This colourful house in Perth takes its cues from its verdant surroundings

The Shutter House’s handsome facade shields a private oasis in Perth, enlivened by greenery and colourful furnishings

As its name implies, a shell of timber batten screens cloaks the Shutter House. Located in Wembley, a western suburb in Perth, Australia, the project was conceived not for a homeowner, but rather as a lifelike showcase for furniture and architectural products from Australian company Mobilia. The result proved to be so inspiring that it was later purchased as is by a buyer who wanted to own it as an actual home. Headquartered in Perth, the familyowned Mobilia offers a tasteful selection of brands such as Kettal, Cassina and Moroso. Mobilia had tasked Perthbased multidisciplinary firm State of

Kin to design and furnish the house.

“The project served as an exciting opportunity to test design ideas,” says Alessandra French, who leads State of

Kin with co-director Ara Salomone.

SHAPING SPACES

The architecture and design of the house connect intimately with its site near Lake Monger. The main door, located at the base of the steeply sloped site, opens to a triple-storey foyer that features Perth

based artist Elle Campbell’s art and a Fordite 3 rug from Cc-tapis.

These lively additions complement the fluid design of the staircase’s handrail.

“The handrail winds seamlessly around the spine of the staircase like a delicate ribbon that curves and flows up, over and around the path of travel,” describes French. “At its core, the home’s design is meant to be expressive; it invites you to look closer. We took great pride in creating interesting spaces with the materials and their application. When these materials catch the light, it makes for multifaceted expressions.”

White walls, exposed concrete ceilings, terrazzo flooring on the ground floor and stained-oak parquetry upstairs, and robust stone varieties like Bianco Chiavara granite, Aphrodite quartzite and Noce Eschilo travertine combine in a harmonious whole.

FORM AND VOLUME

On the first storey, four bedrooms, each with their own balcony or courtyard, are pleasant and filled with light. A gallery divides the master bedroom from the other bedrooms. Here, the pink Tender Vis-a-vis daybed from Moroso offers a resting spot.

Previous spread: Accent cushions on the sofa connect to the colour scheme of the Cc-tapis Visioni rug by Urquiola; the facade features operable screens in dark wood

Left to right: The Cc-tapis Fordite 3 rug by Patricia Urquiola echoes the colourful brushstrokes on the wall-hung painting by Elle Campbell; State of Kin co-directors Alessandra French and Ara Salomone; the master bedroom features the Moroso Redondo bed by Patricia Urquiola, which is inspired by American cars of the 1960s; the teal bedspread connects to the colour of the Kettal Roll dining chairs—also designed by Urquiola—on the outdoor terrace

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The tangerine ceiling and the iridescent Shimmer mirror from Glas Italia create visual interest in this bathroom; also designed by Urquiola, the Moroso Tender Vis-a-vis daybed matches the curved form and pink hues of the Cc-tapis Slinkie rug perfectly; a window in the pool wall offers glimpses of aquatic activity from the courtyard; Jaime Hayon’s Maestro vase for Bosa brings a lively touch to the dining room, which also houses the Moroso Mathilda table and chairs

This page: The lounge area features outdoor furniture from Kettal, which include the Vimini sofa and coffee tables as well as the Band Club armchairs, all designed by Patricia Urquiola; the C-shaped outdoor bench curves around the Kettal Mesh table and Roll armchair