Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

A serene colour palette with shades of Dulux Bruin Spice and Nood Co peach concrete adds warmth to a south-facing bathroom, complemented by dramatic white floor-to-ceiling shower curtains. Finishes of handmade clay herringbone tiles, raw rendered walls and marbled surfaces adds texture to the bathroom renovation.

A combination of oak and pastel blue created a calming oasis to lye in the tranquil bath and watch the world go by. New Velux solar skylight and louvre window were installed to add ventilation and light.

Reconfiguration of the original bathroom creates a private ensuite for the master bedroom.

The new secondary bathroom is a very compact and efficient layout that shares the extra space provided by stepping the rear additions to the boundary. Behind the shower is a small shed accessed from the back deck, and the media wall in the living room takes a slice out of the space too. Plentiful light beams down through the Velux and the patterned wall tiles provide a playful backdrop to a simple black, white & timber pallete.

This lovely bathroom has everything that represents good design: well balanced; functional; aesthetically pleasing, interesting and individual; good use of space; and not only meeting, but exceeding, the clients' brief. The carefully chosen floor and feature wall tiles add a definite individual stamp, and allude to perhaps an art deco or retro mood. The room would be simply just another white bathroom without them. The white and black of the tiles is reflected in the selection of the white wall tiles and black tapware and accessories. The monochrome theme is then softened and made more inviting by the addition of the timber vanity with its fluted basins. The pretty mirrors are the touch of genius here, defying the straight lines elsewhere, and asserting their style on the whole. Successfully blending styles, shapes, colours and textures is the key to a result that supersedes the ordinary and says: 'This is my space'. The right advice and professional knowhow, including correct execution (note the beautiful tiling by our talented tilers), is also essential to ensure a polished designer-look. It is very much worth your time to carefully consider and select each individual element, ensuring that each one is of the highest quality within your budget. This will ensure a pleasing long-lasting look, no matter the whims of fashion.

Standalone concrete sink on marble pedestal Curved tiles with recessed lighting

The phrase "luxury master suite" brings this room to mind. With a double shower, double hinged glass door and free standing tub, this water room is the hallmark of simple luxury. It also features a hidden niche, a hemlock ceiling and brushed nickel fixtures paired with a majestic view. Photo by Azevedo Photo

Blue and white color combination is always a crowd pleased. And for a Boys bathroom, you can't miss! The designers at Fordham Marble created a soothing feel with blue twist on the Basketweave pattern flooring and the Pratt & Larson Blue ceramic wall tile in the shower. Notice the custom-built niche for your bathing products.

the client decided to eliminate the bathtub and install a large shower with partial fixed shower glass instead of a shower door

Interior Design: Allard + Roberts Interior Design Construction: K Enterprises Photography: David Dietrich Photography

A beveled wainscot tile base, chair rail tile, brass hardware/plumbing, and a contrasting blue, embellish the new powder room.

Guest Bathroom with Issy vanity mirror from Reece/Zuster. Inax wall tiles from Artedomus. Grey Tundra marble counter and French Grey European Oak door front veneer. Photo by Derek Swalwell.