Category Archives: Home Design

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Architecture: Stonelea Farm House In Australia

Video Leave a comment

The Local Project (June 39, 2023) – Responding to context and climate, the architect delivers Stonelea, an authentic, multi-generational country retreat embedded in the landscape.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Sustainable Modern Farm house 00:48 – The Brief 01:00 – Retaining the Existing Elements 01:20 – Consideration of the Carbon Footprint 01:43 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:55 – Providing Natural Light 03:44 – Drawing Inspiration from the Site and the Landscape 04:39 – A Result of Combined Efforts and Proud Moments

Nestled in the western foothills of the Blue Mountains, Stonelea by Matthew Woodward Architecture tenderly responds to context. Continuing a long-standing interest in connecting people with landscape, Stonelea gently frames the human experience within its striking rural surrounds.

An existing cluster of workers’ cottages, each with a wondrous view across the vast valley and connection to the Coxs River below, informed the planning and articulation of the home. The home’s linear and low-lying form draws on the Australian shed vernacular. A minimalist approach to form is articulated in the generous floor plan, whilst the earthy materials reflect an affinity with the landscape.

Stonelea’s barn-like form skilfully combines hardwood timber shiplap and metal roof sheeting set on a weighty podium of local stone, embedding the house atop the slope of the river and valley panorama. The architect dexterously planned around established trees, conveying a seamlessness with the landscape that belies the age of the architecture. A simple, elongated spatial arrangement gives hierarchy and order between public and private spaces.

Ensuite guest bedrooms and a kids’ room are lined along a timber-screened walkway, flanked by a large master bedroom to the north and expansive living spaces to the south, affording acoustic separation and privacy.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Reviews, Tours, Videos

Alaska Architecture: Waterfront Home Tour

Video Leave a comment

Wall Street Journal (June 27, 2023) – This luxury oceanfront property in southeast Alaska, with concrete floors and a pink kitchen, cost $2.07 million to build and furnish.

Video timeline: 0:00 Living on the water 0:54 Living room 1:32 Kitchen 2:25 Deck and nook 3:54 Primary bedroom 4:49 Outside space

The home includes a strawberry wall, a floating chair that costs over $3,000 and ocean views from every room. Homeowner Kristi Linsenmayer describes the joys and challenges of custom-building a home over the water in rural Ketchikan.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Australia Design: Parkside Residence In Adelaide

Video Leave a comment

The Local Project (June 27, 2023) – A house openly engaging with its surrounding context, Parkside Residence is both outwardly and inwardly focused to reference the existing formal language it is immersed within. Ashley Halliday Architects proposes a light-filled family home that combines heightened detailing with a sense of the familiar.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro to the Light Filled House 00:42 – The Project Brief 01:11 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:17 – Creating A Cosy Home 02:50 – The Cathedral Glass Wall 03:20 – A Focus on the Landscaping 03:56 – The Colour and Material Palette 04:41 – Experiencing the Freshness of the Home

Set within a heritage-rich area of inner south-east Adelaide, Parkside Residence is imagined as a house of considered proportions. In acknowledging its adjacent neighbours and the traditional forms in place, the proposal aims to also celebrate the silhouettes of the existing streetscape through the formation of two main gabled pavilion arrangements. Aligned perpendicularly to one another, the pair sit separated with a connective corridor space to bind them.

Whilst the home is a modern insertion within its traditional setting, by respectfully honouring the formal language of the established rooflines, the structure adds to the rhythm of the streetscape. Ashley Halliday Architects focuses on balancing both the privacy and experience of the house from within with a series of spaces that nestle comfortably. Ikon Projects crafts Parkside Residence to transition from a privately veiled home at the front to a more open collective of spaces to the rear.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Architecture: A Tour Of Frank Sinatra’s 1947 ‘Twin Palms’ In Palm Springs

Video Leave a comment

The Local Project (June 23, 2023) – Nestled among the palm trees, Twin Palms by E. Stewart Williams boasts not only a desirable position but a rich history that makes the iconic house stand out.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro to Frank Sinatra’s Iconic House 00:39 – A Completely Blank Canvas 01:14 – E. Stewart William’s First Architecture Project 01:53 – The Original Floor Plan 02:19 – A Typical Palm Springs Type Home 03:02 – Indoor and Outdoor Fusion 03:23 – The Many Moods of Modernism 03:40 – Enveloping and Warm 03:59 – The Unity of Nature and Architecture 04:38 – Balanced Light 05:15 – Frank Sinatra’s Love of the Desert

First built when there was nothing but mountains and desert, Twin Palms helped establish the architectural shape of Palm Springs. As Twin Palms was the first home designed by E. Stewart Williams, the iconic house offers a softness and comfortability that its original owner, Frank Sinatra, desired. Throughout this iconic house, E. Stewart Williams has provided fun, pleasure, privacy and respite, for the home’s first owner to its current occupants.

