Cart 
‘The house had been through several renovations over the years — it was built in the 1850s, so you can imagine the layers of history we uncovered during construction,’ Fabrikate director Kate Bowen says of Hillenvale Estate.
Just as each previous owner had left their mark on the Adelaide homestead, known as Glengrove House, the new custodians engaged Fabrikate to do the same.
To make things even more interesting, the clients had purchased the acreage sight unseen, living in Tokyo during the pandemic when the house was listed for sale.
It was to be their weekender, with potential to become a full-time residence in future, or an escape for discerning travellers.
‘The house looked good when we started, but once we began peeling back the layers, we discovered all sorts of hidden challenges,’ Kate says.
‘We were determined to work with what was there — every stone in the retaining wall was salvaged and reused. It ended up being four years of construction.’
Despite this, Kate says there was a silver lining to the extensive project timeline. It gave the owners more time to fall in love with the 163-year-old house, the grounds, and all its quirks, which in turn influenced the evolving vision for the layered interiors.
They settled on a new earthy material palette to breathe new life into the heritage home. In the kitchen, natural oak joinery is paired with an inky-blue stain and matching tiles for a modern contrast, playing against the textural plastered walls.
Bold patterned wallpaper with elegant floral motifs was a direct nod to the home’s roots, also subtly reinforcing the property’s connection to the picturesque landscape.
With G Force Building and Consulting leading the structural updates, custom collaborations with Adelaide-based lighting designers Handmade and Found and commissions by Australian artists now speak to the home’s deep sense of place, and the detailed craftsmanship within its walls.
And amid the damage of a severe winter storm, a buried 19th century rainwater tank was revealed beneath the site.
This unexpected space ended up being converted into a spectacular wine cellar and sunken den the client’s had dreamed of, something that seemed impossible in the initial design phase.
‘Every challenge became an opportunity to understand the building better and work with its character,’ Kate says.
The clients’ years in Japan were another a source of inspiration, especially for the serene and minimalistic bathrooms.
‘Japanese design principles — celebrating natural materials, embracing imperfection, creating thoughtful connections between spaces — worked perfectly with this 1850s heritage home,’ Kate adds.
‘Glengrove House isn’t just a house restored. It’s a house reclaimed, by its owners, by its history, and by the land that surrounds it.’
