Follow The Art
A Melbourne abode where small(er) is beautiful.
As the owners of this home show, it’s possible to downsize without losing sight of the bigger picture. One of a neat row of 1980s townhouses, the home expresses the owners’ love for the finer things, including a generous collection of books and art. The semi-retired empty-nesters moved to this threebedroom townhouse in Melbourne’s southeast in2016, wooed by the more manageable size and light-filled spaces. Its configuration gave it gardens both front and back and plenty of sun throughout the day, thanks to its east-west orientation.
Inside, peachy pink and beige walls, worn timber benchtops and tired bathrooms cried out for an update. Layout-wise, the ground-floor laundry hogged valuable floor space, making the adjacent kitchen a squeeze
and limited its connection to the family area. The large living room was cut off from the informal living/dining zone at the rear of the home, which lacked a link to the rear courtyard. “The layout felt cramped and the rooms too separate,” says architect Rob Nerlich of McMahon and Nerlich, the firm engaged for the renovation.
“Wewantedtoopenthelivingspacesuptoeachother, improve the relationship with the garden, and update kitchens and bathrooms to contemporary levels of comfort,” says the owner. A walk-in wardrobe – an indulgence usually reserved for larger homes – was also on the wish list.
Rob opened up the living room by replacing full walls with partial ones to facilitate sight lines through the home. Double doors to the hall were removed to create wall space for the owners’ art collection.
A new kitchen island replaced a bench seat, freeing up space for a series of french doors that connect the interior to the garden. Upstairs, the home’s three bedrooms (one currently used as a study) were structually untouched except for the addition of the walk-in wardrobe in the main bedroom. The laundry is now located in a space formerly occupied by a powder room. Relocating the laundry to the first floor “allowed foranopen,generousrelationshipbetweentheenlarged kitchen and dining space”, says Rob.
Inthediningroom,cantileveredshelvesaccommodate the couple’s extensive library and objets d’art; similar full-length shelves feature in the living room. A third set of shelves –smaller and backed with marble – acts as a divider between the kitchen and living room. “I love collections of books as a visual and textural backdrop to a room,” says Rob. “The bookshelves in the dining space balance those in the living room and accentuate the connection between these spaces.” The existing skirting was swapped for one with a cleaner profile and all cornicing removed for a simpler, more contemporary feel overall.
The materials palette includes natural finishes such as marble, timber and leather for their inherent texture and charm, and are teamed with ‘finished’ materials for colour, says Rob. “These natural materials create a dialogue between a remarkable collection of artworks and the house itself, through to the courtyard beyond.”
White walls throughout ensure a light, airy feel, and provide the perfect canvas for the owners’ extensive art collection. In the kitchen, deep-blue joinery makes a bold statement, complementing the tones of veining in the Arabescato marble on the benches and splashback, as well as the ivy in the garden.
For the owner, shifting to a smaller home has meant sacrifices, but it has also brought many pluses. “In the mornings, I love reading the newspaper at the dining table and looking out to the green wall of the private courtyard,” she says. “The open, relaxed spaces mean it is always a pleasure to come home.” And the couple are still surrounded by the treasures – with a little judicious editing – that have brought them so much pleasure over the years.
“I LOVE COLLECTIONS OF BOOKS AS A VISUAL AND TEXTURAL BACK DROP TO A ROOM .”
Rob Nerlich, architect
McMahon and Nerlich, South Melbourne, Victoria; (03) 8256 9685 or www.mcmahonandnerlich.com.au.
“We follow the sun, with the kitchen and dining room being our morning place,” says the owner. In the afternoon, the focus – and the sun – shifts to the living room, “a calm oasis with dappled light”. With its two living areas and gardens, the house lends itself to entertaining. “We love hosting family gatherings and the combined kitchen and dining area work really well when we have larger groups,” she says.