Though the midcentury home was built in 1947 for Frank Sinatra, E. Stewart Williams’s complex yet soft design has remained mostly intact, with the only change to the floor plan being the entrance, which was moved to the opposite side of the street to provide a dramatic arrival. Additionally, the original furniture and kitchen appliances remain, adding to the home’s interesting history.

For the rest of the exterior and interior design, the softness and expression of pleasure and place are articulated with the interior columns that are rounded instead of straight – an idea that helps to soften the environment and avoid the harshness of geometric design. With the architecture of homes in Palm Springs being designed with respect to the mountains, there is a sense of unity between nature and structure that exists in the iconic house. Further deepening this, E. Stewart Williams provides an overarching sense of indoor and outdoor living through the colour choices, materials and form of the iconic house.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos

Home Tour: 1970’s Modern In Nottinghamshire, UK

Video Leave a comment

The Modern House (June 22, 2023) – “We’d never seen anything like it – we were totally blown away,” said Simon Siegel when we went to visit him and his wife, Monica, at their 1970s mid-century home in Nottinghamshire four years ago for our My Modern House series.

Simon’s words echoed our feelings exactly: we were blown away not only by the brilliance of architect David Shelley’s original design, but also by how Monica and Simon lived in it so sympathetically and stylishly, for that matter – a true one-of-a-kind. And now we’re back.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Houseboat Tour: Halcyon -Designed By An Architect

Video Leave a comment

The Local Project (June 20, 2023) – Conscious of balancing key attributes of landscape, orientation and experience, architect Stephen Jolson of Jolson optimises the itinerant lakeside location of his houseboat, Halcyon.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro to the Super Yacht 00:32 – Situated Rugged Australian Landscape 00:55 – Special of Living on the Water 01:41 – A Walkthrough of the Super Yacht 02:47 – The Change in quality of Light 02:57 – The History Behind The Super Yacht 03:33 – The Intricacies of Designing A Boat 04:08 – A Limited Material Palette 05:00 – The Privilege of Designing and Building A Boat 05:40 – Creating Experiences and Memories

The super yacht thoughtfully interprets its unique context to create an architectural home that offers not just a refuge but an experience – one that allows a deep connection to the elements. Halcyon is a graceful expression of Jolson’s combined interior and architectural expertise, its design seamlessly integrating with elements of the landscape to maximise the unique context.

Living on the water means changing orientations and outlooks are to be celebrated. As such, an open plan ground floor with limited joinery, furniture and walls allows many outlooks, with a full-height wall serving as a division that enables the lounge and outdoor dining area to connect seamlessly. The first floor also houses two master bedrooms and two other guest bedrooms that share an ensuite. In the middle of the super yacht is a staircase that extends to the open rooftop, which houses a woodfired hot tub.

The super yacht takes advantage of its mooring by welcoming the textures of the landscape inside the architecture of the boat, recounting a strong connection between the water and the landscape with the interior design. Floor-to-ceiling windows, an open floor plan with minimal partitions and large, functional outdoor spaces were all incorporated to maximise the indoor-outdoor connection.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Design: A Tour Of Moore House In Los Angeles

Video Leave a comment

The Local Project (June 16, 2023) – Though Moore House was originally designed by Craig Ellwood in 1965, the newly restored house by Woods + Dangaran is a respectful design that enhances its rich history for both the owners and the wider Los Angeles architectural community.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Magical Restored House 00:30 – The Clients Simple Goals 00:43 – The History of Mid-Century Tropical Modernism 01:05 – The Restoration Process 01:46 – Designing Inline with Craig Ellwood’s Style 02:34 – Playing on High Contrast and Linking Spaces 03:32 – Background Architecture 03:53 – The Advantage of Hillside Properties 04:22 – Interesting Features of the Home 04:44 – Respecting the History 05:00 – Preservation and Timeless Design

However, once owned by a local band that left it in disrepair, the home needed a complete renovation of both exterior and interior design. Tasked with this challenge, Woods + Dangaran has infused contemporary design methods that restore the midcentury home’s character in a modern light. As the architect and interior designer, Woods + Dangaran were able to save the home through a thoughtful and delicate renovation.

