Tag Archives: Architectural Home Tours

Design: ‘Sunrise House’ In Melbourne, Australia

Designing an architect’s own home and office space, Jolson architecture and interior design studio combines two distinct spaces that remain inherently separate. With a fascination of blurring lines between architecture, interior design and landscape design, Sunrise House becomes an exploration of how each discipline crafts a sense of space within.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Masterworks Advertisement 00:11 – Introduction to Sunrise House 00:42 – The Original 1950s Confectionary Factory 01:01 – Combining A Family Home and A Commercial Office Space 01:17 – Placing An Emphasis on Natural Light and Garden Space 01:27 – A Sanctuary with Sculptural Elements 02:19 – A Connection Between Outside and Inside 02:52 – Moving Vertically Through The House 03:32 – Connection to History Through The Gym and Courtyard Space 04:14 – Living With Colour, Texture and Memories 04:55 – A Reaction to The Original Facade 05:25 – Masterworks Advertisement

Sitting on the edge of an industrial commercial zone, Sunrise House by Jolson architecture and interior design studio was once a 1950s sweet factory before becoming an architect’s own home. Greenery covers the building’s façade, offering a dynamic sense of style not often seen within Melbourne’s cityscape. Yet inside, the connection from inside to out is made through an open floor plan that allows for the family to easily transition between living areas.

From the entrance, the office and ground level of the house honours the original build by keeping the concrete, paring it back to expose the aggregate. Although, in spaces where new concrete was poured, Jolson celebrates the new markings with memories of his own family, establishing the structure as an architect’s own home as well as a workplace. Retaining as much of the honesty and texture of the original building was key to bringing forth vibrancy.

The main design idea in the open living space was to insert three walls. Black joinery adorns one wall containing a concealed kitchen, another a large artwork that celebrates the history of the building and a third wall containing a luxurious fireplace. Through optimising the entirety of the volume within, Sunshine House becomes more than an architect’s own home, it becomes an art form. Jolson balances life, texture and colour – further complementing the minimal design aspects of an architect’s own home.

Architecture: The Gallery House, Toorak, Australia

The exact sum of its parts, The Gallery House features spaces both grand and small, each expressing their own narrative. Crafted by Workroom, the super house stands as an exemplary piece of interior design and architecture. Situated in the well-established suburb of Toorak,

00:00 – The Local Project Print Publication 00:10 – Introduction to the Super House 01:27 – Creating Continuity with Materials 02:30 – Use of Stone in the House 02:47 – Landscape Design 03:21 – Natural Light 03:50 – A Sense of Timelessness 04:27 – What the Architect is Most Proud Of

The Gallery House sits amongst other large family homes and gardens. Despite its spatial openness, the super house is designed in allusion to experiences yet to come, flowing towards other aspects of itself and its context. A house tour of the property reveals the extent of its size. A true super house, the residence contains 4 bedrooms, 2 lounge rooms and vast, double-height voids. Workroom purposely conceals the size of the home from the street, creating anticipation and intrigue, using a curved concrete wall to the entry as a reveal of what is to come. The modern materials of concrete, terrazzo, timber and stone feature consistently in the super house. Subverting expectations, Workroom uses the characteristically heavy concrete to craft an elegant staircase that appears effortlessly lightweight, whilst timber and green stone facilitate an open connection to the lush landscaping. Embracing a raw materiality, Workroom creates a super house that will gracefully express the passage of time. With the capacity to visually evolve with age, The Gallery House is a successful interpretation of modern refinement.

Architecture: Flinders Residence – A Modern Cabin Design In Australia

Flinders Residence is a modern cabin mansion imbued with the romantic character of a farm-style home. Created by Abe McCarthy Architects with an interior crafted by AV-ID, the coastal building combines minimalism and luxury to benefit a growing family.

Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to The Modern Cabin Mansion 00:46 – The Reveal 02:09 – Collaboration Between Architect and Interior Designer 02:47 – Use of Materials 03:27 – Contrast Between Light and Dark 04:10 – Design and Detail 04:44 – Materials, Products and Furniture Round-Up 06:18 – What the Interior Designer is Most Proud Of

Aptly removed from the city workings of nearby Melbourne, Flinders Residence sits in its namesake town as a modern cabin mansion. The building is first revealed at the end of a long driveway, standing as three interconnected pavilions nestled within the landscape. Located at the entry point of the home is an architecturally framed view of the horizon, whilst a sense of volume created by the barn-style framework contributes to the dramatic experience of the internal envelope of the modern cabin mansion.

The interior design of the modern cabin mansion intertwines the aesthetic preferences of both homeowners. A minimalist scheme of contrasting light and dark tones is complemented by luxurious materials and finishes, including Brazilian granite, marble, brass and bronze.

The use of timber pays homage to both clients’ involvement in the timber industry. Inspired by European and American homesteads, Flinders Residence stands as a refined and modern cabin mansion. Using a sophisticated and restrained materiality, the design successfully captures the romantic appeal of a farm-style home whilst adding a luxurious touch.

