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A timber masterpiece, this modern family home ticks all the right boxes

This perfectly made abode suits every need
A modern minimalist house with stone and black cladding and two border collies beneath.Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio

Like many families who lived through the Covid lockdowns, Jess and Ed discovered a whole new appreciation for home life. With the arrival of their daughter Hazel, now three, they wanted to create a home that felt like a refuge, with some key musts on the wish list: open-plan living, generous spaces to entertain, access to gardens front and rear, a home office and a couple of little luxuries like a home gym, sauna and swimming pool. A large block in a leafy suburb of Launceston, Tasmania, presented the perfect place to build.

A modern minimalist house with stone and black cladding and two border collies beneath.
When Jess and Ed, who live in Launceston, Tasmania, looked for a block to build their dream home, they didn’t have to look far. “We’ve lived in this neighbourhood since 2012 – diagonally across the road, in fact – and have always loved the location, being close to the city, schools, cafes and parks,” says Jess. “We were looking to upgrade to a larger family-sized home and were lucky to find a block of this size so close to the city.” Now, they have a contemporary home, which they share with their daughter Hazel and Border Collies Nate (left) and Frankie (right). (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

At the time, the land was occupied by a 1930s Arts and Crafts building that had been unsympathetically converted into four units. Jess and Ed had the vision of demolishing the rundown structure to build their desired home, but they needed the ultimate A-team to help them achieve it.

A timber window seat with a view of trees and mountains.
A window seat in the hallway provides the family with picturesque views and a spot to relax. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Who lives here?

Jess Jones, owner of Fertility Nutrition Australia, her husband Ed, owner of Tas Trucks, their daughter, Hazel, aged three, and Border Collies, Frankie and Nate.
Describe your home’s aesthetic. Jess: “Consistently modern and neutral with a few splashes of colour.”
Your favourite space? “The pink lounge room, overlooking the back garden, which looks amazing at night with the lighting under the trees.”
Best investment? “The hydronic heating was a big cost, but it adds so much warmth to the concrete flooring.”
What’s your top tip? “Call in the professionals! We could not have achieved such an amazing home without our designers and builders.”

Owner Ed, Jess and Hazel standing at the home's entrance made of stone and black timber cladding.
Homeowners Ed and Jess with their daughter Hazel at the front entrance. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Architect Joanna Churchill drew up the functional floor plan. Spread over two storeys, the main living spaces are downstairs and the sleeping quarters are upstairs. Building firm 3D Construction and Developments was tasked with bringing the vision to life. Then, interior designer Emma Heidke of Symmetrie Design + Styling Studio helped curate the remaining fixtures, finishes and furniture.

A minimalist white and timber hallway.
The hallway on the first floor consists of three window seats, which allow an abundance of light into what is often a dark, closed-off space. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)
A timber staircase with under-rail lighting.
American Oak is an essential material choice in this home, helping to soften the black joinery and warm up the white walls. It appears in furniture and cabinetry, and forms a feature in the hallway and staircase. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Kitchen and dining

The resulting interior begins with a minimalist base – salt and pepper concrete floors and crisp white walls, offset by the black and oak joinery and brick feature walls.

Owner Jess and daughter Hazel standing in the kitchen by the timber island.
American Oak veneer joinery by Timberwood Panels is a feature in the kitchen, bringing soft contrast to the Caesarstone Raw Concrete benchtops and concrete floors. Jess and daughter Hazel love to spend time in the space together. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Thick woollen rugs soften the concrete in the living spaces, while honeycomb blinds and sheer curtains diffuse the light and bring privacy, insulation and warmth in those brisk Tassie winters. Furniture selections follow the elegant theme, with the occasional statement piece to add personality.

A minimalist timber and black cladded kitchen with a grey topped island.
‘Sketch Odd’ barstools from Globe West with camel leather seats blend in beautifully. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

“We went with a matte finish on the floors to keep it looking as natural as possible,” says Emma. Smoked mirror splashbacks and Abodo timber in the kitchen help break up the palette.

The timber dining table next to the modern minimalist kitchen.
The tones of the American Oak in the kitchen are mirrored in the Jardan ‘Cooper’ table and ‘McKenzie’ chairs. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

In the dining area, meals are enjoyed at the Jardan ‘Cooper’ table on oak ‘McKenzie’ chairs. Muuto ‘Ambit’ pendants from Huset are above.

