Accessible Design Services in Brunswick, Victoria

“Jenna is such a thoughtful and compassionate person and this translates into her work. Couldn't be happier working with Jenna and I am very happy with the outcome! Highly recommend working with Jenna to anyone!”

“I was given the confidence and trust by Sky hence hired him to design my new house just by the marina. My journey with Sky started more than 3 years ago. Every step of the way, Sky had given me the clarity and best effort on all building and design aspect. I have to admit that I am not an easy client for I bomb Sky with numerous calls during weekends, public holidays and after hours. Yes Sky was ever willing to listen and help me with my queries. To be honest, I was hunting for an architect and had waisted some small fortune with two prior so called architect. I am glad I found Sky as his experiences, dedication and attention to detail is un-matched! Sky had helped me through from my house design to acquring planning permit, which was unbelievably difficult, and even administered my whole building project. There were massive amount of challenges due to unforeseen circumstances but Sky was able to assist in resolving them amicably in terms of timeline and cost.”

“Julie is a specialist in bespoke residential architecture. She is committed to delivering high quality designs for her clients - she takes care to listen to their ideas, take on board the specifics of each project, and offer workable and original solutions. She is professional and easy to work with.”

“Sam from Goldby Architects is a fantastic architect who understood our design brief from our first consultation. The firm is professional, progressive and creative and was responsive to our questions. Was pleasure to deal with and wouldn't hesitate to work with this firm again. Highly recommended!!”

“We have used Ed for both of our renovations and have found him to be a great architect. For our first project we used Ed for both the design and the project management of a small renovation. We loved the design which dragged a 1970s monstrosity of a house (think lots of mission brown and wood panelling) right into the 21st Century. Tweaks that Ed made to layout just made the house 'work'. We were exceedingly happy with the result. Ed and his team worked tirelessly behind the scenes so that while we had the usual decisions to make, any of those problems that inevitably turn up on the site were solved before they hit our radar. Our second project was based in Sydney (see Ed's project titled 'Springfield' ) and although we spoke with some local architects we didn't get the same comfortable feeling as we had with Ed. Our second renovation was a major undertaking on a heritage listed house where there had been multiple renovations done in the past and little coherence. The floorplan had small spaces left over that had no practical use and the house was very tired. We extended but only by a small amount but again by rationalising the floorplan we have ended up with a much more usable space. The end result is a gorgeous home. This time I was the project manager but Ed and his team remained on call through-out for whenever my builder or I had any queries. What I love about Ed is that we have achieved a great balance between gorgeous design and practicality. The space looks fab but it is also easy to live in and we love that!”

“Rebecca was the architect and site manager for a substantial renovation to our house in Moor Street Fitzroy. The house, which had been converted in a very haphazard fashion into 3 apartments 30-40 years previously had great bones but needed considerable and skilled renovation to return it to its former glory as a family home. The building had a long and chequered history, including as a boarding house where Weary Dunlop lived as a student. We were keen that we retained the unique character and feel of the house and made maximal use of its position, natural light and views over Fitzroy Town Hall. Rebecca was a joy and inspiration to work with from the outset. She was innovative, rigorous, and listened carefully to our suggestions, especially around environmental impact and overall feel of the property. She was incredibly resourceful in sourcing products and ideas, which made a huge difference to the final design. For example, the suspended cupboards in the kitchen – a real winner given the relatively small size for storage – came from a 1950s design magazine. She managed the project meticulously all the way through, and worked extremely well with the builders and other contractors, who clearly respected her professionalism and skill. This was not an easy project – the house had been renovated repeatedly over the years and the legacy meant no wall was straight and no two doors the same size. The final renovation is superb – understated but spectacular. We haven’t had a visitor who hasn’t been amazed by the house and renovation. I’ve lived in over 40 houses and flats in the last 30 years and this is undoubtedly the best house yet. This is partly due to the original structure but also because of the renovation; I’m sure a less skilled architect could easily have made a dog’s dinner of the project. Rebecca also clearly has an aptitude and commitment to teaching and I know that she is heavily engaged in community and voluntary work in Australia and overseas.”

“I have photographed a couple of projects by RMR Architects and have found Renuka to be a thoughtful architect who not only addresses the need of her clients but provides them with a house design that is elegant and very liveable.”

