a rich inner world that was comfortable, connected and welcoming. The rooms are centred on simplicity and functionality – we wanted them to be easy to live in.
“Having an understanding of the family’s cultural background and the features of a traditional Indian home, we tailored the design in a way that speaks directly of their heritage, within a contemporary Australian context,” says Rajadhyax.
The architect designed three pavilions on the sloping site, which overlooks a leafy reserve.
“The internal layout and positioning of amenities ensures the owners will be able to age comfortably in place. Due to the natural slope of the site, what begins as a ground-floor entrance seamlessly transitions to an elevated first floor at the rear.
“This predominantly single-storey structure allows for unimpeded access between the bedrooms, kitchen and living areas above, with the less-frequented laundry, studio and garage situated below,” says Rajadhyax.
“The internal layout and positioning of amenities ensures the owners will be able to age comfortably in place. Due to the natural slope of the site, what begins as a ground-floor entrance seamlessly transitions to an elevated first floor at the rear.
“This predominantly single-storey structure allows for unimpeded access between the bedrooms, kitchen and living areas above, with the less-frequented laundry, studio and garage situated below,” says Rajadhyax.
The house is comprised of three pavilions – two bedroom pods and a pod housing the open-plan living/kitchen/dining area – which are interspersed with courtyards and a roof garden. The entry gallery is stone-paved with a series of skylights, creating a semi-open feel in the hallway.
Stackable glass doors and folding servery windows in the kitchen allow the indoor-outdoor space to expand and contract to suit the occupants’ needs.
Stackable glass doors and folding servery windows in the kitchen allow the indoor-outdoor space to expand and contract to suit the occupants’ needs.
The deep window reveals act as sun shades on the north-facing house.
The home’s north-south orientation meant that natural light had to be harnessed wherever possible. “The entire form acts as a sundial, exhibiting natural rhythms as day transitions to night,” says Rajadhyax.
“From the sense of expanse created by the skylights of the paved walkway, to the courtyard voids between pavilions that burst with clusters of wild flowers, the lines, light and reflective properties of materials used create a connected, dynamic experience in every nook of the house.”
The home’s north-south orientation meant that natural light had to be harnessed wherever possible. “The entire form acts as a sundial, exhibiting natural rhythms as day transitions to night,” says Rajadhyax.
“From the sense of expanse created by the skylights of the paved walkway, to the courtyard voids between pavilions that burst with clusters of wild flowers, the lines, light and reflective properties of materials used create a connected, dynamic experience in every nook of the house.”
The exterior features Spanish slate shingle tiles. Cladding includes iron ash, Cemintel Barestone and James Hardie Scyon Matrix, with accents of powder-coated aluminium.
For the exterior, the architect created a minimalist look using hardy, low-maintenance materials. “It’s a clean, contemporary and understated aesthetic that allows the landscape and the site’s features to shine,” says Rajadhyax.
For the exterior, the architect created a minimalist look using hardy, low-maintenance materials. “It’s a clean, contemporary and understated aesthetic that allows the landscape and the site’s features to shine,” says Rajadhyax.
The owners were keen to create a contemporary look and feel, using neutral tones and honest materials with character, such as timber and stone.
The layout of the house gives them the flexibility to use spaces in different ways to suit their day-to-day activities; creating cosy, intimate areas when it’s just the two of them, opening up to create larger spaces when they entertain.
The layout of the house gives them the flexibility to use spaces in different ways to suit their day-to-day activities; creating cosy, intimate areas when it’s just the two of them, opening up to create larger spaces when they entertain.
A generous, open-plan living/kitchen/meals area on the ground level provides space to relax and host large gatherings. Clerestory windows facing north-east draw in the morning sun.
White-ash veneer on the kitchen island; Parana European Oak engineered-timber flooring; all internal walls in Natural White: Dulux.
The architect had a budget of around AU$800,000 to work with, most of which went on the exterior cladding materials, double-glazed windows throughout, the interior fit-out and roof garden.
The architect had a budget of around AU$800,000 to work with, most of which went on the exterior cladding materials, double-glazed windows throughout, the interior fit-out and roof garden.
