Poetic Precision – Rosedale House by Cera Stribley Architecture and Interior Design

Rosedale House can be defined in terms of the base elements of art and design – line, form, space, value, colour and texture. Cera Stribley Architecture and Interior Design has embraced the founding principles of their discipline to realise a home of exacting beauty.

Presenting as two rectangular volumes offset from one another, the first impression of Rosedale House is of unadorned, austere perfection. Closer inspection, however, exposes myriad organic qualities subtly layered upon the greater geometry of the home to redefine initial thoughts and inspire deeper inquiry. The charred imperfections in hundreds of striated timber batons on the home’s façade come into focus establishing a tactile resonance balanced by the monochromatic precision of the home’s form. In the darkness of night, the considered arrangement of these ba-tons maintains privacy while allowing the home to softly glow from within.

Presenting as two rectangular volumes offset from one another, the first impression of Rosedale House is of unadorned, austere perfection.

Stepping over the threshold, the architectural engagement at Rosedale House is one of gentle acclimatisation. The residence is home to a large family of six, so a simple palette was imperative to establishing a cool, calming ambiance. An aesthetic purity has been embraced from the moment of entry where sensory quietude is realised through clean lines, soaring space, light and the restrained emphasis on a single piece of arresting art by photographer Mark Roper. As the door closes on the outside world, a cohesive interior of aesthetic precision unfolds.

Rosedale House has been designed on an axis with clear divisions of space for considered family living. From the entry foyer, the home extends right, to a formal living room, and left to a large open-plan family, dining and kitchen area. Large sliders and liberal glazing surround the informal living zone creating lines of sight directly out to the alfresco area, garden and pool beyond. These gathering spaces are where a discerning curation of materials, textures and colours begin to coax further sensorial alliance from a dialogue of architectural rigour. Cote D’Azur stone and Elba marble integrate seamlessly into dark accent joinery. Stark white walls and translucent window treatments temper bold colours in furniture and artwork giving each element breathing space.

The layout at Rosedale House has been carefully planned through a process involving the clients and their four children who attended design meetings along with their parents. While the master suite harnesses sanctuary and privacy on the ground floor, upstairs is entirely devoted to the children. Bedrooms are connected by open-plan areas for relaxation and schoolwork with the intentional eradication of doors to encourage a spectrum of socially-led functions that nurture separation and togetherness in equal measure.

Continuing the limited palette from downstairs, greyscale cohesion is again embraced upstairs with varying degrees of intimacy cleverly created through subtle changes in the floor level which brings ceiling heights into relevance. Arresting artwork and furnishings introduce salient accents of bespoke beauty into spacious rooms made remarkable for the play of natural light which weaves together a tapestry of differentiated surfaces.

Cera Stribley Architecture and Interior Design has mastered the founding elements of art and design at Rosedale House. The linear precision of the home’s architectural form is evocatively tempered by both organic and geometric arrangements of texture and colour which, when veiled in the glow of seasonal sunshine, see the design arrive at a place of contemporary accord.

Closer inspection, however, exposes myriad organic qualities subtly layered upon the greater geometry of the home to redefine initial thoughts and inspire deeper inquiry.

The charred imperfections in hundreds of striated timber batons on the home’s façade come into focus establishing a tactile resonance balanced by the monochromatic precision of the home’s form.

In the darkness of night, the considered arrangement of these batons maintains privacy while allowing the home to softly glow from within.