Tours: Caspers House On Paku Hill, New Zealand

A house of contrast, Caspers House is an interior designer’s own home. Crafted by Dessein Parke in collaboration with Glamuzina Architects, the residence represents the playful exploration of space and colour. The relationship between the home and its unique location may be the first indication that Caspers House is an interior designer’s own home.

Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to an Interior Designer’s Own Home 00:51 – Orientation of the Home 01:31 – Interior Designer’s Own Home 02:04 – Unique Wall Colour 02:25 – Utilisinig Natural Light 02:45 – Split Level Design 03:31 – Features of the Home 04:21 – The Interior Designer’s Favourite Part of the Home 04:39 – The Architect’s Favourite Part of the Home 04:55 – Success of the Project

Settled on Paku Hill, an old volcano at the edge of Tairua, Caspers House relates to its setting through its boldly designed architecture. Comprised of subtle, corrugated fiberglass and sporting a triangular structure, the unconventional façade of the home references the special nature of the landscape. As an interior designer’s own home, Caspers House expresses an adventurous design approach, distinguishing it from typical New Zealand dwellings and paying homage to its unusual volcano location.

In contrast to the stark white interiors of other homes, the design of Caspers House champions a dark, muted palette that calms the senses. Testifying to its status as an interior designer’s own home, Caspars House maximises the spatial opportunities afforded by its unique architecture. Open-plan elements are contrasted with split levels, establishing the spatial flow of the home and allowing for moments of privacy within communally inhabited spaces.

The ideal match for its volcano setting, Caspers House is imbued with a sense of character. Intelligently designed and thoroughly executed, the residence exemplifies an interior designer’s own home.

Townhome Tours: Azura Aspendale, Australia (4K)

Developed by Lowe Living in collaboration with Chamberlain Architects and GOLDEN, Azura Aspendale showcases the very best of beachside living. A house tour of an exemplar modern apartment proves the property to be a well-considered complex, seeing each resident have direct access to the nearby ocean.

Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to the Modern Apartment 00:43 – Meeting the Brief 01:45 – Beach Access 02:07 – Designing for the Landscape 03:00 – Sustainable Design Features 03:45 – Apartment Living Features 04:24 – Indoor-Outdoor Living 04:55 – Executing a Strong Idea 05:19 – What the Architect is Most Proud Of

Sitting on a slither of land between the beach and the railway in Aspendale, the modern apartment is one of 19 within the complex, which is complemented by eight townhouses. Behind the apartment is a designed landscape that uses walkways to directly connect residents to the beachfront, with the walkways leading to a purposeful cut in the front of the building.

Presenting as a singular form, the external architecture of Azura Aspendale picks up on the vast horizon that the modern apartment faces. The rectilinear structure of the building succeeds in light of its modest presence; as opposed to visually dominating the natural landscape, the development presents as architecturally timeless and in harmony with its context.

The interior design of Azura Aspendale follows from the surrounding landscape. Natural materials such as chalky limestone and textured granite subtly refer to the outdoors whilst testifying to the significance of material longevity. Windows to the front and back of each modern apartment complete the airy, externally focused interior design.

Standing as a highly admirable collection of residences, Azura Aspendale is a gem in the Lowe Living property portfolio. From its materiality to its well-developed connection to the outdoors, each modern apartment provides an elegant means of experiencing beachside living.

Mountain Views: ‘Chalet On Powder Mountain’ In Northern Utah (Video)

Chalet on Powder Mountain

This chalet is located just slightly north of the top of a gentle slope that stretches from north to south in the natural park in Powder Mountain, Utah, USA. It sits at the northern end of a cluster of chalets spread out to the south, and one can enjoy the view to the south from the second floor. It is a great place to access both the town and the ski resort, and enjoy the magnificent view to the north.

After skiing, they would step off the ski slope and approach the chalet from the south side of the site to take a break. They would go into the mud room, take off ski clothes and skis, hang them there to dry, take a shower on the same floor, change in on of the bedrooms, and go upstairs. The upper floor where one can enjoy the magnificent view on the north side has a spacious balcony resulted from the setback regulation, kitchen, dining room, and living room where they would enjoy the view, delicious food and drinks, light the fire and have a good time together after a long day of skiing. Since the building is located in a natural park, it is subject to very strict building regulations and the buildable area is small. This extremely compact building is designed to take up the maximum allowable volume. The compact size is perfect for experiencing the grandeur of nature, giving you a sense of being nestled in it.

Structurally, the lower floor is constructed with steel frames to maintain an appropriate distance between the slope and the building, and a highly insulated wooden structure is placed on top of the steel frames to protect the indoor environment. The expression of the wooden materials harmonizes and integrates with the surrounding land and stones in summer, and evokes the warmth of home against the white snow in winter.

Title: Chalet on Powder Mountain

Architect: Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects

Project team: Matthieu Darcourt, Ou Ueno

Collaboration: Lloyd Architects(AOR)

Location: Utah, USA

Design: A Modern Home In Australia Is ‘Split In Two’

Located in Manly, this modern house emphasises casual beachside living through a strong connection to the external environment. Sitting in one of the suburb’s leafiest streets, the modern house enjoys optimal views to the surrounding areas, maximising the cross-flow of natural breezes from its elevated position.

