An old Edwardian house in Melbourne, Australia, designed by local Architecture and interior design studio Melanie Beynon Architecture. The studio designed a deliberate, wood-lined alteration and addition for the family of six. The studio says its goal is for families to co-exist in less space and for each space to work hard to prove its worth. 

The house was planned with two zones, one for adults and one for children. Located at opposite ends of the house, the central living space connects the two areas. The newly built family living room is a voluminous and tactile space, featuring exposed Tasmanian Oak timber panels on the walls and pitched ceiling, complementing the reclaimed brick walls and handmade Anchor Ceramic tiles.

Large sliding doors expose this spacious room to natural light, leading to a raised deck, great for outdoor entertaining. The tactile detailing extends to the exterior of the house and features a saw-tooth roofline, raw cedar shingles and shiplap cladding on the walls. These timber elements will silver in time, allowing the new extension to settle into its surroundings.

Key drivers in the structural design of the house were the family’s wishes to maximise natural light and mimimise external acoustic interference. Melanie Beynon responded with the inclusion of a double height wall on the boundary and ceiling construction details that the owner and their trusted craftsmen constructed.

Customised joinery and storage units are found throughout the house in unexpected locations, offering dual access to separated spaces. Patricia Urquiola door handles and handmade paper pendants reflect the owner’s appreciation for crafted pieces, which will endure with the home and family as they grow.