From the street, the finished design of the restored house appears above the carport and unfolds in a rectangular form, where the majority of the original structural and interior elements have been kept. Throughout the restored house, two of the main kept character elements are seen in the two bookends of the original home. The first bookend holds the new fireplace, which is maintained in both its original proportion and location and modernised with a patinaed brass that wraps around it.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Renovations: A Tour Of A Modern Home In Sydney

Video Leave a comment

The Local Project (June 13, 2023) – Inspired by the familiar warmth of a family home, Luigi Rosselli Architects has renovated an ageing house in a thoughtful and fluid way.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Family House 00:31 – An Eclectic Layered Home 01:13 – The Location and A Walkthrough of the Home 02:07 – The Brief 02:51 – A Focus on the Fire Place 03:07 – Glowy, Warm and Textural 03:25 – A Beautifully Crafted Kitchen 03:50 – The Feature Staircase 05:40 – Positive Outcomes 06:09 – Proud Moments 06:22 – Favourite Aspects of the Home

Structural interventions and refreshed interiors keep valuable portions of the home whilst welcoming in contemporary layers to fit a modern context. Upon entering the house, one is greeted by an old hallway and a beautiful, robust spiral staircase designed by S&A Stairs, which binds the home together.

The stairs demonstrate fine craftsmanship and attention to detail, featuring a continuous handrail with a smooth elliptical curve and a unique curved bend. At the top of the stairs is a lightwell that bathes the long hallway in light. Down the hallway are five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a sunken lounge that extends into the kitchen and dining beyond – all of which are bordered by a lush tropical garden.

The renovation is defined by a tangible fluidity, with one of the main reworkings being the relocation of the garage, which was previously located in the centre of the house. Instead, the garage has moved below the existing house to make room for the sunken lounge, creating a well-connected home with more usable space. The fireplace lies at the centre of this new area, adding to the warm and welcoming nature of the open living area, and features a fluted travertine around the edges which not only reveals the curves of its unique form but also brings texture into the lounge room.

Architecture, Gardens, Historical, Home Design, Homes, Views

Watercolor Views: British Painter Annie Tempest’s “Mediterranean Cruise”

Leave a comment

Country Life Magazine (June 10 , 2023) – Annie Tempest, the brains and hands behind Country Life’s beloved Tottering-by-Gently cartoon, shares her pictorial diary of a recent Empires of the Mediterranean cruise, aboard Viking’s ‘Sky’ ship, with us.

Piraeus 1.0  – We boarded Viking Sky at Piraeus port in Athens, so were in harbour over night. I began to notice the blueness and the ‘dome-i-ness’ of my surroundings. Acclimatising my eyes to the change in architecture from North Norfolk.

Still painting late into the night watching the the buildings turn into silhouettes and the blue mountains in the distance fade to smudges.

Koper, Slovenia – Tito Square in Koper has a strong Italian influence and even the language spoken here is part Italian and part Slovene. It was a capital city under the Venetian Republic. I couldn’t paint this journey without including a tourist photographing the magnificent architecture.

This was the sight that greeted us as we  approached the Greek island of Santorini. Beautiful coloured buildings above what looked like cave entrances. The town sits on the top of what appears to be a giant rock and is reached by cable car, or donkey for the more intrepid.

READ MORE

Architecture, Gardens, Historical, Home Design, Homes, Views

English Country Homes: ‘Compton End’, Hampshire

Leave a comment

Country Life Magazine (June 8, 2023) – Originally built in the 17th century, Compton End in the village of Compton caught the eye of the architect George Herbert Kitchin, who extended the house in the late 19th century and created the magnificent Arts-and-Crafts garden. He lived at the property until his death in 1951.

The gardens are marked by a combination of formality and informality. Clipped yew hedges and topiary contrast with abundant naturalistic planting. Vistas lead through rectangular areas with straight paths and borders, a pond, and then a croquet lawn, to fields and woods beyond. Less formal areas have winding pathways and there are also wildflower meadows and fruit trees. The rendered brick summer house has fine views from all sides. Next to the house is a recently rebuilt timber framed barn for use as a garage and workshop. There is ample parking on the gravel drive.

Winchester is a city in the county of Hampshire, on the edge of England’s South Downs National Park. It’s known for medieval Winchester Cathedral, with its 17th-century Morley Library, the Winchester Bible and a Norman crypt. Nearby are the ruins of Wolvesey Castle and the Winchester City Mill, a working 18th-century corn mill. The Great Hall of Winchester Castle houses the medieval round table linked to King Arthur. 

READ MORE