Photography: Marnie Hawson / Styling: Belle Hemming
Tucked away in a leafy Melbourne suburb, the ‘Passive Pleat’ house stops passers-by in their tracks. But while the impact of the facade with its pleat-like ‘folds’ is beyond question, the home’s real magic is not visible to the eye. This is an energy-efficient, environmentally focused passive house.
For the home’s architect and certified Passive House designer Fang Cheah of Studiofang, bringing the vision to life proved as joyful an exercise as it did for the homeowners.
Who lives here?
Courtney and Andrew, who work in the medical and engineering fields respectively, and their young daughter, plus Nina the Golden Retriever.
What’s the best thing about living in a house with passive design principles? Andrew: “That it retains a very comfortable temperature year-round. It’s never too hot or too cold, despite whatever the weather is doing outside.”
Courtney: “The house always feels inviting and comfortable. It really is a sanctuary away from the rest of the world.”
Anything left on the wish list? Courtney: “We’d love to have a bit more cabinetry in the lounge.”
Andrew: “And the garage still has to be painted.”
Building a passive house
When homeowners Courtney and Andrew first approached Fang in 2019, they had been living for two years in the 1940s brick-veneer home that previously sat on the site. But the ageing house was far from a sanctuary for the couple, who have a young daughter. “We initially did try to look at doing a renovation rather than a rebuild,” says Fang, “But there was rising damp and mould in the back section, which had begun to affect Courtney and Andrew’s health. They were also starting a family, so they decided to pull the trigger on the old home and build something new. It signified a new chapter.”
“The principles of passive building were very important to us. We knew we could do better than the standard build requirements, and that was the driving factor.”
Courtney, homeowner
With Studiofang also charged with overseeing the home’s interiors, and builder Sanctum Homes taking on the construction, the family was ready to move in by late 2022.
Every corner is considered, while warmth comes in the form of organic materials. It’s not surprising the couple find it difficult to imagine ever parting with their home. “There’s very little – if anything – we would change,” says Andrew, as Courtney adds: “I think this house is our legacy for our daughter. Hopefully it will be here for the next 100 years.”
Reading room
Custom shelving in Laminex Elegant Oak, teamed with joinery in Laminex AbsoluteMatte Terril, allows opportunity to personalise the domain.
The comfortable ‘Space’ leather recliner from Berkowitz Furniture is a favourite piece, while the two black tables were budget-friendly Kmart finds.
“Having a clean slate to custom-build something just for our family was really exciting.”
Courtney, homeowner
Kitchen
Everyday clutter is neatly kept out of sight within a plethora of storage, brought to life in Laminex Elegant Oak and Laminex AbsoluteMatte Terril.
In the epicentre of family life, form certainly does meet function. “There’s so much space – and I’m a baker – so I love to use all of the bench,” says Courtney of the kitchen. “It’s an amazing kitchen to cook and entertain in.”
Glossy white tiles from the ‘Delight’ collection at Classic Ceramics marry well with 4023 Topus Concrete Caesarstone benchtops illuminated by an Lucci LEDlux Strix pendant from Beacon Lighting. Throughout the key living spaces, gleaming burnished-concrete flooring proves a highly robust platform for all.
Deliciously moody and theatrical, our love affair continues with dark joinery – a timeless choice that could never be described as either clinical or underwhelming. And when set against finishes in white or grey, the enduring force of contrast reigns supreme. “There’s a lot of natural light in the house, which also bounces off the dark cabinetry,” says Courtney.
We love… dark joinery
Dining area
Greenery is ever-present in the peaceful home.
Maximising the connection to the sunny rear garden, where Courtney this voluminous dining space features the ‘Paddington’ table and chairs in solid Australian messmate timber from Designer Timber Furniture. “We use this area all the time and love the fact that it opens out so easily to the outdoors,” says Courtney. The sofa seen in the foreground has been owned by the couple for some time.
Main bedroom and ensuite
“Our room overlooks the reserve across the road, which is really quite beautiful,” says Courtney of the main bedroom.
Echoing the greenery is a wall in Dulux Dollar. “We also went for green walls in our daughter’s room, as well as in the playroom,” she says. Polytec Legato joinery in Crisp White. Printed floral sheets from Adairs, linen pillow by Macey & Moore, throw from Linens Unlimited.
Notes of organic colour and texture unfold through the home, and the couple’s tranquil ensuite is no exception.
Here, the walls and floors are clad in white terrazzo tiles from The Tile Gallery, partnered with a vanity top in Caeasarstone Organic White. Tapware by Phoenix, waffle towel from In The Sac and linen hand towel from Linens Unlimited.
“The inspiration of the design was initially a ticket stub, where the serrated edges lead to another ticket attached to it.”
Fang, architect
Backyard
Full-height glass sliding doors create a strong dialogue between inside and out.
Budget-friendly white outdoor chairs sourced from Big W offer no-fuss seating options on the red ironbark decking.
Architecture and interior design: Studiofan, studiofang.com.
Builder: Sanctum Homes, yoursanctum.com.au.
Landscape design and landscaping: Bronwyn Robins and Haydn Barling Landscapes, 0430 317 935, haydnbarlinglandscapes.com.au.
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