This contemporary, now two-level, three-bedroom home in country Victoria was designed and built for a young Melbourne family as their weekender and holiday retreat. Studio Doherty was tasked with a complete interior overhaul, which involved reconfiguring the layout, designing the joinery and windows, specifying finishes and decoration. The home needed to be modest in scale and take our clients’ love of Japanese culture into consideration.
The solid granite form of the structure is complemented by an atmospheric pitched roof with exposed rafters, contrasting this is a refined mix of materials and textures. Timber panelling; custom-concrete benchtops; terrazzo floors; bronze tapware; and the tan leather accents in furniture all sit together in quiet harmony. The repetition of colour and materials provide continuity while also assisting in the delineation of different living zones.
A palette of grey, blue and mustard is set against white, with the blue and grey adding contrast while the mustard creates a connection to the warm hues found in the granite. Custom joinery ensures a place for everything and sits neatly with the Japanese philosophy of simple, efficient living through well-ordered spaces. The kitchen and living room joinery illustrate our multi-layered aesthetic perfectly, as well as demonstrating the importance of considered detailing.
The spiral staircase to the mezzanine bedroom is more than a space-saving measure, allowing light to shine through the expanses of glass, while skylights in the pitched roof enable airflow and provide a warm glow onto stonewalls.
A favourite feature is the marble-topped pedestal dining table and built-in banquette featuring mosaic tiles that wrap up from the floor to provide a purpose-designed nook reminiscent of Japanese chabudai tables. And while it’s a subtle gesture – separating the hallway washbasin and toilet from the bath and shower offered a nod to Japanese bathing tradition.