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A Home for Two Generations That Balances Privacy and Interaction

02.19.16 | By
A Home for Two Generations That Balances Privacy and Interaction

Taylor Knights, an architecture and interior design firm out of Fitzroy, Victoria (Australia), were hired to create a family home that was designed to house two generations under the same roof comfortably while balancing privacy and family interaction. The original semi-detached, double brick structure was built in the 1920s as a duplex with very few windows, low ceilings, and small rooms. The St Kilda East House got a major upgrade and an addition to help it function as a typical home, while paying attention to the lifestyle of the clients and their needs.

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The original facade remains with the addition of a steel bay window on the front helping to upgrade the exterior.

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Working with a modest budget, they used cost effective materials, some in unusual ways, like pegboard on the walls of the staircase and multiple skylights that were purchased off the shelf.

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A void over the galley kitchen gives the illusion of a larger space, along with streamlined cabinets and clean work surfaces. It also helps bring more light into the narrow space.

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The communal spaces were relocated to the central part of the home, joining the two distinct private areas. Bi-fold doors open the living room up to the outdoor space, eliminating the separation between indoors and out.

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Photos by Fraser Marsden.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.