Bournian Residence
“Bournian Residence is personal to me because we designed it for my parents,” explains Joel Lava, founder of Rise Architecture. “They wanted a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in a leafy suburb of Melbourne, with enough space for large family gatherings and for grandchildren to stay over.” Unfortunately, during the design process Lava’s father passed away. The project instead evolved to be a forward-focused home crafted to represent the next phase in the family’s life.
Emerging from such a context-driven approach, the home naturally has a distinctive design. “The canopy over the front porch is clad in a warm-toned timber that continues across most of the ceilings within,” says Helen Mondous, interior designer at Rise Architecture. “To complement this, we used terrazzo-printed floor tiles throughout, uniting the communal and private zones.” The core of the home consists of the central courtyard, accessed from the street, and an architectural spine in which the bedrooms branch to the left. A contemporary fireplace distinguishes the primary suite from the two other sleeping areas; it is accompanied by a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite. To the right of the central spine lies the kitchen, which leads to the living and dining areas – from there, sliding doors allow an effortless transition to the courtyard.
“The guiding vision for the interiors was to create a sanctuary for Joanne,” says Mondous. “It was crucial that the details foster the same sense of tranquillity put forward by the architecture.” The bathrooms embody this instinct: a simple pairing of contrasting tiles enhances the luxury of the freestanding bathtub, backdropped by a curved wall. This wall shapes the path to the shower area behind, which is an elegant, cocoon-like space using the lighter of the two tiles. “Abey tapware completes the scheme,” says Mondous. “We selected the pieces for their minimalism as well as their functionality. When you handle them, you know they’re going to stand the test of time.”
