Mihaly Slocombe

As our family expanded to the next generation [of grandchildren], we decided to return to the Architects who designed our family home, to create a suitable extension. The brief had been to create something complimentary to the existing design, be playful, functional, environmentally efficient and still aesthetically compatible with the existing home. To our immense delight, despite the obvious challenges and complexity to meet all aspects of the brief, all our expectations were not only met – but superbly exceeded. The project was implemented with a deft efficiency and professionalism and remained on budget and true to brief. What more could we ask for? Whilst I can’t imagine a further extension being required – if it was, I know exactly where I’d go!

During the period of engagement (from initial designs through construction management) Warwick and his team were consummate professionals. Providing timely advice without making us feel like they've taken ownership. They made the largest purchase of our life a smooth journey and carried a lot of the stress involved to ensure the end product was what we envisioned

Warrick and Erica were recommended to us by a friend while they were mid-project on her house in Eaglemont. We loved the creative things they did in her renovation which entirely suited the period of the house but made it into a modern, liveable space that blended the kitchen and dining with an enticing outdoor area covered by a spectacular canopy. Despite all the bad stories we have heard about renovations our friend appeared to enjoy the whole process and never had anything negative to say about Erica and Warrick or their builder. The renovation was finished on time and continues to delight them. We approached Erica and Warrick after we checked their other projects on the website and liked what we saw. We had been planning to renovate for years, and finally had found the team that we could trust to create something special without any “renovation stress”. They produced a concept plan after visiting us in our house and drawing up a list of major objectives- take advantage of views of the park at the back of our property, open up access to our large side deck which we had to enter via the laundry, create privacy from the towering house next door, bring lots of light into the house and convert downstairs from a predominantly storage area into a living space with a bedroom, study , bathroom, wine room and a place to snuggle and read books and play with the grandchildren. We moved from concept plans, to a spectacular 3D model to the final plans within a few months and were delighted with their professionalism. We were lucky to get the same builder as my friend who was very pleased with the quality of his work and indeed he and his team were outstanding. They stuck to budget and to time. Our forty year old house sprung a few unpleasant surprises largely because it is perched on a steep slope and drainage and access were challenging issues. We were never stressed because the builder, Erica and Warrick were always calm and came up with affordable and effective solutions. We were presented with all options, associated costs and very good advice. We moved out for 10 months during the renovation and had regular site visits with the builder and architects every 2 weeks to see the progress and discuss any issues. Furthermore we had a site manager who was there most days co-ordinating all the contractors and ensuring that the work was completed on time as agreed. We moved back in 11 months ago and are enjoying the space with the interesting features that only a good architect can create. Everyday my husband and I say, why didn’t we do this years ago, but we didn’t know Erica and Warrick then.

We engaged Mihaly Slocombe to design a renovation for our Victorian weatherboard home. Despite the state of the house, Mihaly Slocombe took to the challenge like a duck to water. They were professional, energetic and thorough throughout the renovation, whilst providing interesting yet practical ideas for our 'forever' home. Thank you!

I have worked on a number of projects with Mihaly Slocombe, the most recent being a significant renovation in Keilor. As a builder specialising in architectural work I have worked with many architects. Mihaly Slocombe stand out for the quality of their design and the their comprehensive approach to the construction documentation. I would not hesitate to recommend their services.

Mihaly Solcombe are passionate, inventive and dedicated architects with a vision for achieving high quality environments that respond to the needs of their client. We have worked alongside Warwick Mihaly and have rarely come across a professional with as much commitment to achieving great architecture. Highly recommended.

I had the pleasure to work with Warwick Mihaly on the occasion of photographing their project Canopy House. Warwick is a super nice guy, very smart, very knowledgable and not afraid to get his hands "dirty". On the day he put on his stylist hat, pulled his sleeves up and helped out with making the place look even more amazing which helped me tremendously to achieve the harmony and balance of the final shots. I'm very pleased with my experience working with Mihaly Slocombe and I hope there is more amazing designs to be photographed in this year.

