Description: A view through the archway showing the the large dining table and mezzanine above Photos: Chris McCluskie (www.100iso.co.uk)
Photo of a small contemporary open plan dining in Edinburgh with white walls, medium hardwood floors and a standard fireplace.

Built by Pettit & Sevitt in the 1970s, this architecturally designed split-level home needed a refresh. Studio Black Interiors worked with builders, REP building, to transform the interior of this home with the aim of creating a space that was light filled and open plan with a seamless connection to the outdoors. The client’s love of rich navy was incorporated into all the joinery. Fifty years on, it is joyous to view this home which has grown into its bushland suburb and become almost organic in referencing the surrounding landscape. Renovation by REP Building. Photography by Hcreations.

Open2View
This is an example of a small contemporary courtyard patio in Brisbane with decking and a roof extension.

Seating area / home bar with timber feature wall and double height glazing
Mid-sized contemporary living room in London with a home bar.

This was a large family living space which had a split level and very high ceilings. The client's wanted to maintain the wooden bannister so we chose colours to tone down any orange tones, and add some warmth to this north facing room.

clean , fresh , crisp, new......everything you want in a bathroom.
Small contemporary master bathroom in Brisbane with a wall-mount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, an alcove shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, porcelain floors and a drop-in tub.

seamless connection between kitchen and outside entertaining area. perfect for the Queensland climate.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary patio in Brisbane with a roof extension.

Custom copper clad sliding entry door opens from the side of the house to a split level entry. The hand marks on the door remain to retain character as the copper ages.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary gender-neutral storage and wardrobe in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets and carpet.

Introducing Our Latest Masterpiece – The Hideaway Retreat - 7 Locke Crescent East Fremantle Open Times- see our website When it comes to seeing potential in a building project there are few specialists more adept at putting it all together than Andre and the team at Empire Building Company. We invite you to come on in and view just what attention to detail looks like. During a visit we can outline for you why we selected this block of land, our response to it from a design perspective and the completed outcome a double storey elegantly crafted residence focussing on the likely occupiers needs and lifestyle. In today’s market place the more flexible a home is in form and function the more desirable it will be to live in. This has the dual effect of enhancing lifestyle for its occupants and making the home desirable to a broad market at time of sale and in so doing preserving value. “From the street the home has a bold presence. Once you step inside, the interior has been designed to have a calming retreat feel to accommodate a modern family, executive or retiring couple or even a family considering having their ageing parents move in.” Andre Malecky A hallmark of this home, not uncommon when developing in a residential infill location is the clever integration of engineering solutions to the home’s construction. At Empire we revel in this type of construction and design challenged situations and we go to extraordinary lengths to get the solution that best fits budget, timeliness and living amenity. In this home our solution was to employ a two-level strategic geometric design with a specifically engineered cantilevered roof that provides essential amenity but serves to accentuate the façade. Whilst the best solution for this home was to demolish and build brand new, this is not always the case. At Empire we have extensive experience is working with clients in renovating their existing home and transforming it into their dream home. This home was strategically positioned to maximise available views, northern exposure and natural light into the residence. Energy Efficiency has been considered for the end user by introduction of double-glazed windows, Velux roof window, insulated roof panels, ceiling and wall insulation, solar panels and even comes with a 3Ph electric car charge point in the opulently tiled garage. Some of the latest user-friendly automation, electronics and appliances will also make the living experience very satisfying. We invite you to view our latest show home and to discuss with us your current living challenges and aspirations. Being a custom boutique builder, we assess your situation, the block, the current structure and look for ways to maximise the full potential of the location, topography and design brief.

Overview Whole house refurbishment and eco upgrade. The Brief This project is a feature for us on many levels – it’s a full Eco refurb with a range of low energy features as well as a space planning and mid-century modern style. Our Solution We have taken a 1960’s corner site with side extension capability and extended it over three floors, re-planning every single space in the process. The client wanted a flexible family home, keeping the essence of the 60’s feel, but doing away with the shoddy 60’s construction replacing it with low impact, sustainable materials. That achieved, we set about designing a heating, water and power strategy based on wood pellet and solar technology, adding a water softener and low water use appliances and energy saving kit to give the client a future-proofed, low impact home. Yes, it won some awards but we’re not bragging…

Clean and bright Kitchen and Dining area with reclaimed wood table, wooden countertops and red and white dining chairs.
Mid-sized eclectic l-shaped eat-in kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, green splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

A split level rear extension, clad with black zinc and cedar battens. Narrow frame sliding doors create a flush opening between inside and out, while a glazed corner window offers oblique views across the new terrace. Inside, the kitchen is set level with the main house, whilst the dining area is level with the garden, which creates a fabulous split level interior. This project has featured in Grand Designs and Living Etc magazines. Photographer: David Butler

