Interiors

A Dark + Dingy Heritage Home Revamped In Contemporary Country Style

Georgie Shepherd of GSiD was engaged early on in the renovation plans of this 1900s sandstone villa, to devise an interior scheme for its new extension. Her brief was to enhance the structural work by architect Tim Evans to bring light and space into the previously dull and cramped home, and ensure the final interior scheme did justice to his clever designs.

She envisioned a contemporary, tactile haven filled with warmth and texture for the Stanley House project. And that’s just what she delivered!

Written
by
Sasha Gattermayr

The sandstone villa was built pre 1900, on one of the leafiest streets in Adelaide. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

A new extension by architect Tim Evans at the rear of the house captures light in a clever way. It was Georgie’s job to ensure the interior scheme allowed it to glow. Artwork by Simon Bajada. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

Natural materials and a muted palette imbue this space with a contemporary country feel. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

Custom timber joinery wraps the kitchen with farmhouse style. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

A sunny backyard nook gives the living room beautiful dappled light. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

A neat and tidy deck replete with gorgeous contemporary outdoor furniture. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

The new extension finds light in brilliant and unexpected places. The lounge room is light and bright as a result! Photo – Christopher Morrison.

Rattan and timber joinery in the laundry. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

The bathrooms were a chance to go bold, with black cabinetry and white marble. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

A glass walkway links the old house with the new extension. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

The gorgeous garden makes the house feel humble and connected to its roots. Photo – Christopher Morrison.

Writer
Sasha Gattermayr
14th of May 2021

The balance between contemporary design and heritage character is a hard one to maintain, but it’s executed perfectly in the Stanley House by GSiD.

‘The brief from the client was to create a well designed bespoke interior that had charm, textures, warmth and light,’ explains interior designer, Georgie Shepherd. To do this, she took inspiration from the muted palette of the earthy front facade, the Federation-era character of which had been boosted by some restoration work during the home’s recent renovation.

Architect Tim Evans designed a new extension for the Adelaide residence, bringing the laundry and kitchen to the centre of the house and pushing the communal living zone and kitchen out to the back where natural light could be easily captured and filtered throughout the room. A glass hallway links the original four bedroom home to the new open-plan extension space.

Once he had fixed the light and flow problems dogging the layout, it was Georgie’s job to ensure the whole space glowed from the inside.

‘Natural materials and light colours were essential to creating a sense of warmth and comfort,’ she says of the interior scheme she devised. This was largely achieved by using textured timber and tan leathers, which achieves a soft yet refined outcome.

‘Using materials that are traditionally used in furniture gives a crafted and bespoke feel that create timeless design,’ Georgie explains, highlighting timber, marble and woven cane as versatile elements that fit this brief. Custom in-built joinery also gives this impression, wrapping the kitchen in modern farmhouse-style cabinetry which sits in easy dialogue with the blonde timber furniture and sandy-toned flagstone flooring.

The bathrooms were a chance for Georgie to go a little bolder, introducing terrazzo flooring, white squared mosaic tiles and custom furniture pieces as vanities.

Colour and texture link all the elements of this house seamlessly together, allowing its muted and monochrome palette to exude character and comfort!

See more projects from GSiD here.

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