We head west to Cottesloe Beach, where Studio Roam and Iota have reinvigorated a 1940s Spanish Mission style home.
A heritage-listed home on the south coast of Perth has undergone a timely renovation that responds to the evolving needs of the family that lives there. Local architecture firm Studio Roam and interior design studio Iota oversaw the renovation, calling attention to the home’s unique backstory while simultaneously anchoring it to the present.
CDK Turco Argento stone features in the kitchen, along with zellige tiles which follow throughout the kitchen, bathrooms and bedroom.
The house tells the story of its past through an exposed concrete plinth that’s a visual representation of the previous floor level.
The Resident Isabella chair, Pholc Donna 18 pendant and Serge Mouille Applique 2 Bras Droit Pivotant in the living space.
Lewis House was originally built in the 1940s by architect Peter Lewis as a Spanish Mission style home; a style of architecture characterised by white exteriors, dramatic arches, small windows and tiled roofs. The clients were adamant that the renovation be carried out in a manner that showcased these unique heritage bones. Consequently, each design intervention is as much an accolade of the home’s rich history as it is a response to the client’s needs.
The owners are coming up to 20 years in Lewis House, during which they have formed many fond memories with their three children. Now empty nesters, they wanted to bring the home in line with their changing family dynamic. Lewis House 2.0 needed to address a growing list of maintenance concerns – namely rising dampness, limited natural light, low ceilings and general lack of flow – and accommodate three grown-up children returning home to stay for holidays. The lower level had to undergo a complete excavation to meet these requirements.
The hallway features the New Works Lantern pendant lamp.
Arches are a consistent motif in the Lewis House.
The &Tradition Journey SHY2 wall lamp
This lower level’s excavation and subsequent renovation was a highly collaborative process involving the builder, architect, and interior designer. Integrated on-site involvement was pivotal to ensuring that the final result mirrored what the clients had originally envisaged, from when the first brick was laid, to when the final fabric was chosen. “The new design sits sensitively within the existing building fabric,” Studio Roam partner Sally Ann-Weerts says, “not attempting to mimic the old, but still creating a sense that everything belonged”.
Rebuilding a home so close to the hearts of those who live in it can be somewhat daunting – but this one ended in triumph through careful and considerate design moves.
Pink zellige tiles and the Estiluz Volta wall light form a custom feature in the bedroom.
The De La Espada Elliot dining chair in the bedroom.
Lewis House recalls tales of its former life; concrete archways, poky windows and brick paving.
The design team worked closely with the clients to weave in memories of holidaying in the south of Italy.
