RESIDENTIAL DESIGN
CONCEPT TO COMPLETION
Melbourne's leading architect for boutique residential design service
Our Latest Projects
01. CAULFIELD SOUTH
01. SCOPE
Renovating and extending a 1920s California bungalow in a heritage overlay zone.
Modernizing the interior while preserving key original features, including a master bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, and formal living spaces.
Adding an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area with seamless indoor-outdoor integration.
Creating a dedicated children’s zone on the first floor.
02. CHALLENGES
Heritage overlays in this particular area are characterized by the deep setbacks and beautiful lush gardens.
One of the things we do when designing on a heritage overlay is we have to keep the front of the house.
In this case the first four rooms and the facade.
03. DESIGN SOLUTION
Renovated and extended a 1920s California bungalow within a heritage overlay zone, ensuring careful consideration of the existing architectural character.
Modernized the interior while preserving key original features, including a master bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, and formal living spaces.
Demolished and extended the rear living area, transforming the home into a contemporary family residence.
Designed the home to take advantage of deep setbacks, creating a lush garden at the front that enhances the property's curb appeal.
Added a first floor for the kids, which includes:
- Two large bedrooms
- Rumpus room
- Large bathroom
This design provides the family with the individual living zones needed for everyone to have their own space.
Incorporated a carport for convenience and accessibility.
Positioned the mudroom centrally within the layout for easy access from the carport, enhancing functionality for family life.
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02. ORMOND
SCOPE
Restore a dilapidated 1940's weatherboard home within a heritage overlay, retaining the original front façade.
Create a family-oriented living space with an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area.
Design a carport for practical use.
Include a master bedroom with a spacious walk-in robe (WIR) and an ensuite with skylights for natural light.
Design two children's bedrooms: one with an ensuite and the other with a walk-in robe (WIR).
Landscape the garden, integrating a large pool seamlessly with the home and maintaining ample garden space for family activities.
CHALLENGES
The home was in poor structural condition, with floors collapsing and plaster falling off, but due to the heritage overlay, the front of the house had to remain intact.
Balancing natural light in the west-facing backyard was crucial, so we designed extra-large eaves to maximize winter sunlight while blocking the harsh summer sun, ensuring a comfortable living environment year-round.
Ensuring the pool placement did not dominate or restrict the usable garden space.
DESIGN SOLUTION
To meet heritage guidelines, we retained the original façade and reimagined the rest of the house with a modern design.
The open-plan kitchen and living areas featured varied ceiling heights to create distinct zones while emphasizing the outdoor connection.
Skylights in the master ensuite enhanced natural lighting.
The children's bedrooms were thoughtfully designed with functional storage and privacy.
For the west-facing backyard, we added large eaves (1-1.2 meters) to:
- Shield the interiors from intense summer sunlight.
- Allow the winter sun to flood the space.
The pool was positioned in alignment with the kitchen and living areas to:
- Ensure a natural flow between indoor and outdoor spaces.
- Maintain a large garden for family activities.
A muted material palette of timber, aluminum, and tile tied the design together, creating a warm and cohesive environment.
03. BRIGHTON
SCOPE
Renovation and extension of a 1920s single-story double brick home in Brighton.
Address structural issues, including uneven walls, poor floor condition, and underfloor ventilation.
Create a spacious, open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area for large gatherings, including a hidden pantry and an oversized kitchen island.
Convert an old bathroom into an ensuite, and add a second bathroom.
Ensure the design maintains a strong indoor-outdoor connection, emphasizing natural light and greenery.
Manage site-specific challenges, including a steep slope, vegetation protection overlays, and flood zone regulations.
CHALLENGES
The existing home was structurally compromised, with uneven walls, poor floor conditions, and inadequate underfloor ventilation.
Significant slope on the block (1.5 meters), requiring careful planning for drainage and multi-level access.
Strict flood zone requirements (SBO – Special Building Overlay), necessitating construction adjustments like elevated decks with unenclosed foundations to allow water passage.
Vegetation protection overlays required preservation of nearby trees, mandating arborist reports, impact statements, and a tree protection plan during construction.
Integration of the old structure with the new extension required careful material selection to ensure a cohesive appearance.
DESIGN SOLUTION
Completely removed and replaced the old floors, adding a 300-400mm ventilation space to resolve underfloor ventilation issues. Re-plastered walls and restored the hallway to create a straight, clean design.
Converted one of the original bathrooms into a modern ensuite and added a second bathroom, enhancing convenience and functionality for the family.
Designed a large, open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area centered around a spacious island bench, creating a versatile space for both entertaining and daily family life. The hidden pantry boosts the kitchen's functionality while maintaining a clean, uncluttered look.
Integrated angled ceilings and corner-framed glass windows to foster a seamless connection between the interior and the outdoors, offering uninterrupted views of the surrounding trees. Skylights were strategically placed not only to flood the home with natural light but to create the feeling that the neighboring trees are part of the living space, enhancing the home’s connection to its environment.
