Ildemere
Stepping into the light-filled expanse of Ildemere, it’s easy to forget the walls hold over 130-years of history, and it wasn’t always the contemporary family home that now occupies the site. For this careful balance between preservation and reinvention, principal Lachlan McArdle and the wider Lande Architects team worked with the client to create a space that feels radiant, homely and connected to the past while being grounded in the present.
The eclectic nature of South Yarra inspired the design concept. Surrounded by stately family homes, Victorian terraces and 1960s flats, the diversity and density of the area encouraged Lande Architects to be considerate about the house’s connection to its surroundings.
“The site faces south at the rear, so one of our biggest challenges was bringing northern light deep into the living spaces while maintaining privacy from neighbouring apartments,” McArdle explains. “The double saw-tooth roof became the key move, capturing that beautiful north light and delivering it softly throughout the day. We also wanted the family to maintain a visual connection back to the original Edwardian form, so the extension intentionally frames glimpses of the old roofline and front garden.”
The original rooms were found in great condition, generous, detailed and well-loved, but the rear section felt disconnected. The challenge was stitching together old and new in a way that felt natural and flowed smoothly. The spaces are expansive, welcoming and open, with subtle steel-framed fluted glass doors that frame the threshold and encourage a moment of pause. “You sense the shift from old to new without losing continuity,” says McArdle. “The Edwardian detailing, particularly the soft coving, ornate cornices and high ceilings, became a cue for the new work. It’s not mimicry; it’s a dialogue between eras.”
The colour palette is timeless, using materials like brick, timber and stone, stripped back to softer, more subtle forms. Recycled bricks were bagged and painted to form sculptural pillars that hold the roof and frame views to the sky. The timber joinery is deliberately pared back, letting natural light and shadows do the work. Stone is used sparingly for tactile touches like benches and thresholds, places where one engages with the home on a physical level. Every finish was selected to age gracefully, allowing the house to evolve with the family.
Despite being a sanctuary of calm, the house feels lived in and warm. The living space is anchored around a curved Jardan sofa, while the Flag Halyard chair acts as functional art. A Loom rug from Halcyon Lake adds texture and softness underfoot, grounding the composition. The dining table and chairs from Great Dane are timeless and unpretentious, chosen for their fit between Australian sensibilities and Scandinavian craftsmanship. The clients are slowly curating their art collection, choosing pieces at their own pace and allowing art and life to fill the space naturally as they organically create their sanctuary.
The bathrooms extend the continued serenity with soft, neutral tones, tactile materials and gentle light, relying on proportion and material honesty. It’s consistent with the whole house: familiar but refined, calm but deeply functional.
“What I love most is how balanced it feels, there’s a certain harmony between old and new, openness and intimacy,” says McArdle. “It’s not a house that shouts, but it’s one that reveals itself slowly, through light, texture and rhythm. That’s what makes it so liveable.”
Architecture, styling and design by Lande Architects. Build by Tykon Builders.
