Malvern East House

by Eliza Blair Architecture & Studio MKN

The brief was to create something unexpected from the street, a haven behind an unassuming facade. Our client, a bachelor in his 50s, wanted to make the spaces in this home work for his lifestyle, and to create something meaningful to him. The middle bedroom was removed to make way for a luxurious ensuite off the master bedroom and walk in robes to each bedroom. The kitchen, previously tucked away in the back corner of the house, became the heart of the home in the central open plan area, with new raked ceiling and large sliding doors opening out onto the existing courtyard to create a better connection to the outdoors.

This allowed the back of the house to be zoned so that the study could easily be converted to a bedroom in the future if needed, with a family sized bathroom in the same area, and even a separate side entrance off the rear street. The interior was completely reconfigured and stripped back to emphasise clean lines and big volumes. Bold and robust materials were adopted such as polished concrete and navy cabinetry, offset by the warmer tones of hardwood timber.