Casa Olivetta by Biasol Studio

Words by Erin Crowden
Photography by Biasol Studio

Behind its Edwardian facade, Casa Olivetta by Biasol Studio is a crafted home that feels rooted in place yet renewed, measured and tactile.

Once one of just eight homes built by merchant Matthew Glassford, the residence now unfolds as a layered sanctuary. Throughout, original details are respected but not preserved as relics; instead, they are woven into the fabric of the home, allowing the past to inform the present without dictating it. The result is a series of spaces that feel neither staged nor precious: but rather lived in and welcoming. Connection to the outdoors is immediate and immersive, with large steel doors and original leadlight windows opening to the garden, allowing dappled sunlight to spill across travertine floors and softly rendered walls. This interplay of light and shadow shifts throughout the day, animating the interiors and fostering a sense of calm that permeates the entire house, eased by a consistent use of materials throughout.

This interplay of light and shadow shifts throughout the day, animating the interiors and fostering a sense of calm that permeates the entire house, eased by a consistent use of materials throughout.

Central to the project is the use of olive-green joinery, from which the house takes its name. This muted hue appears throughout the interiors, providing internal surfaces that are delicate and defining, a visual thread linking spaces and subtly referencing the garden beyond. This presence is complemented by a restrained palette of warm travertine and Arabescato Grigio stone, the latter used to particular effect in the bathrooms.

Internally, the house is organised to support both communal activity and private retreat. The kitchen, living and dining spaces are arranged to facilitate family life and entertaining, while the main suite offers a more secluded environment, finished with the same attention to material detail as the public areas.

Casa Olivetta demonstrates a capacity to work deftly within the constraints of heritage. It doesn’t seek to overshadow its Edwardian origins; instead, offering a gentle evolution of space. Biasol Studio’s work here is measured and enduring, creating a place where history and daily life move together quietly and confidently.

Building and interior design by Biasol Studio. Build by M.A.C. Building Group.