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jeremystrele · 4 years

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A Leading Architect’s Compact And Clever Fitzroy Family Home

Homes

by Lucy Feagins, Editor

Karen designed the table with SJB Stainless Steel in Thomastown as part of a series of them also in her office. Light shade from Lantern Shop. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

The outdoor bath is a pig’s trough from Ag Crete: ‘We rolled it in through the front door!’ says Karen. Exterior furniture is Palissade from Hay. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Cloud modular sofa from Prostoria. ‘Jojo and I got the colour samples separately and unanimously agreed on the purple,’ says Karen. ‘I think you don’t choose the colour, the colour chooses you. It’s big and bold and makes the living room feel generous.’ Benches designed by Karen and built by Kennedy’s Timbers from planks of blackbutt with a Danish oil finish. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Hay for Ikea floor light. The rechargeable lantern light from &Tradition was a gift from Karen’s staff. Prints from The Australian Print Workshop: left by Kate Butler, right by Wayne Viney. The rug is a traditional Welsh bedspread Karen inherited from her uncle. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

National Tiles tiles with fitted with charcoal grout. Vipp salt and pepper shakers from Cult. Japanese dolls were gifted by Karen’s sister who collects them from the flea markets around Tokyo. Chopping board from Iittala. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

Bench designed by Karen and built by Kennedy’s Timber. ARTEK K65 stools. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

Oven from Ilve. Rangehood from Qasair. Fuck Yeah plate by Lucas Grogan. Shelf brackets designed by Brendan Ravenhill Studio for Areaware. Tap by Astra Walker. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

An excellent view to the garden. All of the interior is finished in Dulux Lexicon in various strengths. Kitchen handles are Fisher & Paykel fridge handles adapted to suit the joinery. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

‘Series 7’ by Fritz Hansen chairs designed by Arne Jacobsen. Mud Australia bowl. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

Spiral staircase from Enzie. Lampshade from Lantern Shop. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

A prized possession chair is a Hans Wegner CH25. The mushroom light is from Ikea. Karen made the shelves. Art from left to right: Jenny Bolish, Mark Strizic, Polly Borland. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

Chair is an Eames rocker by Vitra. The sliding screen is made from unfinished cedar battens. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

Sink is Scola from Duravit. Taps are Astra Walker with custom painted pins to match the door. Chair from Thonet. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files

The Fitzroy home’s exterior. Photo – Cheyne Toomey of Spacecraft Media.

In 2006, when Karen Alcock and her partner Jojo were looking to buy a house in Melbourne’s inner North, they quickly watched prices rise by $50,000. Desperate, the couple opted to inspect the literal cheapest house for sale in Fitzroy at the time.

‘Because it was one bedroom, it was in our price range,’ says Karen, principal of MAArchitects. ‘The laneway location probably put a few people off, [but] what they didn’t realise was that it was its best asset.’

They bought the property, and went on to undertake a major renovation in 2010, just after their son Luca was born.

‘We moved out, knocked everything off from the ridge back, and were able to tuck in an upstairs bedroom and ensuite and renovate the lower level,’ Karen says. ‘To keep the height of the building down, we created a split level on the ground floor so the upstairs bedroom could tuck behind the existing roof with an east-facing window poking over the ridge.’

It’s been a slow process, with the garden and kitchen taking the most time to refine. ‘It’s one thing to design a house for clients. but much more difficult to design a home for yourself. You have so many ideas!’ says Karen. ‘We spent a few years just building things and playing around to see what worked and what we liked.’

A particular challenge was deciding on a suitable interior scheme for the kitchen. As it turns out, simple is best. ‘When we first moved in we did a refresh of the kitchen, and I made Jojo paint it three times because I couldn’t make up my mind (she wont let me forget this),’ Karen says. ‘It was then I realised that I like white. Keep it simple and add the colour with art and furniture.’

The couple have styled the home with a variety of thoughtfully selected pieces, from a Hans Wegner CH25 chair, to $10 lights from Ikea. ‘We choose things that are something or nothing – they just can’t be mediocre,’ Karen says. The main paint colour on the walls and panelling is Dulux Lexicon.

