Wednesday August 27 2008

Scaling down doesn’t necessarily mean moving to an apartment or townhouse. There are other options, as the owners of this house in a bayside suburb of Melbourne found. “We were moving from a large family home and wanted a detached house that didn’t impinge on neighbours or have them overshadowing us,” the owner says. “My husband and I were looking for something that was fairly pared back, minimal but not cold.”

That’s exactly what they have achieved. On a modest corner site (about 620 square metres), the new single-storey home is built around four courtyards, offering privacy and requiring little maintenance.

These empty-nesters knew what they liked and what could be left behind, such as superfluous bedrooms and bathrooms. They tore down the block’s existing 1960s home and started afresh, including the word ‘texture’ in their brief to architects Donna Brzezinski and Adam Grundmann of BG Architecture.

“My first drawing was a C-shaped building, around a northern courtyard,” Grundmann says. “As the design progressed, so did the number of courtyards: a north-facing courtyard leading from the kitchen, a central courtyard that also acts as a light well, and an eastern courtyard leading from the main bedroom.”

The house is located on a busy road so the front courtyard garden, which includes a pond, forms a buffer between the house and the traffic. “The water muffles the noise from passing cars. Its presence (seen from the entrance and study) also creates a sense of calm once you’ve closed the front door,” Grundmann adds.

The house is constructed of stained plywood, rendered masonry, timber cladding and glass, and is divided into three zones. Living areas are to the north and two bedroom wings to the south. The kitchen is centrally located, with the open-plan living/dining area to the east and a study to the west. The north-facing courtyard that leads from the kitchen extends the living areas and acts as another entertaining space in the warmer months.

“We wanted fewer and larger spaces,” says the owner, who sees the courtyards as an integral feature of the home. “I wanted to be connected to the outdoors in every room. The house and gardens really fold into each other.”

The main living area is framed by relaxing courtyard views on three sides. Large timber and glass sliding doors lead directly to the tiled north-courtyard terrace – a favourite spot for the couple’s labrador, Regie – which is home to an outdoor setting and a built-in barbecue, hidden behind a stained-plywood door. Views to the north of oak trees in the adjacent street are balanced by ginger plants at ground level, creating a more intimate perspective.

While the glazing opening onto the courtyard is generous and creates a feeling of space, the architects’ choice of materials means a sense of cosiness pervades in the open-plan living and dining area. Stained plywood wraps around the walls and ceiling and a slate wall was inserted above the polished concrete hearth to provide extra seating and a different layer of texture.

The southern courtyard is integral to the galley-style kitchen. A large glass window looking out into the courtyard not only draws additional light into the kitchen, but acts as a contemporary splashback. The space also separates the main bedroom and ensuite from the second bedroom and powder room.

“Originally this courtyard was going to be a herb and vegetable garden. But it’s been planted out with more decorative species,” the owner says.

The home’s study, which is a few steps lower than the rest of the house, looks out to the front courtyard garden, complete with Japanese-style pond. With its wall of bookshelves, built-in desk and open fireplace, the study is one of the owners’ favourite rooms and a cosy space they regularly gravitate to. “It’s a relaxing and quiet place. It’s a place of respite for us.”

From the main bedroom’s walk-in dressing area with its oriental-style screen doors to the four-metre long vanity in the ensuite, it’s easy to appreciate the sense of delight the owners took in creating their space. With downsizing as the impetus they’ve seized the opportunity to design their perfect home.