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7 stunning ways to add thermal mass to your eco home

7 stunning ways to add thermal mass to your eco home

Thermal mass is a great way to increase the energy efficiency of your dream sustainable house, helping to keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer.  In the right climate, the more thermal mass your house has, the better it will insulate you from temperature fluctuations.  In this article we’ll explore why thermal…

The ultimate guide to sustainable interior design.

The ultimate guide to sustainable interior design.

Choosing to live sustainably is the greatest thing we can do to personally make a difference to the emissions we create. Sustainable interior design is about making informed decisions about the products and materials we surround ourselves with to reduce the impact we have on the earths resources, the amount of fossil fuels we use…

Sustainable architecture with a uniquely Australian style.

Sustainable architecture with a uniquely Australian style.

Often it is the constraints of an architectural project that define it and make it unique. In this striking design by Freehand Projects, the need to protect the endangered trees on the property became a feature of the design. The bold architectural expression is softened by a harmonious integration with the surrounds, the main living…

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We love to hear from our readers – if you have a tip about an eco home or product we should know about or you just want to say hi, please contact us here. We look forward to hearing from you 🙂

Modern Australian architecture with an Asian twist

Modern Australian architecture with an Asian twist

The minimalist white exterior of this home makes a surprise transition to the exotic at the entrance: we are welcomed by a Balinese statue and a view beyond to an earthy and compelling combination of polished concrete floors, red Persian hall runner and exotic urn and artworks. It’s my kind of entrance, that’s for sure….

Sustainably Spanish

Sustainably Spanish

This stunning home is located in the magnificent Collserola mountain range, overlooking Barcelona. The home was designed by Aleventosa Morell Architects as a compact and sustainable residence.   The lush green roof not only adds a stunning aesthetic to the building but does double duty as a thermal mass, helping to keep the home cooler…

Highly insulated timber-clad home in New York

Highly insulated timber-clad home in New York

Long low lines of cedar cladding are held in place with striking and innovative stainless steel fixings which are a unique feature of this highly insulated home near the busy resort town of Long Island, New York. Bates Masi Architects designed the house with acoustic considerations being the main driver of the form, materials, and…

A cocoon of timber hovering over the bay

A cocoon of timber hovering over the bay

This is the kind of architecture that makes my heart sing. Designed by Dorrington Atcheson Architects as a family holiday home, it features a stunning combination of location and elements: warmth, understated beauty and true integration into its amazing location. Perched above a bay in Kawau Island in New Zealand, the orientation and design makes…

Warm industrial chic in seaside Brighton

Warm industrial chic in seaside Brighton

I came across this architectural beauty while researching a fireplace / tv combination for my own home. I’m sure you’ll agree, the way mckimm design has combined the two elements is simply stunning, using a concrete hearth poured on site together with a striking customised steel fabrication for the black firebox around the fireplace.  …

About

About

Hey, I’m Kim I’ve been blogging about planet-friendly architecture ever since we built our own sustainable haven 10 years ago. In that time, a lot has changed. The need for sustainably built, energy efficient homes has never been more urgent. Last year, my country (Australia) ranked dead last for climate action out of 193 countries….

Sustainable prefab beach house in Blairgowrie

Sustainable prefab beach house in Blairgowrie

This lovely little beach house was created by the talented folk at Archiblox. Located in the seaside village of Blairgowrie, the house is a sustainable pre-fab designed around 3 modules that are clad externally with corrugated colorbond and internally with floor to ceiling plywood. The house features custom-made joinery throughout which was also made by…

Handcrafted reclaimed furniture by Aussie designer Brett Sambrooks

Handcrafted reclaimed furniture by Aussie designer Brett Sambrooks

I was excited to come across a talented Aussie furniture craftsman by the name of Brett Sambrooks. Each piece is handcrafted from reclaimed timber and second hand materials to produce one-off individual, collectable and creative pieces. Brett is based in Koondrook, a small Victorian town nestled on the banks of the Murray River, where he…

Striking architecture with bold and sophisticated interiors

Striking architecture with bold and sophisticated interiors

Today we are heading to Melbourne to see a home with striking architecture designed by In2 building designers. The brief was for a strong design aesthetic with low maintenance living for a young family. Seamless integration with the outdoors and a strong connection to the pool were important to the owners, together with achieving views…

Corten architecture with colourful interiors in Melbourne

Corten architecture with colourful interiors in Melbourne

This dual occupancy townhouse in inner Melbourne was designed by Neil Architecture for two young families. The urban oasis is enjoyed behind high masonry boundary walls, with the structure featuring striking rusted Corten cladding to the upper storey.   This home has a warm and moody masculine vibe, featuring smart casual furnishings and some wonderful pops of…

Stunning prefab home extension in Melbourne with sustainability at its core.

Stunning prefab home extension in Melbourne with sustainability at its core.

Being a big fan of prefab homes, I was excited to come across the work of Melbourne firm Archiblox, who specialise in beautiful, affordable and sustainable prefab homes that are modular in design and architecturally inspired. Designed in their Richmond Studio and pre-fabricated in their Wonthaggi facility, Archiblox designs can be designed, built and delivered…

Shiplap timber and rammed earth beauty

Shiplap timber and rammed earth beauty

This striking timber-clad design features a clever combination of some our favourite materials – rammed earth, concrete and and the extensive use of timber to soften and enhance both the interiors and the exteriors. Neil Architecture rose admirably to the challenge of squeezing two dwellings onto the small parcel of land, while still maintaining an attractive frontage…

Reclaimed timber treehouse in Quebec

Reclaimed timber treehouse in Quebec

The rustic simplicity of this home in the Canadian city of Quebec has been artfully created by architect Christopher Simmonds. Featuring a combination of reclaimed timber cladding contrasted against fresh white walls to the exterior, the palate continues through the interior with rustic timber floorboards, timber ceilings and white walls and surfaces. The palate serves…

