Canning Street House by Technē Architecture + Interior Design began as an interior refurbishment of the client’s two-storey, Carlton North terrace. The owners (a couple with two young children) were attracted to the home’s original period features, but less enthused by a recently undertaken renovation, that was ‘void of personality’.
‘The house was in good condition and fairly recently renovated by the previous owners, but it was very much a generic fitout for sale,’ says Technē director Nick Travers. ‘The client especially didn’t like all the Carrara marble used extensively throughout, and wanted to personalise the design.’
Technē identified additional areas of improvement to address in the project, such as opening up the cramped living spaces, and orienting them to the established garden. It was decided the best course of action was to demolish the extension, and start afresh with a more dramatic pavilion structure. This new extension would include a larger kitchen, living and dining space connected to the outdoors, along with a proper laundry and more storage.
Deciding on the exact pitch of the roof was important in order to best frame garden views and allow optimum shadowing and natural light to infiltrate the space. Full-height glazed windows and steel framed doors were installed, creating the sense that the interior and exterior spaces are one.
While most architecture projects end with the structural elements, Technē were also engaged to curate the furnishings of this home. ‘The inspiration for the furniture was driven by a combination of the contemporary and timeless, with the added injection of colour,’ says says Technē senior interior designer Bianca Baldi. ‘Our client really wanted to add a bit of colour to the spaces that they may have been too shy to do in the past. With our guidance, they become bolder in their decision on colours and textures.’ Some of the client’s existing statement pieces were integrated into this furnishing scheme, such as their Mark Tuckey dining table and Eames chair.
Looking to garden houses and conservatories for inspiration, and utilising a minimal materials palette combining light timbers, grey and blue tones and contrasting black accents, Technē have created a tactile, layered yet thoroughly refined family home here, propelling this grand old Victorian well and truly into the modern day.
