Description:

Positioned amongst Melbourne’s leafy inner-suburbs, Heyington Residence is a renovation of a 1930’s interwar single-residential dwelling. The home’s original architect sought inspiration from the Arts & Crafts movement, placing emphasis on quality materials, skilled labour and the honest expression of function. It was our design intent to preserve and pay homage to their ideas.
In 2017, we were approached by the client to assist with a humble bathroom renovation at Heyington Place. With construction already underway, the project scope quickly grew into a full design package encompassing the interiors of the entire dwelling. Working closely with the landscape architect and client, Jack Merlo, the process resulted in a collaborative and hands-on approach to designing, documentation and construction, forming a strong and lasting relationship between all parties involved.
In researching the original era we explored historical references that are unique to Melbourne in the 1930s, something we felt was worth nurturing. The Arts & Craft criticism of high volume industrial manufacturing and its contribution to the decline in quality construction was our main inspiration, a sentiment still relevant to our industry today.
Renovated in the nineties, the home had lost the majority of these original details. Our studio set out to reinstate the building’s original charm, imbued with modern day functionalities to suit the client’s lifestyle.
Intricate timber panelling found in the preserved study provided a guideline for the newly inserted joinery throughout the space. Contrasted with dramatic natural stone and polished plaster walls, the intention was to embody Arts & Craft sensibilities by enlisting a team of skilled trades and truly celebrating their expertise.
Working closely alongside specialised carpenters, stonemasons and cabinet-makers, we were able to ensure a high level of care and quality throughout the house, particularly evident in the kitchen, rumpus and office detailing.
This project forced us to consider with curiosity the modern day adage 'form follows function'. From a cultural and social perspective we understand the value and weight that functionality and simplicity plays in our homes and the impact it has on wellbeing. Of equal, if not more importance is the impact our sensory experience can have on our wellbeing. This project reminded us that aesthetic, ornamentation and decoration speaks to our humanness and should not be perceived as irrelevant. The end result of Heyington Place is a seamless merging of a contemporary family home with the comforts and technologies of high-end design, whilst celebrating the charm and character of its original era.