A wide, covered terrace with views across the valley extends from the main living area, giving the outdoor-loving owners somewhere to entertain alfresco. “It was important to them that it had an easy connection to the living area and kitchen,” says Rajadhyax.
Slim-profile, double-glazed stacking doors run from floor to ceiling, maximising the home’s sense of openness. A flush threshold allows for a seamless transition between inside and out.
Slim-profile, double-glazed stacking doors run from floor to ceiling, maximising the home’s sense of openness. A flush threshold allows for a seamless transition between inside and out.
Stone benchtops; fluted glass fronts to the overhead cabinetry; powder-coated steel legs to the kitchen island; cooking burners: PITT.
Flexibility was important for the kitchen design, says Rajadhyax. “The kitchen needed to be able to work when the owners are creating simple meals for two as well as for more elaborate meals when they entertain.
“We positioned it where it’s easily accessible from both the dining room and the entertainer’s terrace, and opted for a warm, pared-back palette of grey stone benchtops and white-ash veneer joinery, with accents of powder-coated steel,” he says.
Flexibility was important for the kitchen design, says Rajadhyax. “The kitchen needed to be able to work when the owners are creating simple meals for two as well as for more elaborate meals when they entertain.
“We positioned it where it’s easily accessible from both the dining room and the entertainer’s terrace, and opted for a warm, pared-back palette of grey stone benchtops and white-ash veneer joinery, with accents of powder-coated steel,” he says.
Servery windows in the kitchen open up the space to the outdoor terrace, drawing in light and views and making it easy for the cook to pass dishes outside.
Select furniture pieces from the owners’ previous family home, along with one of the owner’s porcelain art pieces and collected artworks, have been incorporated into the new dwelling, infusing it with a sense of the couple’s history and personalities.
“Overlooking a reserve, the sloped site lends elevated views to leafy surrounds, with an unobtrusive form segmented into three pavilions to maximise natural daylight and ventilation. The home’s interconnected volumes are experienced sequentially, via a central walkway. This light-filled internal glass corridor is open to the elements, creating the effect of an outdoor path,” says Rajadhyax.
Super-size, double-glazed windows throughout the home allow for views of the verdant landscape from just about every corner.
To visually connect the exterior and interior of the home, the architect used the same slate tiles that line the facade on the walls of the entry hallway. Generous skylights above and bluestone flooring underfoot further emphasise the indoor-outdoor connection.
“We positioned the main bedroom pod to the north with its own elevated deck, which allows easy access to a private outdoor space and draws in plenty of natural light,” says Rajadhyax.
“To keep it simple, we used the same finishes palette as in the living areas. For the custom bedhead, we ran the engineered-timber floorboards up the wall.
“The ensuite and walk-through wardrobe are tucked away to maintain good flow inside the space.”
“To keep it simple, we used the same finishes palette as in the living areas. For the custom bedhead, we ran the engineered-timber floorboards up the wall.
“The ensuite and walk-through wardrobe are tucked away to maintain good flow inside the space.”
The walk-through wardrobe is situated between the main bedroom and a private, elevated deck.
With its timber-veneer joinery, stone-look porcelain wall tiles and terrazzo flooring, the ensuite oozes contemporary, laid-back luxury.
Your turn
What is your favourite feature in this new home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to see another home that connects with nature? Don’t miss this Melbourne Houzz: Humble at the Front, Party at the Back
Your turn
What is your favourite feature in this new home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to see another home that connects with nature? Don’t miss this Melbourne Houzz: Humble at the Front, Party at the Back
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@Jane Daish and @sweetsofparadise2659 Yes India is, but many architect-designed homes in India favour restrained material and palette use, as opposed to our ideas of how Indian homes should be. You can see more at https://www.houzz.in/ideabooks
@Vanessa : Architect-designed homes in India are not the norm in India. That's where your title was misleading. As an architect-designed home it is stunning. But to add the tag "inspired by India" was nonsensical.
@Vanessa: Sorry, I meant to say that, Architect-designed homes in India aren't how "regular" Indian homes are normally visualised by the outside world. You're technically correct however, the hook was not.