In 15 years, this house and its owners have changed a lot. ‘We came here just two of us, and we will be leaving as a family of three with two dogs!’ says Karen. ‘The only reason we are moving is because we bought a Labrador and learned how to garden during lockdown.’

The two-bedroom house goes to auction next week!

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brisktransportremovalistcanberra · 7 years

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The Cultivation of great design

If the many items of exquisite beauty that furniture curator Richard Munao has around him, it is fitting a crystal ball is not among them.

This is largely because foresight has always been one of the 52-year-old’s more consistent companions.

It was there when, as a teen, he defied his Italian father and Greek mother’s advice to pursue his dream of becoming a certified cabinet-maker.

It was present, when nearly 20 years ago, he poured every penny he could scrape together to open up a high-end furniture business in a Sydney suburb better known for its gang warfare than for its commercial enterprise.

And it was front and centre when the Cult chief executive persuaded an up-and-coming Danish brand by the name of the Republic of Franz Hansen that he was the man who could convince Australians of the value to be unearthed in its product.

But there has always been method to his madness.

By fully committing both himself and his design nous to his business, Munao is today at the helm of a burgeoning and successful retail empire of five stores with representation across six states and two countries.

With additional distributors in Canberra, Adelaide and Perth, Cult works with some of the world’s most influential furniture and lighting producers with prominent Scandinavian brands HAY, Carl Hansen & Sons and Erik Jorgenson, popular Italian labels Poltrona Frau, Cassina and Cappellini and award-winning Antipodeans Tim Webber and Henry Wilson among its impressive portfolio.

As if that were not enough proof of Munao’s purchasing prowess, he counts among his collection a unique precious metal item that no amount of money can buy – having been named the 2011 recipient of His Royal Highness Prince Henrik’s Medal of Honour in recognition of his work in promoting Danish exports.

Seeking to cater to both residential and commercial markets, Munao established Cult (which formerly traded as Corporate Culture) in a two-level 800 square metre manufacturing space in the inner west suburb of Chippendale in 1997. Annointing himself head buyer from day one, he selected Erik Jorgensen, Republic of Fritz Hansen and Stelton as the store’s foundation brands.

Clearly striking a chord with Sydneysiders excited by the prospect of being exposed to a new breed of furniture designers, the business grew organically opening in Melbourne in 1999, Brisbane in 2005 and making its way across the Tasman to Auckland four short years later.

“The bulk of our designs are sourced from Denmark and Italy – two countries that both have strong design culture and have produced some of the world’s best designs. A lot of the most iconic Italian and French design that today are carried by brands like Cassina, were designed in the 1920s and 1930s such as LC collection by Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret,” he says.

“After that, the 1950s and 1960s were a very prolific time for design in Denmark with designers such as Hans J Wegner, Poul Kjaerholm and Arne Jacobsen leading the charge. The beauty of all these designs is that a LC4 chaise longue from 1928, Wishbone chair from 1949 and the Swan chair from 1955 are still as relevant and contemporary today as the time they were designed. All these designs have stood the test of time, and that’s what makes them true design icons.”

Authenticity is the trait that binds each member of the Cult family, yet despite this, one of the secrets to the Cult phenomenon is that each brand has its own unique personality and quality.

“While Carl Hansen & Son and PP Mobler are the hallmarks for modern Danish timber furniture, brands such as Magis continuously push the boundaries of innovation and technology by working with plastic, steel, iron or even a combination of materials”, he says.

Owing to the diversity of its offering, Cult’s price points are equally varied where the design conscious can pick up a HAY Clip Clip for around $14 to a Cappellini Progetti Compiuti chest of drawers that retails for $72,900.

Munao says the industry has changed significantly since he started out – most notably in the merging of commercial and residential furniture. Now, more than ever,there is demand for break-out, multi-functional furniture, furniture to suit smaller spaces as well as sustainable furniture.

But great design is “not about design for disassembly or out of recycling materials”, he has been quoted as saying. “It’s about design for longevity – to transcend the seasons and the trends.”

Being prepared to go it alone has also proved something of a pitfall to all Australian retailers looking to claim a stake in the fiercely competitive furniture market, with the growing creep of replicas flooding the market.

