Meanwhile, the dynamic design of the centrally-located kitchen brings an undeniable vibrancy to the space, with breezeway blocks used to construct the kitchen bench and patterned tiles creating a feature wall to be reckoned with.
Although Drew and Wes had developed comprehensive plans for the building, they did not let the plans box them in once they got onsite.
‘He would sketch something abstract – they love rice paper and sketch books – and flick it through to get my thoughts. There’s a back and forth, always,’ Wes says of the unique experience that is building a home for an architect client.
And every element was up for review if an alternative idea arose. This meant experimenting with the existing floors once the carpet was pulled up, and grinding the concrete down to envisage the final look. Similarly, where windows might otherwise have been replaced, they were retained with new hardware.
This cohesion between builder and architect can be traced throughout this project from the initial design phase – which saw Wes and Drew exchanging ideas and hand-drawn sketches – through to the installation of a custom basin, fashioned from an offcut of remaining concrete pipe with brass inlay.
In addition to retaining the original character of a property, designing and building in this reflexive, iterative manner also helped to lower the footprint of the project, decreasing the overall environmental impact and cost.