Home tour: A restored heritage house crafted for wellness

Although it had good bones, like most old houses, the home suffered from a dearth of natural light and a cramped layout. Du Puy, the founder of his eponymous firm Oliver Du Puy Architecture & Interiors, was tasked to undertake a full overhaul of the residence, inclusive of an interior makeover and the construction of a rear extension; landscape architectural firm Kate Seddon was tasked to design the garden.

In essence, the homeowner had sought a “family home that was spacious and light filled, with an enchanting and serene spirit throughout”, explains Du Puy. “In every aspect, it would feel like a sanctuary from the outside world.”

Du Puy aimed to reinvigorate the beauty of the home’s historical Victorian architecture, and enhance it with more generous spaces, light, and sustainable new materials. “Our philosophy centres on eliminating the harmful toxins and substances prevalent in most new construction and providing healthier alternatives derived from nature,” says Du Puy.

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Concerted sustainability measures were undertaken to optimise the home’s eco credentials and minimise embodied energies and construction waste. For instance, the original clay bricks removed during the works were salvaged and reused to construct new walls.

These were juxtaposed with sustainable, locally made Hebel walls, melding the old and the new in a considered manner that creates a sensitive counter-balance. Solar photovoltaic power helps to reduce reliance on the energy grid, while all-natural, breathable internal finishes regulate air quality and eliminate mould and toxins.

Expressed structural beams and ceiling joists provide a stately proportion to the living and dining areas. In the kitchen, the batten ceilings, over 3.5m in height, lend a sense of warmth and recall Du Puy’s time working in Japan. New steel windows and doors inset with a combination of clear and opaque glazing were carefully placed to facilitate views of the lush foliage and connections to the landscape.

These also allow abundant natural light to permeate the home and the interior spaces to change with the seasons. The house’s period-specific elements, such as the architraves, cornices, ceiling roses, fireplaces and skirting, were lovingly restored, imbuing the home with a grand, classical air. 

Du Puy looked to Japanese architect Kazuo Shinohara’s symmetrical spatial compositions as a point of reference, seeking to imbue these with a “poetic quality that fuses simplicity and surprise”.

This is manifested through the home’s “gentle expressions of colour, soft curves, expressed structure and heritage features”, he explains. “For Shinohara, domestic spaces should be divisional, not additive, so we approached the fusion of new and old in this way.”

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American abstract painter Mark Rothko’s famous colour-field paintings, which depict painterly, rectangular regions of colour, were another source of inspiration. “Rothko’s work helped inform the colour-field gradations throughout the home: grey-greens, off-whites, mustards and pinks,” says Du Puy, who collaborated with Melbourne-based interior designer Mardi Ola to bring colour to the home. “They also provide a layering and depth through and into the various spaces and surrounding gardens.”

A lime-based paint from Farrow & Ball in a soft green-grey hue is used throughout at different strengths; it also draws attention to the greenery outdoors. Other earthy tones exude a palpable undercurrent of tranquil energy.

As Du Puy places importance on the “domestic rituals of living”, such as bathing and cooking, the home was given a completely new kitchen and bathrooms that are both functional and good-looking, infused with natural light and innovative materials such as waterproof béton ciré plaster from North Africa in the latter spaces.

Upstairs, the east-facing master bedroom is a calming, nourishing haven with a view of the trees outside. “The morning sun streams into the bedroom, and the homeowner loves seeing the verdant aspect change from greens to orange and red with the seasons,” says Du Puy. “These spaces are a reprieve from the stresses of everyday life; they slow you down and ground you, giving pleasure through the senses.”

The project, which took two years to realise, has resulted in a thoughtfully composed home that the client loves for its ability to create new family memories and its positive and nourishing influence on her everyday rituals. Needless to say, Du Puy himself is proud of his efforts.

“I love how the home feels somewhat timeless in its context, almost like a modern relic, particularly as the garden grows onto and around the building, blurring the boundaries of material transitions and the indoors and the outdoors,” he smiles.

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