Searching for their perfect family home, Lucy and Tim O’Connor found a it close to where they spent their own childhood weekends, in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula. A haven for adults and kids alike, this Flinders home by Clare Cousins Architects connects the home to its 1970s heritage as well as its coastal surrounds.

DESIGN Clare Cousins Architects | PHOTOGRAPHY Shannon McGrath

Home to Lucy and Tim and their children Lachie, Izzi and Fergus, High Noon is a celebration of its 1970s heritage as well as a connection to the natural landscape. In fact, it was the 70s heritage of the original Baird Cuthbert Mitchell design that resonated with both the owners and architect Clare Cousins. “Clare loves the quirky 70s character of the home and wanted the extension to be sympathetic. The exterior of the extension is all black, but timber with a natural finish to contrast the old house. There is a clear paint line of where the old house ends and the new begins – we love this detail” says Lucy.

While the bones of the original design are far from hidden, they have been recast in its modern iteration. The strawboard ceiling and cedar shiplap cladding were whitewashed to create a simple yet textured backdrop to living spaces, while the angular ceiling of the living room reaches further heights in the extension to define the dining area and bathe the spaces in natural light. Materials like natural blackbutt timber, concrete and painted timber joinery add further connection between the disparate spaces in the home and to its surrounding environment.

“We wanted the house and garden to flow and we considered this connection carefully during the design process with Clare” says Lucy. The attention to uniting interior and exterior spaces is further seen in details like the window nook that looks out to the sea view and the landscaping by Emma Mantello. “It’s a joyful place to live” Lucy remarks. “We feel very lucky to be here.”

This feature was originally published in Issue 26 of Est Magazine. Read the full magazine here.