Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary dining room in Melbourne with white walls, laminate floors, brown floor, recessed and panelled walls.

This is an example of a mid-sized industrial galley eat-in kitchen in Perth with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, grey splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary kitchen/dining combo in Sydney with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

Perfect spacious bedroom for a young girl. Lots of natural light.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary kids' bedroom for kids 4-10 years old and girls in Geelong with white walls, medium hardwood floors, beige floor, wallpaper and wallpaper.

Mid-sized transitional 3/4 bathroom in Sydney with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a double shower, a two-piece toilet, gray tile, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door, a niche, a single vanity and a floating vanity.

Photo of a mid-sized beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, distressed cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, shiplap splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Inspiration for an expansive contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, with island, a double-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

In another part of the house, a seldom used study was given a new lease of life with graphic wallpaper and a gold frame around a favourite print. Smart dark green painted cabinetry with polished desktop contrast nicely with textured wool carpet on the floor. Now given the No Chintz treatment, this is now a well used and enjoyed work space.

This is an example of an expansive contemporary master bathroom in Central Coast with a freestanding tub, a vessel sink, engineered quartz benchtops, an open shower, white benchtops, a double vanity, a floating vanity, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a curbless shower, beige tile, beige floor, a shower seat and vaulted.

No detail was spared on this 1970s double-story renovation. The home was completely gutted from floor to ceiling to make way for the clients' opulent vision, creating the perfect dwelling for their growing family. The pastel colour tone, offset with high-end dark cabinetry makes a bold statement within the kitchen. While the natural wood and marble finishes are beautifully crafted to compliment the clients' persona and taste. This project has been lovingly completed with impeccable craftsmanship to be enjoyed for many many years to come, such as the timeless design and build of this beautiful space. Schweigen is proud to have featured our flagship silent rangehood seamlessly integrated into the black overhead cabinetry. The black glassed (KLS-9GLASSBLKS) undermount rangehood is a perfect addition to this family kitchen. With the external german-made IsoDrive motor mounted on the roof, cooking can be enjoyed in quiet bliss.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary open plan dining in Melbourne with white walls and medium hardwood floors.

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, terrazzo benchtops, subway tile splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary powder room in Melbourne with a wall-mount toilet, black tile and a freestanding vanity.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary kids' room in Sydney with white walls.

The bathroom is minimalist. It has neutral tone such as white and very light grey. The texture of the mosaic tiles, marble tiles and terrazzo floor tiles create variation and interest in different surfaces.

Front yard
Expansive contemporary one-storey house exterior in Melbourne with a gable roof, a metal roof and a black roof.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary two-storey black house exterior in Brisbane with wood siding.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Sydney with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, no tv and brown floor.