The Chosen Ones Recycled materials add up to a wholly original result in this Perth project.
A brick feature wall topped the pile of requirements for a Perth family, who hand-picked the recycled bricks and timbers at the core of their new home.
LIVING Under the lofty skillion roof is the owners’ longed-for brick feature wall, complemented by the burnished-concrete floor. Antique Aquamarine kitchen splashback tiles, Myaree Ceramics. The four wood tones – jarrah, stringybark, teak and American oak – on fixtures and furniture throughout the home are expertly mixed. Retro armchairs and nest of tables, Grandfather’s Axe. Artwork by Vlad Kolas.
The key elements of Dale and Chermaine’s new build were never in question. In 2014, when they returned to Western Australia with plans to make Perth their home, the industrial elements they’d grown to love in their Melbourne apartment were very much top of mind. What resulted is a contemporary house incorporating recycled brick, concrete and original timbers, bringing soul to the interiors and context to the exterior.
Their story began when Chermaine bought a 465m2 investment property in the western suburbs of Perth in 2005. She had family in the area and loved the character of the 1950s home, so it ticked a number of boxes. Her plan was to renovate at some point in the future but, three years later, Chermaine relocated to Melbourne with her new partner Dale. They spent six wonderful years there living in a great apartment, but after their daughter Molly was born, the attraction of the Perth lifestyle and their block’s outdoor space were too strong. The first inspection wasn’t all they’d hoped for, however, and both felt that knocking the house down and starting again was the best option.
Dale and Chermaine discovered Klopper & Davis Architects online and fell for some of their homes. “We’d been living in North Melbourne, where a lot of warehouses had been gentrified into apartments, so we were influenced by that,” says Dale. “We also wanted a design that was modernist, but blended into the streetscape.” They laid out the textures they liked and told the architects they wanted their garden to be part of the living space, then left it up to them. “We gave them ideas, but everything you see here is their design,” he says.
DINING Tom Dixon copper pendants from Editeur add a little polish to the industrial materials. Variously coloured Normann Copenhagen chairs, District. Guaxs vase (with ferns), Ultimo Interiors. Designer buy: ‘Sabine’ dining table, from $2950, Brown Dog Furniture. LIVING Having greenery inside was a priority; the pots and plants are mostly from Let it Grow Co. American oak cabinet, Squarepeg Home. Sofa, Jardan. Eames ‘Elliptical’ coffee table, Living Edge. Sketch ‘Tokyo’ stool from Öopenspace. KITCHEN The engineered-quartz benchtops from QStone are luxuriously large. Cupboard finishes, Laminex Ash White and Polytec Natural Oak.
‘The blues in the bathrooms and greens in the living spaces blend well with the mix of timbers.’ Dale
LIVING Molly and Chermaine on an Armadillo & Co rug. Hülsta ‘Birdy’ ottoman, Ultimo Interiors. MAIN BEDROOM Modern meets retro in the ‘Betty’ bed from Bedshed. ‘Kip & Co’ linen, Remedy. Vintage bedside table, Grandfather’s Axe. Artwork by Amok Island. Designer buy: Pulpo ‘Fumi’ table lamp in Granite, $755, Ultimo Interiors. STUDY Natural light and storage make this room a winner. Trestle desk and cabinets by Squarepeg Home. ‘House’ shelf, Öopenspace. Artworks by Chris Turnham.
DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM A copper mirror from Design Farm brings warmth to the cool scheme. The cupboard is finished in Laminex Blue Grass with Muuto ‘Dots’ handles from Living Edge. Wall tiles, Original Ceramics. Marc Newson basin, Caroma. Phoenix ‘Vivid’ tapware. Glass with leather strap, Freedom.
Their new two-storey home has a large open-plan living area that runs from inside to out under a skillion roof at the rear. Three bedrooms and an ensuite are tucked away upstairs, while the main living area, laundry, family bathroom and powder room are on ground level. A study and playroom for Molly, now four, and baby brother Anders, one, are also on the ground floor, at the front.
Jarrah flooring and sash windows from the original bungalow were incorporated into the design, and recycled bricks made into a feature. “Even though it’s a new home, those materials give it life and history,” says Chermaine. “Our house bricks were too brittle so we had to look elsewhere, so Sam [Klopper] went and picked them out with the builder to ensure an even mix of mottled colour.”
The bricks settle the home into its street frontage of brick bungalows and bring an industrial feel to the kitchen, where they’re combined with slimline Japanese subway tiles and Tom Dixon copper pendants. “The lights aren’t something we would have thought of,” admits Dale. “But they’re very sophisticated. And something people notice straightaway.” Also catching the eye of first-time visitors is the incredible collection of mid-century and modern furniture, a combination that works in this space and throughout the home.
With a two-level entertaining and outdoor play area at the back and a vegetable garden at the side, this is a home that works for all ages. “You can’t hear traffic noise, so the living space is really peaceful,” says Chermaine. “It’s a great place to come home to.”
Klopper & Davis Architects, Subiaco, WA; (08) 9381 4731 or kada. com.au. Mitchell Custom Homes; mitchellcustomhomes.com.au.