Simple & modest beach shack on the stunning Gippsland Lakes

Simple & modest beach shack on the stunning Gippsland Lakes

This “beach shack” created by Neil Architecture was designed to not only capitalise on the stunning natural surroundings of the Gippsland Lakes, but also to celebrate the simplicity and modesty of the Australian beachside lifestyle. Using a compact floor plan merging the existing shack and a new addition, the new dwelling features large panoramic windows…

Light, white architectural delight in Oslo

Light, white architectural delight in Oslo

Today we’re heading to Oslo in Norway where London-based studio Haptic Architects were asked to design a bright and spacious apartment in the upper levels of a nineteenth-century apartment block. The focal point of the apartment is the amazing floating staircase that connects the two levels of the apartment. The modular, white powder coated stairs…

Funky Melbourne laneway architecture with electic interiors

Funky Melbourne laneway architecture with electic interiors

The owners of this funky lane way house in Melbourne certainly thought outside the square when securing somewhere to build their dream home. The home was designed by Architected, who said that the innovative design stemmed from the owners returning from an extended stint working overseas to find themselves priced out of the inner city…

Itty bitty prefab

Itty bitty prefab

This itty bitty pre-fab home combines the sustainable features of a small home with off-site construction. Designed by Minimod as an ‘innovative, intelligent and sustainable alternative for a dwelling” plenty of flexibility is available in the form of multiple configurations, customisation and choice of finishes. Made from a steel frame the MINIMOD can be taken…

Rugged architectural beauty in the Glasshouse mountains

Rugged architectural beauty in the Glasshouse mountains

This home in the Glass House mountains of Queensland was designed by Bark Design Architects as a place of ‘glass and stone’ with qualities of being robust and anchored to the earth but also floating, light and transparent. The connection between indoors and out is blurred with transparency to the interiors while anchored by the…

High performance eco house with stunning views

High performance eco house with stunning views

The owners of this Sydney home originally planned to renovate before deciding to demolish and start from scratch with the skills of architect Matt Elkan on board to design their new high performance abode. The key requirements were around maximising the location and climate to bring light, the beach views and the outdoors in, while…

Industrial cafe vibe for Rozelle terrace

Industrial cafe vibe for Rozelle terrace

This terrace house revamp in Rozelle was originally restricted to a modest kitchen makeover, however, led by TW Architects, the owners realised the advantages of reworking the whole house and decided on a full makeover including open plan living area, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. The owners wishlist included a strong industrial design aesthetic for…

Colourful + organic design in North Coogee

Colourful + organic design in North Coogee

Colourful, rustic, orgnanic, fun and relaxed was the brief for the interior makeover of this home in North Coogee, Western Australia. Charged with the brief, Collected Interiors weaved their magic to produce all of those things, working the new furnishings and decor in with the clients existing furnishings and giving the home a real sense…

Cool tool for designers + renovators – capture colour wherever you go!

Cool tool for designers + renovators – capture colour wherever you go!

Check out the SwatchMate Cube, a cool new gadget that captures the colour of any surface and sends the colour via Bluetooth to your smartphone or directly into Photoshop, showing you the RGB, CMYK or Pantone colours used in the scanned surface. The founders are three Melbourne based engineers and recently won both the Sydney…

Nordic-inspired beach retreat

Nordic-inspired beach retreat

The interior design of this cottage in Portsea on the Mornington Peninsula involved its refurbishment and transformation into a warm and Nordic inspired beach house retreat. The existing architecture was challenging to work with as it offered very little natural light. Inspired by a Nordic aesthetic, Christopher Elliot Design specified that the entire interior, including…

Canadian ridge retreat with bold but delicate architectural form

Canadian ridge retreat with bold but delicate architectural form

If I was designing a luxury rural abode this warm and earthy rural oasis in Canada would definitely have a place on my mood board! Designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson architects, the long linear form of the home stretches along the crest of a narrow ridge and is surrounded by evergreen forest with sensational views…

Light-filled architecture in Queens Park

Light-filled architecture in Queens Park

The renovation and extension of this beautiful Sydney home was designed by Fox Johnston architects. Featuring lots of timber elements and a fantastic polished aggregate concrete floor, the design focused on offering flexibility for the young family of 5 and its evolving lifestyle needs. Multi-tasked spaces were included to allow re-purposing for the changing needs…

‘Inspiring through Creative Design’

‘Inspiring through Creative Design’

This interiors of this fantastic home South of Melbourne were designed by the multi-talented Bronnie Masefau. Bronnie is an interior designer who prefers to think of herself as a “home maker”. She is also the author of a series of books, including the newly released Inspiring through creative design: Enjoying the Journey, which showcases this…

The Edgeland house

The Edgeland house

A glimpse of the future, inspired by the past, the Edgeland home is a showcase of art, nature, technology and culture all in one architectural design. Designed by Belgian-Taiwanese architecture studio Bercy Chen, this sustainable home is constructed on a rehabilitated brownfield site in Austin, Texas for a science fiction writer who was fascinated by…

Minimalist geometrical architecture for Sydney abode

Minimalist geometrical architecture for Sydney abode

The space and beauty of this Annandale home has been dramatically enhanced by Christopher Polly Architect at the same time as introducing a number of sustainable design qualities to the home. Originally a 2-bedroom house with a single living space, a much more liveable abode has been achieved, complete with 4 bedrooms and two living…

Black and bold Melbourne home design

Black and bold Melbourne home design

A union of tradition and modern styling gives character to this welcoming home in Middle Park Melbourne. In addition to transforming the 4 existing apartments into a single modern styled home, retaining the heritage facade was a challenge for architects Chamberlain Javens. The constraints resulted in a linking of the existing façade design and the…

