Party in the Back
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Photo by: James Knowler -
Brammy and Kyprianou hardly touched the front of their house, an 1880 sandstone and brick Victorian with galvanized iron ornamentation.
Photo by: James Knowler -
The back, however, is a different story. The shape of the roof eave is designed to allow winter sun into the house while cutting out the hot summer sun.
Photo by: James Knowler -
Brammy and Kyprianou hung Koura pendant lights by New Zealand designer David Trubridge above the dining area. Their organic forms and diamond-shaped shadows create intimacy in the vast space. Among Bilardo’s contributions were the black tulipwood cabinetry and ceiling and the cantilevered concrete countertop that appears to go through the glass wall.
Photo by: James Knowler -
Sinks and a toilet from Laufen’s Il Bagno Alessi line add a sculptural presence to the master bathroom.
Photo by: James Knowler -
New Depths
Inspired by a local winery, George Kyprianou wanted a glass top on his subterranean wine cellar. The interior is lit, casting soft light into the living space at night and revealing the 132-year-old stone foundation. The three-quarter-inch glass lid sits flush with the floorboards; it opens with an ingenious device that Kyprianou devised using a 12-volt air compressor and a remote-controlled switch. When you push the button, the glass lifts just enough to be removed by hand.
Photo by: James Knowler -
Those in Glass Houses…
…Should consider sustainability! Brammy and Kyprianou wanted the house to be as open and light as possible, but large expanses of regular glass can result in excessive winter heat loss and summer heat gain—and they couldn’t afford two stories of double-glazing. So they opted for Viridian ComfortPlus glass, which is coated with an insulated film that is energy-efficient, reduces sound, and filters UV radiation. viridianglass.com
Bladder Control
On such a small site there wasn’t much room left for a rainwater tank, which the couple wanted in order to reduce their water consumption (Australia has strict regulations due to drought). The solution is a clever PVC “water bladder” from Eco Sac concealed under the deck, which holds 3,000 liters of water collected from the roof and used to flush the home’s toilets and run the washing machine. ecoplanit.com.au, waterplex.com.au
Photo by: James Knowler -
Bathed in Light
To help disperse light in the newly opened-up interior, the designers clad the roof over the guest bathroom with Danpalon, a translucent polycarbonate that brings in lots of softened natural light. The walls and door are frosted glass. Says Kyprianou: “You can’t see much through the glass—just silhouettes—so our guests don’t mind!” danpalon.com.au
Hung Up
With the budget running out toward the end of the project, Kyprianou wanted to avoid forking out for a custom-designed walk-in closet in the master bedroom. So he conceived of a simple and cheap storage solution: drilling holes through the wooden roof trusses and feeding inexpensive aluminum closet rods through. junolightinggroup.com
Photo by: James Knowler
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