Moving from a two-acre property in Helena Valley to a long but narrow lot in Perth’s western suburbs was a big shift for Deborah Smart and her husband Guy.

Speaking to New Homes, the couple said school catchment areas played a big role when it came to making the decision to move.

“Not only did we want to be able to walk our children to school each day, we wanted to be close to shops, restaurants, cafes and local facilities,” Mrs Smart said.

“We love this pocket of Claremont – so many things are within walking distance, along with the beach and Swan River being just a short drive away.”

For the Smart family, building a robust home that would suit their family needs well into the future was a top priority.

“It was important to have specific living spaces for our children as well as areas for us to relax,” Mrs Smart said.

The kitchen is positioned at the heart of the home and flows well with the main living areas.

“I love the feeling of warmth in this space,” Mrs Smart said. “It’s versatile, inviting and the heart of our home – and I don’t even cook.”

Taking inspiration from architect Ariane Prevost’s Origami house in the same suburb, the couple wanted to create an industrial yet sleek home.

“Using house bricks as flooring in the kitchen area was a fundamental component of the build, and literally laid the foundation for the style of the entire home,” Mrs Smart said.

“It meant we had to ensure the slab height was correct to accommodate the thickness of the bricks.”

The kitchen flows effortlessly out to the home’s central courtyard through large commercial-sized sliding doors.

“The retractable awning gives us so much flexibility with the space and allows sunlight to stream into the home in winter and shade in summer,” Mrs Smart said.

Custom built by Arklen, the double-storey home was finely tuned to meet the requirements of its occupants.

“I wanted a house that had no tiles, no grout, no silicone and definitely no shower screens,” Mrs Smart said. “Mark from Arklen was one of the few builders who said 'yes, we can do that'. I appreciated his desire to step outside the box and see what was possible.

“Their focus on using alternative materials was exactly what we were looking for, so it was a perfect fit.”

Due to council restrictions the front elevation required a lot of design attention.

“It had to fit with the heritage homes on the street, complement two other properties involved in the subdivision and not look like it was trying to replicate an old home,” Mrs Smart said. “It was a big ask, but thanks to Ariane Prevost’s hand-sketched drawing, the plan turned into a home.”

When big decisions needed to be made, Mrs Smart said she was happy to listen to qualified tradespeople.

“My most common question during the build was – 'you’re the expert, what do you think',” she said.

“Another was 'if this was your house, what would you do?'.

“We listened and then my husband and I – together with Mark – would make each decision.

“Mark was very honest and forthcoming with information and excited by our ideas.”