The inspiration for the renovation of this Fitzroy North, Melbourne, bungalow came from an unlikely source — the nostalgic paper folding game, affectionately known as ‘chatterbox’.
The game, as those who played it in their youth will know, is made of paper that’s been intricately folded into a 3D shape that opens and closes, with individual — yet linked — compartments.
‘We loved how the game was such a direct expression of our clients’ wishes to create a home with separate but interconnected rooms,’ explains Emilio Fuscaldo, director of Nest Architects.
‘They wanted the house to tell a story and gradually reveal itself, rather than being viewed at once.’
Future proofing was also top of the list, with the clients recognising the home would need to adapt to the needs of their children as they grow; accommodate elderly grandparents staying for prolonged periods of time; and have off-grid potential.
‘A modern family home is more like an old school sharehouse,’ says Emilio. ‘Where individuals share space for meals and socialising, but ultimately need areas for themselves.’
Armed with this brief, Nest Architects divided the house into distinct areas, utilising internal courtyards to allow light and air to flow through the elongated home and frame the separate zones and rooms.
The front of the house was left largely intact — with the main bedroom reconfigured to include a walk-in-robe and ensuite — while the back was replaced with an entirely new two-storey design containing the kitchen, dining, study and sunken living space downstairs and the kids’ bedrooms, rumpus room and bathroom upstairs.
‘I love how we resisted typical open plan design and instead challenged ourselves to think about how to fulfill the brief in a more interesting and nuanced way,’ says Emilio.
The placement of the internal courtyards also paved the way for the colour and material choices inside the home. Soft greens and blues mimic the hues found in the garden, connecting the inside with the garden beyond.
Towards the end of the build, the clients brought on Studio Esar to curate the furniture selection for the home. The studio took their lead from ‘the wonderful connection with nature’ and the existing palette established by Nest Architects.
Blue and green being so prevalent, they sought pieces that complimented and contrasted these hues.
‘The lavender rug and green sofa are a fabulous combination in the living room’, says Silvia Roldan, principal designer of Studio Esar.
With a 5000lt watertank, 6kw rooftop solar, double-glazed windows and low VOC paints, plus an interior that invites the outside in at every opportunity, the clients now have a future-proofed home to serve them now, and well into the future.
