Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Classic Queenslander Embraces Comfort and Colour
A traditional Queenslander exterior hides a vibrant, joyful and comfortable family home within
One of Australia’s favourite architectural styles, the Queenslander, is a common sight in many of Brisbane’s older suburbs. The graceful open and balanced structure of these iconic houses lends itself to interior re-designs and extensions that suit modern lifestyles, but which retain the undeniable charm of the exteriors. The owners of this Queenslander chose to do just that, in grand style, to create a comfortable family home bursting with colour, art and more than a touch of whimsy.
They chose Rebekah Hurworth, director and lead design architect from Family Home Experts for the structural renovations and extensions. Hurworth expanded the basic house to almost twice its size, in line with the owners’ wish for generous family and entertaining spaces, and kept the architectural detailing in harmony with the building’s origins. Hurworth recommended the award-winning Brisbane firm John Croft Design to collaborate with the client on the interiors. The project was worked on by John Croft and Lloyd Hodgkinson, and reflects the owners’ love of colour and art, and the designers’ ability to translate this into a lively interior that surprises and delights at every turn.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Shorncliffe, Brisbane
Who lives here: A business couple and their two children
Size: Original house is 283 square metres; including the extension, it is now 553 square metres
Rooms: 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, living areas, media room, wine cellar, billiards room, library and gym
Cost: $1,000,000+ for renovations and $500,000+ for interiors
They chose Rebekah Hurworth, director and lead design architect from Family Home Experts for the structural renovations and extensions. Hurworth expanded the basic house to almost twice its size, in line with the owners’ wish for generous family and entertaining spaces, and kept the architectural detailing in harmony with the building’s origins. Hurworth recommended the award-winning Brisbane firm John Croft Design to collaborate with the client on the interiors. The project was worked on by John Croft and Lloyd Hodgkinson, and reflects the owners’ love of colour and art, and the designers’ ability to translate this into a lively interior that surprises and delights at every turn.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Shorncliffe, Brisbane
Who lives here: A business couple and their two children
Size: Original house is 283 square metres; including the extension, it is now 553 square metres
Rooms: 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, living areas, media room, wine cellar, billiards room, library and gym
Cost: $1,000,000+ for renovations and $500,000+ for interiors
As with the other entertainment spaces, the living/dining area is no shrinking violet. The huge area, with its 3.6 metre ceilings, is also larger than life in its bold decor. The custom-designed handmade rug – “a significant purchase,” says Croft – underpins all of the colours in the furnishings and artwork, with big bold florals on charcoal.
In keeping with the room’s scale, a large marble sculpture by Zygmunt Libucha rests on a console table behind the sofa.
In keeping with the room’s scale, a large marble sculpture by Zygmunt Libucha rests on a console table behind the sofa.
In the formal dining area, a contemporary take on the crystal chandelier, with black silk shades, adds sparkle and perfectly suits the impressive ceiling height. Chairs match the casual dining chairs.
The kitchen has the proportions that would thrill someone who loves to cook and entertain. A lovely feature of the house is the hand-finished European oak floors, seen here in the kitchen and casual dining area. Note the fabulous tall sash windows that flood this kitchen with Queensland sunshine.
The downstairs hallway leads to the gym, cellar and guest bedrooms. Croft said he was met with a little resistance from the owners when he suggested a collection of gaily coloured ceramic animal heads, but it makes a playful and striking statement on the classic walls.
Also in the hallway is a dramatic rug made from antique sari fabric and a brightly painted oriental buffet with coordinating artwork and accessories.
The billiard room “is all about fun and entertainment,” says Croft. A conversation piece is the display of white ceramic masks above the fireplace.
Armchair fabric in ‘Coconut Grove’ (Leaf): Designers Guild through Radfords
Armchair fabric in ‘Coconut Grove’ (Leaf): Designers Guild through Radfords
Flamboyant clashing florals keep the room bright and informal. Not pictured here is the pool table, which is stained black timber with a vivid cobalt blue felt top.
Armchairs fabric in ‘Sagrada Lime’: Designers Guild through Radfords
Armchairs fabric in ‘Sagrada Lime’: Designers Guild through Radfords
What a way to enjoy a little wine tasting! The downstairs cellar is a colourful and convivial place for wine enthusiasts to pop a cork or two.
A section of the attic space has been turned into a large and comfortable library, under the angled ceiling. Croft describes this ‘quiet area’ as much more masculine and refined than the family entertainment rooms. It is a very personal place for the owner, as all the artwork on the walls was painted by his mother. Croft had the paintings reframed and hung in a gallery-like display. It is furnished with distressed leather armchairs, a custom leather cabinet with faux leather bound books and felt-lined drawers, and luxurious fabrics.
After the colour and excitement of the family living spaces, Croft has given the master bedroom a more subdued feel. “It is much more neutral and calming,” he says. Classic Queenslander vertical timber wall panelling with dado detail form the background to oriental bone inlaid bedside tables, softly textured bed linen and a pair of Picasso lithographs.
The soft tones of the paintwork throughout the house form the backdrop to the vibrant furnishings, artwork and fabrics chosen by Croft and the owners. “We didn’t want to take away from the architect’s details,” he says, “so we created a neutral shell and then added colour and personality through the furnishings.” The walls in the guest bedroom are dark taupe, and Croft added strong chartreuse and fuchsia through the bedding and armchair, and a charcoal shag rug.
Hot pink has been used as an accent colour in several areas of the house. This armchair and brass-detailed side table is one of Croft’s favourite arrangements.
Spacious verandahs are a feature of Queenslanders and this comfortable space invites outdoor lounging. Off-white furniture holds colourful cushions in outdoor fabrics from Schumacher.
Trina Turk cushions for Shumacher in ‘Beauty Bark’ (Violet) and ‘Sunglass’ (Charcoal): The Elephant Room
Trina Turk cushions for Shumacher in ‘Beauty Bark’ (Violet) and ‘Sunglass’ (Charcoal): The Elephant Room
Croft says, “I love being given the opportunity to create something that will affect the client’s mood through beautiful surroundings – in this case, with exciting and unexpected use of vibrant colour – and a sense of humour!”
The surprises start from the first step into the impressive entry hall. An antique-finished console table is flanked by two large ornate gold leaf pedestals holding agapanthus. Croft particularly likes the addition of the artwork above the console. “The scale of this piece is just wonderful,” he says, “and isn’t dwarfed by the high ceilings.”