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The Riverview house by Nobbs Radford Architects has been designed to blend into the bushy parklands surrounding it. Owing to the steep and rocky block the house sits upon, the central hub of the house is located on the second floor, with views to the treetops outside. The architect’s central concern was to maximise the connection between the home’s inhabitants and this surrounding landscape.
Materials and colours were selected to naturally frame the treetop vista, while internal design work was focused on re-choreographing the existing floorplan around day-to-day-family life. ‘The clients wanted us to reorganise their home, rather than add extra space,’ explains director, Alison Nobbs.
As the house is situated on a steep slope, its unusual layout flips a conventional residential floorplan, with the entry on the lower level and communal spaces above. On the upstairs floor, the generous kitchen is the central hub of the house, and Alison’s favourite feature. Copper finishes and a cylindrical copper range hood complement the sleek timber joinery and multipurpose free-standing bench, which is used for after-school homework in addition to more casual meal times. ‘Kitchens these days are about so much more than just preparing food and this one is such a multifunctional space for the family,’ Alison says.
Nobbs Radford turned to colour to signify a transition from room to room in the open-plan environment, and differentiate the functions of each space. The living space was painted white to exaggerate the volume of the ceilings, while the kitchen and dining room were cast in a darker shade of grey to create an intimate and enclosed atmosphere. ‘The house had some fantastic features that we sought to accentuate, for example the soaring exposed ceilings in the living room,’ Alison explains. ‘Materials and colours were selected to be a serene framing of the outlook to nature beyond.’
By re-working the flow of this home, and reconnecting the residents with their surroundings, this renovation is subtle yet transformative. The architects have breathed new life and warmth into this robust, 1980s home, ensuring it will be enjoyed for many years to come!
See more projects by Nobbs Radford Architects here.
