Calm and Assured – Preston House by Lauren Egan Design
Imagined as a welcoming and warm home, Preston House was conceived from a place of calm consideration, one that embodies the enveloping feeling of home while allowing flexibility and expression. Lauren Egan Design layers elements to add depth and richness through a curated approach, creating a home embedded in a strong sense of identity.
Located in Preston, in Melbourne’s north, the home of the same name is set amongst a quiet residential enclave. Guided by the architecture by Project 12 Architecture, the interiors are imagined as a place of escape, a place of calm and a place that embodies the personalities of the occupants. Through a series of layered elements, the experience is enlivened and enriched through texture, colour and form. Embedded into the home are a series of functional and pragmatic elements that support the everyday but become secondary in their presence. Lauren Egan Design creates a contemporary home experience that not only reflects its owners but that openly welcomes its guests.
As its own contemplative and reclusive space, at the core of the home is a sense of calm and gentle reflection. While layered with animation in all of the introduced elements, the home itself sees a balance of injected spirit against more muted qualities. Preston House is founded on a philosophy to not take itself too seriously, while also fusing influences from Scandinavian and Japanese sensibilities. The injection of hand-crafted elements sees both custom joinery and integrated finishes such as tiles by Anchor Ceramics in the kitchen and hand carved concrete benchtops as tactile interactive reminders. A natural palette taken from the surrounding landscape and jacaranda trees influences the use of greens, blues and purples internally, acting as a nod to bridging the built and the natural.
Spread over two levels, the home is connected from its generously proportioned circulation hallway space through to its carpeted stair. Colour is used to both inject vibrancy and also to reflect the active and passive nature of each space. The master suite takes on a more muted and subdued feel, whereas the children’s rooms and the living spaces are more animated as a reflection of the energy of the space. Although completed on a relatively modest budget, the use of colour, texture and form add depth and create moments of curiosity throughout.
Preston House proudly reflects its owners while carving its own identity as a home. Lauren Egan Design has carefully crafted a home that uniquely speaks to those who live in it, while offering elements of fun in an embodiment of contemporary vibrant design.
