Kellett Street House by C.Kairouz Architects
A clean, modern, white & timber home in Northcote, Melbourne, full of angles and light. The house was designed to encourage bright & uncluttered spaces – redefining family living. Clever shapes combined with restraint, create a sense of calm, airiness and comfort that flows from beginning to end.
Description
The Brief
The brief from the client was to deliver the ‘perfect modern home for a young family’ who care about the quality of their living environment, how it makes them feel, and are seeking an inner city locale, which is close to amenities & parks. This project was an investment opportunity for the client, which allowed them to flex their own building knowledge and skills, whilst working alongside the C. Kairouz design practice.
Essential to the clients wants was an open plan, light, airy house, that provided all the essentials for a family life, and a high level of sophisticated design details, to take the home to that next level in the market.
The Design
Integral to the home was incorporating large well-positioned windows, grand ceilings heights and generous hallway sizes that emphasize light, space and air circulation. A void with a wall of pivoting glass doors at the rear of the home, ensures the open plan living, kitchen & dining areas have a strong visual and physical connection with the outdoors, providing easy access to alfresco/entertaining zones and a sense of drama.
The considered floor plan is spread over 3 levels, consists of 4 bedrooms, 2 living areas, bonus space, making the most of the site, the home reaches to the edge of the boundaries creating a generous footprint. A half sunken basement garage was incorporated to free up area on the ground floor to fit dual living zones for private and entertaining opportunities.
The void between ground floor living and the upper retreat created the connectivity between the children’s area and ground floor entertaining spaces. Having a void in this location also ensured that the home took full advantages of northern aspects for additional light into these living areas while penetrating into other areas of the home with less windows.
The Team
The Interior design & styling schemes of the home was a collaboration between Melissa Vukadin & Kimberley Barker. Their goals were to mirror the fine detailing of external elements, and continue a spacious, restrained theme throughout. The overarching concept for the interior palette was inspired by nature with a neutral, pared back, considered material selection and application.
The builder, JBM Group worked closely with the entire design team to resolve challenges and ensure the final outcome was elevated to the highest quality possible. The well-executed construction adhered to the design perfectly and ultimately created a home that is timeless and will have longevity for years to come.
The Final Outcome
The homes design worked hard to meet the brief. With such a full program of objectives, the team were able to successfully deliver a floor plan and project resolution that cleverly fit a lot on a small block of land to meet the needs of your average family.
The home radiates lightness from the inside out. The white on white theme of softness against pale timbers, offers a polished and clean aesthetic, which stands out without being heavy or imposing.
The result of this project really speaks about the power of a great collaborative team, the positive impacts of well-designed spaces and new avenues of quality residential development that aim to improve living standards in the inner city.
Photography by Damien Kook
- by Matt Watts
