Many people think that good home design is defined by the big, stand-out features that catch the eye. This home, while certainly not lacking in those features, proves that it’s the small details that really matter. Located in the quiet suburb of Ardross, it seamlessly combines the practicality needed for a family home with stunning, trendy design.

DESIGNED FOR THE LONG-TERM

Take a stroll down Purdie Ave and we have no doubt that this home, designed by Darklight Design, will instantly catch your eye. Matte black Colorbond cladding, with a standing seam detail, stands out as the feature on the second storey. Then, as the eye follows those clean lines down to the first storey, polished plaster and STO texture system become the heroes. But it’s the details that we really love: the Colorbond cladding is folded up onto the roof in a canterbury prickle; a rooftop garden sits not only above the garage, but also tucked in the corner above the entry; a low horizontal window creates interest while providing natural light that doesn’t disturb privacy. And, standing out amongst it all is the stunning American Red Oak front door.

Inside, the two-storeys contain a 4 bed, 2.5 bath home that’s designed with longevity in mind. From the entryway, an impressive double-height void looks up to the second storey landing, before then leading past an open-riser staircase that we can’t not talk about. In these, American Red Oak timber is carried through from the front door into the treads—each custom made by a cabinet maker—and contrasted with black powder coated steel details. Rods connecting each individual stair to the ceiling above create a floating effect.

The stunning double-height void

Significant engineering and a complicated build were worth it for these stairs.

Making up the front portion of the home is a double garage—complete with electric vehicle charging—along with a study, laundry and powder room. It’s in the open-plan kitchen, living and dining where we can see the memories being made, though. A large kitchen island has a breakfast bar for busy mornings, while a gas fire in the living room creates a cosy space to spend cold evenings. Summer evenings, on the other hand, can be spent out in the undercover alfresco. Throughout, the design continues the combination of deep blacks, bright whites and warm timber, all grounded by expansive burnished concrete floors.

Upstairs to the second storey and the family has plenty of room to grow. A kids activity area gives them their own space, while robes in each of their bedrooms have in-built desks for studying. A spare bedroom can act as a nursery, a third kids’ bedroom or a guest room. For the parents, a calming sanctuary can be found in the ensuite, separated from the primary bedroom with a feature timber screen.

Privacy is ensured with low windows hidden by rooftop plants.

Another stunning detail in the continuous timber for the kids' desks.

Now, it’s time to go back downstairs where the home hides yet another room. Past the kitchen, a secret door is hidden in a timber feature wall and leads down into one of the nicest basements we’ve ever seen. As with many other rooms in the house, it’s dual purpose and can be an office, gaming room or home theatre. Black acoustic lining behind the desk helps reduce the sound of the TV from travelling to the rest of the home, and a recessed ceiling of off-form concrete creates a sense of space in the relatively small room.

Now, we’ve never talked about a letterbox in one of these blogs before, but this one deserves a mention. Clad in polished plaster with a custom-made box and street number it already stands-out. But what makes it so special is the cantilever design that makes it appear to be floating within the surrounding plants. A big job for a letterbox, we must admit we hope it’s one of the local postie’s favourites.

PROVIDING CLARITY FOR THE CLIENTS

The clients of this stunning project came to us after changing their design a few times due to confusion around costing with their previous builder. They both had lots of questions and were looking for good, clear answers in response. Luckily, we were more than happy to provide these, so they could make the fully informed decisions they needed to. In the end, this helped them feel confident about their original design, and they were able to include all the stunning details that make this home what it is.

“…Both Mark and Owen have incredible attention to detail and we could absolutely trust that our family home was in the best hands possible. The craftsmanship by the trades that work with Arklen is second to none. It was great to see the mutual respect that the trades and Mark had for each other, and we could understand why Mark never seemed to have trouble getting people to site and completed our house on time, despite the challenges to the industry in 2021. The end result is a home that is built to incredible quality and a build experience that absolutely exceeded our expectations…”