Fresh take - Highgate House

H&G HOUSES
VERANDAH Grace and her miniature dachshund, Coco,
enjoy the shade of the front verandah. Ceiling fan, MyFan.
Cushions, Highgate House. Travertine pavers.
Smart buy: For similar patio setting, try Tribecca Collection
armchair, $984, two-seater sofa, $1590, Naturally Cane.
ENTRANCE The front door and surrounding stained
glass are all original. The bespoke light fittings from
Highgate House complement the heritage architecture.
For Where to Buy, see page 291.
This is the life
Having practically doubled
the size of the original
house, owners Michael and
Mary Jo and their three
children now have all the
space they need to live
happily together. The boys’
bedrooms are downstairs,
along with a common
living area and a separate
entrance, so they can
entertain friends in private.
Grace, too, has her own
sitting room, a louvred-in
verandah off her bedroom.
Fresh take
This grand old Queenslander in Brisbane combines
all the right elements for a fabulous family home: timeless
design, practicality and a character all of its own.
STORY LEESA MAHER v STYLING KATE NIXON v PHOTOGRAPHY MAREE HOMER
Australian House & Garden 109
H&G HOUSES
LIVING The beautiful bay window is a favourite spot for
reading. A dancing ladies orchid on the coffee table adds an
elegant colour contrast. Custom-made rug, blinds and sofa.
Sofa upholstered in RM Coco Allure, available from Ascraft.
For similar bamileke stool, try Les Interieurs. Wall unit and
coffee table, both Globe Imports.
DINING Mary Jo and Michael have owned the dining table
and chairs for many years. Custom-made pendant light.
KITCHEN The main benchtop is granite while the American oak
island bench is topped with Calacatta marble. Custom-made
rangehood and joinery (throughout), Wyer+Craw. Leigh sourced
the pendant lights, now discontinued. Leather-upholstered
stools, Highgate House. Tapware and splashback tiles, Elite
Bathware & Tiles. The oak flooring has been stained to match
the original floorboards. For Where to Buy, see page 291.
Spring refresh
As the days lengthen, this
light and airy home comes
into its own. In such large
spaces, with white ceilings
and huge expanses of pale
grey walls, texture was key.
“A white home needs
texture, layers, detailing and
[points of] interest to make
it work,” says Leigh. Cue
drapes in sumptuous fabrics,
patterned rugs and rich
timber in varying tones
for floors, joinery and
occasional pieces. “I also
love adding greenery in a
neutral scheme. It really
brings the home to life.”
“I
t was an easy house to fall in love with,” says Mary Jo of the
stately Queenslander she calls home in Brisbane’s inner north.
She and her husband Michael bought the landmark property in
2002 after two years of searching. “It ticked all the boxes,” she
says. “It’s north-east facing with good elevation on a large block
in a quiet street. On top of that, it oozed character and warmth,
even before the renovation.”
Built in the late-19th century and featuring wide timber steps, airy
verandahs and a distinctive ‘candle snuffer’ roof, the house was
relocated in the 1930s from its original site across the road.
While Mary Jo and Michael loved the house as it was, a decade on
they found their family – including children Grace, now 20, James,
18, and Hugh, 17 – had outgrown the home’s modest footprint. “Grace
and James are at university and Hugh is in his final year of high
school,” says Mary Jo. “We needed a house with plenty of living space
for five adults as well as sufficient parking.”
It’s often said the secret to a successful renovation is to wait a while
and after 10 years, the couple knew every inch of the property.
Architect Andrew Gildea devised the revamp and project-managed
the 18-month build, completed in June last year, which included a
new basement garage, cellar and laundry, plus a two-level rear
extension with new living areas, kitchen, bedrooms with ensuites,
office, gym and spacious verandahs.
“We reoriented all the living areas and opened up the eastern side
of the house to the views,” says Mary Jo. “Where before our living
areas were boxed in, now they are open.” >
OUTDOOR KITCHEN Located on the
rear verandah and with views over a gully,
the outdoor kitchen sees plenty of use
year-round. The finishes tie in with the
main kitchen and servery windows connect
both cooking zones.
