The brief behind this Fitzroy North renovation was about not only meeting the client’s newfound needs for more space and privacy, but also enhancing the family’s overall lifestyle – which is why designer Dan Gayfer set out to explore the intricacies of their day-to-day life.
‘How many people are involved in cooking? Where, when, and how does each person relax? What rooms need to be quiet? Where do people prefer to work and study? Once this part of the vision was solidified, we would develop the concept accordingly,’ Dan says.
It helped that the original Edwardian home was in a ‘relatively solid condition’. This allowed them to retain the front four rooms, while removing all remaining spaces to make way for a new laundry, bathroom, kitchen and living filled with nods to mid-century modern architecture.
Dan says the design channels ‘classic modernist building principles’ in the low-angled roofline of the first-floor addition, and the striking floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to the garden outside.
The interiors are also filled with nods to the past, with clean lines, simple geometric forms, alongside blackbutt timber veneered cabinetry and ceiling linings.
‘The family room in particular gives out some serious Modernist vibes; the luxe but undoubtedly functional built-in lounge and palette of warm, earthy tones could be straight out of a time capsule from the 1960s,’ Dan explains. This cosy room can also be completely shut off from the rest of the house via an impressive floor to ceiling cavity sliding door.
The renovation also provided the client’s three kids with a ‘teenager’s oasis’ of their own: complete with a generous sized retreat, ensuite, and large bedroom upstairs.
‘It was also important that the configuration ensured that anyone could find a space in the house to go and read, relax, sleep knowing that they could not be disturbed,’ Dan adds.
Personal details unearthed during the studio’s thoughtful design process have turned this dated home into a true family sanctuary, where there’s something for everyone.
