Open and Anchored – Greenhouse by Hugh-Jones Mackintosh and Vitale Design

Balancing the newer insertions with the details of the original home, Greenhouse aims to improve the flow of movement between inside and out. Hugh-Jones Mackintosh and Vitale Design combine to create a home that aligns with a more contemporary and outdoor liveability.

In respecting the existing detailing and heritage of the home, a more sensitive approach was taken to ensure an appropriate strategy was employed when proposing finishes and formal elements. Although the clients initially desired an all-white kitchen, the starkness among the more textural and ornate heritage details of the home would have felt misaligned. Balancing the subtleties between old and new, weaving in new textures and instilling warmth became a clear philosophy in the ensuing works. Together with architecture by Vitale Design, Hugh-Jones Mackintosh crafts a character-rich interior that feels like a natural evolution of what came before.

Balancing the subtleties between old and new, weaving in new textures and instilling warmth became a clear philosophy in the ensuing works.

Handmade and nuanced finishes have been used to create opportunities for the various surfaces to engage with natural light and become animated to create moments of unique variation. Delicate and more expressive colours and veining in the natural stone also help create interest and depth in the introduced finishes, instilling a new charm in a more contemporary way. Joinery elements were designed to mimic pieces of furniture and be both aligned with the original style and honed with a modern refinement. With the new works, the floor plan was expanded, and existing rooms were reallocated, creating a new functionality to allow for a more generous feeling and reinforce the home as a place of retreat.

While the new additions honour the existing structure, it was also integral that the home became more open, connected and outwardly attentive. The surrounding garden design by Garden Life Landscapes plays an integral role in ensuring the edges of the site feel suitably buffered from the neighbouring properties and provides a smooth transition from the built to the natural. Across the residence’s interior, new and old elements sit comfortably next to one another, with the newer pieces adding to the narrative of the home.

Together with architecture by Vitale Design, Hugh-Jones Mackintosh crafts a character-rich interior that feels like a natural evolution of what came before.

By blending details with respect to the history of the home, Greenhouse emerges as a unique expression. Influenced by time, people and place, Hugh-Jones Mackintosh and Vitale Design ensure a continued relevancy with this new injection of life.