VIEW FROM THE TOP This striking Brisbane home was built with family fun and relaxation in mind

Built with hard-wearing materials and boasting plenty of room to relax and entertain, this new home near a golf course in Brisbane suits its young family to a tee

POOL “We used natural Garonne limestone from Eco Outdoor in the outdoor spaces,” says owner Kirsty. “It’s a beautiful, warm tile.” Antigua sun lounges, GlobeWest. EXTERIOR (opposite) Kirsty and husband Ben clad the middle level in another Eco Outdoor product called Wamberal stone, introducing curves to soften the look. Ironbark cladding, Hurford’s. Tyrolean render painted Dulux McGinley (walls) and Castlecliff (the home’s upper level).

From the vantage point in the kitchen of her riverside Brisbane home, Kirsty Morland enjoys a 180-degree view of her property and its parkland surroundings. While preparing dinner or washing dishes at the marble-topped island bench, she can survey the landscaped gardens, take in the pristine pool, soak up the vista of frangipanis and jacarandas, and keep tabs on her three children under 10 as they play on the grass. “I spend a lot of time in the kitchen,” says Kirsty, “so when we were designing this space, it was important for me to see all of the outdoor entertaining areas at all times.”

The solid concrete home that she and husband Ben built two years ago is split across three levels on an elevated block, with the kitchen and main living spaces sitting three metres above sea level. As such, they are perfectly positioned to take in all the charms of their riverside suburb of Yeronga. “Ben grew up in the area,” explains Kirsty. “It’s a beautiful suburb with an active community and an abundance of parklands. Yeronga is known for its jacaranda trees, so in planning our home, we incorporated plenty of north-facing windows and floor-to-ceiling glazing, to bring these trees into our home.”

“We love the rawness and hardiness of concrete, plus it’s so easy to clean” KIRSTY MORLAND, HOMEOWNER

With Ben the owner of design and construction firm GrayHAUS, the couple were well placed to deliver just the right home for their family. They went for a mid-century modern, minimalist design of concrete slabs and ceilings, stone cladding and timber joinery, with plenty of curved details in the facade, fencing, walls and cabinetry to provide a soft contrast.

From its position on the street, the home makes a striking first impression, thanks to the sensual curves and mixed materials of Tyrolean render, stonewall cladding and ironbark shiplap cladding. “We didn’t like facades that were too vertical or overpowering, so we decided to sink the garage entry back four metres, to give the main level above a floating appearance, and then stepped back the upper level for a layered effect,” she says.

Inside, the floor plan was configured to allow each space to feel connected to the next. “Every room feels so open, but they can all be closed off to create private spaces,” says Kirsty. The lower basement houses the garage, lots of storage and a selfcontained home office/studio complete with kitchenette and bathroom, while the main living areas and outdoor entertaining spaces are found one floor up. Four bedrooms occupy the top level, ideally situated to take in the views.

Kirsty is particularly pleased with her kitchen, which boasts premium V-Zug and Liebherr appliances, a generous butler’s pantry that doubles as a laundry and mud room, and an oversized 5.4m-long island bench at its centre. “We can comfortably seat our whole family at the breakfast-bar end, and that’s where we eat most of our dinners,” she says.

Outdoor living and entertaining is also a large part of this family’s reality, and needed to be factored into the home’s design. As well as the pool and lush lawns, they enjoy a large covered outdoor area with an oversized dining table and outdoor lounge, and a wood fire to make it usable all year round. “We love nothing more than a Sunday afternoon happy hour by the outdoor fire, watching the kiddies move from the pool to toasting marshmallows or cooking damper by the fire,” says Kirsty. “It’s such a relaxing space.”

The entire building process, which took a little over two years from start to finish, was extremely rewarding for both Ben and Kirsty. “When you put your heart and soul into designing and building your dream home, it’s just magical when your vision comes to life!” she says.

Anything she would change with the benefit of hindsight? “As our home is three storeys, we would probably go back and design it with provision for a lift!”

KITCHEN (this page and opposite) “At 5.4 metres, the island is the main attraction,” says Kirsty (with daughter Isla), perching on a Barbera ‘Uccio’ stool. It’s functional, too, housing the dishwasher, sink, food-prep area and breakfast bar. Honed marble features in the benchtop and splashback. Polytec ‘Florentine Walnut’ cabinetry by Mivis Joinery, with Lo & Co ‘Alpha’ door knobs and ‘Kintore’ appliance pulls. Billi tap. Fabbian ‘Lumi Sfera’ wall lights, Caribou. Falmec rangehood clad in Black Japan-stained silky oak battens. Flooring, Polished Concrete Floors Australia. Opa print by Kate Mayes, Greenhouse Interiors. “We wanted to maintain a light-filled space in the stairwell and achieved this with the floating oak stair treads,” adds Kirsty.

LIVING AREA Another Kate Mayes artwork, Fancy Pants from Jumbled Online, brightens the lounge. Neo sofa and Seymour armchair, King Living. Astra coffee table, Trit. Martini side table, West Elm. Escea gas fireplace. Ravine rug in Indigo, The Rug Establishment. Mermaid artwork by Jai Vasicek, through Ahoy Trader. KITCHEN NOOK (opposite left) This is where the family display small pieces they've collected. Print by Kara Rosenlund. MAIN BEDROOM (opposite right) Kirsty and Ben’s bedroom opens to a balcony with views of the Brisbane River. Flat leather bedhead, Fenton & Fenton. Estiluz ‘Volta’ wall light, Lumen8. Solaris side table, Satara. Bed linen, Society Of Wanderers. Quilt cover, I Love Linen. Artwork by Justina Blakeney.

BATHROOM VJ panels painted Dulux Winter Terrace contrast with the November wall and floor tiles in Rain from Classic Ceramics. Bath, Highgrove Bathrooms. Martini side table, West Elm. Palmary print, Bibi Ana + Co. ENSUITE (opposite top) Kirsty and Ben left out a wall between their bedroom and ensuite to keep the space “light-filled and functional”. Inax ‘Yohen’ mosaic wall tiles from Artedomus, installed by Korpac Tiling. Omvivo ‘Latis’ basin, Reece. Fabbian ‘Lumi Sfera’ wall light, Caribou. PANTRY/ LAUNDRY (opposite bottom) In a clever use of space, these zones were combined and a desk nook added at one end. Appliances, AEG. Basket, Kmart. Terrazzo hourglass stump, Fenton & Fenton.