Found on almost every neighbourhood street, are the epitome of familial comfort. Warm and welcoming on the outside, chic with a nod to its 30’s past on the inside, this Californian bungalow built by and designed by unites the present and past in Kew.
ARCHITECTURE | INTERIOR DESIGN | PHOTOGRAPHY
A basement car park as well as a formed the two top priorities for the owners of the home, which saw senior designer Luke Seidler and interior designers and Emma Mahlook collaborate in design and experimentation. Seidler granted the owner’s wishes by building a second storey onto the home, which then paved the way for the basement car park underneath. A new ‘contemporary’ wing was actualised by the team at Mim Design to brush the dust off the old and to give the home a more chic and updated look.
The Californian bungalow wasn’t a home with all the trappings of the period; it was fairly unadorned and was “relatively modest for a family home today” says Miriam. To bring the home into the present day, the designers went on to advantageously make easier the spatial planning of the interiors. Walls were removed to create a flow which carries the eye from the entrance all the way into the rear of the home where the fireplace takes place as the centre of attention.
Black steel glass doors and walls further instil a sense of undeterred transparency, allowing us to see straight past the study, wine room and into the open plan kitchen and living areas. Stone is a predominant feature of the home having been used for the kitchen, benches and fireplace to allow a sense of renewal with its ode to a visually understated candour. Privacy and just the right amount of separation were also needed to create space for the owner’s two older children. Located upstairs via lift or staircase, a private living area as well as two bedrooms with ensuites ensure there’ll be not a “Do Not Enter” sign in sight.
What used to be the formal living and dining areas is now the main bedroom with a generous as well as an ensuite. Keeping the spirit of the home intact, Mim chose to style the bedroom with a curvaceous chaise lounge and 30’s inspired pendant lights. Le Corbusier armchairs and customised pieces that pay further homage to the 30’s make their way into the main areas of the home, balancing the new masculine contemporary aesthetic with old world warmth.
The post appeared first on .