The modern house’s material palette draws inspiration from the history of the surrounding area, whilst raw materials provide a contemporary architectural form, blurring the lines between casual and formal life. A long horizontal concrete form with chamfered edges is clad in breeze-admitting passive timber shading devices and bands of glazing that invite views of the carefully curated greenery. Responding to its coastal location, this modern house is defined by a timber-lined ceiling extending to the soffit and polished concrete floors, creating a series of seamless spaces flowing onto each other, from open to closed, informal to formal, refined and robust all at the same time.

Open-plan living spaces spill out to the outdoor living and pool areas on the ground floor, blurring the line between outside and inside, emphasising the garden outlook, natural light-filled spaces and the modern house’s connection to its environment. A large oversized island bench is the meeting point of the modern home, with streamlined kitchen and living room joinery connecting the living spaces. Ancillary spaces are tucked away into the core of the building, allowing maximum natural light to the living spaces.

As a modern house, the concrete stair is a sculptural presence that sweeps upwards, binding the living spaces to the bedrooms and bathrooms on level one, where the external timber screens add ventilation and ever-changing shadows within. In the basement, a wine cellar, laundry, utility and theatre room provide technical support to the rest of the modern house.

Architecture and Interior Design by DKO Architecture. Development by Adjani. Photography by Tom Ferguson and Toby Peet. Filmed and Edited by Cheer Squad Film Co. Production by The Local Project.

Island View: ‘Villa Mandra – Mykonos Island, Greece’

Sitting on the ridge of the hill of Aleomandra in Mykonos yet almost entirely hidden from view, Villa Mandra looks straight out to sea and the sunset over the neighbouring island of Delos. A 6-bedroom holiday house built for a young, dynamic couple to enjoy with their family and friends, it celebrates its spectacular view from a grounded viewpoint blended into a sensitively landscaped, stone-walled garden that screens it from the road behind.

The house is built upon the idea of slow, laid-back summer living, and encourages mindful connection with family, friends and the freedom to exist peacefully in nature. Form follows emotion rather than function, as every space becomes another opportunity for rest, reflection and exploration.

Design & Home Tour Video: ‘Wanaka – New Zealand’

This is undoubtedly one of the best homes to become available in Wanaka, located in the prestigious Mt. Gold area offering mountain and lake views. A property with rare presence, scale and distinction, the exterior design presents clean lines and sophisticated detailing.

Exquisite internal finishes including engineered French Oak flooring, European timber joinery with aluminum facing, and granite bench tops. Enveloped in shou sugi ban timber (larch) and bluestone highlights, vaulted ceilings, quality finishes, extensive indoor-outdoor flow, this property offers the best of Wanaka living. Set on 3,003 square meters this newly completed property has a 552 square meters floor plan encompassing seven bedrooms, master with en-suite and walk-in wardrobe, two bathrooms, separate toilet, laundry room, generous open plan kitchen/dining/living space, and separate lounge or media room.

The living spaces continue to the outdoor area with expansive decking offering an entertainers delight with large BBQ area, outdoor fire and kitchen. The azure waters of the outdoor heated swimming pool entice and delight. In addition to the internal double garaging offered within the house, there is also extensive 135 square meters garaging/shed area for toys and more. Plenty of guest parking is also available on-site.

Architectural Home Tour: A Converted Warehouse, Melbourne, Australia (4K)

An architect’s own home can be a challenge to design, with no brief or boundaries to adhere to, leaving the architect’s skill set and true style exposed for all to see. This converted warehouse is an architect’s own home, designed by and for Rob Mills of Rob Mills Architecture and Interior Design.

Located in Armadale, a Melbourne suburb known for its character and village atmosphere, the house was created through a warehouse conversion, which gave the architect plenty of scope and space to design a piece of architecture that truly reflected his likes and wishes. Harnessing this space in the converted warehouse home, the house carries over three levels, with an apartment, sauna and garage at ground level, living in the middle, and bedrooms above.

The interior design uses a minimal palette of stone, timber, stucco, glass and metal, with brass playing a large part in the design, especially in the kitchen where it is used extensively and effectively. This glamour and drama are at the heart of the interior design of the converted warehouse. A spiral staircase adds a sculptural element to the house, while also providing an efficient method of travelling between floors.

The office, which has an English aesthetic with lush yet classic-style furniture, features timber shutters that close off to create a focused environment or open to let in plenty of natural daylight. Close connections to nature were important to the architect, Rob Mills of Rob Mills Architecture and Interior Design. A water feature trickles through the living space of the converted warehouse, providing a meditative element to the room. Materials were chosen for their non-toxicity, with stucco walls specified as a natural alternative to paint.

An architect’s own converted warehouse home, Armadale Residence features designer furniture throughout that is carefully chosen to subtly fit with the shine and glamour of the materials. Architecture and Interior Design by Rob Mills Architecture and Interior Design. Filmed and Edited by Cheer Squad Film Co. Production by The Local Project.