Concrete Blonde by Carter Williamson Architects
Inside a 100-year inner-city terrace, Concrete Blonde is artfully deceiving from the façade, as a generous, modern family home unfolds within a 5 metre wide block.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: Katherine Lu
With an integrated long banquette running along the spine of the space, the other custom joinery elements pivot around this design element. Photo: Katherine Lu
The use of muted green with exposed brick, concrete and timber creates a balanced interior. Photo: Katherine Lu
Concrete Blonde by Carter Williamson Architects reveals the magic in simplicity, focusing on natural colours, unpretentious materials, and a focus on light and family. The waste-conscious clients, Irene and Peter, first came to Carter Williamson Architects nervous of a renovation. However, the architects promised a careful approach of quality materials to ensure the home could continue for another 100 years.
Also essential to the clients was ensuring the kitchen was the heart of the home. As such, the team combined the dining with the kitchen, integrating the seating into the island bench. The result offers flexibility of space, opening up both areas.
‘From the beginning, the intention was for the kitchen to be one of the main living spaces of the home and designing the kitchen for Irene and Peter was a great part of our process,’ Carter Williamson’s associate architect, Ben Peake, explains. ‘Irene loves to cook and would often prepare food for our early morning site visits.’
Concrete Blonde operates over two split levels, offering multiple zones for individual spaces. The new sleeping, study, and yoga spaces occupy the first floor, and the open plan living, dining, kitchen on the ground. The effect gives each member their own privacy while also encouraging shared family living.
The central light well notions a scooping out of the foundation on the upper level to allow natural light to flood through to the level below. Photo: Katherine Lu
“In Concrete Blonde, we reference the quality and detail of the original design (bricks, timber detailing, arches) in the new design. So that there’s an indirect reference to materiality and quality.”
With an integrated long banquette running along the spine of the space, the other custom joinery elements pivot around this design element. Photo: Katherine Lu
The muted green joinery is extended through to the living area in the open plan space. Photo: Katherine Lu
The architects have combined a series of warm and natural tones to counterbalance the use of coolness of the concrete. Photo: Katherine Lu
The central light well which allows natural light to flood through to the level below. Photo: Katherine Lu
The architects maximised space throughout, doubling or tripling use where they could. The opulent main bathroom — a former bedroom — contains a hidden laundry, and the toilet, basin, and shower are subdivided into micro-spaces by curved tiling in a palette of green and white with brass finishes. Ben adds, ‘these small gestures hug you as you use the space, diving the large room into smaller spaces.’
Within the home, a carefully chosen colour palette offers soothing tones throughout. ‘The colour palette of a home is really a holistic process,’ Ben reveals. ‘The green of the kitchen was selected alongside other samples of soft timber, stone, and even the earthy river pebbles to be used in the concrete aggregate.’
The materially of the modern home also plays against its heritage features — picking up curved entries and ornate cornices, mirroring them in a contemporary style throughout the design. Polished concrete, exposed brick, natural timber and stainless steel all feature, doubling beyond aesthetics for their passive cooling and heating qualities.
Light is also highly considered within each room; large windows framing the stairwell, sliding glass doors to the courtyard, and an arched void over the living space. These highlights were picked up on by Irene as she sent photos while working from home, noticing the play of light and shadow as it moves through the day.
Concrete Blonde maximises every metre for a tranquil family home that welcomes extended family and friends while revealing the art of both a simple yet personality-filled home.
Natural light is highly regarded in each space. Photo: Katherine Lu
Within the home, a carefully chosen colour palette offers soothing tones throughout. Photo: Katherine Lu
The central light well which allows natural light to flood through to the level below. Photo: Katherine Lu
The interior palette is echoed in the main bedroom. Photo: Katherine Lu