Woollahra Village House sits comfortably among the Victorian terraces of its inner Sydney locale, where a Neo-Georgian façade has been refined rather than reinvented. For Tobias Partners principal Matt Krusin, respect for context is non-negotiable. As such, the approach for this project was measured and deliberate: tidy what exists, honour the village character, and gently open the home towards light, landscape and daily life.
Inside, the brief was refreshingly simple. The clients asked for no more than they need: three bedrooms, generous light, and a kitchen placed at the centre of everyday life. “They knew that they didn’t need too much,” Krusin notes, a mindset that shaped every decision that followed.
The plan unfolds with clarity, from first stepping in through the front door, the kitchen island is immediately visible. It stands as a clear signal that this is a house designed around connection. The study sits to one side, while the staircase draws daylight down through a skylight above. Beyond, living and dining spaces open seamlessly to a leafy courtyard, with a mature tree anchoring the outlook. The kitchen, then, becomes a pivot point: a place from which the entire house can be read, occupied and shared.
Materially, restraint is the guiding principle, with a travertine floor that extends up to the kitchen island, allowing it to feel as though it rises directly from the ground plane. Oak wraps the interiors, continuing upstairs to unify the home, while pale brickwork, zinc detailing and solid timber doors reinforce the exterior’s subtle strength. “You can do everything you need to with a really limited and refined palette,” says Krusin – an ethos that gives the house its calm, timeless quality.
In the kitchen, craftsmanship is paramount. The Gaggenau 200 Series Flex Induction Cooktop has been strategically placed in the travertine and stainless-topped island as a way to encourage engagement with the house rather than turning its back on it. Extending the functionality, while keeping sightlines open, it is paired with Gaggenau 200 Series table ventilation to avoid bulky overhead interventions. This simple gesture preserves the ceiling line and visual serenity. Gaggenau appliances integrate seamlessly into the interior, chosen as long-term companions – objects designed to last decades – for this timeless home.
Woollahra Village House is shaped by a long view, as Krusin confirms, “If you work on the basis that a house like this should be here for another 100 years at least, then you want to keep things quite timeless.” It is a philosophy that privileges honesty over excess, and ensures that this compact home will continue to feel generous, grounded into the future.
Watch the video to hear Matt Krusin discuss the thinking behind Woollahra Village House and its approach to timeless design.