This was a ‘love project’ generated from blending two beautiful families, paired with thoughtful design to tailor a very understated 1963, red brick, ex-govie, modernist house. Originally designed by John Taylor of Leith & Bartlett, under the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC), they comprised of 14 Homes that formed part of the Woden 1 Special Housing precinct.
It was important to keep the character of the home and be sympathetic to the neighbouring dwellings along with creating a good indoor/outdoor connection to the home. This was executed by relocating the Kitchen to where the existing carport was, and enclosing it with full height glazing that opens out, through bifold doors, to a private front courtyard, encompassed by materials inspired by the original design, that creates one of the most tranquil spaces in the home, capturing Canberra’s breathtaking views with sunsets across the Brindabellas.
The Kitchen soaks in abundant morning and afternoon sunlight that cast dancing silhouettes against a contrast of carefully selected materials, accentuating the feeling of space. The generous island bench is a striking centrepiece which is complemented with interesting angles which are remnants of the existing carport form hugging the boundary. This combined with the absence of overhead cupboards give the kitchen a heightened level of elegance & simplicity.
The aspiration to give value to the existing elements and materials of the original house was fundamental to balance the old and new. It was a commitment from both the designer and owners, which lead to a passion of sourcing second-hand glazed internal doors, which are sprinkled throughout the home, giving them a new purpose, whilst creating a beautiful lived in feel. Over a 6 month period the owners endured hand cleaning 3000+ existing Canberra Red bricks, sourced from the original house as well as other sites in surrounding areas which were re-used to form a stack-bond wall for both, structural integrity and screening for the kitchen from the open plan living areas.
Remnants of the existing structure were also emphasized including the original floor material, which carries through to the kitchen area giving a sense of warmth. The vision for the kitchen was to pay homage to the existing modernist design, simplifying the colour palette which allowed the textural elements to create a sense of layering & depth. This is most prevalent in the existing brick wall splashback that frames the crisp, custom made rangehood shroud. The under-bench matt black Joinery features clean lines, generated by finger-pull, soft-close draw systems. This paired with a 4 panel bi-fold joinery door, which houses the fridge and coffee station, eloquently accented by the haptic perception the half-moon, stone handles exhibit. The larger 900mm oven and gas cooktop have allowed the owners the flexibility to be able to cook together whilst accommodating for both vegetarian and non-vegetarians meal needs. The open plan galley kitchen, with generous storage, paired with the cantilevered island benchtop has provided the owners with a true connection to outdoor entertaining and inclusive indoor dining options.