A minimalist black and grey dining room with a timber table and round hanging pendants.
Oversized Muuto ‘Ambit’ pendants make a statement in the dining area. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Slender handmade Petersen ‘Kolumba’ clay bricks were used inside and out, acting as a striking feature in the open-plan kitchen, living and dining spaces. “We were adamant we wanted to use them and are so happy with the look and contrast they provide to the black timber and white walls,” says Jess. For more bricks, visit Robertson’s.

We love… exposed bricks
Two border collies sitting on a round white rug in the living room.
Border Collies Frankie (left) and Nate (right) love the ‘Andes’ rug in Parchment from Armadillo. A custom artwork by Michael McWilliams hangs on the wall. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Living rooms

Movie nights take place in the main living space, which is heated by a Seguin ‘Super 9’ fireplace in winter. Grey Jardan ‘Nook’ sofas and an Armadillo ‘Andes’ rug in Parchment maximise the room’s comfort factor, while the Jardan ‘Otis’ side table and coffee table display decorative items.

Owner Ed with daughter Hazel playing in the grey minimalist living room.
Two custom artworks by Junko Go pop against the wall painted in Dulux Lexicon Quarter. Ed is pictured playing with Hazel. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

In the second living room, a custom artwork by Junko Go ties in perfectly with the ‘Wilfred’ sofa from Jardan.

A plush pink couch beneath an abstract artwork in the second living room.
The ‘Wilfred’ sofa from Jardan. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)
A round side table with a vase of pink flowers.
While the palette is coordinated, a pink Jardan ‘Wilfred’ sofa in the second living area offers a point of difference beside a Jardan ‘Tig’ side table. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Main bedroom

Jess and Ed’s bedroom is elevated within the leafy canopy of a neighbour’s tree and enjoys views of the mountains. A grey Heatherly Designs bedhead lends a calming element, with bedlinen from Bed Threads, Globe West ‘Benjamin Ripple’ bedsides and a Muuto ‘Grain’ pendant from Huset adding extra layers.

A main bedroom with a grey bed furnished with ochre linen beside a fluted timber table.
The Globe West ‘Benjamin Ripple’ bedside and Muuto ‘Grain’ pendant from Huset. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

“We never dreamed of being able to create such a beautifully designed home that feels like our sanctuary.”

Jess, homeowner
A landing and open door in black timber cladding.
Black timber adds a moody feel. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Main bathroom

A handy American Oak veneer cabinet is set within the bathroom, wall-tiled with ‘Barcelona’ tiles from Beaumont Tiles. The family can relax in the deep Kado ‘Lux’ oval bathtub from Reece, with a ‘Vivid Slimline’ floor mixer from Phoenix Tapware in easy reach.

A minimalist all-white bathroom with a freestanding bath and timber shelves.
The Kado ‘Lux’ oval bathtub from Reece. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

“I see the home as an elegant, soft industrial statement, with considered, minimalist interiors and just the right amount of industrial expression.”

Emma Heidke, interior designer
A minimalist bathroom with a timber vanity, mirror and monstera plant.
The vanity has the same material selections as the kitchen island and laundry bench, while a custom mirrored cabinet by Taswood Joinery ties in well. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Pool

The breezy scheme and carefully selected decor ensure the home is both a space for entertaining and a sanctuary when the family want to close themselves off from the outside world. Whether they’re by the pool, doing puzzles in the playroom, sitting around the kitchen island sharing stories or enjoying casual meals at the dining table together, this new home ticks all of Jess and Ed’s boxes.

A white extended pool with timber loungers and a glass fence.
The family often invite friends over to enjoy the pool with them in summer, relaxing on Eco Outdoor ‘Burleigh’ daybeds or armchairs from Freedom in between dips. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

“It feels inviting, spacious and luxurious. It’s the first house that I’ve come home to after a holiday and actually felt happy and content being back home,” says Jess.

Steps leading to a rectangular minimalist home with black cladding and expansive windows.
The team from All About Gardens designed the home’s outdoor spaces. (Photography: Anjie Blair / Styling: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio)

Architect: Churchill Architects, churchillarchitects.com.au.
Interior design: Symmetrie Interior Design + Styling Studio, symmetrie.com.au.

Builder: 3D Construction and Developments, 0499 909 276.
Joiner: Taswood Joinery, taswoodjoinery.com.au.
Landscaper: All About Gardens, allaboutgardenstas.com.au.

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