Garden House by McCluskey Studio

Pursuing a quality of understated opulence, McCluskey Studio breathes new life into a stately Victorian home, delivering a calm sanctuary connected to the property’s established gardens.

Garden House, built in 1898, was purchased by a couple with three children who envisioned it evolving alongside their growing family. Recognising the need for additional space, the homeowners reconnected with Kate McCluskey Kyle, founder and director of McCluskey Studio, with whom they had a long-standing relationship. “The clients were committed to preserving the grandeur of the historic home and its sprawling gardens and sought complementary spaces that could transform and grow as they did,” recalls McCluskey Kyle.

Beyond Garden House’s traditional frontage and well-preserved front rooms, the home’s footprint is widened with a contemporary, glazed ‘box’: “a luxurious volume for living and entertaining, central to the social nature of this family,” describes McCluskey Kyle.

Beyond Garden House’s traditional frontage and well-preserved front rooms, the home’s footprint is widened with a contemporary, glazed ‘box’: “a luxurious volume for living and entertaining, central to the social nature of this family,” describes McCluskey Kyle. A freestanding kitchen, featuring a stacked stone island bench with bronze-wrapped pillar legs scales the addition, its full-height timber cabinetry elegantly veiling a pantry, desk and scullery. Opposite, an intimate dining nook nestles into an existing bay window, capturing views across the rear garden and pool while drawing in warm northern light.

To the west, a welcoming family lounge is anchored by a contemporary, travertine-lined fireplace playfully bookended by a rounded cabinet and a scalloped alcove and plinth. This setting’s uplifting tone is contrasted by a moody private dining room, combining a bespoke bar lined with gold-veined black marble and a freestanding dining cabinet finished with matching stone handles. McCluskey Kyle says, “the project is detail driven at its core, supporting an ease of living in discreet and subtle ways.”

McCluskey Studio’s planning prowess and heritage design expertise has crafted inviting, oasis-like spaces: “a haven for the children’s formative years,” describes McCluskey Kyle.

Committed to creating connection throughout the home, McCluskey Studio curated a neat selection of finishes that reappear in different contexts, “helping to drive a continuous throughline,” describes McCluskey Kyle. The powder room, for example, echoes the dining room’s rich stone selection, complemented by a sculpted basin, arched mirror and traditional claw-foot bath. Moments of colour play unite and modernise the home, such as the study’s charcoal-drenched walls and ceilings punctuated with blue cabinetry and a blush-hued ceiling that adds personality to one of the smaller bedrooms.

McCluskey Studio’s planning prowess and heritage design expertise has crafted inviting, oasis-like spaces: “a haven for the children’s formative years,” describes McCluskey Kyle. Complete with a rumpus room and gym opening onto an expansive terrace and pool, Garden House delivers a captivating and future-proof family home reflecting the client’s active lifestyle and appreciation of thoughtful design. “This project is a true reflection of our pragmatic and layered approach to design. Restrained in its treatment, subtle opulence is underpinned by liveability and functionality,” muses McCluskey Kyle.

Architecture by McCluskey Studio and Finnis. Interior design and furniture by McCluskey Studio. Build by Silcon Builders and Developers. Landscape design by DF Landscapes. Art direction by Marsha Golemac.