Original orange brick informs the rigorous redesign of this elevated 1970s home in Elsternwick by Coy Yiontis.
Coy Yiontis realised the potential of this well-constructed 1970s single-storey home. Although dark and disjointed, Coy Yiontis knew the build quality of the existing home was hard to come by. So when the client presented the opportunity to demolish the home entirely or rework its bones, Coy Yiontis immediately chose the latter. Through intense spatial reconfiguration, what Coy Yiontis have coined as “an exercise in architectural jujitsu”, Solid House’s extensive overhaul ensures that the home’s original architectural integrity remains the hero.
Deeply recessed into the home, the ink-black kitchen features the About A Stool bar stool designed by Hee Welling for HAY.
Built-in banquette seating in khaki leather injects colour into the dining nook, illuminated by track lighting. The Thomas Chair by Metrica for SP01 also features in the dining room.
After seeing Coy Yiontis founders Rosa Coy and George Yiontis’ own home come to life, their impressed neighbours approached them with a vision to transform their own home. The first step was to open up the floorplan. Excavation made way for new bedrooms upstairs and increased northerly light in the main living area. Powder rooms and discreet studies were also allocated on both levels, tucked behind timber wall panelling.
Coy Yiontis approached the new interior scheme with a strong connection to the exterior. Clad in the same charcoal steel panels as the facade, a double-height entry void with an open staircase greets you upon entry, quickly setting the tone for vast volumes and the open-plan layout to follow. Light terrazzo flooring, timber ceilings and white walls create a timeless and neutral base throughout the home, paired with soft grey sheers and matt black track lighting.
The double-height entry void utilises the same charcoal steel panelling as the facade.
The ceiling is decked in timber panels from WOODCUT.
A built-in storage unit conceals the television, atop a terrazzo plinth in the living room.
Pieces in the living room include the Jardan Milo Sofa and coffee tables from Collective atop the Egyptian Rug – Starling by Armadillo&Co.
The timber-clad master bedroom features artwork from Niagara Galleries.
A sense of glamour reigns supreme in the bathroom, with small-format gold tiles and the 14.3 Pendant Light designed by Omer Arbel for Bocci.
The drop-down living room is now reoriented to maximise northerly light all year round, opening up directly onto the outdoor living space and framed by aluminium full-height doors. Deep-set into the home, the striking marble-clad kitchen bench powerfully cuts through the streamlined onyx cabinetry, walls and ceiling; a sharp contrast to the external brick.
A small slot window illuminates the kitchen without compromising on dramatic effect, while the introduction of deep khaki leather in the built-in dining nook gently injects colour into the neutral space.
The functional rezoning of the home gives it the ample entertaining space it deserves, with optimal light flow to the heart of the home. Through meticulous restructure, Coy Yiontis have taken the favourable elements of the 1970s house and reworked them into a contemporary home that stays true to its name.
Large volumes of brick around the exterior of the home.
