Entering this beguiling four-bedroom home in Melbourne’s inner southeast is like being whisked away on a magic carpet. The front door itself, which appears black until the light reveals its deep-purple nuances, hints at many bespoke surprises beyond. “Our inspirations spanned from Kyoto to Marrakech, Paris to Positano, central and northeast Asia to Eastern Europe, with touches of Australia – and, remarkably, all these influences speak beautifully to each other,” says the much-travelled owner, who has also lived on several continents. That multilingual dialogue springs from the design dexterity of interior designers Thomas Hamel and Kirsty McElroy, both of Thomas Hamel & Associates, and Christopher Doyle of Christopher Doyle Architects.
Custom day beds line the loggia. ‘Colmar’ stone paving from Eco Outdoor. Rope chandelier from Fisher Weisman Collection. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
The couple bought the Italianate-style home for themselves and their two children, now teenagers, in 2017. “The beautiful Victorian facade captivated us,” says the owner. “And we could redesign the rear extension to suit our needs.” They brought with them an extensive art collection, which coincidentally gave them their introduction to Thomas, who knew their art dealer. For him, the extension jarred with the elegant front. “It was the polar opposite,” he says. “The original home needed something more flowing and cohesive.”
More Andy Warhol artworks from Hamilton-Selway in LA. ‘Aria’ pouf bench by Paul Mathieu from Ralph Pucci, upholstered in Halston suede from Capricorn Hides. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
That misstep at the rear would be the focus of the brief to the talented trio. “The house needed to reflect our travels, our cultural influences, our love of colour, texture and history – and of course, our art,” says the owner. “We wanted a home that works for everyday family life, glamorous and sophisticated but not precious, with the kitchen as the centrepiece, and a light alfresco area.” Also on the wishlist was a spa that “married Japanese serenity with Moroccan poetry. We wanted timelessness, warmth, cosiness, elegance and a sense of quiet luxury.”
The formal sitting room sports an artwork by Roy Lichtenstein from Hamilton-Selway LA and a red sculpture by Caleb Shea from LON Gallery. Sofas, chaise and cushions, custom. ‘Belgard’ armchairs from Dmitriy & Co. ‘Weave’ cocktail table from Baker-McGuire. Chandelier from Allan Knight Collections. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
Painstakingly preserving the front with its lofty ceilings, cornicing and mouldings, Christopher sliced off the rear and replaced it with an elegant, luminous addition. Through sweeps of floor-to-ceiling glazing, it soaks up the lush garden, masterminded by Paul Bangay Garden Design. A gallery runs around a central courtyard and beyond that, the living area, with garden on two sides, connects to a colonnaded loggia. A kitchen and dining area sit on one flank of the extension, while the main bedroom suite and the owner’s study occupy the other.
Artworks by Andy Warhol decorate a hallway. Ironies ‘Sargasso’ sideboard from Kneedler Fauchère. ‘Applique Alice’ wall sconces from Hervé Van der Straeten. ‘Bopp’ pendant from Avrett Studio. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
The two children’s bedrooms share the original house with a music room and a study at the front. Below the new extension is another surprise, an underground wonder excavated four metres down and housing a 25-seat home cinema, games arcade, karaoke room, spa, massage room and hair salon, as well as a huge garage.
“With all the main living areas and bedrooms on one level, the challenge was how to make the house grand and expansive,” points out Thomas. “The courtyard is a game changer – it gives the house so much space and light.” So, too, do the soaring ceilings reprised in the back and the glassed gallery enclosing the courtyard. Nods to the past include coffered timber ceilings, cornices and mouldings, together with arches – a motif reprised inside and out. “Arches were on our wishlist,” says the owner. “We wanted them throughout as they soften the spaces and create a rhythm. And outdoors, in an Italian style festooned with climbing bougainvillea, they create dreamy Mediterranean moments.”
