Pipkorn Kilpatrick | Prahran house

Prahran house

The lovely owners of this Victorian weatherboard wanted to create a home they could relax in and be proud of. A previous renovation was done on the cheap with faux timber floors and bad joinery with hints of pub burgundy and shiny granite throughout. While the footprint/layout made sense in terms of size and room positioning, the spaces were not functional, storage was minimal and the house was in great need of modernisation and access to natural light. The addition of a large uninterrupted window facing the north and generous sliding doors to the east flood light into the living spaces and open up the house to the rear garden. Two large skylights were placed above the kitchen and adjoining bench to direct more light into the kitchen and add interest with their varying light projections throughout the day. The connection of the lounge joinery to the promiment kitchen bench gives the sense of larger portions even though the kitchen/lounge footprint itself hasn't changed. The lounge joinery runs seamlessly into a matt black fireplace - replacing the large angled bricked fireplace that was part of the earlier 90s update and which dominated the room and stole the focus from the backyard.

Finishes are relaxed but elegant with the subtle tones and layering of the oak parquetry floors contrasting with the rich tones of the blackwood island bench together with its brass knobs. A carrara bench and splashback/shelf return adds another layer, complementing the mix of soft grey joinery that connects through to the lounge joinery for continuity. The white perimeter joinery then blends happily with the surrounding wall colour. The same theme is replicated in the master ensuite and the bathroom with a mix of timber, carrara, stone tiles, white joinery, internal windows and skylights again to maximise natural light flow.

Photography by

Tom Blachford