While the UK recently enforced penalties of up to £50,000 and 10 years jail for anyone selling fake furniture, no such laws exist in Australia. It is generally accepted that Australia lags behind in legislating this area as manufacturers of ‘fakes’ are allowed to market their design copies here as long as they are named ‘replica’.

It is a subject that gets Munao hot under the collar, so much so that, aside from being a regular lobbyist, he is also the founding partner of the Authentic Design Alliance and a regular contributor to panel discussions seeking to better educate the market.

Speaking to leading industry website, The Future of Space in 2014, Munao claimed that it took courage and investment for designers and manufacturers of original designs to bring products to market; for as many products that are successful there are products that do not succeed.

“Authentic, original design is important in many ways. Most original and authentic pieces have a greater life span than ‘replica furniture’, which is a more long term, sustainable option for our environment. Authenticity rewards the original designer with income through the sales of the product they designed and it encourages all designers to innovate.

“To me it seems criminal that one can sit on the fence and wait for an original to sell and then copy it; essentially this is theft of intellectual property,” he told the site.

Munao has further diversified the business over the past two to three years, starting up his own Cult brand, designed and manufactured in Australia but which will soon be launched in South East Asia, as well as launching an Australian-made AGxCult collection, designed by local talent Adam Goodrum, that Cult intends debuting internationally.

In addition, Munao also runs a program, dubbed Cultivated, which is a unique product stewardship program providing refurbishment and buy-back options of its furniture to clients.

Yet, despite the uncertainty of the global marketplace and turmoil within the retail sector, Munao believes there is still much to be achieved by the brands for which he is caretaker.

Late last year, he opened the first mono-branded HAY shop in Sydney’s Surry Hills – a fitting tribute given he was the first to commit distributing the brand outside of Europe. It was also the realisation of a dream that Munao had when the brand was first launched in 2002.

Plans are also in the pipeline to celebrate Cult’s 20-year anniversary by renovating its Chippendale headquarters and transforming it into an event-space for functions, photo shoots and exhibitions.

“I am proud of where we are today. Looking back over the last 20 years, it’s been such an exciting journey, yet I still believe that Cult has so much more potential to grow as a business.”

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 2 years

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#205 mid century modern sofa

Mogens Hansen

Vintage Leather sofa

a beautiful example of a mid-century vintage, leather sofa by Mogens Hansen, Denmark. Upholstered in soft and supple cognac coloured leather, with age-appropriate patina.

180L x 80D x 80H cm approximately.

Seat height: 42 cm

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 2 years

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#94 Mid Century L-Shaped Danish Sofa.

Vintage Danish 6-seat corner sofa by Neilhaus Design. Perfectly upholstered in soft and supple very dark brown coloured leather.

Denmark- 1980s

360L x 240L x 80D x 70H cm.

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 2 years

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#93 Mid Century Danish Sofa.

Vintage Danish 3-seat Sofa. Perfectly upholstered in soft and supple, tan coloured leather leather.

Denmark- 1980s

200L x 80D x 78H cm.

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 2 years

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#203 Danish 2 seater leather sofa

a very good example of a Danish mid century, vintage leather sofa. Upholstered in soft, brown, patinated leather. Very comfortable.

132L x 80D x 73H cm

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 2 years

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#201 vintage danish stouby sofa

a beautiful example of a mid century, vintage, leather sofa by Stouby, Denmark. Upholstered in immaculate, dark green, soft leather with age appropriate patina.

200L x 80D x 80H cm approximately.

Seat height: 42 cm

#vintage danish leather sofa melbourne #vintage stouby sofa #mid century modern leather sofa #3 seat mid century vintage couch #vintage caramel coloured leather sofa #mid century furniture melbourne #THE HISTORY mid century furniture melbourne #danish mid century furniture for sale melbourne #mid century modern furniture for sale melbourne #vintage mid century modern leather sofa #vintage mid century modern leather couch #the best vintage furniture melbourne #green leather danish sofa #green leather stouby sofa #green leather mid century sofa for sale melbourne

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 2 years

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#99 DeSede leather sofa

DeSede DS- 2011 leather sofa. A fine example of a mid century modern two and a half seat, leather sofa by DeSede, Switzerland.

