Windermere
Windermere is a defining project for Stonnington Group – it’s not only a family home for one of their own but a residence designed, built and finished entirely in-house. Shaped by sensory forms, natural materials and crafted details, the Brighton home is at once personal and a clear expression of Stonnington’s full-circle commitment to creating an environment where rhythm, tactility and experience intertwine.
The bayside site offered the Stonnington team a rare opportunity to act as both client and designer. Following the demolition of the existing dwelling on what Enzo Campus – property owner and Stonnington Group director – describes as a “relatively small, odd-shaped parcel of land”, the team reimagined the structure as a monolithic residence. Spanning three levels with well-zoned living spaces, its curved facade reveals little to the street, balancing privacy with intrigue – a guiding principle of Stonnington, where “nothing is revealed at once”.
Entering through the birch tree garden, past Stonnington’s signature front door with its custom handle, the gallery teases rather than reveals. The garden, rising from the lower level, and the warmth of natural timber draw the eye forward, guiding one’s curiosity into the main living area. Open yet intimate, the space unfolds with textured, hand-trowelled plaster walls and joinery in natural veneers and travertine stone. A sculptural kitchen island – more “like a piece of furniture” – merges functionality with artistry. As Campus notes, “less is more”.
The ground floor, called the pavilion, blurs the line between inside and out. External wall finishes continue seamlessly indoors, while frameless glazed doors and a conservatory-style roof allow the room to open fully – or remain enclosed. Light and airy yet warm and snug, it embraces dual personalities. Below, the basement retreat continues a dialogue with nature, where a full-length garden receives abundant natural light, illuminating the home office and wellness zone. These spaces feel restorative, expansive and intimately grounded.
On the first floor, each bedroom is paired with its own private bathroom. The main ensuite, a restorative retreat, eschews convention in favour of waterproof trowelled plaster – its slight imperfections forming a warm patina beneath the skylight. Timber joinery and stone flooring create a space made to linger in. In the powder room, a sculptural basin and mirror, crafted in-house, embody Stonnington’s ethos of calm, tactile design. “The wavy form of the surfaces is impacted differently at various times of the day. It is constantly changing. I love every room in this home, but this one never gets boring,” says Campus.
Stonnington Group’s philosophy – “simple forms, natural materials and beautiful gardens” – shapes every element of Windermere. Through the freedom of an in-house factory, the team crafted all joinery, from the pivot door and kitchen island to timber windows and sculptural basins, realising a home that feels tactile, timeless and distinctive.
Architecture, interior design and build by Stonnington Group. Landscape design by Eugene Gilligan Garden Design.
