LUXE COUNTRY HOMES
COUNTRY HOMES
Chic and cheerful rural retreats.
Conceived as a permanent home for a young couple with a family in mind, this Mornington Peninsula coastal property is the result of a collaboration between architect Jay Earles of Planned Living Architects, interior architect Alicia Freeman of Studio Tom and landscape architect Brett Robinson of Acre Studio. What were the challenges of the site? Jay Earles: Bushfire overlays required the removal of much of the vegetation, resulting in a very exposed site. Bold concrete forms act as a blank backdrop for the reinstatement of the indigenous landscape and provide flexible privacy and security. Describe the completed home and favourite design elements? JE: The house presents as a robust, tactile and refined combination of raw concrete and timbers. We love how it embraces the coastal streetscape before opening up through seamless links into open sun-filled spaces, eventuating in its strong connection with the outdoor living and seamless interaction with the backyard. Brett Robinson: The clean, contemporary architectural lines of the off-form concrete, which is harsh and industrial, are juxtaposed with a free-flowing soft native plant palette. There’s a real beauty and effortlessness in this, giving the home a relaxed feel. What informed the selection of fittings and finishes? Alicia Freeman: Subtle surfaces and textures were selected to enhance the rawness of concrete and blackbutt timber. How does the home respond to its rural coastal context? BR: The goal was to connect the home with the landscape as much as possible. The house flows out into connecting private open space, so material selection was vital in helping to blend the areas. Were the owners happy with the execution? JE: They love it and have now welcomed a baby and the home functions well within the new family context. AF: Storage was important for the new family, so joinery was custom designed to maximise funct ional ity. plannedlivingarchitects.com.au; acre.com.au; studiotom.com.au
“BOLD CONCRETE FORMS ACT AS A BLANK BACKDROP FOR THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE INDIGENOUS LANDSCAPE.”