Upholstered in top quality, supple, dark brown leather.

81H x 192W x 82D cm

Seat Height 41cm

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 2 years

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#98 Danish 2 seater leather sofa

a very good example of a Danish mid century, vintage leather sofa. Upholstered in soft, brown leather. Very comfortable

#vintage danish leather sofa #mid century furniture melbourne #danish furniture for sale melbourne #danish leather sofa #danish leather couch for sale australia #best mid century furniture store #danish furniture store near me #danish sofa melbourne #danish sofa sydney #danish leather 2 seater couch #danish 2 seater leather sofa #vintage sofas melbourne #mid century modern leather sofa #mid century modern leather couch #2 seater scandinavian leather sofa

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 3 years

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#74 vintage siesta chairs

Norwegian, Siesta Chairs by Ingmar Relling for Westnofa furniture, Circa 1970. This matching pair are upholstered in soft, cognac coloured leather on original, white-canvas slings with pale beechwood frames.

Price is per chair.

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 3 years

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#70 Mid Century Leather and Canvas Chairs

Vintage Danish Leather Chairs

Denmark 1970’s

A pair of mid-century modern Danish chairs. Featuring a canvas sling set on a smooth wooden frame. Completed by chocolate brown leather cushions with a deep buttoned finish.

Chairs are in very good condition.

We have a matching pair available.

Price is per chair.

92Hx82Wx80D cm

#20th century scandinavian lounge chairs #mid century scandinavian furniture #mid century modern scandinavian leather lounge chairs #the best vintage scandinavian furniture for sale melbourne #20th century vintage danish lounge chairs #20th century modern lounge chairs

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 3 years

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#55 vintage danish stouby sofa

a beautiful example of a mid century, vintage, leather sofa by Stouby, Denmark. Upholstered in immaculate, biscuit coloured, soft leather.

200L x 80D x 80H cm approximately.

Seat height: 42 cm

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jeremystrele · 7 years

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Eco House Western Australia

Homes

Anna Flanders

Inside the WA home of Tanya McKenna, Peter Chadwick and Henri the boxer. The forest green bottle grinders by Menu were gifted to Tanya by her best friends; the vintage amber wine glasses were found at the local tip; the original 1970’s teapot was gifted to Tanya by Peter in Copenhagen; and the handmade hanging plywood light was by Peter. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The height of the interior coupled with the soaring window ‘mosaic’ give the home it’s airy, relaxed feel. The forest-green door was purchased privately by Tanya and Peter from a demolition sale (and is said to be from a mansion once owned by Alan Bond). They painted it Forest Green to match their living room wall. The woven baskets were gifted to Tanya by Carla; the white metal coat hanger was sourced from France on Ebay; the staghorn plant was gifted to Tanya by her parents and reinforced to eco-ply sheeting by Peter. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

‘This is our urban retreat away from the hustle and bustle of life, but still close to everything we love and need. We’re always on the go with busy lives, but we’re always relaxed at home. We love to cook, put on a record and just relax, or host long-table dinners in the courtyard. It’s nice having a smaller space that doesn’t require as much maintenance, too,’ says Tanya. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The kitchen is made from custom pre-finished plywood cabinetry designed by Carla at Etica Studio and made locally by Raw Edge Furniture. Tanya and Peter sourced the Oregon benchtops from a salvage yard. Fridge and appliances are by Smeg and Miele. The oregon staircase and custom metalwork balustrade are by Customised Metal Works , while the light was designed and handmade by Tanya and Peter. Original Danish wall sconces and rattan stools were sourced privately by Tanya, and white tapware is by Astra Walker. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

Carla designed the pantry and Raw Edge Furniture crafted it. Tanya and Peter had it painted Forest Green to bookend each side of the open-plan living area. The Smeg fridge is a smart inclusion in this area, topped with greenery from Tanya’s nan and overlooked by original 60s Danish sconce lights purchased privately off Ebay and rewired by Peter (an electrician by trade). Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

Tanya and Peter sourced the amber glass and vintage windows to create this soaring mosaic of windows. It beautifully works with the recycled rammed concrete (made using crushed concrete rubble from building sites and demolitions) to give a soulful, yet contemporary, backdrop. On the table is a retro vase was gifted to Tanya by her best friend. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

