Sunken

The rug in the sunken living room is from West Elm.

The team created an open floor plan for the interior, where the kitchen opens to the dining and the living areas. Concrete flooring lends a soothing quality to the rooms, where there's a built-in concrete bench that also acts as a plinth for the fireplace.

The material palette is kept minimal and natural—think concrete, white oak, and ceramic tiles—with color coming from the green spaces that change with the seasons to create an ever-evolving interior. “The client wanted a simple design, with natural light, ventilation, and color,” says Eduardo Ugalde from All Arquitectura.

Chris made a point of avoiding plasterboard, instead using structurally insulated panels for the walls to create an airtight seal, and for the flooring, a hydronic concrete slab from Hydrotherm that can warm or cool the interiors.

Project architect Chris Gilbert and Miranda Louey’s five-year-old, Arthur, balances on a custom couch from King Living in their townhome’s sunken living area on the ground floor. The couple wanted the units’ interiors to evoke the feeling of the bush where they grew up, so they went with Australian hardwoods for the joinery, including silvertop ash for the slatted ceilings throughout.