Barefoot House by Madeleine Blanchfield Architects

Madeleine Blanchfield Architects weaves immersive moments into Barefoot House, offering a secluded sanctuary where a beautiful blend of natural and architectural elements creates opportunities for disconnection throughout.

Located in Clovelly, Barefoot House incorporates three open courtyard spaces that serve as havens of relaxation within the residence. By bringing nature into the interior spaces, these courtyards facilitate an interplay of light and shadow while also allowing for natural ventilation from the coastal breezes. Emphasising passive cooling and an overall approach focused on creating a retreat, Madeleine Blanchfield Architects makes sure that the home embodies a sense of casual elegance paired with refined and considered detailing. This then ensures the dwelling’s enduring appeal for many years to come.

Positioned above Gordon’s Bay, the residence invites the sensory delights of coastal living, with the scents and sounds of the sea enhancing the experience.

Barefoot House embraces an organic and exploratory design approach, encouraging the owners and visitors to make their own way through the spaces, with transitions that remain subtle rather than overtly defined. From the onset, a deep connection to nature is felt, with the landscape softening and buffering the property from neighbouring homes. Positioned above Gordon’s Bay, the residence invites the sensory delights of coastal living, with the scents and sounds of the sea enhancing the experience. The seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces, coupled with the inclusion of sensory elements into the interior, adds another layer of understated elegance.

Within the dwelling, architectural features such as ceiling voids and stepped transitions between levels encourage a relaxed connection with the home, akin to walking barefoot. The gentle blending of textures and materials adds a warmth and familiarity to the space while also accentuating its internal scale. Using a palette consisting of timber, travertine, concrete, terracotta and specialised render, these elements flow from the entry throughout the various areas, across multiple levels.

Within the dwelling, architectural features such as ceiling voids and stepped transitions between levels encourage a relaxed connection with the home, akin to walking barefoot.

Barefoot House maintains a strong connection with its context. At the same time, Madeleine Blanchfield Architects intentionally designs pathways within the home, creating an environment where the owners can lose themselves and feel detached from their surroundings once inside.

Architecture and interior design by Madeleine Blanchfield Architects. Landscape architecture by Nelson Thomas.