Following on from their Armadale Residence, Sanders & King open the doors to a second tonal sanctuary on the property, The Stables.
The modern revival of the Victorian-era Armadale Residence by Melbourne-based designers Sanders & King and architects Pleysier Perkins is one of our most-read home features in 2020; perhaps unsurprisingly, given the refined nature of the renovation.
That’s without the reveal of its second dwelling located at the rear of the property, The Stables, refurbished by Sanders & King. The Stables is a comfortable ‘family-friendly zone’, exemplifying the same modern Australian style as the original home while adopting its own fresh countryside personality.
The kitchen features custom-designed Mark Tuckey timber and Carrara marble benchtop.
Previously renovated in the 1980s by John Kenney, The Stables are located at the back of the property, past the home’s generous courtyard, pool and garden. The designers were asked to create a sanctuary that could be used by the homeowner’s adult children for relaxation and entertaining and for the possibility to become a stand-alone accommodation space for members of the family as they grow older. The goal was to create a space of sophistication for events, with a connection to the extensive garden area, designed by Myles Baldwin.
Sanders & King created a contemporary farmhouse atmosphere by introducing sliding barn doors and accentuating the raw timber, painted brickwork and a whitewash colour palette. North Building maintained a timber sauna from John Kenney’s renovation as part of the interior, while the rest of the floor plan was overhauled to make room for a living space, functional kitchen area and bathroom adjacent to the pool, as well as a bedroom and office space on an upper mezzanine level. The original red brick floors and timber ceilings were adapted for a cleaner, more modern feel, but maintain The Stables’ character.
A Skantherm fireplace from Oblica encourages a warming farmhouse aesthetic in the living and kitchen areas. The living room features the Sheepskin Butterfly Chair by Cuero, Slit Table by HAY and Around Coffee Table by Thomas Bentzen for Muuto.
The barn door conceals a bar space. The Butterfly chair creates a cosy atmosphere in the living room.
The loft-style bedroom overlooks the kitchen below, and features Manon Bis linen and Le Lamp Gras 303 Wall light.
The external façade includes a restored woodwork trim and sliding shutters, painted in a deep grey to reflect the indoor palette. The timber ceiling and brickwork floors are a consistent thread throughout, even in the bathroom, which works with the hand-cut white tiles and marble framing. The Carrara marble is also seen in the kitchen, paired with custom Sand Blasted Oregon timber from Mark Tuckey. Underneath the high white painted brick walls, they work together for a quaint and calming kitchen.
Eyes are immediately drawn to the blue Aga freestanding electric oven – the hero of the kitchen. Bestlite wall lights adorn the kitchen walls while the Jielde Augustin pendant lights, suspended from the vaulted ceiling in a soothing sage green tone, add a rustic warmth to the living room; only enhanced by the Butterfly Chair and Wilfred chair from Jardan. The bathroom features Brodware tapware and bl7 Wall lights with a vintage green towel hook found by the client on their last trip to Paris. Together, these details elegantly draw on the farmhouse theme.
Taimi Sanders and Elissa King, founders of Sanders & King, create a stripped-back extension of the Armadale Residence in The Stables. A modern and simplistic nod to its own name, the farmhouse-style space is a separate, unique entity fit for comfort, entertainment and accommodation. It’s exactly the place to host guests, seek some extra space and for adult children to take up residence in style.
The Stables opens onto the home’s garden designed by Myles Baldwin.
