Pine House by Mim Design

A masterful blend of modernism and nature, Pine House shines with its panoramic views, an innovative layout and an enviable connection to the coastal landscape of Port Phillip Bay.

Sequestered on a knoll in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, and built on the lands of the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, Pine House appears as inherent to the landscape as the basalt rocky reefs, tidal flats and freshwater and marine wetlands that neighbour it. The bayside dwelling, designed by Melbourne-based design practice Mim Design, treads lightly on the land, embracing the elements on either side of the threshold.

The bayside dwelling, designed by Melbourne-based design practice Mim Design, treads lightly on the land, embracing the elements on either side of the threshold.

Miriam Fanning, founder and principal of Mim Design, explains that the priority was optimising the site’s potential while exemplifying the energy of its homeowners, a family of five. “Having lived in a pre-existing dwelling on the block for many years, they approached us to design a new home that would better accommodate their growing family, create a strong flow between indoor and outdoor spaces and offer improved access to the site’s striking views across Port Phillip Bay and the cityscape beyond,” says Fanning. “It was an opportunity that was sadly missed in their previous home.”

Inspired by the location, the practice sought to suffuse the tones and textures of the coastline throughout the interior design, furniture and styling, which was completed in collaboration with stylist Jess Hislop. “We sought to imbue qualities of the landscape into the experience of the home, connecting the family to their surroundings,” she says.

Inspired by the location, the practice sought to suffuse the tones and textures of the coastline throughout the interior design, furniture and styling, which was completed in collaboration with stylist Jess Hislop.

Where most interior design studios would have created vistas horizontally, Mim Design did so vertically, inverting the spatial arrangement by designating the common areas upstairs and the bedrooms downstairs. “We approached the levels as two interlocking stacked forms and embedded the structure into the mounded terrain,” says Fanning.

Each level is removed from the other: the broad podium is cocooned in pale carbon-neutral bricks by Krause, while the upper level, elegantly cantilevered, is wrapped in Accoya timber and punctuated with ribbon windows that reveal panoramic views of the sea and skyline. If views are important, so too is privacy, which the practice ensured by appointing a stone-paved courtyard at the centre, with private wings on either side that conjure an enduring oasis of calm. “The courtyard functions as an inviting alcove for the family, well protected from coastal breezes,” says Lisa Ransom, an associate at Mim Design.

“The courtyard functions as an inviting alcove for the family, well protected from coastal breezes,” says Lisa Ransom, an associate at Mim Design.

Mim Design saw potential in every inch of the site. A driveway, designated as a recreation space for the family’s teenage children, was situated to the south, with a four-car garage carved out below. The upper level, a horseshoe-shaped, gallery-style pavilion encircling an infinity pool, was built atop the hill’s pinnacle. The garden below, skilfully manicured by Ben Scott Garden Design, was brought even closer with a flight of stone stairs. “The ground floor is designed as a dedicated zone for young adults, with views across the landscaped front yard,” says the designer.

The gentle folds of the earth are echoed indoors, first in the foyer, by way of a sculpted wall, and later in the staircase and luminous voids that unfold as a tapestry of highlights and shadows. The double-sided fireplace and the furniture scheme upstairs are additional cases in point. Surrounded in light-toned Krause bricks, the former helps parlay the exterior material scheme indoors, its mass and adjoining half-height joinery providing a delineation between the dining and lounge spaces.

The gentle folds of the earth are echoed indoors, first in the foyer, by way of a sculpted wall, and later in the staircase and luminous voids that unfold as a tapestry of highlights and shadows.

The latter, a smorgasbord of undulating sofas, tables and objects in mellow shades, occupies the upper central pavilion, harking to the sun-dappled treetops and panoramic ocean vistas. “The charming intersection of soft curves is the result of many iterations in finishes and forms that set the tone for the interior beyond,” reflects Ransom. The coastal locale finds equal expression in the lounge through timber ceilings and sand-toned flooring.

The kitchen, also situated on the upper level, is a lesson in tactful restraint. Defined by leathered Viscount white granite – “a robust material that addresses the practical demands of the family yet feels soft in its application,” says Fanning – it is offset by white, oiled oak floors and veneer cabinetry that serve as soothing antidotes to the interluding palette. The brass hardware is of particular note. “It lends subtle warmth, resonating with the natural hues of the suburb’s ocean views and established gum trees,” she adds.

In some places, Pine House seems monolithic; in others, almost monastic. Enveloped by earth tones, swathes of white marble and polished plaster walls, the home is thoughtfully decorated with loop-pile carpets and curated art. The Mim Design team regarded the home as they would a gallery, treating furniture as sculptural elements. For instance, in the primary suite, a freestanding headboard and bedside tables are designed as alabaster installations in polished plaster. “We designed the furniture and decor to create a sense of refuge, with sumptuous textiles and rugs in deep ink and plum tones lending depth and resonance,” says Fanning.

As for whether there were any challenges in the creation of the family dwelling, Fanning unsurprisingly cites the pandemic as the greatest. “The construction of Pine House was impeded by the lockdown, as well as rising costs, material shortages and general uncertainty,” she says. “The tenacity of our clients and the dedication of our builders never wavered, however, and ensured that this project could be realised to its full potential,” says the interior designer, who collaborated with Fortem Projects for the build.

Enveloped by earth tones, swathes of white marble and polished plaster walls, the home is thoughtfully decorated with loop-pile carpets and curated art.

In some places, Pine House seems monolithic; in others, almost monastic.

Nonetheless, she insists the effort was worth the reward. “What first began as a phone enquiry developed into a trusting, five-year journey with our clients,” she adds. The result is a modernist sanctuary that reflects the skyline, the bay views and the family of five’s free-spirited nature.

Architecture and interior design by Mim Design. Build by Fortem Projects. Landscape design by Ben Scott Garden Design. Furniture by Mim Design and Jess Hislop. Artwork by Stephen Robert Carlier.