Positioning the home as a conduit for family and togetherness, Gathering House is expanded to facilitate an open and engaging residential experience, melding both old and new within the one generous site. Taking references from the existing formal silhouette and materiality already in place, the focus became on extruding the original form while imbedding new principles of increased scale and openness throughout. Binding the interior to the larger landscape was also key, driving clear visual connections between inside and out and allowing the functions of the home to spill out into dedicated outdoor entertaining areas. The home celebrates coming together, dotted with moments of compression and release to align with varying levels of passive or active animation, retaining the familiar intimacy of home.

Inspiration for a contemporary deck in Adelaide.

Design ideas for a contemporary bathroom in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, gray tile, mosaic tile, a vessel sink, grey floor, green benchtops, a double vanity and a floating vanity.

Photo of a contemporary bathroom in Melbourne.

Photo of a contemporary bathroom in Melbourne.

Photo of a country living room in Other.

Design ideas for a contemporary bathroom in Sydney.

Photo of a contemporary kitchen in Sydney.

Scandinavian bathroom in Melbourne.

Scandinavian storage and wardrobe in Melbourne.

Transitional kitchen in Sydney.

Contemporary living room in Melbourne.

Design ideas for a contemporary bathroom in Sydney.

Photo of a contemporary bedroom in Sydney with white walls, grey floor and planked wall panelling.

This is an example of a contemporary dining room in Melbourne.

Inspiration for a contemporary exterior in Newcastle - Maitland.

Mid-sized beach style master bathroom in Central Coast with medium wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, pink tile, white walls, a vessel sink, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a niche, a double vanity, a floating vanity and flat-panel cabinets.

Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Design ideas for a contemporary exterior in Melbourne.