A classic Victorian home for a family of four, this Hawthorn Brick double-fronted house underwent a complete renovation. KWD was engaged halfway through the project as the owners were a little stuck and needed our expertise to tie the whole renovation together. The space planning had been signed off but they needed support to bring the architectural vision to completion.
As it is a very traditional home we needed to make sure that we paid homage to the origin of the building. Being double fronted with a central hallway, the entrance became key to anchoring the design premise. We added wainscoting for texture and brought back to life the original light fittings that are over 100 years old – they just needed some love and now they shine.
We decided that the perfect way to link the traditional part of the home to the more contemporary extension was with the flooring. We selected the stunning KWD & Co. Bridgeport Italian Oak herringbone timber and laid it from the front door all the way to the back creating a seamless blend from the old to the new. The flooring works perfectly with the traditional arches and fuses the two eras with warmth and texture.
In the traditional part of the home there were significant Victorian architectural elements – cornicing, skirting boards, architraves, wainscoting and joinery. We embraced these features in the formal lounge room highlighting the original fireplace, cornicing, ceiling rose and pendant light fitting. We added wainscoting, herringbone oak flooring and a custom KWD silk rug to accentuate the traditional feel of the space.
We were constrained by the size of the rooms in the original part of the home which is where the main bathroom is located. Being a family bathroom we wanted to make sure we were very conscious of functionality and space planning to incorporate a separate bath, shower, toilet and vanity basin. Our solution was to create a wet room in the shower space which we positioned in front of the bath.
Optically this offers a great deal of space whilst practically it allows for incorporating both a shower and a bath into a small area. Whilst the room isn’t wide, taking the limestone to full height it gives the illusion of space. We hung beautiful hand-blown glass pendants to add softness to an otherwise strong room. We also wanted to be consistent with the stone so even though this bathroom is in the older part of the home we used grey tundra which we took right through the home and evolved into Super White in the kitchen.
When we started working on the rear of the home we had the opportunity to be creative and innovative in terms of design. As the exterior of the extension was zinc clad it had an obvious modern aesthetic, so we incorporated steel, natural stone and industrial finishes in the interior design to reflect the external architecture.
The kitchen was a triumph in both the design and the functionality. With a family of four we had to ensure there was plenty of practical storage, but we also wanted the joinery design to have clean lines and be clutter-free – hence the concealed cupboards, butler’s pantry and integrated fridge.
We selected an Albedor vinyl-wrap finish for the doors as it’s so hard-wearing finish for family life and doesn’t chip. It was important to continue the seamless blend between the old and the new, so we used a classic profile on the kitchen joinery doors (Shaker profile), modernised with industrial elements like black door handles and an industrial kitchen tap which complemented the sink.
So much care and consideration went into the joinery design. We thought through every element in terms of functionality and practicality, and how our clients would use the space. Bespoke joinery design is the best solution for ensuring the usability of a kitchen is intrinsic to its inhabitants. The secret bar and coffee station are cleverly hidden behind bi-fold doors – the bar is open every night at 5pm but can be closed off for the morning school rush.
The piece-de-resistance is the range hood which was an engineering feat. While it is a very classic way to design a range hood we made it look ultra-modern with the scale of it, taking it from head height to ceiling height. And the ceiling height joinery added scale and punch to the space and balanced the super-size rangehood perfectly. The stunning Super White Dolomite seemingly hangs in mid-air and is beautifully contrasted by Zimbabwe Black leather finish stone on the counter tops. The scale and proportion are a perfect link to the grand entrance hallway in the traditional part of the home.
Explains Kate, “We are so proud of our work knowing the clients are thrilled with the result. They absolutely love the space. There’s a certain non-fussiness to the interior whilst being highly detailed. It is this skill – making a really considered design that is so highly detailed look effortless – that makes this renovation such a success”
Styling: Greenhouse Interiors
Photography: Armelle Habib
Build: About Time Projects
Joinery design and interior design, KWD
http://www.katewalkerdeisgn.com.au
Kate Walker Design - KWD 