Interior - Games room and Snooker room with Home Bar Beach House at Avoca Beach by Architecture Saville Isaacs Project Summary Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ The core idea of people living and engaging with place is an underlying principle of our practice, given expression in the manner in which this home engages with the exterior, not in a general expansive nod to view, but in a varied and intimate manner. The interpretation of experiencing life at the beach in all its forms has been manifested in tangible spaces and places through the design of pavilions, courtyards and outdoor rooms. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ A progression of pavilions and courtyards are strung off a circulation spine/breezeway, from street to beach: entry/car court; grassed west courtyard (existing tree); games pavilion; sand+fire courtyard (=sheltered heart); living pavilion; operable verandah; beach. The interiors reinforce architectural design principles and place-making, allowing every space to be utilised to its optimum. There is no differentiation between architecture and interiors: Interior becomes exterior, joinery becomes space modulator, materials become textural art brought to life by the sun.   Project Description Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ The core idea of people living and engaging with place is an underlying principle of our practice, given expression in the manner in which this home engages with the exterior, not in a general expansive nod to view, but in a varied and intimate manner. The house is designed to maximise the spectacular Avoca beachfront location with a variety of indoor and outdoor rooms in which to experience different aspects of beachside living. Client brief: home to accommodate a small family yet expandable to accommodate multiple guest configurations, varying levels of privacy, scale and interaction. A home which responds to its environment both functionally and aesthetically, with a preference for raw, natural and robust materials. Maximise connection – visual and physical – to beach. The response was a series of operable spaces relating in succession, maintaining focus/connection, to the beach. The public spaces have been designed as series of indoor/outdoor pavilions. Courtyards treated as outdoor rooms, creating ambiguity and blurring the distinction between inside and out. A progression of pavilions and courtyards are strung off circulation spine/breezeway, from street to beach: entry/car court; grassed west courtyard (existing tree); games pavilion; sand+fire courtyard (=sheltered heart); living pavilion; operable verandah; beach. Verandah is final transition space to beach: enclosable in winter; completely open in summer. This project seeks to demonstrates that focusing on the interrelationship with the surrounding environment, the volumetric quality and light enhanced sculpted open spaces, as well as the tactile quality of the materials, there is no need to showcase expensive finishes and create aesthetic gymnastics. The design avoids fashion and instead works with the timeless elements of materiality, space, volume and light, seeking to achieve a sense of calm, peace and tranquillity. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ Focus is on the tactile quality of the materials: a consistent palette of concrete, raw recycled grey ironbark, steel and natural stone. Materials selections are raw, robust, low maintenance and recyclable. Light, natural and artificial, is used to sculpt the space and accentuate textural qualities of materials. Passive climatic design strategies (orientation, winter solar penetration, screening/shading, thermal mass and cross ventilation) result in stable indoor temperatures, requiring minimal use of heating and cooling. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ Accommodation is naturally ventilated by eastern sea breezes, but sheltered from harsh afternoon winds. Both bore and rainwater are harvested for reuse. Low VOC and non-toxic materials and finishes, hydronic floor heating and ventilation ensure a healthy indoor environment. Project was the outcome of extensive collaboration with client, specialist consultants (including coastal erosion) and the builder. The interpretation of experiencing life by the sea in all its forms has been manifested in tangible spaces and places through the design of the pavilions, courtyards and outdoor rooms. The interior design has been an extension of the architectural intent, reinforcing architectural design principles and place-making, allowing every space to be utilised to its optimum capacity. There is no differentiation between architecture and interiors: Interior becomes exterior, joinery becomes space modulator, materials become textural art brought to life by the sun. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/

You enter the property from the high side through a contemporary iron gate to access a large double garage with internal access. A natural stone blade leads to our signature, individually designed timber entry door. The top-floor entry flows into a spacious open-plan living, dining, kitchen area drenched in natural light and ample glazing captures the breathtaking views over middle harbour. The open-plan living area features a high curved ceiling which exaggerates the space and creates a unique and striking frame to the vista. With stone that cascades to the floor, the island bench is a dramatic focal point of the kitchen. Designed for entertaining and positioned to capture the vista. Custom designed dark timber joinery brings out the warmth in the stone bench. Also on this level, a dramatic powder room with a teal and navy blue colour palette, a butler’s pantry, a modernized formal dining space, a large outdoor balcony, a cozy sitting nook with custom joinery specifically designed to house the client’s vinyl record player. This split-level home cascades down the site following the contours of the land. As we step down from the living area, the internal staircase with double heigh ceilings, pendant lighting and timber slats which create an impressive backdrop for the dining area. On the next level, we come to a home office/entertainment room. Double height ceilings and exotic wallpaper make this space intensely more interesting than your average home office! Floor-to-ceiling glazing captures an outdoor tropical oasis, adding to the wow factor. The following floor includes guest bedrooms with ensuites, a laundry and the master bedroom with a generous balcony and an ensuite that presents a large bath beside a picture window allowing you to capture the westerly sunset views from the tub. The ground floor to this split-level home features a rumpus room which flows out onto the rear garden.

Ensuite bathroom with putty metro tiles and toucan wallpaper with custom Barlow & Barlow sink
Photo of a mid-sized eclectic master bathroom in London with dark wood cabinets, pink tile, ceramic tile, multi-coloured walls, marble floors, a vessel sink, marble benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, an alcove shower and beige benchtops.

This replacement dwelling at Tregoose, Polzeath is a two-storey, detached, four bedroom house with open plan reception space on the ground floor and bedrooms on the lower level. Sympathetic to its context and neighbouring buildings, the split-level accommodation has been designed to maximise stunning coastal and ocean views from the property. The living and dining areas on the ground floor benefit from a large, full-height gable window and a glazed balcony oriented to take advantage of the views whilst still maintaining privacy for neighbouring properties. The house features engineered oak flooring and a bespoke oak staircase with glazed balustrades. Skylights ensure the house is extremely well lit and roof-mounted solar panels produce hot water, with an airsource heat pump connected to underfloor heating. Close proximity to the popular surfing beach at Polzeath is reflected in the outdoor shower and large, copper-tiled wet room with giant walk-in shower and bespoke wetsuit drying rack. Photographs: Perfect Stays Ltd

A full renovation of a dated but expansive family home, including bespoke staircase repositioning, entertainment living and bar, updated pool and spa facilities and surroundings and a repositioning and execution of a new sunken dining room to accommodate a formal sitting room.

Bright and airy living room with white sofa and bright upholstery and furnishings and green and white organic wallpaper.
Photo of a mid-sized eclectic enclosed living room in London with multi-coloured walls and multi-coloured floor.