Australian House & Garden 111
FIRST FLOOR
H&G HOUSES
GROUND FLOOR
Pool
Driveway
Verandah
Entrance
Living
Library
Sunroom
Formal
dining
Store
Verandah
Terrace
Pump
Bed
Bed
Library
Bath
Bath
Bed
Bath
Bed
Wardrobe
Garage
Dining
Utilities
Family
Bath
Bed Kitchenette
Kitchen
Outdoor
kitchen
Study
Robe
Bath
Verandah
Water
tanks
Bath
Robe
Gym
Gallery
Verandah
Sitting
Bed
‘E ACH ROOM WAS
TREATED INDIVIDUALLY.
THERE’S NO NEED FOR
THEM ALL TO LOOK THE
SAME.’ LEIGH BOSWELL,
INTERIOR DESIGNER
MAIN BEDROOM (above left and right)
“Tonal fabrics and textures create a tranquil
feel,” says Leigh. A classic wing chair was
reupholstered in Colefax & Fowler Wilde
Blue cut-velvet to tie in with the new colour
scheme. Sandberg Svante wallpaper, Scott
Hutton Agencies. Lamp, Highgate House.
MAIN ENSUITE The inlaid tile ‘rug’ was a
must-have for Mary Jo. SICIS Quiris 2 floor
tiles, Elite Bathware & Tiles. Wall tiles,
Amber Tiles. Carrara marble benchtop.
Smart buy: Ambience hardwood shutters,
POA, Verosol.
HALL An antique hall table is teamed with
a glam Art Deco-style mirror. In the study,
dark timber reigns for a cossetting effect.
Vintage oriental rug. Chair covered in
Travers Bayley Stripe, Unique Fabrics.
For Where to Buy, see page 291.
>
Australian House & Garden 113
H&G HOUSES
Resene Pearl
Lusta, one-eighth
strength (exterior)
Resene Ash,
one-eighth strength
(foyer, living)
Resene Alabaster
(trims, throughout)
Resene Black
(front door)
Out front, in the original section, the changes were largely
cosmetic; the existing interiors and exterior knit beautifully with the
extension. “It was a challenge to design such a large extension that
meets today’s contemporary living and yet retains the look and
feeling of the classic Queensland home,” says Andrew.
But the classic touches remain, from the transom lights, vertical
joinery and pressed-metal ceilings to the skirting boards and
architraves. One side verandah, which had been enclosed as a
bathroom at some point, was also opened up to the light once again.
Interior designer Leigh Boswell of Highgate House prescribed a
pristine backdrop of the palest grey for the walls, teamed with fresh
white trims and ceilings and overlaid with soothing blues, greys and
touches of timber. Leigh’s polished, contemporary aesthetic proved
an ideal fit for the house, and the family. They rarely find time for
weekends away, so Mary Jo wanted the home to feel peaceful and
calm, to offer sanctuary from their busy lives.
“My favourite areas are the kitchen, living rooms and verandahs,”
says Mary Jo. “These spaces are where everyone comes together
and the colours and textures reflect a softness and warmth that
are just perfect for this area. It’s so comfortable, so homely and
#
looks so lovely.”
Architect: Andrew Gildea Architects, Wilston, Queensland;
(07) 3356 5344 or www.agarchitects.com.au. Interior design:
Highgate House, Clayfield, Queensland; (07) 3256 0860 or
www.highgatehouse.com.au. Builder: C&R Darvill, Alexandra Hills,
Queensland; (07) 3824 6428 or darvillbuilders.com.au.
114 Australian House & Garden
‘A WHITE HOME NEEDS
TEXTURES, LAYERS,
DETAILING AND [POINTS
OF] INTEREST TO MAKE
IT WORK.’ LEIGH BOSWELL
EXTERIOR The formal front garden balances
out the decorative architectural elements
of the imposing heritage property.
ENTRY The vertical panelling so typical in a
Queenslander has been painted a crisp, pale
grey (Resene Ash, one-eighth strength),
which feels contemporary yet works perfectly
with the period features. Chandelier and
cushion, Highgate House. Chair, La Maison.
For similar rug, try Cadrys. For Where to
Buy, see page 291.
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Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.
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