We engaged Mihaly Slocombe to renovate our 1930s era house which badly needed updating having last been renovated 30+ years ago. The brief was to modernise and open up the house, bring in light, connect with the garden and provide more storage and display options for our beloved books, art and ceramics. Warwick involved us in the creative process at every stage discussing possible strategies after getting to know how we use the house, the problems that we wanted to address, preferences for materials etc. in order to achieve the desired outcome. It was wonderful to work with a professional who really listened to us as clients and who was able to offer creative and beautiful solutions to not only enhance the functionality of our house but also make it an amazing place to live. Our builder, Sargent Constructions, joined the project relatively early, before the final detailed drawings were complete. There were definite advantages to doing this as it allowed the builder to add his expertise to the process. It was a successful approach and the build went extremely well with ongoing dialogue between architect, builder and clients ensuring that any decisions that needed to be made were addressed promptly with no or minimal effect on the scheduling. As time a time poor couple we appreciated the suggestions for finishes, hardware and materials which, unsurprisingly, we loved given that Warwick had explored our likes and dislikes at the start of the project. Warwick has achieved an effective ‘extension’ within the existing walls of the house by reconfiguring the layout and without having to sacrifice garden, something which was very important to us. Our previous back terrace is now a decked outdoor room protected from the weather by a spectacular faceted roof, connecting us with the garden and oriented for privacy. The end result was a light, modern and cohesive whole which looks stunning but which respects the 1930s details. We plan to enjoy it for a long time but, if in the future we plan another project, we will certainly be knocking on the door again at Mihaly Slocombe.

When I spend some time photographing a project for an Architect, it's generally a short and intense experience. You quickly begin to feel and understand the space and decisions that an Architect has made. At the Chamfer house, it became immediately evident the adventurous respect that the Mihaly Slocombe team had for the work of the original architect Kevin Borland. Memories of Kevins work were cleverly celebrated rather than hidden (marks on the ceiling of the second living room). They took queues from his original 45-degree plan to shape other aspects of the design. In doing so, the team maintained a consistent of approach to the new work on a variety of scales, from new walls, to handles on the cabinetry. The overriding feeling within the Chamfer house was one of easy comfort and occupation. Movement through the spaces was fluid felt natural, with each room being a pleasure to be in. I know that the rigor that Mihaly Slocombe put into getting to know a client and understanding their needs plays a big role in the buildings they design, and I look forward to each that I get to experience - if even only for a day!

I photographed Mihaly Slocombe's Glendearg Grove project last year. What I really liked about this project is how much light it captured and how the indoor space communicated with the space outside. As soon as I walked inside, it felt open and homely at the same time. I was particularly impressed with the level of detail Erica and Warwick put into the kitchen design - not only was it aesthetically beautiful, with it's contrasting tones and materials, but it was a pleasurable kinaesthetic experience, one of tactile functionality. After the shoot I wanted to get in there and cook a meal, just so I could touch everything! Working with Mihaly Slocombe on photoshoots has been a smooth collaboration - we both have great care for detail and getting it right. They are true professionals and their passion for great architectural solutions is evident.

I first met Mihaly Slocombe when they commissioned me to photograph The Hill House in 2007. The house design beautifully complements the sloping site and embraces the view across the vineyard and valley. The house is serene, light and loved by the owners, with spaces designed for family sharing or individual solitude. Mihaly Slocombe then engaged me to photograph The Kid's Pod, an addendum to The Hill House, in 2014. By contrast, this "pod" is playful, adjustable and acts as a separate yet connected space for visiting children and grandchildren. The use of openable, laser cut panels along the facade transforms a seemingly simple building into a child's magic box. Mihaly Slocombe are engaging and enjoyable clients with whom to work, and who enthusiastically participated in the photography of their projects.

Throughout 2014, 15 and until mid-2016 we engaged Mihaly Slocombe Architects to extend our original Edwardian home into a larger family space with open plan living. With a small 500 square block and a family of 5 that likes to spend time outside, space was scarce, and with a minimal budget, a design that wasn’t going to blow out costs was very important. Other factors that also needed to be considered were that the house was facing the north making a need for natural light and with a narrow block the need to build on both boundaries. Warwick and Erica met with potential builders from the very beginning of design. This allowed builders to give their opinions on how the design could come together. This proved to be a great relationship with the engaged builder- Little Constructions. The cost of the build was kept much lower due to this original relationship as there was no unknowns for the builder and he had also been able to give his tips on cutting costs but to still get the amazing design that we have. Mark commented that ‘they were the best architects that he had ever worked with. They were respectful and worked with him on any concerns’. We have very busy schedules and Mihaly Slocombe were able to manage and deal with arising issues without too much input from us. A highlight was a cardboard model of our house to show us the completed design in 3D. I’m sure the builder would have also liked one of these for his office as well. Our large family was definitely taken into consideration and we have a very functional house that suits our needs including a large laundry coming off our large kitchen- which is where we spend majority of our time!! Our favourite part of the house is definitely the large decking space with screening. We look forward to a lot of entertaining on this fantastic usable space. I would definitely engage Mihaly Slocombe for any further work we may have in the future and would highly recommend them to others. A great small family business.