Midcentury Living Design Ideas
Ironbark Architecture + DesignThe alteration and addition of this 1967 Pettit+Sevitt MKII preserves the spirit of the Ken Woolley design, while meeting the needs of modern-day family life and optimising sunlight, breeze and views. Sitting at the edge of expansive bushland, it engages and connects with the natural surroundings and complies with the rigorous requirements of BAL FZ.
The rear addition was removed and rebuilt, with the new addition providing a fourth bedroom, second bathroom, larger laundry and a new family room. Extending the house longways is in keeping with the original built form, as is the split-level design, which maintains its flow and functionality. The skillion roof matches the existing profile and allows for a lofty skylight to bring light into the bathroom, and the distinctive Oregon beams have been retained and stained black. The west-facing deck off the family room was retained, and a roof added to temper the sunlight and heat and make indoor and outdoor living more comfortable.
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Stonehouse + Irons ArchitectureConcrete block walls provide thermal mass for heating and defence agains hot summer. The subdued colours create a quiet and cosy space focussed around the fire. Timber joinery adds warmth and texture , framing the collections of books and collected objects.
Mihaly SlocombeWeather 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.
InsideWrightLiving room corner with the family pet in one of her favorite spots.
Photos: Brittany Ambridge
Flavin ArchitectsOur clients wanted to replace an existing suburban home with a modern house at the same Lexington address where they had lived for years. The structure the clients envisioned would complement their lives and integrate the interior of the home with the natural environment of their generous property. The sleek, angular home is still a respectful neighbor, especially in the evening, when warm light emanates from the expansive transparencies used to open the house to its surroundings. The home re-envisions the suburban neighborhood in which it stands, balancing relationship to the neighborhood with an updated aesthetic.
The floor plan is arranged in a “T” shape which includes a two-story wing consisting of individual studies and bedrooms and a single-story common area. The two-story section is arranged with great fluidity between interior and exterior spaces and features generous exterior balconies. A staircase beautifully encased in glass stands as the linchpin between the two areas. The spacious, single-story common area extends from the stairwell and includes a living room and kitchen. A recessed wooden ceiling defines the living room area within the open plan space.
Separating common from private spaces has served our clients well. As luck would have it, construction on the house was just finishing up as we entered the Covid lockdown of 2020. Since the studies in the two-story wing were physically and acoustically separate, zoom calls for work could carry on uninterrupted while life happened in the kitchen and living room spaces. The expansive panes of glass, outdoor balconies, and a broad deck along the living room provided our clients with a structured sense of continuity in their lives without compromising their commitment to aesthetically smart and beautiful design.
Lisa & LeroyCustom built-ins designed to hold a record collection and library of books. The fireplace got a facelift with a fresh mantle and tile surround.
Midcentury Living Design Ideas
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