Ohana

Pymble

A monochromatic Resene palette was embraced throughout the interior and exterior of the home, providing a gallery inspired scheme that enabled the family’s international art and graphic collection to take centre stage.

Set in the leafy suburb of Pymble, the brief for this home, with personalised signature interiors and original bespoke paintings by Catherine Whitting, architecturally designed by The Ecologie Group, was to reflect the lifestyle of a young family in creating a place of nurturing for entertainment and escape. A monochromatic Resene palette was embraced throughout the interior and exterior of the home, providing a gallery inspired scheme that enabled the family’s international art and graphic collection to take centre stage.

The interiors celebrate bold graphic references to vintage animation and a love of sustainable timbers and stone. The clients worked with Catherine Whitting while sourcing sustainable materials and products on their travels for the interior design of their home.

The configuration of the three dramatic pendant lights in the entrance casts the graphic silhouette of Mickey Mouse’s profile on the heated concrete floor below when illuminated – a secret styling device only known to the owners and their close friends!

In its suburban context, the design intention was for a contemporary home that optimises the site development with a simple geometric layout. Land typography permitted the integration of a sub-floor garage and a 20,000L water harvesting tank that lies hidden within the underground basement, as well as the inclusion of a linear swimming pool.

The living area flows north onto an open deck and pool area. The kitchen overlooks the dining area and establishes visual linkages within the open-plan layout and extends out to the linear pool to the north.

The change in levels is totally transparent, with an open set of timber stairs linking the entry garage area to the main living space. There is also the added bonus of a lift for disability access. The internal spaces have an uninterrupted view of the alfresco area, which boasts a timber day bed in Warwick Fabrics outdoor Bondi range, complementing the monochromatic Resene colour palette.

Each element of the house reveals an architectural purpose and story that transcends the built form of a house to being a family home. From the intricate and emotional details embodied in the personal spaces of the bedroom and bathrooms, to the fusion of communal open spaces linked between indoor and outdoor, the home reveals the persona of a family as their own place for nurturing, entertainment and escape.

The inspiration for the achromatic interior colour palette came from the family’s love of classical music, with their three children that play piano, double bass and trumpet at orchestral level. The baby grand piano is the central heart of the home, and the ebony and ivory palette hence permeated through the interiors allowing colourful decorative elements of pendant lighting, graphic textiles and recycled timber to bounce off the walls like music!

The Resene paints internal and external tonal scheme consists of Resene Alabaster, a near white with a light blackened edge, used on all doors, woodwork and ceilings throughout this architect designed interior, thus creating a gallery style interior to hang commissioned artworks, photography and graphics on.

To create a sense of depth and solidity to the interior Whitting embraced the near black Resene Charcoal on dominant interior walls and external features. This strong black and white palette was essential in celebrating the natural timbers and stone, that are featured throughout the home to create a lightness of being and a deep intimacy in the interior.

Architectural specifier: Gareth Cole
Building contractor: Peter Zembis
Interior designer: Catherine Whitting
Project manager: Gordon Albany
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2016