;)
SEARCH
OR VIEW ALL PROJECTSOR GO BACK TO SEARCH RESULTSOR VIEW ALLPROJECTS BY ARCHITECT TZANNES ASSOCIATESRESIDENTIAL PROJECTS2002 PROJECTSPROJECTS IN SYDNEYPROJECTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY SIMON KENNY |
The black sky is heavy with rain as my taxi weaves through wet roads to this house in Sydneys eastern suburbs. I race for the door frazzled, but after stepping inside, feel instantly calmed.
Ahead is a space of almost warehouse proportions. With large windows that welcome in the sun, bathing the area in light, high ceilings, honey-coloured floorboards and striking artworks, the room holds a sense of serenity.
Melinda, who lives here with husband Simon, two stepchildren - Angus 8 and Ariane 6 - and baby daughter Harmah, 12 months, greets me in this gallery-like living space. Appearing natural and relaxed, she is in perfect affinity with her surrounds.
It was four and a half years ago that she and Simon bought this house, before they were married and before the arrival of their daughter. "It was all brick walls and concrete slabs and was without plumbing or electrics," Melinda recounts. Yet the unfinished structure allowed the couple room for self-expression. And they were drawn, too, to the open, modem layout of the house, designed by Alexander Tzannes Associates, and loved its location. A 10-month transformation ensued, calling on board the design company's architects (whose signature style the couple was keen to maintain), a builder friend and colour specialist Rikki Stubbs of PureColour.
"We'd never had the architect experience before and we had more input into it than anticipated. I thought they'd come in with a solution!" Melinda laughs. Yet the project was an experience that Melinda says she loved.
You get a sense of this optimism walking through the home. The exterior, painted in a Mediterranean, sunset hue, provides a hint of the warmth inside - its nuances of newness and promising beginnings. It was here that Melinda and Simon were married and, later, welcomed their new baby. And it's as if these events have imbued the home with a positive vibe.
Artworks also add personality. "We wanted the art to just 'be' and the rest of the space to remain fairly quiet," explains Melinda of the gallery. A work by artist Charlie Sheard (title unknown, 2000), at the entrance, echoes the vastness of the gallery. A moody and evocative storm of blues and greens spills out from the canvas, bringing the area to life and defining the direction of the roods design. The charcoal coloured sofa complements the painting's colours while neutral walls lend an air of space.
Decorative pieces are in natural shapes to counter the modern architecture of the house. Melinda loves the three sculptures in this area - they are beautifully organic in form, texture and feel. "You just want to touch them," she says.
The gallery, while a play area for Harmah during the day, is ideal for evening entertaining. Melinda wanted the kitchen here "to almost disappear", but it's where all guests gravitate. "Everyone starts at the kitchen bench, moves to the table, then outside peering through the trees," says Melinda. "We enjoy having people over and it's such a nice house to do it in."
Following the trail of artworks leads upstairs past a bright painting on the stairwell and into the family room. Soft and pretty the pictures hung here reflect the feel of the room. It's inviting and cosy, with warm greeny gold-coloured walls chosen by Rikki, a textured Tibetan rug and 'plunge into me' sofa. Shelves of books betray Melindds addiction to reading, although picture books are now edging out novels.
The bedroom is another escape for reading. I wanted it to be a very calm, quiet space," says Melinda. Rikki selected the wall colour to be elegant and restful. I chose wall colours so they look like they belong to the room - subtly picking up the colours of the other fabrics and textures in the room," she explains.
With balconies on either side, the bedroom, like the entire house, invites the outside in. "Architecturally, there's so much space and light," says Melinda, gazing out to a park and to a street of pretty terraces. "It's so open you often feel like you're on holiday" Which is exactly how this home - filled with beautiful art, happy memories and a lively family.
|
|
