Exterior Design Ideas

A new beach house in place of a much-loved family bach means this site is steeped in memories – the challenge of sweeping out the old and carefully crafting the new.

John and Emily’s journey to create their dream home in Ringwood, Melbourne, began when they purchased a 670m² property in 2020. The site, previously home to a modest 1960s 3-bedroom house, was the perfect location for their vision: to demolish the old structure and build a custom-designed family home that would meet the unique needs of their family of four, including their teenage daughter and Emily’s father. With a clear idea of what they wanted, John and Emily partnered with Anabode Design and Drafting, specialists in custom home design and drafting in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, to bring their dream to life. Anabode Design and Drafting worked closely with the couple to create a bespoke double-storey dwelling that blended functionality and style seamlessly, ensuring the design was perfect for their multi-generational lifestyle. The new home includes four bedrooms, including a luxurious master suite and a guest room, three bathrooms, and a powder room. The layout was carefully considered to provide both privacy and flexibility, while still encouraging family connection. The design demonstrates intelligent architecture, solving functional challenges with elegant solutions, and maximizing the use of space without compromise. The home was designed with an emphasis on natural light, creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Unexpected moments of delight are found throughout the home, and the flow from the spacious living areas to the outdoor alfresco lounge and pool is seamless—perfect for both entertaining and relaxation. One of the standout features of this stunning property is the full-glass wall in the entry foyer, which offers a striking view of John and Emily’s impressive collection of vintage and high-end cars. This feature is a testament to the couple’s passion and attention to detail. While the house was under construction, John and Emily were renting in nearby Vermont. Their emotional attachment to the project was evident, as they visited the site every day, driven by their excitement and passion for the home they were about to make their own. Their dedication to the project was clear, and it was this enthusiasm that made the collaboration with Anabode Design and Drafting so fulfilling. The home was constructed by Eltcon for a budget of $1.6M–$1.7M and was completed in 2025. Throughout the building process, Eltcon worked closely with John and Emily to ensure the design was brought to life as envisioned, keeping the project within budget while maintaining the high standards of craftsmanship. This custom-designed family home in Ringwood is a true reflection of the couple’s personality and lifestyle, brought to life by the collaborative effort of Anabode Design and Drafting and their trusted builder, Eltcon. A perfect example of how passion, precision, and a clear vision can result in a home that exceeds expectations.

2B Wellington Road is a private residence in Ballsbridge, Dublin. We were enlisted on this project to transform a former commercial optical surgery into a luxury private residence. The challenge was to transform this 300sqm sterile clinic into a cosy residence for two people. The building originally consisted of a number of small examination rooms, surgery rooms and narrow hallways. Our design intent was to create an open plan living space that would optimise natural light and create large and comfortable living spaces. The inclusion of a garden space was necessary as the client is an avid gardener. A 300sqm building with the client use as the central focus we decided on two bedrooms, one for the client and a guest bedroom as luxury was the primary goal of this property. The original building was connected to an exisiting coach house via a conservatory. Removing this facilitated a small city garden suitable for the clients needs. The original structure included 3 floors separately enclosed. By removing multiple sections of the original floors we created a dialogue between ground, first and second floor, linking the entire house as one and creating a series of double and triple height, light filled spaces. This connects the attic art studio down to the ground floor as one large volume of space. In this vast space, this links the floors so that the clients never feel far from each other. Removing a section at the rear of the house created a triple height living space for the kitchen / dining area and this allows both the ground and first floor to be flooded with natural light due to the inclusion of a 5.7 x 6m curtain wall window, externally clad in charcoal zinc oxide to contrast with the traditional red brick of the building exterior. We opened up the entire ground floor only enclosing the guest bedroom, bathroom and utility room. The removal of a floor in the master bedroom created a double height space that feels both spacious and luxurious. The first floor includes the living and sleeping space for the client. The master bedroom and ensuite on the first floor is entered via the walk in wardrobe. This walk in wardrobe acts as a decompression space for the client before rest in the bedroom or relaxation in the spa like bathroom. The second floor includes the art studio, attic space and a third bathroom. The addition of a dormer (also clad in charcoal zinc oxide) to the attic space makes for optimum natural light with full headroom for the art studio. Underfloor heating, hyper insulation and a central humidity system (to assist with the clients dry eye condition) were built into the shell and core. The integration of a heat / air exchange system makes this a more sustainable and comfortable build. Washing and repointing of the exterior brick completed the architectural renovation for this project. This project was Winner of Best Residential Interior Project and FitOut Deisgner of the Year in 2021.

John Mailley