Contemporary Elegance – Inner West Residence by Michiru Design Studio

Set behind a heritage cottage façade, the Inner West Residence by Michiru Design Studio is a home that encourages entertaining and embraces an indoor-outdoor lifestyle.

The new double-storey addition, whose bold gable roofline echoes the form of the original Victorian house, and a secondary self-contained cottage that takes the place of a previously unused garage, are sited so as to wrap around a lush green courtyard that offers an inviting outdoor entertaining area. Taking full advantage of the long, linear site, the new design ensures the rear yard that was once disconnected from the house becomes integral to the experience of the home. This new green space at the heart of the site thus becomes an element of connection – the place at which both the main house and the cottage converge.

The home is configured so that the open-plan kitchen, living and dining space takes on an effortless sense of flow out into the garden, which is conducive to both entertaining and the dynamic day-to-day of family life. Walls and small, tight windows that created barriers both internally and between the interior and the garden were removed and replaced with large spans of glazing that beckon one outside while simultaneously bringing the outside in. Similarly, the adjacent cottage, which contains a home office and games room, offers flexibility of use for both work and play through corner-parting large glazed sliding doors that open onto the courtyard.

The new double-storey addition, whose bold gable roofline echoes the form of the original Victorian house, and a secondary self-contained cottage that takes the place of a previously unused garage, are sited so as to wrap around a lush green courtyard that offers an inviting outdoor entertaining area.

Yet the prevailing sense of openness is balanced by the grounding presence of dry-stacked sandstone walls that feature in both the main house and the cottage. The materiality of the rough sandstone offers a subtle contrast with the otherwise minimalist interiors and sets the tone of warmth and tactility that is carried throughout the entire home in the palette of natural timber and marble. In the main living area, the stone wall’s role as an anchor within the space is enhanced by the Escea fireplace set within the wall. The fireplace draws on in – just as the sight of the courtyard through the expanses of glazing acts as a pull outward, the fireplace is an inviting hearth that welcomes one to stay a while and enjoy a moment of comfort inside.

The stone wall’s role as an anchor within the space is enhanced by the Escea fireplace set within the wall.

The minimalist, linear design of the frameless 2,277millimetre-wide DS1900 fireplace, which was supplied and installed by Stoke Fireplace Studios, emphasises the simplicity and elegance of the interiors. “We liked the minimal, frameless look of this model, as well as the length,” explains Michiru Cohen, founder of Michiru Design Studio. “The fireplace is one of the features in this house and the Escea DS1900 allowed us to work in the fireplace without detracting from the rest of the minimal and timeless design. The selection in the different fire beds also meant that we were able to tie it nicely in with our interior finishes and the overall feel of the house.”

The fireplace draws on in – just as the sight of the courtyard through the expanses of glazing acts as a pull outward, the fireplace is an inviting hearth that welcomes one to stay a while and enjoy a moment of comfort inside.

The experience of selecting and installing the fireplace through Stoke Fireplace Studios was equally impressive, Michiru continues. “Stoke were an amazing help. This was the first time we have used Escea and Stoke – they were involved from the beginning all the way until the installation. They provided us with design and technical input, and the builders with exactly how to prepare for their installation,” she says. “We are now working with them on many of our residential and commercial projects.”

“Stoke were an amazing help. This was the first time we have used Escea and Stoke – they were involved from the beginning all the way until the installation. They provided us with design and technical input, and the builders with exactly how to prepare for their installation.”

From the fireside living space to the landscaped courtyard and separate office and games room in the cottage, the home’s indoor and outdoor spaces support family life, work, relaxation and entertaining. Minimalist and sophisticated yet warm and inviting, the Inner West Residence is a generous home that resolves a number of requirements with elegance.

Minimalist and sophisticated yet warm and inviting, the Inner West Residence is a generous home that resolves a number of requirements with elegance.