Restfully Connected – Dusk House by Madeleine Blanchfield Architects
Dusk House is deliberately muted as it combines the existing narrative of the original structure in amongst the new. Madeleine Blanchfield Architects transforms an existing and dark home into a connected and flowing series of spaces that act as extensions of one another.
Continuing a connection to warmth and the crafted details of the home’s past, Dusk House sees the reinvigoration of a tired residence into an open and transitional series of volumes. The balancing between old, new and warmer elements provides a sense of stability within the spaces whilst newly inserted features bring a contemporary relevance. Like any home, the ability to disconnect once inside was important, as was reinforcing an overall calmness throughout. Originally build in the 1960s, the home balances light and dark, seeing shards of incoming light framed by the controlled openings of the original home. Enriched with dark timber, these portals offer a glimpse to the outside world. Madeleine Blanchfield Architects combines both a heightening of the everyday together with a nostalgia of the past, fusing the eras of the home into one.
Located in Bellevue Hill, Dusk House is underpinned by a shared sense of restraint. Having lived in the home for many years prior, the owners and their family wanted to retain the structure’s essence but undertake a renovation to ensure the home captured who they were and how they lived now. Avid fans of both art and design, integrating that element into the new informed the foundation of the brief, as well as an increased openness as a key part of the home’s joinery. Whilst retaining original details and forming a connection to the past was key, so too was ensuring the home felt internally integrated and free flowing.
A rich and moody palette shapes the interior; timber and plaster sit in contrast as the base, allowing insertions of expressive stone in both the kitchen and bathroom to feature. Lighting also takes influence from the crafted origins of the home, seeing an ornate approach used in some places to add an element of interest. The curation of furniture, artwork and other decorative elements completes the story of an emotive and reflective residence, allowing its owners to disconnect from the outside world and immerse themselves in their own private escape.
The muted nature of Dusk House has a uniquely sedative effect, immediately calming from the offset. Madeleine Blanchfield Architects has beautifully captured the idea of being transported to another place once within.
