Integrating a subtle mix of finishes in the external building palette can make a building much more interesting. Here we look at how we have used different materials such as timber and copper on some of our building facades and why we used them. The house we recently completed in Woollahra is nestled among trees [...]

As always, the interior detailing of a house should complement the architectural style of a house. When we are developing the design for our houses, we are also thinking about how this is reflected internally and what junction detailing to use. Generally there are three options to use at the ceiling wall junction: shadowlines, square-set [...]

More and more Australians are becoming aware of the huge benefits of installing hydronic heating systems in their homes. Hydronic heating or radiant heating  uses a closed loop system, creating little heat loss while moving the heated water beneath the floor, along base board heaters, or through radiators to heat your home. A hydronic radiant system provides [...]

  Traditionally (back in the medieval period) shutters were hinged solid timber panels fixed externally to protect the occupants from the elements (rain, wind and sun). In the Arabic countries the use of timber latticework which formed part of their ‘mashrabiya’ acted as privacy screens in addition to sun control. The window screen [...]

Even if a house has sufficient natural light, installing skylights or highlight windows give a soft, interesting light generally in the back areas of a room and can assist with cross-ventilation. Skylights often look less intrusive when the ceiling helps sculpt the space around it. Examples of this are seen in some of our [...]

Up until a decade ago designing and building a house with no air-conditioning in Sydney was considered quite normal. Our planning relied heavily on cross-ventilation, good orientation, shading and insulation. These factors are still integral to a design but more and more our clients are requesting all or part of the house to be [...]

This month we are covering a few of our projects that we believe support the title of this blog – that classic interiors last forever. For us, a classic interior is in harmony with the external architecture of the building, allows as much natural light in as possible, and is fitted with timeless joinery, fittings, [...]

In this feature we focus on our Woollahra houses where we integrated a Victorian cottage in a modern house setting. Architectural journalist Stephen Crafti interviewed us about the design and below is his engaging recount: The Grove in Woollahra, Sydney is one of the suburb’s best kept secrets. Behind a traditional picket fence is a [...]