Orrong

Step inside the bright yellow door, and the traditional Victorian façade gives way to a calm and inviting contemporary Elsternwick home. We transformed the maze of enclosed, disconnected rooms into a clear, logical floor plan and introduced light and curves in contrast to the darkness and rigidity of the former house.

At the transition between the old house and new extension, a sculpted curving stair, formed on site, negotiates the size constraints of the space, and a double-height void brings light deep into the plan. Steps down to the kitchen, dining and living room follow the contours of the site. Curved glass windows and doors soften the threshold between the rear extension and garden. Charred timber cladding used internally and externally creates continuity between indoors and out.

In the kitchen, dining and living room, a considered palette of subtle textures and patterns accentuates the rigorous lines and forms. Terrazzo extends from the steps to behind the dining table, forming a plinth with a timber sideboard on top. The kitchen joinery opens to reveal green tiles, and a circular skylight illuminates the kitchen island. Robust powder-coated aluminium joinery along the living room houses a cast-iron fireplace. Pendants and wall lights by Ross Gardam echo the new geometric language of the home.