A La Cornue stove from Andi-Co is paired with a custom brushed copper rangehood by Davies Henderson. Polished Alpinus stone from Gladstones Granite. Joinery in Ghost Ash by Briggs Veneers. Brass drinks shelf at rear by Oliver Tanner. Cabinet pulls from The English Tapware Company. Tapware from Winnings. Leaded lanterns by Rose Uniacke. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
As evidenced by the bold art collection and its Pop Art works by luminaries such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Damien Hirst, the owner was no shrinking violet when it came to her colour choices. “She is excited by different things and certainly not afraid of colour, especially warm, rosy reds,” says Thomas. “The bold art is the star,” adds Kirsty. “The owner also loves gold hues and a little sheen, but nothing over the top. We have balanced that colour with muted hues.” In the kitchen, for example, a ruby-red La Cornue range is teamed with a copper and brass shelf, a hammered brass sink and bronze window frames.
suite. Sconce from Lutyens Furniture & Lighting. Chair from Anne Hauck. ‘Coliseum’ tiles from The Fine Line. Fireplace from Living Fire. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
What’s on display is a triumph of craftsmanship, with fine attention to detail. “The home’s scale can cope with such diverse finishes,” says Thomas. “Everything has been touched by human hands – in some cases, many – to arrive at the final custom and luxurious product.” Standouts include the ornate Moroccan screen in the living room “giving a nod to the owner’s wishlist in a subtle way”, and the octagonal floor tiles with brass inlays in the main ensuite (reprised in the shower with the pattern raised for added texture) while the room’s timber vanity has a burl that “gives it a silky feeling”, complemented by brass hardware and custom red silk sconces. “Leather-clad columns in the dressing room feel like a handbag,” he says. “Everything is considered.” Meanwhile, a hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper fosters a chinoiserie ambience in the salon. “All these decorative layers give it a homely feeling,” says Kirsty.
‘Diamond Ring’ crystal pendants by Christopher Boots sparkle in the main bedroom. Phillip Jeffries ‘Silky Strings’ wallpaper in Cameo from The Textile Company. Bed, clients’ own. Linen by Frette. ‘Hamilton’ dresser from Signorini & Coco. Mirror, clients’ own. Armchairs from A Rudin. Shibori rug from Behruz Studio (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
The furnishings, similarly many custom, reflect the owners’ art with, for example, pink velvet dining chairs as the perfect foil for a Hirst artwork immediately behind. The brass “lily pad” (Thomas’s term) coffee tables in the living room are a playful nod to Southeast Asia. From such a wealth of options, Thomas has nominated two favourite features. “The staircase in the addition is the pièce de résistance,” he says, highlighting the “asymmetrical balustrading, at odd angles”, in hand-cast bronze, teamed with a sculptural chandelier beneath an ornate skylight, all of which consistently evoke awe from visitors. He says the double-sided sitting room, with its courtyard on one side and loggia on the other, is “a nod to the rest of the house in its ceiling details, arches and contemporary artworks. But most importantly, this room is lived in and used. While there’s exquisite attention to detail, nothing is precious.”
On the edge of the pool is a custom lounger in Jim Thompson ‘Palm Plain’ and ‘Fez’ fabrics from Milgate. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
“Every room, every corner has been considered with care,” adds the delighted owner. “They hold stories, history and intention. When I walk through the house, I feel the past and its Victorian origins and the present of our family life and [have] glimpses of future generations.”
In the massage room is ‘Cumulus Shimmer’ wallpaper in Rose Quartz with custom curtains in Weitzner ‘Pirouette’ Frost fabric, all from Holly Hunt in the US. Massage beds from Gharieni. (Photography: Mark Roper | Styling: Olga Lewis)
The Design Team
Thomas Hamel & Associates: thomashamel.com
Christopher Doyle Architects: christopherdoylearchitects.com
Paul Bangay Garden Design: paulbangay.com
Writer
Chris Pearson
AloJapan.com