2023
Sunny Side Up
Westmere
A new-build that invites the light to dance. From bright pools of sunshine to a dappled, dreamy glow, it’s the gentle warmth of the afternoon sun that truly turns this house into a home.
There’s something quietly magical about finding calm at the end of the day, so this home is shaped to catch the sun. In the open kitchen–living area, wide glass doors and soaring gable windows drink in the northwestern light. Soft linen curtains cast a warm, golden haze, while earthy tones and sun-kissed finishes deepen the home’s balmy character. Cedar-lined ceilings fold down into a timber band that traces the tops of the walls, lifting the eye to those beautiful gables above.
Colours throughout are rich and evocative: toasty reds, terracotta hues, mossy forest greens. Dark marbles ground the palette with a sense of the elemental. Timber reappears like a familiar refrain – oak flooring underfoot and a delicately crafted oak stair screen designed to gently sift sunlight as it moves through the day. With a family who lives through food, gatherings, and easy hospitality, the kitchen is a hardworking white steel, and the home’s layout encourages effortless flow out to the decks and garden.
Outdoors, life unfolds in a series of inviting spaces – a barbecue nook, an outdoor fire, a grassy courtyard for children to roam. A louvred roof, pergola structure, and perforated metal screens create layers of filtered light, shelter, and privacy. A curving garden softens the edges, and tucked away for the youngest explorers is a tiny fairy garden, a moment of wonder just waiting to be found.
On a corner site in a lively neighbourhood on the city fringe, this home sits comfortably among both heritage villas and modern additions. Its contemporary gables pick up the rhythm of the street, stepping down the slope with a gentle confidence that allows it to feel both new and right at home.
Among a mixture of heritage homes and contemporary insertions, this house manages to reflect both.
Food, family and entertaining is a way of life, so the kitchen is a hardy white steel, and the flow through the house and living areas incorporates easy connection to the decks.
Throughout the house, colours are rich and deep: toasty reds and terracottas and mossy forest greens. Dark marbles have an elemental feel. Artworks are a key part of the aesthetic, so hangs were planned for in the early design stages.
Homestar [Design]
Best Award 2023, Residential Interior Architecture: Bronze
2025 TIDA – Finalist: Architect Designed Kitchen
2024 Interior Residential Finalist
2023 Best Award – Bronze Pin
Abode Magazine Issue 76 May/June 2025
Homestyle Magazine February/March 2024