Inner city Melbourne reinvention with a twist

Inner city Melbourne reinvention with a twist

Often architects challenge their clients to trust them with a bold and unusual vision and this house is a case in point. While the reinvention of these twin Victorian terraces in Melbourne could have been predicable and boring, Andrew Maynard Architects obliterated that possibility with this amazing design. Masterminding the design involved deliberately creating two…

Architectural transformation for Rozelle pad

Architectural transformation for Rozelle pad

The ‘Elliott Ripper House’ in Rozelle is an example of how a modest-sized home can be transformed into dramatically more functional, spacious and elegant living space. Remodeled with expertise by Christopher Polly Architect, it has been transformed into a contemporary 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom dwelling with two living spaces and improved rear and side courtyards. Space has…

Apartment living with all the mod cons

Today we are talking apartment living with ‘empty-nesters’ and close friends Julie Marsh and Alison Simcoe. Both followed the recent trend towards down-sizing, moving from large family homes to apartment living with their husbands.   ‘I love being able to just close the door behind us and go travelling, knowing the place doesn’t need looking…

Designing a small kitchen for stress-free entertaining

Designing a small kitchen for stress-free entertaining

This selection is my favourite 6 small kitchens from Designhunter’s Kitchens Board on Pinterest. They got me thinking about how stressful it would be to cook and entertain out of a small kitchen unless you had put a lot of thought into design, layout and appliances. My top tips for designing a small kitchen for…

Inner-city Brisbane architecture: the Park House

Inner-city Brisbane architecture: the Park House

It’s difficult to imagine this house in its original “spec home” format – Shaun Lockyer Architects have certainly done an amazing job dramatically altering and extending the home in a way more fitting to the fantastic park-side location in inner city Brisbane. The lifestyle areas of the house were re-designed so that the kitchen, living…

Treehouse architecture by Marcus Beach

Treehouse architecture by Marcus Beach

Now this is my kind of house – integrated with nature, sustainably designed and a pared back palette infused with just the right amount of contrast. Originally designed by Bark Design Architects for its original owners, the architects adopted principles of authenticity, economy, durability and simplicity into the design. In 2009, a change in ownership…

Personality-infused architectural gem in Marrickville

Personality-infused architectural gem in Marrickville

Who else would love to live in this quirky, warm, personality-infused home in Marrickville? The many interesting elements to the building are perfectly complimented with expertly clashed colour and texture in the interiors. I just love it! The architectural design was conceived by David Boyle Architect, who said that he modulated the floor and ceilings…

Herringbone house in Melbourne

Herringbone house in Melbourne

Isn’t this extension simply wonderful? The overhaul of this Melbourne post-war home was created by IF Architecture, who praised the owners for being so receptive to the architects ideas, allowing their preconceptions to be thoroughly challenged and culminating in the finished project looking completely different to the inspiration images the owners took along to the…

Bold floating roof architecture in Boat Harbour

Bold floating roof architecture in Boat Harbour

This beachside beauty at Boat Harbour on the north coast of New South Wales was created by Tanner Kibble Denton Architects and stands out for its understated simplicity. This is how the architects described the home: “With bold floating roof forms and generous glazing this beach house explores the traditional themes of coastal architecture: simplicity,…

Freshwater semi architecture bringing the natural light in

Freshwater semi architecture bringing the natural light in

The renovation and extension of this semi-detached dwelling in Freshwater was designed by David Boyle Architect with a key objective of bringing in as much natural light to the narrow South facing aspect. The front rooms and roof line of the existing building were retained and a new 2-storey extension was added to the rear….

Palm Beach retreat among the trees

Palm Beach retreat among the trees

The owners of the original sandstone cottage on this site asked Tanner Kibble Denton Architects to design its renewal and extension for extended family weekends and holiday retreats. The design required contemporary facilities with a new pavilion added amongst the ancient angophoras to accommodate adult children and their growing families, including areas for time spent…

Eclectic interior design for Perth bachelor pad

Eclectic interior design for Perth bachelor pad

The ultimate eclectic mancave has been achieved here by Greg Baker of Ambassador Home for his own apartment, which started out an unattractive and pokey space, but Greg could tell the apartment had “good bones”. After 18 months of back breaking work and showering “out of a bucket”, Greg and his father converted the dingy…

The ‘new old’ house featuring Melbourne laneway art culture

The ‘new old’ house featuring Melbourne laneway art culture

With a blank canvas and a mixed context that architect Jessica Liew was asked to create a new dwelling for a modern lifestyle but with the charm of an old home, a house with personality and familiarity that was generous to the owners travels and memories. The principle of ‘Wabi-Sabi’, the beauty of imperfection, was…

Rustic natural palette at Coopers Beach

Rustic natural palette at Coopers Beach

This New Zealand holiday home won the prestigious Residential Architecture award from the New Zealand Institute of Architects in 2008, with the judges commenting that the beach house “has an overall feeling of simple restraint. Modest materials used in deceptively simple ways manipulate site, space and light to organise the “bach” in a straightforward, playful…

Modern new architectural vision for a cottage in York Bay

Modern new architectural vision for a cottage in York Bay

This beautiful cottage in the New Zealand capital of Wellington has recently received a creative new vision centred on giving a ‘new heart and focus to a small house’. Paul Rolfe Architects created the new vision for the home with a design strategy of connecting and engaging the new addition with the native bush surroundings….

