When Vision Design Studio took on The Essendons, the brief was not to build one home. It was to build two, side by side, on a single block in Melbourne’s inner north-west. Externally the pair are consistent: architecturally aligned, a seamless presence from the street. Internally, they couldn’t be more different.
Each dwelling was shaped entirely around its owner’s personality and style. The result is a project that asks a lot of an interior designer and delivers on every level.
The brief
Both clients had built and renovated before. These were forever homes, and the stakes were clear from the outset. Quality came first. So did detailed planning and the workmanship to back it up.
Vision Design Studio worked closely with Gaffney Constructions and both clients throughout, attending specialty trade meetings alongside the clients to make sure every design decision was executed exactly as envisioned. Nothing was left to chance.
Inspiration and style direction
Both clients were drawn to the idea of mixing traditional styles with a more modern sensibility, something timeless rather than trend-led. That intention shaped the direction for both homes from the start.
Dwelling 1 drew its references from actual Hamptons homes. The palette is cooler and more monochromatic, with contrast as the defining design principle: light against dark, shape against texture, material layered upon material.
Dwelling 2 went somewhere softer. A French provincial influence was filtered through the client’s own clean, modern preferences to arrive at something genuinely original: a neutral, dreamy palette anchored by wall panelling, considered lighting, and a textural layering you feel as much as see.
Navigating COVID and keeping it on track
Construction didn’t escape the disruption of COVID lockdowns. What protected the project was the depth of the design work done upfront. Because every product and finish had been specified and ordered well in advance, delays to the construction schedule didn’t cascade into delays on materials. The planning carried the build through.
Any design changes proposed during the build were handled seamlessly by the construction team, a reflection of how well the whole project was coordinated from the start.
The design details
The standout details in Dwelling 1 are the ones that were found, not planned. The owners chose to salvage and incorporate elements from the original home on the block. An original leadlight window was paired with a new modern steel door in the study, old meeting new in exactly the right way. Old fence palings from the same block were used to create a characterful man cave in the basement. The powder room was designed as a destination: a wow moment for guests, not just a functional room.
In Dwelling 2, the ambition centred on the staircase, a showstopping form designed to link all three levels and act as the home’s anchor point. The custom balustrade was developed in close collaboration with the stair manufacturer so that every minor detail was considered. The exaggerated landing, finished in the same Habitat Canvas boards as the flooring throughout, extends the sense of scale and gives the space genuine grandeur.
Furniture and finishing touches
Vision Design Studio took a hands-on approach to furniture and decor, including day shopping trips with both clients so decisions could be made collaboratively, with products physically in hand. Major pieces were factored into the design from the very beginning: couch, dining table, artwork, lighting. By the time each home was finished, nothing needed to be retrofitted.
The flooring
Canvas was selected to anchor both homes, warm and grounding without competing with the layered, detail-rich interiors above. The tone holds its own against the cool contrast of Dwelling 1 and sits comfortably beneath the softness of Dwelling 2, threading both homes together while letting each one breathe.
The Kustom Timber experience
Kustom Timber arranged samples directly for both clients after initial showroom visits, allowing them to see the product at before committing. Support continued through the construction phase to ensure installation details were handled correctly. After handover, after-care extended to full maintenance information and cleaning kits for each household.
One tip for anyone considering new flooring
“Viewing the larger displays in the showroom is vital to seeing the full character and tone of the flooring. Considering any existing timber furniture in the overall colour scheme is important too. We always suggest moving the take-home samples around the spaces in different lighting, both natural and artificial, to see how it can change at different times of the day.”
Jenni, Vision Design Studio
Interested in seeing Habitat Canvas at full scale? Visit our Cremorne Melbourne showroom or Mornington showroom, or order a free sample at kustomtimber.com.au.
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