Nestled in a leafy Shenton Park street, surrounded by old brick and mortar houses and weatherboard cottages, a character home from the 1920s has been transformed into a light-filled, design-focused family residence.
The original home was refurbished by its owners, while the two-storey addition was designed by architect Zac Evangelisti of ZARQ. "The extension harmonises with the existing home through careful material choices and subtle architectural details that respect the original scale," he explains.
The new structure features organic, innovative, and bold lines, creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. The ground level is a free-flowing layout that embraces a kitchen, scullery, dining space, entertainment room, and a sunken lounge that overlooks the outdoor swimming pool. Steering away from glaringly luxe finishes in favour of raw, understated materials such as concrete, tumbled brick and timber from Woodpecker Flooring ensures the focus is on the architecture, furnishings, and art collection. The minimalist textural palette is perfect for the owners, who desired a low-maintenance selection of materials that are both timeless and durable, especially with their young, energetic children.
“Woodpecker Flooring’s Signature Oak Range boards in Driftwood flow throughout, aligning beautifully with the material palette and the external masonry walls,” says Zac. The floorboards also enhance both the interior and exterior design, adding warmth and character. Its authentic appearance, with knots and varying tones, reflects the unique imperfections of the weathered brickwork. This thoughtfully designed palette enhances the lower floor and integrates beautifully with the landscape, creating a striking contrast between the masonry elements and the greenery.
“The owners wanted an open floor plan, and since the kitchen and dining spaces are adjacent to each other, we used two different floor finishes to distinguish the two zones," explains Zac. Travertine cross-cut floor tiles blend seamlessly with Woodpecker’s floorboards. "The colours are quite distinct because you should never try to match two different materials," Zac says. “Contrasting is always better so while these materials have similar hues, their colours are quite different."
The jumping-off point for the open plan living area is a centrally located staircase that leads to the children’s bedrooms. "We aimed to challenge the conventional idea of a staircase, which is often tucked away in a corner of the floor plan," explains Zac. "Instead, we treated it as a sculptural element rather than just a functional one, making it a key focal point." Not only a means of vertical circulation, the staircase serves an aesthetic purpose, showcasing a large, cantilevered design that is self-supporting. Woodpecker’s timber flooring continues seamlessly from the ground floor up the stairs. Large windows turn it into a lightwell, allowing sunlight to stream in and illuminate the south side of the floor plan, effectively draping the entire open plan space in natural light.
The indoor-outdoor flow of the home is so seamless that it's almost imperceptible. The family’s sunken lounge provides a purposely defined area with a seating ledge that steps outside through sliding doors. The glass doors in the kitchen, says Zac, are the most significant feature of the house. When opened to the external dining area, they function like blades that connect the kitchen to the outdoor areas and barbecue space.
“The floor plan was designed to maximise the property's northern exposure through generous openings facing east,” he explains. “For an active young family, establishing a connection between indoor and outdoor spaces is essential. No matter where you are, you have access to natural light, which is so important in a new home,” he says. “In addition to the stairwell, natural light is brought into the ground level through elliptical skylights in the dining area and the sunken lounge.”
Filled with considered materiality and bright ideas, this beautifully designed and curated home is sure to be a future classic.
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