Exotic resort-style landscape design in Hillarys

Exotic resort-style landscape design in Hillarys

The owners of this home in Hillarys, a northern beach suburb of Perth, asked Guy Mouritz of Ritz Exterior Design to redesign their disjointed and poorly planned back yard and pool area. The proximity to the coast presented the designers with very challenging site conditions of salt, wind and sun, that literally stripped paint from…

Funky townhouse design with splashes of red

Funky townhouse design with splashes of red

Arch11 architecture collaborated with construction firm Boulder and Denver to design and construct this triple townhouse project. Built on a small lot in a funky light industrial area near the centre of Boulder, the architects designed each townhouse to capture views of the surrounding landscape, carefully ensuring equity of views and square footage for each…

Johannesburg architecture made of rock, steel & wood

Johannesburg architecture made of rock, steel & wood

This Johannesburg home was designed by Nico van der Meulen Architects, the brief being to create a stylish family home with ecologically sound design. Indoor-outdoor living was important in order to take full advantage of Johannesburg’s legendary eight-month summer. The front of the home features a rusted-steel-clad wall, cleverly mounted on tracks so that it…

Seamless and sustainable architecture in Big Sur, California

Seamless and sustainable architecture in Big Sur, California

Even the most ardent greenie would be hard-pressed to critisize the seamless landscape integration of this home design! Set into the hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur, California, this retreat was designed by Carver & Schicketanz Architects. Built as a vacation home for a family with two young daughters, the key elements of…

Nature inspired architectural design

Nature inspired architectural design

The Rutherford House is located in Taupo Tauranga/Oruatua, NZ and was created by Dorrington Architects & Associates. The brief was to create a modern holiday house tailored to both hot summers and cold winters. The result is this elegantly designed home sitting beautifully amongst its natural environment. The open floor plan and huge windows effectively…

Curved concrete form with finely slatted timber cocoon

Curved concrete form with finely slatted timber cocoon

Architects Statement: “A guiding principle of the design was to promote the wellbeing of all members of the family, creating an environment of peace and tranquillity. With an abundance of natural light and sunshine, the spaces are interwoven with nature through the use of courtyards, skylights, glazed openings and garden. The double height circulation space…

Basalt stone and white walls with natural accents

Basalt stone and white walls with natural accents

This beauty in New Zealand was designed by Dorrington Architects & Associates. This is what they said about the brief and design strategy for extending and improving the existing home: “The clients liked the composition and feel of the existing house, but not its size or allocation of space. An arrangement of gabled forms linked…

Spectacular riverside landscape design in Perth

Spectacular riverside landscape design in Perth

How’s this for spectacular? Not surprisingly, this landscape design by Ritz Exterior Design has won the Abode Garden of the Year 2012 as well as the Landscape Industry Association (W.A.) for Best Design and Best Residential Construction 2012. The stunning panoramic views of the Swan River have been fully capitalised on, with a series of…

Asian undertones for relaxed outdoor living

Asian undertones for relaxed outdoor living

With a brief focused on relaxed alfresco entertaining, Cos Design created this visually striking landscape centred around a large family pool. The lush backdrop of slender weaver bamboo provides a modern Asian undertone with complementary plantings of Japanese maple, cycads and cliveas. The alfresco area is covered by a coreten laser cut screen from Aludean,…

Central courtyard design in Austria

Central courtyard design in Austria

The dramatic design of this Austrian abode features external timber cladding contrasting against black aluminium windows. The design concept featuring an enclosed and secluded courtyard garden at the centre of which a tree grows through the open ceiling of the courtyard. The Scandinavian style interiors replicate the exterior cladding work with complementary blonde timber furnishings,…

Pavilion architecture with floating stone wall

Pavilion architecture with floating stone wall

This striking glass and steel pavilion-style cottage in Westcliff, Johannesburg was designed by GASS Architecture Studios. Architects statement: “We wanted to treat the ecosystem of the Westcliff Ridge very lightly, and didn’t want the building to impose or radically interfere with its surrounding. The goal was to allow the building to float above the ground…

Classic modern pavilion in Boulder, Colorado

Classic modern pavilion in Boulder, Colorado

“No home we’ve ever done has gotten as many comments as this one,” says Boulder-based architecture firm Arch11’s founding principal E.J. Meade. “We’re getting queries from that leading edge of baby boomers telling us they want to downsize into a home like this one—compact enough that every square inch was thought through and will be…

A restful natural colour scheme for coastal Cape Town

A restful natural colour scheme for coastal Cape Town

This home in Higgovale, on the coast of Cape Town in South Africa was born from a collaboration between two architecture firms, Saoto designing the home and Three14 carrying out the design development and construction. A restful, natural interior scheme has been achieved through the use of organic textures and colours. Beautiful timber detailing and…

The ultimate entertainers house in Vaucluse

The ultimate entertainers house in Vaucluse

A seamless indoor/outdoor connection is at the heart of this renovation in Vaucluse, Sydney. Designed by Bruce Stafford Architects and built into the side of a rockface, the design centres around a secluded internal courtyard with a large deck and pool facing onto the interior living areas. Large sliding glass doors enabling a seamless flow…

Shoal Bay bach: rugged and unpretentious rural architecture

Shoal Bay bach: rugged and unpretentious rural architecture

The owners of this small weekender in Shoal Bay New Zealand wanted a getaway that was rugged, rural in character and felt unpretentious. It was important to be able to cater for large numbers of family and friends and also feel comfortable with one or two people. Family friend Gerald Parsonson of Parsonson Architects created…

Sydney residence with a striking street presence

Sydney residence with a striking street presence

This house in Mosman has such a striking street presence, it’s dramatic dark timber slatting contrasting against pure white walls and stonework. Designed by Luigi Rosselli Architects, the house has an elevated northerly location and therefore benefits from cooling north easterly breezes and good solar access. The house has been designed sustainably to keep cool…

A palette of exposed concrete, honed basalt & hand hewn timber

A palette of exposed concrete, honed basalt & hand hewn timber

So in love with this beach house in Sorrento! It was designed by Rob Mills Architects and all I can say is wow! I love the use of raw materials and the absolutely stunning aboriginal artworks which give the interiors such a pop! The sumptious but still casual furnishings complete the picture to make this…

Pared back simplicity of style and materials in Namibia

Pared back simplicity of style and materials in Namibia

I love the the simplicity of the colour palette and materials used to creat the peaceful haven that is this home in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Owned and designed by architect Leon Barnard, the home design features a seamless integration with the outdoors and a minimalist approach to furnishings. A truly elegant and understated…

