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Project Alma by Nectaar
The Block’s Bec and George Douros finally create their own dream home, in Melbourne’s bayside Williamstown, where expansive windows and sliding doors from Trend flood the house with light.
Since appearing on The Block in 2013, Bec and George Douros have been busy: focused on creating a string of townhouse developments as well as launching their own interior design company, Nectaar. As their family expanded, the couple also began the search for their ‘forever home’ and, eventually, after months of looking, found the perfect block in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Williamstown. Five long years later – with a two-year council approval period and Covid major factors in the delay – Project Alma is complete.
Interior designer Bec wanted a home that engendered a sense of being on holiday. “I love the feeling of being away somewhere and I wanted to re-create that in our own home,” she says. “We were going for a really light feel to mimic resort-style living. So everything’s white, which sounds really plain on paper, but when it’s layered correctly, it works really well.”
The white palette is a key element of the resort-style vibe, as is the seamless flow between indoors and out, and the expansive windows and glass doors, which allow light to pour in. The couple turned to Trend Windows & Doors to create the seamless, slim-line windows and sliding doors, which are a spectacular feature in their own right. “I think the windows play a huge part in achieving the look and feel that we were wanting,” says Bec. “We’ve got full-height windows wherever we could place them. In the void area, we have double-height windows that span almost seven metres. We also opted for full-height sliding doors and we did them at the largest span we could.”
The void area, which encompasses the kitchen and dining and living spaces, is the residence’s striking centrepiece. To ensure the space was flooded with light, the couple shifted the backyard to the north-facing side of the house and then installed full-height doors and windows from Trend. “When we flipped the orientation of the backyard, it made sense to put in as many windows as possible to capture the northern light. That obviously aids the bright, airy feel we were trying to create.
“I also wanted the windows and doors to feel seamless. So, after talking with Trend and visiting their showroom, we ended up going for sashless windows, which I think were a great choice. With the sliding doors, I was big on integrating the track into the floor and the slab so there’s a seamless transition from internal to external. I also wanted to integrate everything into the facade, so we matched the colour of the window frames to the brickwork.”
For parents of three young children, creating an adult haven was essential. The second storey houses a master bedroom, walk-in robe, ensuite and workstation; wall-to-wall and floor-to-floor windows not only drench the bedroom in light but offer views of the Melbourne skyline as a bonus. To increase airflow, Trend Windows & Doors suggested a luxurious automatic louvre window for the space, a feature Bec loves. “I literally just press a button and it opens, and the airflow in the room is really amazing.”
It’s not the only solution Trend suggested for the Douros home. The team proferred a fluted window for the main family bathroom, which is not only visually appealing but is functional as well, adding privacy. “The fluted glass really adds to the aesthetic. It could just have been a standard window with frosted glass, but because we decided to change up the finishes, it’s now a really beautiful feature. It also lets the light pour in, shining on the gorgeous mosaic tiles.”
“I want them to bring their friends over and we all eat together and enjoy the space together. Maybe if I make it too nice, they’ll never want to move out.”
Project Alma is a testament to the Douros’ attention to detail. Every room has been carefully considered for family life, both now and into the future. A children’s playroom, for example, not only helps keep the mess of young kids contained but, as they grow up, it could be transformed into a media room or sitting room. Although, as Bec notes: “I’m Italian, so it’s the thing where you don’t want your kids to go anywhere else. I want them to bring their friends over and we all eat together and enjoy the space together. Maybe if I make it too nice, they’ll never want to move out.”
Architecture by Tecture. Interior design by Nectaar. Windows and doors by Trend Windows & Doors.
