Darling Point Residence by Handelsmann + Khaw and Hancock Architects

The rooms at the front of the home maintain their heritage identity, with moulded ceilings, hardwood floors, a restored bay window and panes of stained glass.

Though the home already possessed a wonderful sense of gravitas, its layout did little for livability, and so the clients engaged architect Tanya Hancock and interior designer Tania Handelsmann to introduce an increased sense of light and fluidity to the circa-1905 home. “As with many historical homes, the original plan placed emphasis on the grand rooms in the front over the smaller secondary spaces towards the rear,” says Tanya. “This, coupled with a stylistically confused laundry extension, left the house feeling dark, piecemeal and with a strong disconnect to the rear garden.” The ensuing scope encompassed significant remedial works to the existing fabric, a two-storey rear extension, the addition of a pool and extensive landscaping to tether the newness in place.

The rooms at the front of the home maintain their heritage identity, with moulded ceilings, hardwood floors, a restored bay window and panes of stained glass. In addition, original timber rafters line the ceiling of the formal living room; the repetitive batons frame out portions of the intricately adorned ceiling, making for a welcome surprise overhead and a pleasing conduit to the building’s origins. The layered curation of furniture and artwork – spearheaded by Tania and the practice’s senior designer, Ursula Król – illustrates a thoughtful and intuitive approach. It is, as Tania says, a blend of “unique antique and modern pieces” that seems to oscillate freely between past and present, reflecting the very ethos of this project as an integration of newly built contemporary spaces and existing heritage architecture.

Cultivated but not contrived, the interiors exist in compelling conversation with the architecture and this same effect is true of the bedrooms upstairs and the shared living spaces at the rear.

Cleverly, the effect is neither too old nor too new. “We wanted the pieces to have a common language, imbuing older elements with a sense of modernity and tempering the newness of modern items,” says Ursula. This is demonstrated particularly well in the front of the home, where modern profiles meet old-world aesthetics. For instance, the original staircase is draped in a jute runner; a high-back chair with stud detailing sits alongside a chic desk; and decorative architraves are tempered by minimal window dressings. Cultivated but not contrived, the interiors exist in compelling conversation with the architecture and this same effect is true of the bedrooms upstairs and the shared living spaces at the rear.

The relationship between the new and existing was an integral early consideration and Handelsmann + Khaw and Hancock Architects have created subtle but important delineations. Small and impactful design moves signify a shift as opposed to forcing a transition, yet the change is deliberately perceptible.

A large open-plan kitchen and living area, which stretches the width of the rear, is connected to the backyard through a series of arched, steel-framed double doors.

“The rear extension has its own clear identity and quality,” says Tanya. “Where there is asymmetry and multiple forms, textures and construction techniques in the original house, the new addition embraces harmonious symmetry, connected volumes, a simplified relationship between masses and aperture and a muted materiality to bring in a new quality to the house.”

A large open-plan kitchen and living area, which stretches the width of the rear, is connected to the backyard through a series of arched, steel-framed double doors. The dining room is set back from the living area, eliciting a sense of formality, and a neutral palette washes over the spaces. Creamy walls bring warmth and softness, and the furniture and artwork carry the same blend of refined minimalism and old-world charm. Initially, colour seems to be lacking, yet upon closer inspection, hints of sage and sea foam emerge – from a single brushstroke in a piece of artwork to the swirly powder-coated steel coffee table base and the sofa’s textured upholstery. This very subtle introduction of hue has a monumental impact as it guides the eye from various interior elements to the greenery outside, facilitating the all-important harmony between inside and out.

Creamy tones and brass hardware bring definition to the palette and a large island bench flanked by timber stools anchors the room.

The most prominent use of this soft green colour palette is seen in the kitchen joinery where pistachio-coloured cabinets – some of which function as panels for the Integrated Fisher & Paykel Column Refrigerator and Freezer and Dishwasher – meet intricately veined natural stone in grey-green. Also, a statement Fisher & Paykel freestanding cooker acts like an inviting hearth at the centre of the kitchen. It is all highly refined which, as Tania says, is a complex pursuit when designing a space grounded in utility. “One of the key challenges in a project such as this is sourcing appliances that deliver the utility required by those who will be living in the spaces within the context of the design objective. It requires a mix of physical aesthetics, modularity and integration capabilities and a certain degree of flexibility and ingenuity from the provider, and we were very pleased to lean heavily on Fisher & Paykel across the project.”

Creamy tones and brass hardware bring definition to the palette and a large island bench flanked by timber stools anchors the room. Located adjacent to the kitchen, the pantry contains a Wine Cabinet and a DishDrawer as well as extra bench space. In addition, there is a laundry with a washing machine and dryer tucked deep within. Unassuming but elegantly realised, it rounds out this functional pocket with the same sense of poise found throughout the house.

The upshot of this is a kitchen that is refreshingly uncluttered and serene that will just as easily host throngs of people as it will a few.

Importantly, there is considerable circulation space thanks to a meticulous approach to the planning of work zones, and nothing competes visually with the natural stone. The upshot of this is a kitchen that is refreshingly uncluttered and serene that will just as easily host throngs of people as it will a few.

As was central to the brief, the new-found connection between the rear living spaces and the backyard is noteworthy, with large doors opening directly onto a covered outdoor terrace. Notably, there are skylights at each threshold, flooding the back room with natural light and helping to direct the experience outwards onto the paved surface. Tucked at one end of the terrace is a cooking station complete with a DCS grill surrounded by custom benches.

A prosperous partnership between architect and interior designer is often evident in the enduring essence of a project, and this is certainly the case with Darling Point Residence.

As Ursula says, the grill is an important addition to the outdoor area, as it has a strong sense of purpose in keeping with the home’s innate style. “We were able to use a number of items, such as the DCS grill, as anchor elements that punctuated our vision of a contemporary family home.” Lounge chairs are scattered at the opposite end and a large dining table sits in between, supporting effortless entertaining and intimate family moments that overflow onto the grassy expanse with ease.

A prosperous partnership between architect and interior designer is often evident in the enduring essence of a project, and this is certainly the case with Darling Point Residence. As Tanya says: “The success of a collaboration between designers is not just measured by the individual elements that make the whole but when the outcome is more than those elements combined.” Here, that concept rings true, and the sense of resolution and calm that hums through this home is its irrefutable metric for success.

Architecture by Hancock Architects. Interior Design by Handelsmann + Khaw. Build by HP Constructions. Engineering by Harrison & Morris Consultancy. Joinery by Nu Space.