Introduced steps and multi-level transitions to address the significant slope of the site, ensuring smooth access and flow between spaces.
Met flood zone regulations by incorporating unenclosed deck foundations, allowing water to flow beneath the structure during heavy rainfall, thus preventing flooding.
Used James Hardie board to economically connect the old and new sections of the house, providing a durable, paintable solution that harmoniously tied the design together.
The open bathroom design reflects the client’s preferences, maintaining a visual connection to the landscaped outdoor area. This creates a tranquil and natural ambiance in both the bedroom and bathroom, offering a serene living experience.
04. HUGHESDALE
SCOPE
Renovation and extension of a 1950s Californian bungalow to create a spacious family home.
The project involved reconfiguring the original front rooms, including transforming the master bedroom into a kid's bedroom with a communal bathroom and separate powder room for guests.
Relocated the master bedroom to the other side of the house, utilizing a former bedroom to create a walk-in robe and ensuite.
Designed an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area to serve as the social hub of the home, with seamless indoor-outdoor flow to the alfresco space and large back garden.
Included functional features such as a home corner for family organization, a large laundry with external access, and a connected mudroom-pantry-laundry-kitchen pathway for convenience.
Emphasized material choices, including hybrid flooring, scion cladding, aluminum-framed double-glazed windows, and timber decking, blending classic and modern elements.
CHALLENGES
Reconfiguring the front rooms of the house while retaining some original features, such as decorative cornices, archways, and skirting boards, presented design challenges.
Ensuring the open-plan living area had enough separation between the kitchen, dining, and living zones while maintaining circulation space for family activities.
Integrating heating and cooling sources throughout the home to maintain comfort across various spaces, including a fireplace, ducted system, and hydraulic heaters.
Creating seamless indoor-outdoor connections with no steps between the inside flooring and the outdoor deck, while adhering to site constraints and design needs.
Managing the relocation of utility spaces like the laundry and pantry to ensure they were both functional and connected to key areas, such as the kitchen and garden.
DESIGN SOLUTION
The original front rooms were reconfigured to suit the family's needs, transforming the previous master bedroom into a kid's room with a communal bathroom and separate powder room. The master bedroom was relocated to a quieter part of the house, and a former bedroom became a new walk-in robe and ensuite.
Designed an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining space with strategic circulation areas for ease of movement and a clear separation between zones. The kitchen serves as the heart of the home, with an island bench for gathering, framed by a seamless connection to the living and dining areas.
Incorporated multiple heating and cooling solutions, including a fireplace for the winter months and ducted cooling, alongside strategically placed hydraulic heaters for consistent warmth.
Ensured the indoor and outdoor areas were seamlessly connected by framing the L-shaped alfresco space with glass, continuing the ceiling design from indoors to outdoors, and using consistent hybrid flooring that flows from inside to the timber decking outside without any steps.
The laundry, mudroom, and pantry were connected in a functional layout, allowing easy flow from outdoor spaces into the home, while providing ample storage and organization. The large pantry, complete with a second fridge and plenty of light from the splashback window, ensures the kitchen remains organized and clutter-free.
Used a mix of materials to blend the original home with the new additions, including scion cladding for durability, double-glazed aluminum windows for energy efficiency, and timber decking for warmth. The final design maintained the bungalow's classic charm while delivering a modern, functional family home.
Why Choose Us
We offer a free, no-obligation review of your project to understand your vision and needs for your dream home.
We will prepare a fixed-fee proposal for the entire project with no hidden charges or extra costs We will also include all potential expenses such as arborist assessments and soil reports in our statement and additional consultation fees.
We understand the importance of timely progress; thus, we aim to deliver concept designs within 2 weeks of measuring your property
As we handle everything for you, from council queries to potential objectors, we ensure that you are informed at every stage. Each design decision is presented to you with its pros and cons, equipping you with the knowledge to make informed choices.
Thanks to our established relationships with external consultants, we ensure a seamless transition throughout the permit process.
The foundation of our service lies in our excellent communication and professionalism. Your satisfaction is paramount, and we continuously strive to deliver the finest service.
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“What impressed me most was Rob’s open communication and quick turnaround time with the original drawings and subsequent amendments. I would highly recommend Rob to anyone looking to get a design for their building project.”
Gregor,
Caulfield East
"Rob was great at helping us engage with the building surveyor and our local council – this meant we met pressing deadlines and ensured all our paperwork was approved by the time our builder was ready to commence works.
His calm and practical approach was just what we needed throughout the process!”
Jess
Hughesdale
“Rob has been brilliant to work with from the moment we engaged him. We have really appreciated his honest feedback and guidance – where he believes one of our ideas won’t work he has explained why and worked with us to find a solution.
Thanks for a great job Rob.”
Matt and Sarah,
Port Melbourne
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Location:
Caulfield South, Melbourne VIC 3162
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