Located on a quiet, leafy street in Kew on Wurundjeri Country, Barnard House by Olaver quietly respects its origins while creating a contemporary, light-filled sanctuary — surrounded by a lush, textural garden by Peachy Green.
Purchasing the home with the intent to make some minor changes for their growing family of three, the client initially tried to renovate it themselves before turning to Melbourne-based Olaver to provide a seamless and effortless renovation and extension.
“They realised that the task was just too mammoth, and they needed professional help,” says Olaver director, Emlyn Olaver. “Their brief was programmatically based; they wanted to have four bedrooms, a study space and 2.5 bathrooms.”
Alongside the ideal floorplan, the clients had provided Olaver with evocative, soft minimalism and feminine reference material. Mirroring these starting points, the terracotta roofline became a driver of the colour and material palette, turning to tactile pink and orange tones throughout the project, while also inspiring the new form.
“The roof form was informative on what the design would be — the simplicity of taking the existing large roof through,” says Olaver.
A simple and economical approach created a streamlined, conscious design. The terracotta tiles repeat, as do the external weatherboard and timber windows. Internally, from the front door extending into the contemporary addition at the rear, the new timber flooring continues. There are slight changes to the skirting and architrave, while and window colour delineate the old from the new.
They welcomed space in the kitchen, living and dining areas, tethered to the garden at each aperture — including a long window above the kitchen bench, and sliding doors for effortless indoor-outdoor flow. Bringing a dash of the client’s European heritage (and recalling the terracotta on the roof), a monolithic pink marble island bench offers an anchor point and gravitas to the house, with its unique shape echoed in the exterior fireplace.
“It brings a warmth that you can typically get from timber, but it’s a more hard-wearing surface,” says Olaver.
The pink marble reappears in the powder room, with a completely different aesthetic thanks to the floor-to-ceiling green glossy tile. Creating a moody atmosphere and a sense of retreat from the light-filled living spaces. A skylight punctures through, offering light to an otherwise building-locked zone.
Between the living room and the main bedroom, the architects designed a courtyard that brings northern light into the extension. Along with skylights over the kitchen and living space, it becomes a light-filled core. The space naturally extends out, approached with an immersive methodology, with the paving extending around the whole house.
To create this seamless effect, the project had several collaborations: Peachy Green on the gardens, Studio A.mi for the holistic furniture choices and builders Glyde Constructions — their fourth project working together, ensuring an effortless symbiosis.
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In an era dominated by grand, oversized homes, Barnard House by Olaver is a welcome escape. Calming and inviting, it provides a simple family abode that cherishes, rather than demolishes, its origins for a timeless house to nurture the family through the next generations.
