Completing the Picture – The Stables by Sanders and King

Sitting to the rear of a house whose renovation was previously undertaken by Sanders and King, The Stables is a secondary dwelling that sees the designers apply a similar restorative approach as that of the main house. With a contemporary relevance and purpose interpreted through a more casual lens, The Stables becomes a key component of the property as a whole.

Nestled into the rear of its generous allotment in Armadale, the original building was renovated by architect John Kenny in the 1980s and was in need of realignment with a contemporary methodology. As a restoration, renovation and expansion effort, The Stables is intended as its own separate and self-contained dwelling, imagined to be robust and require little maintenance in its detached location from the main home. A reshuffling of the original plan and connection internally then created a more open dialogue with the adjacent garden space and the creation of dedicated outdoor zones. Sanders and King applies a respectful approach to the existing space, while inserting careful elements that elevate the experience and bring them into a modern relevance, completing the picture of the home from edge to edge.

Sanders and King applies a respectful approach to the existing space, while inserting careful elements that elevate the experience and bring them into a modern relevance, completing the picture of the home from edge to edge.

Built by North Building, together with landscaping by Myles Baldwin Design and SCR Landscapes, The Stables is intended as its own destination, sitting along the rear boundary of the property. With a vast and recently articulated landscape separating it from the main home, the new works see an external and internal reworking of the inherited shell and its many disconnected rooms. The interconnectedness between the dwelling and the landscape was key to creating a dedicated event space, and it was key that updated amenity, cooking and preparation space sat adjacent. Gutting the interior while leaving the previous sauna in place, a new concept for how the living space, kitchen, bathroom and mezzanine bedroom would all intersect was inserted, creating a family focused space.

Taking influence from the main home, The Stables adopts a more casual approach than its predecessor, and its location as a pavilion in the yard reinforces that. The creation of a restorative space was key, and the resulting palette, approach to layout, and circulation also reflected that shared philosophy, allowing this sense of repose to occur naturally. The use of the stable door is both a connection to place and the structure’s origins, while the original timber lined ceilings and brickwork flooring were restored and add to that layered story. A palette of raw and textural materials is utilised, extending the previous narrative and reinterpreting them with a refined crispness. The muted tonality of whites and greys creates a contemporary base, and layered elements inject personality and character. Externally, the structure is repainted and finished to better connect with the main house and, due to its high visibility, bring a distinguished sensibility to it.

A palette of raw and textural materials is utilised, extending the previous narrative and reinterpreting them with a refined crispness.

The considered and measured approach that details the rejuvenation of The Stables ensures a continued lineage of the space as a key working and functioning entity of the property. Sanders and King has created an idyllic escape that engages directly with its purpose-built landscape, giving it its own sense of place within the home.