Brunswick Parlour transforms a Victorian cottage into a hard-working, personalised home for a family of four. Our clients loved the character of their Brunswick terrace home, but not its inefficient floor plan and poor year-round thermal control. They didn't need more space, they just needed their space to work harder. The front bedrooms remain largely untouched, retaining their Victorian features and only introducing new cabinetry. Meanwhile, the main bedroom’s previously pokey en suite and wardrobe have been expanded, adorned with custom cabinetry and illuminated via a generous skylight. At the rear of the house, we reimagined the floor plan to establish shared spaces suited to the family’s lifestyle. Flanked by the dining and living rooms, the kitchen has been reoriented into a more efficient layout and features custom cabinetry that uses every available inch. In the dining room, the Swiss Army Knife of utility cabinets unfolds to reveal a laundry, more custom cabinetry, and a craft station with a retractable desk. Beautiful materiality throughout infuses the home with warmth and personality, featuring Blackbutt timber flooring and cabinetry, and selective pops of green and pink tones. The house now works hard in a thermal sense too. Insulation and glazing were updated to best practice standard, and we’ve introduced several temperature control tools. Hydronic heating installed throughout the house is complemented by an evaporative cooling system and operable skylight. The result is a lush, tactile home that increases the effectiveness of every existing inch to enhance daily life for our clients, proving that good design doesn’t need to add space to add value.

This is an example of a contemporary bathroom in Geelong.

A unique, bright and beautiful bathroom with texture and colour! The finishes in this space were selected to remind the owners of their previous overseas travels.

Build Construct Melbourne Photography by Simon Shiff Architect Instyle Design
This is an example of a contemporary entryway in Melbourne.

Design ideas for a contemporary entryway in Other.

This is an example of a beach style pool in Brisbane.

Photo of a mediterranean bathroom in Geelong with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink, beige floor, beige benchtops, a double vanity and a built-in vanity.

View to double-height dining room
Inspiration for a large contemporary open plan dining in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround, grey floor, exposed beam and panelled walls.

Mud room with black cabinetry, timber feature hooks, terrazzo floor tile, black steel framed rear door.
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary mudroom in Melbourne with white walls, terrazzo floors and a black front door.

Design ideas for a beach style bathroom in Brisbane.

Design ideas for a contemporary exterior in Sydney.

This is an example of a large contemporary backyard patio in Perth with an outdoor kitchen, concrete slab and a roof extension.

Design ideas for a midcentury kitchen in Adelaide.

Country bedroom in Wollongong.

Inspiration for a modern partial sun garden in Sydney with gravel and a wood fence.

apaiser Reflections Basins in the main bathroom at Sikata House, The Vela Properties in Byron Bay, Australia. Designed by The Designory | Photography by The Quarter Acre

Contemporary deck in Perth.

Design ideas for a transitional kitchen in Sydney.

Photo of a modern powder room in Sydney.