Warm Restraint – Arthur Street by Cox Architecture and Claire Stevens
Respectfully blending existing heritage with a new modern sensibility, Arthur Street sees a curated restraint ensure each insertion fits within an overarching narrative. Cox Architecture and Claire Stevens combine to expand and reconfigure the previous home, creating a shared openness while reflecting the personalities of its occupants.
Through a process of reinvention, Arthur Street expands on its existing heritage cottage foundations as a series of new additions endow it with a contemporary relevance. Located in New Farm, the home sits comfortably surrounded by other residences. Opening up and engaging more with the rear landscape, the additions act as an evolution of the original, expanding outward while drawing on the original stylings and crafted elements of the home as it forms and fills the new spaces. Aligning more with a modern openness, the combined living, dining and kitchen spaces become the heart of the home, drawing residents and visitors together at the rear. With architecture by Cox Architecture and interior design by Claire Stevens, a focus on flow and movement forms the character of the home.
Expanding on a previous renovation, the original streetscape frontage remains untouched, while the additions sit behind and avoid interrupting the heritage façade. An additional bedroom was added to the rear at the upper level, with an accompanying wardrobe, while on the lower level, responding to the owners’ love of cooking and entertaining, an additional living space sits alongside the open and shared living zones. All oriented to optimise northern light, the convening heart of the home then opens to generous greenery in the landscape. Built by Petro Builders and with landscape design by The Small Garden, the connection between architecture and landscape become an important part of the story of the home. With new openings that allow a dissolving of traditional building edge boundaries, outdoor spaces become rooms of their own.
Home to a family of four, the old and new come together with a sense of harmony as their respective styles speak to one another and appear balanced without competing. Amongst the warm and neutral palette, pockets of colour act as unexpected insertions and allow for the owners’ own personality to be celebrated in a subtle way. Tones and a similar warmth are brought forward from the existing into the new, ensuring the home feels complete. The use of walnut timber together with bronze accents, natural stones and fabrics ensure each layer sits deliberately with the others.
Amongst the warm and neutral palette, pockets of colour act as unexpected insertions and allow for the owners’ own personality to be celebrated in a subtle way.
