From the architects:

Designed for a professional couple with three young children, this home balances a sophisticated, entertainment-oriented lifestyle with the needs of a growing, active family.

Given the house’s site on a standard suburban plot, the floorplan was strategised to achieve these divergent interests within a constrained space, adding custom elements throughout and unlocking the potential of a truly modern home.

Circulation throughout is choreographed through a series of architectural interventions that encourage pause and reflection, and that foster a sense of togetherness.

Proceeding from the street to the entryway, landscaping creates a frame between the sidewalk and the formal front entrance in the form of a minimalist courtyard, while also providing a natural privacy screen and maximising sightlines from within the home.

The sequencing of rooms animates the house’s programmatic layers.

The floorplan is clearly defined through a series of rationally organised spaces surrounding a central courtyard that opens to the outdoors through floor-to-ceiling sliding glass walls.

The front door, which is located off-axis, requires visitors to physically turn into the space, encouraging the eye to rest on rich, walnut panelled walls before proceeding.

Upon entering the heart of the home, framed views unfurl to the back yard, augmenting the volume of the building and depth of the narrow lot it sits on.

The courtyard, flanked by both formal and more familial living rooms, opens to all ground floor rooms, flooding the spaces with natural light, allowing guests to move freely, and enabling parents to keep an eye on the children.

The formal living room is adjacent to a walnut clad bar for entertaining.

The family room is cozy by comparison, with wide open doors to both the courtyard and the backyard making this an ideal space for the family to gather.

A lower level contains multitudes of possibility, taking shape as a theatre and office, as well as offering private quarters for visiting friends and family, and providing flexible areas for play that can adapt to the children’s needs as they grow older.

Adding further dimension to the home, textures and finishes are highlighted through bespoke accents, all grounded with timeless natural stone, wood, and hand-plastered surfaces serving as canvas.

Luxurious furnishings and finishes – artisan brick inside and out, walnut and oak, marble and onyx – along with punches of cool colour like deep avocado and sumptuous salmon, elegantly personalise the family’s new-classic aesthetic while elevating the space from “custom, new-build” to “bespoke forever home”.