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Prechelt Residence
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| Residential | ||
| 2004 | ||
| Melbourne |
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" So what's your favourite colour?" As anticipated, the question elicits a wry smile from Cath Prechelt. Immersed in a seamless sea of white, punctuated by just the odd streak of cream and beige, she could hardly conceal her passion for the soothing tones of a blank canvas. Even on a grey, rainy Melbourne day, light radiates from every surface, accentuating the straight lines and spare furnishings that distinguish her minimalist home.
From the moment you step inside, the telltale signs of meticulous design are everywhere. As the front door clicks shut on a procession of older-style houses in the tree-lined street, the stark juxtaposition between old and new is immediate. Looking down the long, wide hallway, the eye is drawn through glass doors to the courtyard where a lone Japanese maple tree sits dead centre, the last of its fiery red leaves signalling the end of autumn. The word Zen comes to mind. "The landscaping guy thought I was mad, "laughs Cath. "I was standing here at the front door getting him to move it slightly left and slightly right until we got it exactly centre."
Two bedrooms either side of the hall are the only remnants of the original house Cath and husband Mark bought in late 2001, downsizing from the previous huge Victorian home they had bought and tirelessly renovated after returning from a decade in Hong Kong, Having lived in a city where space was a precious luxury, the allure of a big home they could remodel to their exact taste had started a renovation saga the couple couldn't face again in their next home.
"This house was in the next suburb, half the size and had no garden to maintain," says Cath, Heritage restrictions dictated they keep the front facade, but the entire rear of the house has been demolished to make way for a new open-plan living space downstairs and a parents' retreat above. The original hall was widened and is now tracked by recessed wall lights, a dramatic entrance that gently beckons guests to the sanctuary within.
An interiors and fashion stylist by profession, with exposure to a ready stream of modern architecture and finishes, Cath had a strong vision of the look she wanted. Taking influence from the austere minimalism of acclaimed British architect John Pawson - famous for his rejection of all unnecessary embroidery - she envisaged a clean-lined home with separate zones For the parents and children (Remy, 10, and Lucia, 22) who now occupy the front rooms.
While the couple began with an architect, they eventually put their faith in Cath's strong sense of design, translated by a building team led by O'Brien Contracting. Very Much the sum of fits parts, each detail in the house demands closer inspection. The American oak floorboard,, for instance, are 20 centimetres wide instead of the usual 15 centimetres, and butted so tightly together they almost read as one surface. "I like oak because it is clear of knots," says Cath.
The bulkhead that frames the ceiling of the living space turns out to be an architectural device that accommodates the lowered floor of the master bedroom directly above. "It's how we got the height in the bedroom without it being visible from the street, which was one of the council specifications," she explains.
What at first appears as a distressed paint finish on the feature Walls in the living space and
bathroom is a plastering technique Cath saw on a visit to Los Angeles. She had her plasterer
replicate the effect and left it unpainted, "I experimented with a wax finish on a square of plas-
ter but didn't like the look; I wanted everything to be matt." And flat. One long piece of joinery
(no handles, of course) extends from the dining area into the galley kitchen where husband
Mark conjures up his culinary triumphs. Instead of limestone, which they had in the previous
house, the couple chose a thick concrete benchtop. Similar look, hardier product. Concrete is
also used for the splashback, blending neatly into the similarly coloured plaster walls.
The American oak staircase is a sculptural work in itself, its two flights forming a mirror image. A sheet of sandblasted glass bolted to the top flight completes the organic look. From here is the serene parents' domain, with master bedroom, office and ensuite all in the same neutral tones and finishes as the downstairs space.
Design that is stripped back to its barest form like this, where all adornment is eliminated except for a carefully placed vase here or a soft lamp there, has a starkness that not everyone can adapt to. The noticeable absence of artworks, bookshelves, magazines, little knick-knacks from travels and the unruly clutter you might expect from a family of four indicates an almost monastic discipline. is it always this neat and tidy? An unhesitating nod of the head confirms this is a household that has truly mastered the art of Zen.
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