The property, located in the rock studded landscape of regional Victoria, where Ned Kelly and his gang hid out after robbing the Euroa bank in 1878. Clients Eddie and Dot were drawn to the panoramic views where the blue skies meet the red dusty earth and the granite boulders sit proud on the hilltop. Eddie and Dot believed these ancient volcanic boulders deserved a specular house that sat comfortably amongst them and reflected the lands texture and rich, raw colour palate. The Architecture was designed by Robert Harwood as a carbon neutral home rising above the rocky terrain as a giant H. “To Build a home in this location, the climatic orientation was incredibly important. The siting needed to optimise the view, but also be protected from the considerable winds. I decided that the building needed a core of its own protected courtyard space, but also to reach out spatially and to hover above the landscape.” Robert Harwood Resident Avenue was engaged right from the architectural stage, to consult and work with Eddie and Dot not only on the Interior Design but to design the exterior concrete entrance and paving elements, the commanding timber arbour in the central courtyard and the custom steel balustrades on the balconies. Resident Avenue project managed this exciting project along-side Eddie over the 6 year period of construction. We are still going on the ever evolving project and we hope it doesn’t come to end, they are family now. The client’s previous home in Shepparton, was a Victorian home. Dot, a lover of the Victorian era and antiques, was concerned about a new build and ultra-modern design would end up looking too clinical, very white and stark. Dot was adamant that if she was to build and live in a modern home then it would have to be warm and welcoming. They engaged Resident Avenue to inject warmth, texture and a rustic cosiness into the monothetic and brutalist bones of the home. Eddie is passionate and busting with energy. He is a remarkable and determined 70-year-old who is not a professional builder but largely built the home unassisted. He enjoyed the exploration process and we really took the time to ensure the house design was inherent of their lifestyle. Very aware that this was our clients forever home, spaces needed to be considered and a story thoughtfully told of the people who live there whilst honouring the architecture, landscape and the rich history.
Taking inspiration from Ned Kelly’s infamous last stand and our clients love for the dramatic and hilly landscape. This monumental Australian home is very heavily design driven by the landscape and the desire to bring the outdoor in. A refined palette but adding interest through layering textures that are meant to be imperfect as the surrounding land and playing with the colours of that mimic seasonal changes of the landscape. The kitchen colour of came from the striking combinations of blue green tones you see on the rocks and the constantly changing sky that are dominate inside the home through the huge windows. The colour of the kitchen changes throughout the day, like the changing sky outside and can be a deep green blue in the bright morning sun and a dark gunmetal blue of an evening. All the timbers were bought raw and stained onsite to match the deep brown earthy tones in winter. The rust and burnt orange tones are taken from the dusty dry landscape during summer. The grand scale and modern bones are softened with muted tones and natural timbers to create a calm cosiness, aided by plush oversize furnishing that envelop their occupants. Stone was natural with rusty veins and granite was flamed to mimic the texture of the rocks. Woollen rugs, leathers, linens, and aged metals were all layered to bring the warmth and cosiness that Dot desired. These natural textures alongside handmade artisan elements and carefully curated antiques create the finishing touches that thoughtfully tell our story of our clients, the landscape and meet their individual living requirements. We wanted to balance the tough landscape and tough materials with the soft comfortable furnishings to give our clients a luxurious modern farmhouse. Everything is unique about this project as are all our projects and all our clients. We don’t follow design rules or have a set style. We really believe in tailoring designs that suit our client’s lifestyle and are inherent of the way they live. Rather our designs stem from getting to know our clients and understanding their individual living requirements. Our goal was to use carefully chosen materials and textures to evoke a sense of thoughtful luxury and tell the story of the land our clients love. We believe in creating homes to be lived and loved. You don’t normally get 4 years to work on a project, so this timeframe allowed us to be able to experiment with finishes and materials. The exterior concrete around the pool, concrete hearths, concrete basins and benchtops were all made extra textural with salt and earth rubbed into them to create a custom, unique finish. We worked alongside Artisan’s and collaborated with them to design custom bespoke lighting, internal and external balustrade’s, the dining table, aged metal bedsides, suspended master ensuite mirrors, and entry door handles. We explored materials and used the most textural tiles we could find to match the lands textural and rich, raw palate. This project is unique in its history, landscape and carefully curated materials.