Contemporary farmhouse rises after the ashes

Contemporary farmhouse rises after the ashes

This contemporary farmhouse in Healesville Victoria was designed by the award-winning team at Doherty Lynch and was a complete rebuild after the original farmhouse was destroyed in the Black Saturday fires. The clients brief was for a modern, warm and relaxing holiday home for four families including 17 grandchildren. The design needed to expand and…

Sustainable architecture award for Rozelle terrace house

Sustainable architecture award for Rozelle terrace house

This award-winning terrace house in Rozelle, Sydney has been transformed from a house that had little connection to the outdoors and was cold and dark, into the open, light-filled abode you see today. Anderson Architecture created the dramatic overhaul, which was all about connecting the new living spaces with the back garden, with bifold doors…

Treehouse designed to dissolve into the landscape

Treehouse designed to dissolve into the landscape

This home known as the “Tree house” is perched on a steep forested hillside above the Great Ocean Road and Bass Strait in Victoria. In designing the Tree house, architects Jackson Clements Burrows drew on the modest local vernacular of 1950’s painted fibro shacks, by using cement sheets with expressed batten joints to dissolve the…

Concrete beach house with Japanese aesthetic in Noosa Heads

Concrete beach house with Japanese aesthetic in Noosa Heads

A Japanese aesthetic combined with a unique take on the Australian beach house is what inspired David Teeland of Teeland Architects in designing this home in Noosa Heads in Queensland. In the words of the architect: “This building is different to what most people think of as beach architecture. When people think of beach architecture…

Waiheke Island home with striking stacked stone facade

Waiheke Island home with striking stacked stone facade

Patterson Associates have created this summer residence on Waiheke Island in New Zealand. The dominating external feature is the striking use of stacked Pyrite stone, a dense, colourful hard stone which can be stacked, etched and layered into earthy walls and textures. The rock mass of the home is like a bridge, open both sides…

Pavilion architecture for Barwon Heads beach house

Pavilion architecture for Barwon Heads beach house

This home in Barwon Heads, Victoria is amongst an eclectic mix of post war beach houses, dominated by single storey weatherboard dwellings. Contemporary architectural houses are slowly weaving their way into the surrounding streets. The owners were looking to replace their deteriorating beach shack, with the new house fulfilling a modest brief for a beach…

Twisted cabin architecture for home on the ski slopes of Norway

Twisted cabin architecture for home on the ski slopes of Norway

The ‘Twisted cabin’ is in the mountains of Kvitfjell in Norway and was designed as a ski cabin by architects Jarmund/Vigsnæs AS Arkitekter MNALis. The site is 1000m above sea level and has direct ski in, ski out access. In the words of the architects: “The volume of the cabin reflects the contours in the…

Brazilian architecture bringing the outdoors in

Brazilian architecture bringing the outdoors in

The owners of this stunning Brazilian abode had as their top design priority the incorporation of a covered outdoor living area. StudioMK27 architects served their request up in spades, designing the house with a large L-shaped space encompassing the living room, tv room and and an extension of the kitchen, all opening out onto the…

Circular sculptured architecture for Barwon Heads

Circular sculptured architecture for Barwon Heads

Barwon Heads in Victoria is undergoing a period of significant change. Heritage restrictions currently protect older fishing shacks whilst the remainder of the seaside town is progressively being redeveloped. The architecture now emerging is significantly contributing to the evolution of this small coastal township. The interesting circular building form of this house emerged from the…

Tranquility, intimacy and sanctuary for the Elm & Willow house

Tranquility, intimacy and sanctuary for the Elm & Willow house

‘Tranquility, intimacy and sanctuary’ were on the owners wishlist for the restoration and extension of this Edwardian house in Melbourne. Architects Eat took up the challenge with the intention to make the addition as open and transparent as possible, as a contrast against the introverted existing Edwardian house. The decision to retain two mature Elm…

Bold cantilevered architecture for island home

Bold cantilevered architecture for island home

This striking island home, off the Brazilian coast was designed by architects StudioMK27. The monolithic design projects seaward 8 metre, cantilevering dramatically from the mountain behind. Access is by boat only and entry to the house is first via the sandy beach and then over a metal bridge positioned over a crystal-lined reflecting pool. The…

Bold architectural colour inspired by the Australian outback

Bold architectural colour inspired by the Australian outback

This home backs onto Parsley Bay Reserve on Sydney harbour, a location regarded as a hidden gem by locals. The original brief was for a bold and architecturally strong home that was comfortable, inviting and geared for entertaining and easy flow from indoors to out. Artisan craftspeople worked alongside tradespeople to bring about the design…

Sustainable shipping container style architecture

Sustainable shipping container style architecture

The Dutch owners of this beach house in Tasmania asked their architect Daniel Haskell of Haskell Architects to design a functional, efficient and inexpensive shack that was sustainable and maximised the views and environment. It also needed to be durable for extended periods while the owners were back at their base in the Netherlands. Ideally…

Transparent minimalism for Chilean beach house

Transparent minimalism for Chilean beach house

This suburb minimalist design is a beach house in the Chilean coastal town of Huentelauquén, created by architects 01Arq. I love the pared back detailing both externally and for the interiors, making it all about the incredible location and views. Simple material selections of timber, glass and stone are used as an uncomplicated backdrop to…

Striking geometry for modern take on old miners cottage

Striking geometry for modern take on old miners cottage

Striking geometrical lines have been used to dramatic effect for the modern extension of this old home on the Ballast Point Peninsula in Sydney. A “lean-to” at the rear originally accomodated the kitchen, living area, dining room and bathroom. The brief for Fox Johnston Architects was to create more room for a family of four,…

