Austin Design Associates walk the line between traditional and contemporary in their reincarnation of a Flemish-style home in Brighton.Located on a heritage-listed street in Melbourne’s bayside, the original Dutch Gable House combined a series of architectural styles including Edwardian and Dutch Renaissance. It had also undergone a significant alteration and addition in the 1980s with a rear pavilion recreating the home’s Dutch gable facade.

As the third project completed by Austin Design Associates for the client, project designers Lauren O’Brien and Sylvanna Mitri have retained period architectural details and respected the home’s history through a sophisticated monochrome palette.

The facade’s distinguishing features informed the overall design concept for the interiors; enduring and bold. Instead of demolishing the 1980s pavilion, the team at Austin Design Associates opted to utilise the space as a kitchen and butler’s pantry situated between two different living areas, framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that open up onto the north-facing deck.

European oak parquetry flooring provides a warm base to the onyx-clad kitchen, where eye-catching Titanium Granite stone from CDK Stone comes together with sleek black cabinetry and timber cladding overhead. The same black stone reappears in the hallway cabinetry and traditional mantle fireplace, complemented by black steel-framed openings and sheer curtains. 

The Minotti Leslie Bergere armchair and footstool and Eido wall sconce and pendant contribute to the home’s luxurious ambience.The bathrooms and bedrooms evoke a sense of timelessness by playing on a restrained colour palette of grey, black, white and navy. Washed linen from Bedouin Societe softens the master bedroom, while the ensuite reinstates the consistent heritage theme through the traditional freestanding bathtub.Austin Design Associates have stepped up to the challenge of sensitively reworking the Dutch Gable home’s bones without compromising on its inherent character.