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Hill Top Cottage by Luigi Rosselli Architects

Perched on top of a hill facing Sydney Harbour, Hill Top Cottage was designed by Luigi Rosselli Architects for a young family that wanted to be respectful of their neighbors in a conservative area of North Sydney in Australia. After board proceedings and numerous objections, the design was finally approved and they were accepted by surrounding community. While maintaining the cottage-like feel on the front, they were able to give the back two-story addition more of a modern feel.

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The top floor exterior is clad with shutters that were CNC routed out of plywood and they carry around to the front even covering curved windows on the corners.

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A polished concrete slab hangs over the front lawn adding sun protection. A red paint was used to mimic the look of the brick that covered the original house.

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Curved glass is used in the corners to provide unobstructed views of the outdoor space.

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The interior was designed by Alwill Interiors, who perfectly incorporated modern furnishings throughout, even the older part of the house.

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This wooden bookshelf is made of American Oak with CNC routed books created to hold the shelves up.

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The staircase is lit by skylights above and features perforated steel for the balustrade, which lets light filter through. When looking through multiple layers of it, a moire effect begins to happen.

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The unique stairway components were assembled on-site by EJF Engineering.

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They used a raw “black” perforated steel and finished it with clear lacquer. They managed to hide the welds behind minimal framing on the edges, which is especially effective on the 2nd flight where the stairs are made of folded steel.

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In the master bedroom, the wall behind the bed is covered with limed American Oak paneling creating a natural backdrop for the artwork and fabrics.

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The children’s bathroom is located underneath the center roofline and has a circular window that casts a sun spot on the limestone floor.

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Photos © Justin Alexander.

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.