A Tailor-Made Approach To Inner-City Living – Melrose Terrace by Dan Gayfer

Dan Gayfer was presented with the opportunity to design an enterprising home in North Melbourne for a retired couple downsizing from the Mornington Peninsula. The result is Melrose Terrace, a small-statured home whose functionality belies its single-fronted terrace origins.

The client was prepared to inevitably sacrifice on space, but determined the architects needed to ensure their newly downsized property was as comfortable and accommodating as their previous home. To achieve this, a comprehensive concept design process was undertaken to ascertain the specific needs of the owners. Where possible, every millimetre of floor area was considered, to allocate functional spaces no bigger than required.

The largest changes to the existing structure took place on the ground floor that, other than the brick party walls, was entirely stripped to a blank canvas. The ground floor section of the rear façade was removed, allowing it to be extended approximately one metre, and bringing it in line with the existing weatherboard façade above. A new tiled façade was then designed, which accommodates a window lounge extrusion that maximises natural light. Additional non-traditional design solutions on the ground floor include the front entry opening into the dining room and the placement of the majority of amenities – pantry, laundry, powder and stores rooms – behind a single interior wall.

Every space throughout the home was afforded absolute consideration, making it no bigger than necessary, but ensuring that the owners did not need to compromise on comfort.

At the front of the property, surprising new visitors, is a rooftop terrace on the first floor. Accessed from the main bedroom, it provides a secondary living space for the owners and has been designed for small social gatherings. Custom furniture, which features heavily throughout, is utilised in the form of a luxurious daybed. Structurally, the daybed and two planters are intertwined with that of the pergola that envelops the space, blurring the lines between furniture and structural necessity, and again emphasising the functionality at the core of every design decision throughout Melrose Terrace.

The material palette was chosen after an exhaustive process to ensure an elegant yet varied style that adapts with the function of each area. The semi-glazed terracotta tiling in the front dining room was selected for its ability to withstand the increased foot traffic through the front door. Silvertop ash timber flooring is then introduced further into the home, before making way for ochre carpet in the living area at the rear. Two different timber veneers and the use of brass detailing throughout further reinforces the individual personality of each area and serve to create distinct personalities throughout the small open-plan space.

The use of custom designed furniture is also demonstrated regularly and was considered important on even the smallest of scales. In addition to the built-in sofa that features in the living room, a small custom console greets visitors as they enter the property. Its intricate and finely tuned details demonstrate a unique application of its timber, brass and porcelain materials. It is in many ways a microcosm to the approach taken throughout this entire project – one where attention to detail and due consideration compensate for a lack of space, to achieve a home that is richly appointed and pragmatic without ever feeling small or under resourced. Melrose Terrace is a fitting achievement, at home in its inner-city surrounds.

Dan Gayfer was presented with the opportunity to design an enterprising home in North Melbourne for a retired couple downsizing from the Mornington Peninsula.