After their previous home was razed to the ground by fire, the Rowan’s were unexpectedly presented with a knockdown/rebuild opportunity. With significant understanding of their block of land and the strengths and weaknesses it presented – the design of the new home was centred around the idea of capturing the views that had previously eluded them in their single storey home.
It was made clear from the start of the design process that the new home was not to be a traditional “family” home, but instead, an architectural solution that responded to the desired lifestyle of both the occupants and their three fur babies.
After some height investigations were conducted (who could forget that shaky scissor lift!) – the concept called for the day to day living spaces to be placed upstairs to take advantage of the newfound 180° views, ranging from Redcliffe and the Hornibrook Bridge, right around to the Port of Brisbane.
Set amongst homes of yesteryear in a quiet suburban street, Brighton House forms a striking architectural juxtaposition against its immediate neighbours, with its mix of contemporary claddings, strong lines and imposing two storey precast concrete blade wall.
The entry boasts a plethora of features – from the polished concrete flooring, the double height entry space and bridge overhead, to the eye-catching open tread timber staircase with powder coated mono stringer.
The ground floor is home to all the practical rooms, including a gym, double garage, home office, laundry, wet area and guest room. A sprawling lower deck to the rear runs the width of the home and provides easy access to the yard for the Whippets and Greyhound residents. With flexibility for the gym and home office to also function as bedrooms, the home can easily transform from a 2 bed home to a 4 bed home as required.
As you make your way up the stairs to the upper level, you are immediately met with stunning views of the bay from the living, dining and kitchen. An expansive deck that runs across the width of the home works together with the full height glazing to blur the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor spaces.
The minimalist kitchen forms the hub of the home and holds pride of place amongst the adjacent dining, living and outdoor living spaces. A striking three metre long island bench is a prominent component with its concrete look bench and waterfall feature to one end and an eye-catching rangehood centred on the back bench.
There are a number of quirky points of difference that set this home apart from many others, from the 2.5 metre long “operable wall” that separates the master suite from the dining, to the upstairs powder room, accessed only by the gallery bridge suspended over the entry level below.
The master suite resides on the upper level and runs from the front of the home to back, with the ensuite positioned to the street, allowing for the bedroom to take full advantage of the views to the rear of the property.
An expansive walk through robe leads to a grand ensuite that boasts a 2 person shower, wall mounted double vanity and free standing tub. The master bedroom itself is styled simply with glazing across the width of the room and an enormous operable wall that opens to the dining space, which when opened, creates the illusion of an uninterrupted space – regardless of which side of the wall you stand.
After unfortunate circumstances forged its inception, Brighton House could be considered somewhat of an architectural Phoenix. As the legend goes, when the Phoenix resurrects from the flames, she is even more beautiful than before.