Sustainable house design: house reduction by Make Architecture

Sustainable house design: house reduction by Make Architecture

Winner of the sustainability category in the 2012 Houses Awards, the footprint of this home in Melbourne was actually reduced in size as part of an ingenious re-design by Make Architecture. The smaller spaces and multi-functional rooms were designed as part of a “move towards smaller, more flexible houses as an essential response to conserve…

A bold feature colour for Birchgrove courtyard design

A bold feature colour for Birchgrove courtyard design

This project shows what a terrific impact a bold colour can have on a small space. The owners of this award-winning courtyard briefed landscape architects and designers Secret Gardens of Sydney to create and outdoor space for them to entertain in all year round. In summer this courtyard garden is ideal as it is shaded…

‘Luxury camping’ architecture on mid-North coast of NSW

‘Luxury camping’ architecture on mid-North coast of NSW

You don’t often see a beach house that blends the indoors with the outdoors as well as this compact little gem on the mid-north coast of NSW. Designed by Bourne Blue architects to be a compact and simple holiday home for its owners, the structure is made up of three pavilions, with landscaping in between…

A vibrant modern addition to a Victorian era home

A vibrant modern addition to a Victorian era home

This interesting extension to an old Victorian era home was designed by Andrew Maynard Architects and is in North Fitzroy in Melbourne. Instead of the usual rear add-on, the design used a glass walkway between the existing dwelling and the extension, allowing a distinctive break between old and new. As the older home allowed very…

Modern industrial barn architecture in Aspen Creek

Modern industrial barn architecture in Aspen Creek

It seems like the architect-client relationship on this project in Park City, UT was a match made in heaven, both parties collaborating on the style and design of the home from the outset. On the owners wish-list was: • Relatively narrow forms with a largely East-West main axis. • Simple building forms. • Really simple…

Contemporary concrete and glass home in Brazil

Contemporary concrete and glass home in Brazil

This vast expanse of a house is in São Paulo, Brazil and was designed by StudioMK27. Raw concrete has been used extensively throughout the upper volume, creating a striking cantilever with a large concrete and timber box floating above a lower storey of glass. The glass slides back completely, blurring the divide between indoors and…

A timeless and elegant design for Hamilton Island home

A timeless and elegant design for Hamilton Island home

The owners of this luxury resort rental on Hamilton Island called on the skills of Christopher Elliott Design to transform the property from a concrete shell into the finished product you see here today. The main objective of the brief was that the interior not take away from the spectacular location and views. The lavish…

A modern twist on Japanese zen for Californian home

A modern twist on Japanese zen for Californian home

Inspired by a brief for a house with a formal Japanese Tea Room, Laidlaw Schultz Architects were excited by the idea and keen give it a modern, less formal twist. In the words of architect Craig Schultz, “The front courtyard, the primary entrance, was inspired by an abstract notion of water. The entry stepping stones…

The stunning Peaks View home in Wilson, Wyoming

The stunning Peaks View home in Wilson, Wyoming

A challenging brief was presented to Carney Logan Burke Architects for the design of this beautiful home in Wilson, Wyoming: the home needed to not only be unique and modern but also fit within the distinctively conservative neighbourhood. The architects tackled the brief by “designing a pair of two-story gabled structures to present a traditional…

Modern Asian aesthetic for beach house at White Rock

Modern Asian aesthetic for beach house at White Rock

This recycled timber and fibre cement beach house at White Rock was designed by award-winning architect Virginia Kerridge. This is what Virginia said about her inspiration for the design “The architecture of Rudolph Schindler was an inspiration. We were  interested in his fascination with rhythm and scale. In Schindler’s work the building and landscape was…

The 2012 Houses Awards – the Marimekko house

The 2012 Houses Awards – the Marimekko house

The finalists of the 2012 Houses Awards have been announced! The ‘Houses Awards’ is an annual program celebrating Australia’s best residential architecture. Excellence is rewarded in eight categories, with the best architecturally designed house receiving the premier award of ‘Australian House of the Year’. Presented by Houses magazine, a ‘Houses Award’ is one of Australia’s…

Architecture featuring simple lines and light-weight construction

Architecture featuring simple lines and light-weight construction

The form of this house overlooking Bundeena Bay was influenced by the tradition of simple coastal houses, with simple shapes and light-weight construction. Clarke Pearse Architects (now Pearse Architects & Peter Clark Built Environments Studio) made the design all about simple, relaxed and modern living, with a pared back palette to amplify the dramatic water…

Architectural makeover evokes a sense of living in the garden

Architectural makeover evokes a sense of living in the garden

Achieving a strong connection with the outdoors was paramount for the garden enthusiast owners of this home in the Sydney suburb of Birchgrove. Pearse Architects (in collaboration with Brian Keirnan) conceived an open pavilion style of home that integrates wonderfully with the garden and evokes a real sense of living in the garden. The challenge…

Contemporary landscape design on Sydney harbour

Contemporary landscape design on Sydney harbour

How would you choose a landscape designer for this magic spot on Sydney harbour? What the owners of this house did was hold a competition and let the best designer win! Landscape architects ASPECT Studios won the comp and created this striking contemporary design. They began by creating a series of discreet courtyards, linked by…

Modern masculine flair for inner Melbourne abode

Modern masculine flair for inner Melbourne abode

This inner Melbourne home was built in the 1970’s and has undergone various updates and add-ons since then. The new owners called on interior designer Christopher Elliot to furnish the home and plan a major renovation, the main objective of streamlining the home into a modern layout. Chris designed the interiors with a pared back…

Creative architecture breathes new life into Victorian terrace

Creative architecture breathes new life into Victorian terrace

This Victorian terrace in Fitzroy has been given a major breath of fresh air by Andrew Maynard Architects. Emerging from behind its high boundary wall, the unusual roof of the home interrupts the symmetrical roof lines typical of the area. A transparent glass corridor along the Northern boundary wall brings substantial natural light into the…

