Delight in the Detail
It’s the easily-missed minutiae that counts in this split-level brick and cedamr-clad abode. Like the way the cross hatched ceiling visually aligns from one room to the next, to the next. Or the pattern symmetry that is achieved in cedar boards placed on either side of every window, door or corner inside and outside the house; countless hours were spent fabricating and hand routering timber to guarantee this effect. Or the clever Vitex hardwood deck and stair construction that avoids view-obstructing handrails. Nor is it obvious that the sun-drenched window seating hides valuable storage space. What is noticeable is the home’s harmonious, easy-to-live-in ambiance. The three-bedroom house, constructed for an architectural designer and his green-fingered partner, is ingeniously wedged onto the suburban site to maximise unexpectedly spectacular harbour views and create precious space for raised garden beds. Flourishes and finishes continued to evolve throughout construction; note the addition of a striking wall-mounted bedhead in the master bedroom, built from leftover cedar planking. Every angle and material has been carefully considered, from squared-off architraves round over-height doors to the way staggered brickwork provides texture and casts changing shadows through the day. This timeless, modern home proves details – even hidden ones – matter.
