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When architect Jake Dowse and his interior designer partner Lu Ipkendanz first saw this park-side location in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, they knew it would be perfect for a family home – and much more besides. The couple decided to develop the site into a row of four three-storey houses, keeping the one overlooking the park for themselves so the expanse of grass would become an extension of their garden for their young children
The site, formerly a panel-beater’s workshop, is in a heritage area, so Jake chose a sympathetic terrace design, not only to echo the look of nearby homes, but also to achieve lots of internal space – more than 325 square metres (plus courtyards and terraces) on a block of just 210 square metres per house.
From the street, it’s difficult to glean any idea of what lies beyond the motorised aluminium louvres – only the bright-green front door gives the slightest hint of the funky interior beyond. Step inside, however, and the real story unfolds.
The ground floor flows uninterrupted, enabling the living room, dining area and kitchen to merge into one dramatic space. The dining area, at the rear of the ground floor, opens out to a tallowwood-decked courtyard – ideal for summer entertaining. Indeed, from the ground floor living room to the family room on the first floor and the home’s multiple terraces, there are plenty of entertainment areas for the family to choose from.
On the first floor, a gallery-style space spans the length of the hallway. Opposite are the children’s bedroom, guestroom/library and two bathrooms. An office/study nook and laundry are tucked into the corridor leading to the family room with adjoining terrace – a plant-filled oasis. “I wanted a home where everyone could enjoy their own spaces and not be on top of one another,” says Jake.
The main bedroom suite is located on the second floor of the house. With its spacious accommodation, ensuite and north-facing balcony overlooking the park, it’s a true parents’ retreat. The room also features an oversized skylight with aluminium louvres, which can be adjusted as required for optimum light and to minimise the summer heat.
In order to counteract the effect of the relatively low ceilings required to achieve the three floors, Jake has used aluminium-framed floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors throughout, maximising the flow of natural light and drawing attention to the home’s park aspect. Combined with contemporary materials such as resin, polyurethane, chrome and leather, the look is sleek and ultra chic. “I wanted to maximise the park views as well as incorporate modern interior finishes with a knockout appeal,” he explains.
Sydney architect Ian Moore of Ian Moore Architects was commissioned to design the interiors. To bring life and a spacious feel to the rooms he used a springtime palette of fresh white and vivid greens, accented with zesty orange, to balance the dark grey of the basalt stone-tiled floors. “Green is a lively colour and quite easy to match with interior fittings,” explains Ian.
“I chose a pistachio shade for the feature wall of cabinetry in the living area – it also happens to match the colour of the robinias in the park.”
On the upper two levels, white walls are dramatically offset by vibrant green and orange upholstery on the designer furniture, the bold patterned bedlinen in the bedrooms and lime-green splashbacks in the bathrooms.
“Both Lu and I love being surrounded by colour, whether it’s pistachio cupboards, a dramatic painting, striking upholstery or just fun accessories,” says Jake. “We also wanted plenty of gallery space so we could display our artworks and move them around as we wished.”
On the ground floor, the stairs rise neatly behind the pistachio cabinetry. With its northerly aspect, the stairwell draws warmth into the house during winter, while also acting as a thermal chimney, allowing hot air to escape upwards in the warmer months. The ingenious Moore-designed handrail is lit with built-in fluorescents; its simple style avoids encroaching on the width of the stairs.
Lu’s primary input was in the decorating, and it is her flair for combining colour and texture which has made this house something really special. Missoni, B&B Italia and Dinosaur Designs – Lu’s three favourite brands – play a starring role in the scheme. “I had an absolute ball putting the interiors together,” she says. “I love vibrant colour and, with its expansive white walls and voids, this house is so conducive as a gallery space. It allows each individual element to become a feature piece and made my job so much easier.”
It is the clever architectural details and decorative pizzazz which make this terrace home a masterpiece of modern design. As the product of three such creative minds, it was bound to be a knockout.
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