“very professional team with a genuine interest in providing a great design that really impressed us. The team communicates very well to us every step along the way.”

“Nina exceeded our expectations, she is professional, has a great eye for detail & design flare. We are very happy with the architectural spaces and the layout of our house.”

“I engaged Sebastiano from SG2 to design a renovation of our tired and poorly built California 3-bedroom bungalow in West Footscray. I also employed him to administer the contract with our builder. The house required considerable rebuilding. It'd been poorly built and maintained and it was way beyond just reblocking and replastering, so there was an opportunity for extensive modification of the interior. (It turned out the house was in considerably worse shape than the builder originally thought, and in the end essentially only the facade and some of the original roof trussing remained from the original.) I explicitly wanted the design to be more of an update and modernisation of the interior spaces than a large exterior statement. I briefed Sebastiano to: * plan a single level house within the existing footprint that maintained, as much as possible, the original exterior appearance & proportions (I didn't want the house to have an addition visible from the street) * create more useable space, including much more cupboard space, while more or less following the existing floor plan (ie, retaining 3 BRs or 2 BRs & study) in the front half of the house * open up the rear part of the house to more light and the garden while accommodating an old magnolia tree that was growing over the rear of the house * create a long, open kitchen space combined with a "European style" laundry * incorporate DG windows, insulation of all exterior & interior walls, and hydronic heating * develop a plan that wouldn't require extensive planning permissions &c from the local council. We met several times at my house to discuss the brief. Sebastiano took measurements &c, and I supplied him with some roughly drawn provisional plans. Within a few days of our first meeting, Sebastian had spoken with Council about planning issues around the proposed plans and came back to me with provisional drawings which, with only a few adjustments over the next few weeks, not only fulfilled but exceeded the brief. This part of the renovation process took only a couple of months and any delays were a result of my procrastination than anything Sebastiano did. He took care of all permits, negotiations with engineers &c, to an extent that I hadn't expected, which was a great relief. Sebastiano's plan included a modest addition to the footprint which didn't require a permit from Council, and greatly improved my ideas, making some notable additions. Most obvious amongst these was a large light well which opens the the rear of the house to light and provides a high ceiling in line with the roof pitch. This improves the interior space and helps to define the kitchen and living areas without sharply separating them. Now that the house is finished and I'm living in it, I greatly appreciate the simplicity, practicality, and livability of the design. Sebastiano has managed to create modern, spacious areas/volumes inside what is, by today's standards, a relatively small house. The play of light in the rear room(s) thru the light well is a real highlight, as is the plan and finishing of the kitchen/laundry area. All of this done without "periodising" the interior or making an in-your-face design statement (tho I guess one person's in-your-face is another's "meh"). What Sebastiano achieved was, I think, clean, simple, practical design with well thought through details of finish & treatment that fit the original style of the house and, most importantly, my partner's and my way of living. Throughout this part of the process, as elsewhere, Sebastiano managed to allay my tyro renovator's anxieties, provide helpful advice, meet deadlines, reassure me about the financial implications of the project, and to negotiate effectively with my builder. His reassurances helped me maintain at least the impression of humor and confidence throughout what, thru no fault of Sebastiano, turned out to be a very long build. As I mentioned, I also engaged Sebastiano to administer the contract with the builder. In this, I'm sure he went much beyond what I had a right to expect. He attended the site regularly, provided timely and accurate information and advice about the progress of the build. He fielded my ignorance, anxieties, vacillation, changes of mind, outrageous demands, and stupidity with reassuring calm. I always felt he was treating me respectfully, patiently, and more than fairly. He returned all my calls and emails within 24 hours, usually within an hour or two. His recommendations (he always provided some options) about fittings, finishes, and suppliers were invaluable and invariably better in terms of quality and price than anything I could find myself. I felt confident that it was speedier, more economical, and more beneficial to accept Sebastiano's recommendations than to waste time looking for alternatives. Sebastiano promptly and effectively negotiated some variations from the contracted plans and, throughout, tactfully managed the relationship between me and the builder. He had an eye for details and worked assiduously to maintain the standard of the build. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Sebastiano and SG2. He provided excellent plans that met my brief and exceeded my expectations. He worked well with me and the builder; kept the build well within budget; ensured the quality of the work and finishes; is patient and calm; communicates well; and was responsive, patient, and professional throughout the entire process.”