We’re commencing our annual Best of est series for 2020 with a round-up of our most-read Australian homes on estliving.com this year.
We’re starting our year in review by revisiting some of the exceptional Australian homes showcased on estliving.com in 2020. From heritage alterations and additions to beachfront family homes, this diverse collection reveals a wealth of talent on our shores, defining what modern Australian design looks like today.
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Annandale House by Baldwin & Bagnall
The contemporary refresh of a terrace in Sydney’s Annandale by design practice Baldwin & Bagnall was one of our most-read features in 2020. The studio had to address the lack of light in the traditional home, incorporating skylights and increasing window apertures where possible.
The rear of the home is where the magic happens, with a kitchen, dining and living space opening up onto a landscaped garden, pool and deck. Catering to the compact space restrictions of the narrow building, the kitchen island bench and dining table are cleverly integrated as one for the perfect entertaining arrangement. A head-to-toe transformation of this inner-city terrace resulted in a refined place to call home that taps into its heritage characteristics both inside and out.
Armadale Residence by Pleysier Perkins and Sanders & King
Pleysier Perkins and Sanders & King teamed up to restore and extend on a Victorian-era mansion and stables in Armadale earlier this year, realising its indoor-outdoor potential and functionality for a family through design that speaks to the home’s longevity.
The existing architectural archways reverberate through the curves in new openings, windows, glazed steel doors, skylights, joinery and ceiling coves.
Like the exterior, traditional materials informed the interior palette of marble, poured concrete, timber, polished plaster, custom-encaustic cement tiles and steel, as well as a tonal paint palette.
Pleysier Perkins and Sanders & King’s brave intervention earned the Armadale Residence a place in our best Australian homes of 2020 – and marks a historic new chapter for this Armadale mansion and former stables.
Balmoral Blue House by esoteriko
Sydney-based firm esoteriko took the deep blue of Balmoral’s beach into this Sydney family home, joining our best-loved Australian homes in 2020.
esoteriko wanted to prioritise Australian-sourced materials and furniture while keeping all details clean and simple. A subdued material palette of timber, natural stone and linen take cues from Japanese design while honouring the Australian landscape through the use of native, locally-sourced materials.
This soft material palette echoes its way throughout until it is punctuated by the azure tones in the bathroom and bedroom as an ode to the owner’s teenage daughter’s favourite colour.
As the client’s first home in Australia, esoteriko have created a sense of belonging through their tailor-made approach.
McNamara House by Tom Robertson Architects
McNamara House is another memorable home that made its way into our top Australian homes of the year. The project saw a light-filled pavilion introduced to a Federation-era home in Malvern East, tastefully revived by Tom Robertson Architects. The red-brick Californian Bungalow appears untouched from its facade, yet instantly unravels the moment you step inside.
Through a discreet pavilion structure carefully wrapped around a courtyard, Tom Robertson Architects have explored the relationship between old and new, with a strong emphasis on natural light, flow and materiality. By remaining respectful of the home’s period features, Tom Robertson Architects have found a place on our most-read list with an unpretentious yet refined home revival.
Bay House by Milieu Creative
Perth-based Milieu Creative crossed the country to embrace Sydney living in their Bay House on Gordons Bay cove. First designed in 2005 by architect Craig Rosevear, the geometric home needed a contemporary update to match the new clients’ art aesthetic while cultivating a welcoming retreat for the young family.
Milieu Creative director Davina Bester wanted to capture the unparalleled views in the Bay House while inviting warmth and sophistication into the design. “A previously stark white interior and exterior, we saw the opportunity to create a timeless approach with a moody palette of dark oaks, walnut and soft linens,” Davina says. Each level has its own balcony connecting the interiors to the ocean vistas, providing seamless indoor/outdoor living spaces.
Complete with spots to pause and enjoy the view right down to the water’s edge, the Bay House is a leading example of a home designed to make the most of its waterfront views.
Woorak House by CM Studio
The Woorak House in Palm Beach is a testament to time-honoured design, showcasing sensuous shapes and a nuanced palette to create a sense of calm. The light-filled beach home by CM Studio first made an appearance in est magazine Issue #36 in March, designed as a young family’s holiday retreat. Woorak House fuses coastal design with a global focus, based around a series of lofty pavilions and open courtyards which lead to a design akin to a Mediterranean summer home.
The garage, bedrooms and private pavilion inform one zone while the main living, kitchen and dining pavilion create a public pavilion to the rear. This thoughtful planning ensures the spaces embody a spacious and airy quality with undulating, sculptural elements that speak to the coastal locale, while carefully considered outlooks draw in the neighbouring tree canopy.
Pacific View Point by Luigi Rosselli Architects and Alwill Interiors
The showstopping Pacific View Point also featured in est magazine Issue #36, designed by powerhouse collaborators Luigi Rosselli and Romaine Alwill. Working within the boundaries of the site and the surrounding sandstone cliffs, architect Luigi Rosselli responded with geometric angles that provide every level of the ship-like house with an outdoor area, complete with glass screens; ensuring an organic flow to outdoor living.
Across the home’s four storeys, clean lines are softened by organic curves and reoccurring treated oak finishes. Designer Romaine Alwill employed soft textures, modernist sculptures and a mix of Scandinavian furniture, providing a contrast to the sea-blue views, white walls and glass stairwell. The result is an oceanside home that provides a retreat from the world, allowing the family to build a nurturing, warm environment to grow up in.