This area is one of the most beautiful areas in the home, where light floods into the space and hits the clean surfaces to add a wonderful warmth. Tanya and Peter bought the original 1960s table from Roofpocket; the pendant light was made by Kira and Kira; and the chairs were sourced privately by Tanya and Peter. Henri also gets to eat in this area, where you can see his dog bowl by Mog & Bone. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The Forest Green walls and white resin flooring bring out the aged, but beautiful, warm timbers in the furniture. ‘It’s a very calming space with lots of warmth. It has soul. The pop of greenery in every room contributes to the soothing atmosphere,’ says Tanya. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

Original 1960s bricks were sourced from a demolition site, then painted white. A concrete plinth has been incorporated into the wall to soften the architecture with displays. The print of Monstera delisiosa is by (By) Garmi from Norsu Interiors and the real interior greenery is by Tanya. The wood fire is by Nectre from Subiaco Restoration. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The main living area is filled with natural materials and a wonderful collection of pieces that have been sourced, handed down and found… the natural jute rug is from IKEA , the original mid-century Danish armchairs from INTOO Collectibles , the 1960s nesting tables were made by Tanya’s late-grandfather and gifted to the couple by their Nana, and the wire chair, vintage speakers and Danish sideboard were all sourced privately. The original Danish retro leather sofa was bought from the now-closed Revival Hill store in Perth. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

Natural light and cross ventilation were designed into the southern side of the home through a custom-made timber hopper window. Peter built the pine shelf above that provides a subtle break into the white-painted brick wall. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The kitchen benchtop was made from locally sourced recycled oregon, which was originally from a pub in Northam, WA. It was carefully repurposed by Raw Edge Furniture into a benchtop. The stairway and grid mesh balustrade was designed by Carla and made by local tradesmen. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The study space sits above the kitchen and dining areas on the home’s mezzanine and is filled with natural light through the home’s two-storey window ‘mosaic’. It’s screened with 1960’s breezeblocks and is incorporated into a long stretch of cabinetry, which was made by local makers Raw Edge Furniture. The lamp is from Angove Street Collective and the vintage rattan stool was purchased privately. On the floor are salvaged Baltic pine floorboards from the original Melbourne Town Hall. Tanya and Peter found them on Gumtree and carefully restored them with local woodworkers. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

Peter handmade the plywood bed to perfectly fit the bedroom space. The vintage amber lights were sourced privately by Tanya and Carla and fitted by Peter. Timber windows were custom made by Furntech Joinery and the bed features the couple’s preferred organic cotton linen bedding from IN BED Store. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

There are two guest rooms in the home and each have the same retro vibe. This one features an original 1970’s double bed sourced privately off Gumtree by Tanya and Peter. They prefer to use organic cotton linen bedding by IN BED Store and have mixed it on this bed with velvet olive green pillow cases by Kip & Co from Remedy in Leederville. The poster is from a bar in Copenhagen and the travel books are a collection of Tanya and Peters. The woven baskets were gifted to Tanya by Carla. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

This is one of Tanya and Peter’s favourite views in the home – looking out through a window to a section of their green roof featuring philodendrons and mother-in-laws tongue. ‘Having greenery permanently in our bedroom is beautiful and calming — it’s a huge credit to Carla,’ says Tanya. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The bathroom is a lesson in simplicity… Cabinetry is by Raw Edge Furniture and tapware by Astra Walker. The mirror cabinetry was fitted by Peter. The couple prefer to use locally made vegan body products by Clean Slate . Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

This was a lucky find! Tanya managed to source a 1970s forest-green bathtub with matching basin from Adelaide for the ensuite. The tapware is Astra Walker and greenery by Tanya. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The northfacing courtyard utilises 1960s breezeblocks and white-painted recycled bricks. The table was made by Peter out of recycled oregon timber to match the interior benchtops and the vintage chairs were purchased secondhand from a salvage yard and repurposed with plywood seats by Peter. The outdoor lighting was also purchased second-hand. The permeable paving and courtyard design are by Tanya and Peter. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

The rear-lane access features a Forest Green roller door in keeping with the theme of the home. You can just spy the green roof, which was installed on two levels of the roof by Deep Green Landscaping with cladding by Scyon , timber window frames by Furntech Joinery. The permeable paving was sourced and installed by Peter and Tanya and the concrete planter made by Peter from left-over concrete in a previous renovation. Greenery by Tanya. Photography – Dion Robeson, styling – Anna Flanders.

