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For years, Louise and John Bastiras would always detour to drive back this quirky townhouse development in Elsternwick.
Designed by architect Harold David Shafer and built in 1973, the homes stand out as one of few brutalist-style buildings in the inner south-eastern Melbourne suburb. Each property has a prominent facade, characterised by projecting ‘window hoods’ or ‘organ pipes’, framing narrow sliding openable windows that span the full building height.
When Louise and John saw one of the homes for sale, they didn’t hesitate. ‘We couldn’t believe we had the opportunity to purchase one of the apartments,’ says Louise. ‘Always being huge fans of brutalist architecture, we were so excited to refurbish this perfect three-bedroom, north-facing apartment with a terrific courtyard and garden.’
They moved in about 10 years ago, and reworked the interior to suit their taste and lifestyle as new parents. ‘Nothing was left untouched,’ says Louise. ‘John redesigned everything: the kitchen, the bathrooms, the living spaces, the ceilings, the floors. We also completely reimagined the outdoor areas.’
Throughout the process, Louise and John were cognisant of the home’s architectural significance and honouring its spirit. ‘The challenge with a building like this is that you are always in conversation with the original architecture. You cannot impose on it. You have to listen to it and respond,’ explains Louise.
‘We wanted the home to feel considered at every level: the material under your hand, the weight of a piece of furniture, the way light moves through the space across the course of a day.
‘We were influenced by classic design principles — honest materials, functional beauty, nothing wasted — combined with the mid-century spirit of the building itself.’
New materials are contemporary, yet sympathetic to Harold’s original design, prioritising raw, tactile surfaces: brick tiled floors, American white ash joinery, and white ash ceilings. Strong angles across the custom shower screen, sculptural seating, and lighting reference the building’s distinct facade.
‘Every material was chosen for its honesty and its warmth. Nothing is trying to make a statement on its own — everything works together to create a particular feeling,’ says Louise. ‘We wanted it to feel like somewhere you exhale the moment you walk in.’
Naturally, as the founders of In Good Company, the couple have many items from their design store at home, as well as beloved 20th century furniture, which match the craftsmanship of the build. Pieces by Vitra, Muuto, Gubi, Kvadrat, String Furniture, Hay, and &Tradition all feel at home here, alongside a dining table John (aka Studio Bastiras) designed and made specifically for the space. He also designed the custom-made joinery throughout.
Louise and John’s son Oscar, now 11, was one-year-old when they moved into this home. ‘He has grown up entirely within these walls — learned to walk here, started school from here, become himself here. Watching that happen inside a space John designed entirely has been one of the great privileges of our life together,’ says Louise.
Now a slightly older family, they are ready for the next chapter — a new space to pour themselves into and make entirely their own. Wherever they go, the Bastiras family will always look back fondly at their time in this Elsternwick home, which has recently been heritage protected.
‘This building deserves to be known. Harold Shafer created something genuinely remarkable in Elsternwick in the early 1970s and it has stood the test of time completely,’ says Louise.
‘Whoever lives here next is inheriting something special: a home that has been loved, considered, and cared for at every level.’