A vibrant and colourful interior design for Finnish penthouse apartment

A vibrant and colourful interior design for Finnish penthouse apartment

This bright and colourful interior design project came to us from the talented Italian designer Maurizio Giovannoni (Maurizio Giovannoni Architetto). Designed the renovation and interiors from his base in Rome, with one meeting with the owner and over 400 emails! His principal goal was to open up the apartment, allow in more natural light and…

Relaxed coastal vibe for Newcastle penthouse apartment

Relaxed coastal vibe for Newcastle penthouse apartment

I love the relaxed, coastal vibe of this beachfront penthouse which was designed by the clever & creative design team at Coco Republic. A cosy, understated elegance reigns, with a neutral palette of natural linens and blonde timbers complemented with ink blue accessories, artworks and decor. Display shelving has been used to great effect throughout…

Understated eco elegance for Auckland renovation

Understated eco elegance for Auckland renovation

This is the Glade House, which is a redesign of a 1950’s home in Auckland designed by Strachan Group Architects. The owners wanted to maintain the basic design aesthetic, re-work the layout and enhance the connection with the bush surrounds. What I really like about this house is the understated eco-elegance and the great balance…

A modern take on an old Victorian architectural style…

A modern take on an old Victorian architectural style…

Ever seen a home extension that looks like an alien has landed from space? I’m always delighted when I see a home extension that is cohesive and seamless. Even though the original house might be a century old and the new part needs to fulfill 21st century living ideals, a clever and imaginative architect can…

Dramatic geometry for cliff top home overlooking the Bay of Plenty

Dramatic geometry for cliff top home overlooking the Bay of Plenty

This elegant timber-clad home overlooking the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand features unusual and striking geometry for a rural home. Architects Tennant & Brown designed the strong geometry in response to the cliff top location and dramatic ocean views, while the barn-style architecture was influenced by the existing rural buildings in the area. Steel…

Do you like black and white architecture and design?

Do you like black and white architecture and design?

This is the first of a regular series of posts on Designhunter featuring themes in architecture and design, whether a palette of colours, materials or other design elements that bring a home design together. First up we are featuring the strongest of colour contrasts that you’ll find in interiors: black and white. I’d love to…

Stunning sunken courtyard design for coastal oasis

Stunning sunken courtyard design for coastal oasis

If this contemporary residence in Port Stephens needed a standout landscape design to match, it certainly got it: Urban Exotic landscape designers were called in to transform the space into what designer Richard Kelly says “channels a Palm Springs holiday resort”. Two magnificent Date Island Palm’s were craned in to make a statement for the…

A colourful and artistic interior for designers own home

A colourful and artistic interior for designers own home

This warm and colourful family home in Lilyfield, Sydney is the home of interior designer Tim Leveson and his art consultant wife, Libby Knott. This couple clearly has artistic and design skills to burn, with a striking interior design and some beautiful furniture and decor items designed by Tim. The fabulous art collection includes a…

Vintage industrial flavour for old oil mill in Spain

Vintage industrial flavour for old oil mill in Spain

Loving this freshly renovated former oil mill… This place, owned by an architect, dates back to the 1700’s and is located in Mallorca, Spain. A natural palette of white, black and earth tones has been chosen to work with the wood, stone and iron features and the concrete floors throughout. The owner has been able…

Small sustainable design on North Stradbroke Island

Small sustainable design on North Stradbroke Island

The architecture of these detached holiday retreats on North Stradbroke Island encapsulates a recent trend towards small, sustainable house design. Paul Butterworth Architect designed the homes in response to a brief requiring cost-effective, versatile design that was carefully tuned to the Stradbroke climate and lifestyle. Designed to accommodate both large gatherings or an intimate couples…

Glass pavilion architecture on Pearl Beach

Glass pavilion architecture on Pearl Beach

This stunning glass pavilion weekender on Pearl Beach has been cleverly orientated to face the ocean while simultaneously taking in the stunning escarpment of the adjacent mountain range to the North. Lippmann Partnership designed the home as a series of “pods” arranged around a central courtyard, which provide protection from harsh winds and excessive sun….

Cruciform architecture with magnificent mountain views

Cruciform architecture with magnificent mountain views

This rural property has magnificent views to Mount Macedon, in Victoria, and the oversized cross at its summit. studio101 architects took inspiration from this when designing a home for the property, creating a cruciform layout with four separate living zones for the large family that was to live there. A palette of natural materials was…

Faves from the Australian Interior Design Awards 2012

Faves from the Australian Interior Design Awards 2012

My two hot favourites from this year’s Australian Interior Design Awards are the Sorrento house by Robert Mills Architects and the Kooyong House by Matt Gibson Architects. The Sorrento house is above and the first six shots below, followed by the Kooyong house. All photo’s sourced from australianinteriordesignawards.com with photography by Earl Carter (Sorrento) and…

The Wabi house…Japanese architecture in California

The Wabi house…Japanese architecture in California

We’re loving… the calm serenity of this architecture: a Japanese aesthetic that celebrates warm minimalism. This home in California was designed by Sebastian Mariscal Studio. I think you’ll agree that the architect is as gifted with words as he is with architecture. This is what he had to say about the project: “The song of…

Fortitude Valley townhouse gets a design with a retro twist

Fortitude Valley townhouse gets a design with a retro twist

We love the fresh, retro vibe of this townhouse interior design… The team at Coco Republic Property Styling created this smart interior in New Farm, Fortitude Valley, using contemporary furnishings and quirky decorative accents. The light floor is dressed with an interesting mix of furnishings. The palette of grey, mustard and timber tones works well…

Exotic resort-style architecture on Singapore’s Sentosa Island

Exotic resort-style architecture on Singapore’s Sentosa Island

We’re loving… the exotic fusion of textures & timbers and the seamless connection from inside to out… The island of Sentosa in Singapore is in a constant state of construction, with luxury homes like this one emerging every week. Designed by Silver & Ong, the architecture of this modern Asian home features all the elements…