Tanya McKenna and Peter Chadwick are self-confessed ‘passionate renovators’. She’s a sustainability consultant, and he’s a trades manager for a Perth renovation company. Together they are a savvy sustainable-design force… especially teamed with Tanya’s equally as eco-focused architect sister Carla Karsakis of Etica Studio.

It was 2014 when Tanya found the 200sqm urban infill block their home sits on today. At the time, she and Peter were half-way through a two-year renovation of a 1920s cottage, and had just returned from a two-month holiday in Uruguay and Brazil. It was also at this time that Carla launched her architectural studio, so the timing seemed right for a new project.

‘We worked really closely with Carla to maximize the small space into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a huge open-plan living space, dream kitchen and leafy courtyard,’ explains Tanya. ‘We are really close as sisters and we worked well together, bouncing ideas off one another.’

The result is a two storey (or one level with mezzanine) home the couple refer to as ‘The Nature-Inspired Eco House’. They live here with their nine-month-old boxer Henri, a family of indoor plants and the occasional Airbnb guest. This home, however, is as much a place to live, as is it a physical manifestation of the couple’s life philosophy.

‘How we live is not only important for us as human beings, but also for the world,’ says Tanya. ‘If we design living spaces with a lesser environmental footprint – with the earth and our comfort in mind – we’re not only creating beautiful healthy spaces, but we’re doing our bit for the climate. For us, our home demonstrates what is possible.’

Concrete (crushed and repurposed rubble), brick (1960s breeze blocks and reclaimed bricks), timber (revamped Baltic floorboards from the original Melbourne Town Hall fit-out and 1960s windows, doors and skirting boards) and low-VOC paints in Forest Green and white on the walls, with a white resin on the floors, set the palette of the home.

One element that is not seen, but incredibly important is a green roof by Deep Green Landscaping. Solar panels, a solar hot-water system (both by Infinite Energy) and greenery are packed above the house, which is fitting given Tanya is an advocate for the 202020 Vision – a national campaign to increase urban green space by 20 per cent by 2020.

‘As the global population grows and more people live in urban areas, there will be a greater need for the green roof as a heat sink in a warming climate, pollution reduction method, purifier of air and filter system for stormwater runoff, and a space for flora and fauna to increase urban biodiversity,” Tanya explains. The roof is accessed via a Danish-designed Velux skylight thanks to her parents’ company and she hopes it stands as an example of how residential homes can incorporate such a feature.

When it came to the home’s look and feel, the couple wanted to mix the brutalist aesthetic they had seen on holiday in South America, with the ‘hyggelig’ interiors they had experienced on a six-month visit to Denmark in 2011.

With the reclaimed materials and architectural design taking care of the Brutalist aspect, it was the ‘hygge’ they had to bring in, through furniture and accessories. Pieces throughout the home are a mix of custom designs; family objects, such as the nest of coffee tables made by Tanya’s grandfather and gifted to them by her nan; buys from mid-century stores in Perth; Gumtree finds; and other pieces the couple have sourced over time.

The soaring windows, which are a mosaic of reclaimed 60s clear and amber panes, and an oversized set of French doors, flood the largely white space with natural northern light, creating more of that warmth they were after. The light flows into the bottom and top floors, heating them up in winter and providing views over the neighboring roofs and treetops.

The couple say the home is relaxing in the morning, bright and airy through the day and calming in the evenings. They point to the natural light, fresh air and living greenery throughout the home as the element behind that. Of course, it’s also to do with the soulful materials palette, collections of furniture and objects and the passion and consideration that have gone into the design and build of this project.

‘Our home represents everything about us. There’s something to be said about living in a space that you worked so hard to create – every single thing was thought out. Together with the inner-city location and beautiful outlook, we couldn’t really ask for anything more,’ says Tanya.

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