Kew Garden House sees Robson Rak cultivate an enduring family home through the dovetailing of heritage and contemporary design within a picturesque garden setting.
This circa 1890s grand Victorian home, located in Melbourne’s leafy Kew, used to belong to the late Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies. Now home to a young family of six, Kew Garden House gracefully mediates between the past, with its heritage facade still in-tact and period details peppered throughout, and present, as it unfolds to reveal a new modern pavilion at the rear.
Complimenting the striking stone and subdued palette in the kitchen are various artworks and objects, including artists John Young and Leo Coyte, and sculptor Stephanie Phillips.
The dining space, located in the new pavilion, features the Wastberg W151 pendant lamp S2, which hangs above a custom Thomas Lentini dining table and Miyazaki Hata chairs. Also featured is an archival print by Lindsay Blamey and various sculptures, including Studio Mulders, Joseph Turrin and Irene Grishin Selzer.
Upon entry, Kew Garden House appears as a protector of its own historic narrative. The existing fabric features grand marble fireplaces, ornate Victorian cornices, arches and incredibly high ceilings. Robson Rak have sought to complement and enhance the beauty of these period details while propelling the home into future relevance through updated finishes, fixtures and the subtle integration of home automation technology.
Filled with light and intrinsically connected to the surrounding garden, the rear addition echoes the rhythm of the front volume while establishing a new identity. Externally, the black iron lacework of the heritage volume seamlessly gives way to black steel cladding, enveloping the new kitchen and living zone.
The living room is an expansive space opening directly onto the garden. Featuring the Jardan Hudson sofa and cushions, Viccarbe Shape low table, Grazia & Co. Slab coffee table, Karakter Awkward floor lamp and Cappellini Lud’o chair and footrest – all of which rest upon a custom rug by Halcyon Lake. Sculptures by Kate Banazi and Mathieu Frossard.
Artwork by Julian Meagher and vessel by Tessy King.
The bar and surrounding joinery features sculptures by Joseph Turrin, Tessy King, Studio Mulders and Bastard Ceramics. Also pictured: the Oluce Atollo table lamp and a painting by Greg Wood.
A cosy atmosphere is achieved in the sitting room with a Halcyon Lake Chromatic rug, Lintello Manhattan coffee table and Arflex Marenco sofa. Artwork by Edwina Edwards; sculptures Joseph Turrin and Bastard Ceramics.
As the home transitions between old and new, navigation through a transparent internal atrium allows for a gentle recalibration and celebration of the home’s connection to its sprawling garden surrounds. Every vista has been cultivated to converse with the landscape, rendering it the perfect backdrop for a family who love to entertain.
The interior palette is guided by saturations of colour introduced through art and furniture pieces, which are underpinned by muted greys and more subtle tones. Tactile and graphic expressions become a further layer with brickwork, timber grain, natural stone and patinated metals and leathers, encouraging a dialogue with nature’s textures to cement further the home’s connection to its site.
The main objective for Robson Rak’s Kew Garden House was to create a luxurious yet comfortable home that embodied a sense of place, lightness and outdoor connection. The studio have done so by responding to the way it is occupied and navigated, ultimately achieving an elegant and timeless family home.
The primary bedroom features a custom leather-upholstered bedhead, custom Thomas Lentini bedside table, Ligne Roset PaiPai chair and Toledo Opal pendant. Artwork by Paul Snell.
The powder rooms features the Nightworks Code Bravo Tango 3 globe pendant in brass.
Artwork by Emma Pattenden; sculpture by Kirsten Perry.
The entry hall features the Bomma Pendulum pendant and a custom Daniel Barbera console. Artwork by Jo Elbourne; sculptures by Kirsten Perry and Irene Grishin Selzer.
Linking the period and contemporary zones of the home is a transparent atrium. Pictured: the Viccarbe Shape low table and an artwork by Luke Crouch.
