LUME House
LUME House showcases Thomas Archer’s architectural and construction expertise, expressed through thoughtful design moments including handmade brickwork, sculptural forms and finely crafted joinery.
In bayside Melbourne, LUME House is a striking presence, a residence where light, space and materiality work in tandem to create spaces that are at once artful and sophisticated. It’s a Landmark Custom Design by architectural builder Thomas Archer, a practice where architects, interior designers and construction experts collaborate from a project’s inception to its completion to ensure homes don’t just look good and work hard but also perfectly align with a client’s vision and lifestyle.
It’s an ethos that is fully realised in LUME House, where elevated aesthetics and a focus on craftsmanship blend to create a residence that works seamlessly with the demands of contemporary living. “At LUME House, our goal was to design spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful,” says principal architect Brendan McDowell. “Every room is designed to support family life and entertaining while celebrating materiality, detail and effortless flow.” Thomas Archer collaborated closely with Archer Interiors to craft the home’s contemporary, European-style aesthetic.
The experience begins at street level, with a refined, tactile facade that introduces a distinctive modern form to the leafy streetscape. Composed of pale handmade bricks, richly hued timber cladding and exposed structural steel, the home’s clean lines, deep reveals and subtle texture give the residence a calm, modern presence. Intricate detailing – such as the sculptural brass door handle – reflect the team’s deep respect for craftsmanship.
In the grand entry, the home’s design intentions reveal themselves as the soaring three-metre ceiling amplifies the ground floor’s sense of airiness. A sculptural staircase sweeps between the levels and funnels light into the home. The latter is a defining feature of LUME House. “Across its double-storey layout, natural light has been intentionally choreographed to enhance volume, aesthetics and atmosphere,” says McDowell.
Chevron oak flooring guides you into the open-plan living, dining and kitchen zone, where floor-to-ceiling doors retract discreetly into the walls, blurring the lines between indoors and out. This space opens to a calm outdoor oasis, comprising a pool and alfresco dining area. There is a formal lounge room at the opposite end of the house, framed by a gorgeous landscaped courtyard.
“All the interior details were given their moment, celebrated throughout the home and thoughtfully merged to create a beautiful, timeless design.”
With European design as her inspiration, Aimee Tarulli of Archer Interiors imbued LUME House with a refined, understated ambience. Spaces are characterised by a soft neutral palette and warm walnut joinery – most notably in the primary suite’s custom feature wall. Profiled kitchen cabinetry with gold-hued pulls adds a touch of luxury, as does one of the home’s most interesting features: a concealed bar, enclosed by steel-framed glass doors.
Calacatta Viola stone is a stand-out feature, bringing a dramatic, artistic presence to the kitchen, bar, fireplace and ensuite. Its striking burgundy and violet veining also finds subtle echoes in a plum-toned rug and warm, neutral-toned drapery. “All the interior details were given their moment, celebrated throughout the home and thoughtfully merged to create a beautiful, timeless design,” says Tarulli.
With its fully integrated, architect-led, design-and-build approach, Thomas Archer has created a calm and cohesive home that not only looks spectacular but skilfully encompasses the needs of family life.
Building design and build Thomas Archer. Interior design Thomas Archer and Archer Interiors. Landscape design Mint Design.