A dynamic and unconventional design for the ‘Tramway’ house

The unusual site of this home known as the ‘Tramway” drew a dynamic architectural response from Vibe Design. Given the owners involvement in motorsport, the design strategy was to create a sense of movement and also to respond in a unique way to the unusual shape of the site. The exterior is certainly striking, with…

Interior design with a skilful use of contrast and colour

Step into this home in Washington, where texture and skilful colour contrasting has enlivened the interiors. The owners wanted to start from scratch with the living areas and gave away all the furniture before handing over the reigns to designer Jesse Moyer of Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. The cool background palette of white walls and…

A meditative landscape design created for harsh coastal conditions

This stunning little slice of zen was created by Urban Exotic Landscape Architects. The site posed some major challenges, including heavy coastal exposure, salt-laden winds, heritage issues and privacy concerns from the neighbouring caravan park. The owners already had great coastline views from the house, so the outcome for the landscape was more about the…

Bold architecture with beautiful silvertop ash timber cladding

Talk about incredible street appeal. The bold geometric lines of this home’s architecture are given warmth and softened with the use of silvertop ash shiplap cladding. Further drama is added at night when the home is illuminated, providing a glimpse from the street to the azure blue pool beyond. Vibe Design Group were briefed to…

Swedish summer house

I love the colour, the light and the simple serenity of this Scandinavian summer house. The home was designed by acclaimed interior designer Anna Von Schewan with a ‘less is more’ approach that is common in Scandinavian interior design. The punches of bright red featured in the pendant light and butterfly chair provide a colourful…

Recycled beach chic

Raw and recycled timbers and natural textures abound in this stunning beachside interior in Maroubra, created by Tim Leveson Interiors. The brief for the project was to create a light filled, fuss free interior for a busy couple with 1 small child. With the beachside location, Tim went for a calming, natural and neutral effect…

Architecture touching the earth lightly

Architecture touching the earth lightly

This award-winning home in Sydney was originally designed by the acclaimed architect Glenn Murcutt. He is known for wanting to ‘touch the earth lightly’ and for considering the movement of wind and water, temperature and light before designing the building itself. More recently Angelo Candalepas of Candalepas Associates was given the possibly daunting task of…

The Open House by Architects EAT

The Open House by Architects EAT

“We want it to be open!” said the young professional owners of this house when they asked Architects EAT to morph their home from “rabbit warren” into spacious, light-filled, open plan living. It’s certainly an exciting and imaginative result. The materials used were chosen for their visual and tactile qualities. Engineered oak flooring abounds, not…

Stunning apartment refurbishment in Marseilles

Stunning apartment refurbishment in Marseilles

This apartment is located near the beaches of Marseilles on the South coast of France. After years living in the upper floor apartment, the owners acquired the basement to create a larger home for their growing family. The larger space was designed by French interior designer, Maurice Padovani. What works really well is the neutral…

Fresh + modern inner city courtyard garden

Fresh + modern inner city courtyard garden

This modern courtyard garden was created by landscape designers, Secret Gardens of Sydney. Every inch of the small block was designed to meet the parents need to relax and entertain and be family friendly enough to cater for their 3 young children. The front garden features a sophisticated entrance with striking water feature and dramatic…

The Barrow house by Andrew Maynard Architects

The Barrow house by Andrew Maynard Architects

“The Barrow” is an extension in Melbourne, designed by Andrew Maynard architects. The building was conceived as an arrangement of timber boxes, each rotated and extruding into the landscape in different ways. This led to some interesting room shapes and configurations inside. Not only are the scale and proportions of the home a visual triumph,…

Sydney warehouse conversion by MCK Architects

Sydney warehouse conversion by MCK Architects

Here we have another stunning warehouse conversion, this time in Sydney, where a young family has converted a 2-storey warehouse into a 3-storey home, while living through the transformation! MCK Architects of Sydney were asked to design the conversion and have retained the existing warehouse vernacular while running a 3-storey high void parallel to the…

Collingwood warehouse conversion by Di Mase Architects

Collingwood warehouse conversion by Di Mase Architects

Who hasn’t at some stage dreamt of living in a converted warehouse with huge timber beams, soaring ceilings, rustic concrete floors and colourful rugs scattered about? The bones of this former warehouse in Collingwood, Victoria had all the elements to make for an outstanding residential conversion.  Di Mase Architects oversaw the refurbishment, stripping back the…

Boomerang Beach architecture by Bourne Blue

Boomerang Beach architecture by Bourne Blue

I am thrilled to be officially launching Designhunter today (rebranded as Ecoshack in 2021), after months of hunting and gathering to bring you a special brand of home design: homes with a real sense of warmth, texture and beauty. You can look forward to an inspirational variety of interiors, architecture and landscapes, from coastal homes…

Moody light and shady verandahs on Great Barrier Island

Moody light and shady verandahs on Great Barrier Island

There can never be enough timber in a house, as this home amply demonstrates. Known as “Timms Bach” and located on Great Barrier Island in New Zealand, this warm and earthy retreat has been created by Herbst Architects and won the NZ Institute of Architects Architecture award for 2011. The Awards judges summed the house…

Australian courtyard featuring giant black bamboo and native hardwood

Australian courtyard featuring giant black bamboo and native hardwood

This private oasis created by Aspect Studios offers its owners not only much needed privacy but also a living artwork viewed through the feature windows in the home. The Birchgrove courtyard features giant black bamboo against a backdrop of Australian hardwood screening, cantilevered concrete seating and pops of colour via the red and white outdoor…

Modern Asian architecture by Ong & Ong architects

Modern Asian architecture by Ong & Ong architects

ONG & ONG architects have achieved a great balance of texture and colour in this modern Singapore home. The rawness of the cantilevered concrete lends an industrial flavour, which is pared back with timber elements throughout. Similarly, the timber detail inside provides a warm contrast against the otherwise light and white interiors, making an impressive…

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