Month: April 2020

Looking at images of this project, you probably wouldn’t guess its former life as a grand Victorian home, or that it was most recently functioning as a bed and breakfast, but that’s the beauty of Carter Williamson’s design. 

Prior to its recent transformation, this residence had been given a late 2000s renovation with lockable rooms, causing a disconnect in the floor plan. The architect’s brief was simple – turn a building of disparate rooms into a cohesive, family home. ‘The clients didn’t want any additional footprint added to the house, they simply wanted the existing floor plan of the house to better function for their family’s needs,’ says Shaun Carter, principal at Carter Williamson.

The architects’ response was to rationalise the floor plan, and bring back the historical grandeur of a magnificent Victorian terrace, in a contemporary manner. ‘We were inspired by the High Victorian Period – an exposition

‘Buy A Bunch couldn’t be further from the work I regularly do,’ explains Gina Lasker, the Melbourne florist behind floral studio Georgie Boy. Gina usually specialises in events, but after the suspension of public and private gatherings in Victoria, she knew her business model needed to take a quick, sharp turn. For the time being at least.

‘A few people mentioned that they would love to send or receive a bunch of flowers right now while they’re housebound, but I really wasn’t convinced there was enough demand,’ Gina recalls. ‘It wasn’t until I spoke to my growers and suppliers about the devastating effects of the pandemic on their businesses, that I decided I would take it week by week and see if this was a service people wanted.’

And sure enough, it was. Gina’s bouquets have sold out every week since the launch of Buy A Bunch,

We are at the threshold of a defining point in our culture and society. Never before have so many had more than they need. We are consuming at a greater rate than at any other time in history. But with this privilege comes responsibility. And although we can’t always control governments or politicians, industry or big business, we can take responsibility fo the choices we make within our own lives.

The biggest problems the world faces are of our own making, and we have the power to create significant change. This can begin today, right now, And there is no easier place to start than at home. There are three important steps to make this possible.

The first, and simplest way, is to consume less – it is perhaps the most important tool at our disposal.

Secondly, we can also consider the idea of ‘localisation’, a concept developed by economist

Before he was an award-winning furniture maker, James Howe used to be a journalist. He knows what it means to make something from nothing.

‘I really had no interest in furniture growing up, and hadn’t even heard of furniture design as a discipline until a few years ago!’ James recalls. ‘Having said that, I realise now I had some solid role models in design.’ He explains how his grandfather and uncle migrated from the Netherlands to Tarlee, South Australia, and promptly built a farm from the ground up. The resulting buildings were beautiful and now, with an appreciation for design, James revels in the property’s meticulously organised floorplan. Craftsmanship and great design is in James’ blood, even if it isn’t in his training.

‘I don’t have training in any design or craft discipline,’ he explains, a fact which seems unbelievable when you view his perfectly proportioned designs. His minimal, tactile

For decades, this site with undisrupted water views in Sydney’s Northern Beaches sat almost empty, hosting only a small, post-war beach cabin. The owners of the block had a long family history in the area (their ancestors were those who built the original cabin) and wanted to honour this heritage, but with a house that could accommodate ongoing family holidays, on a rotating roster. 

Benn + Penna Architecture were brought on to design the project, retaining and drawing on elements of the original cabin and surrounding landscape in their response. Central to the design is the existing and extended stone terrace, which effectively establishes an elevated platform for the new home, allowing it to emerge almost seamlessly from the cliff face. ‘The existing platform is built with great sensitivity to the landscape and its natural surroundings, with a strong history and presence on the site, making it a great backbone

Olaver Architecture opted for a subtle, sophisticated approach when it came to transforming this dilapidated single-fronted cottage into a modern family home. ‘We took a ‘light touch’ approach to the architecture, and simply extruded the original form,’ explains director Emlyn Olaver. ‘On the inside we ensured that the modest space was amplified with natural light and rich materiality,’ he explains, while minimal changes were made to the street-facing exterior.

The clients had pre-purchased brass fittings and Baltic pine floorboards, so Emlyn and his team had a base palette to work around when selecting the rest of the materials. Rich burgundy stone, walnut joinery and dark marble slabs bring depth to the light-filled communal spaces, while lush forest green carpet provides reference to the natural world in the bedrooms. The bathroom is also heavenly, bathing in radiant natural light that accents the rich colours of the marble, tiles and walnut surfaces.