Travancore House by Seona Kelly-Pearce and Stephen Ritchie
The combination of contemporary homely comfort and a distinct Art Deco style makes Travancore House by Seona Kelly-Pearce and Stephen Ritchie reminiscent of its heritage.
Words: Thida Sachathep | Photography: Anthony Green
Photo: Anthony Green
Photo: Anthony Green
Sitting amongst other mid-century and art deco dwellings in Travancore, an inner suburb of Melbourne lined with heritage-listed trees, is Seona Kelly-Pearce and Stephen Ritchie's Art Deco Home.
‘Travancore has generous lot sizes and heritage protected trees that provide a canopy of green to rival the best streets in the Eastern Suburbs’, says Seona.
Having purchased the home back in 2014 because of the suburbs' unique characteristics, the pair wanted to modernise the semi-detached house with "a light touch". Retaining much of the home's heritage attributes like the stained-glass windows and cornices pays tribute to the functional modernist home types around Travancore.
Linoleum flooring layers were ripped up to reveal Australian hardwood timber floors and revived to synchronise with other materials. The geometric frieze detail in the lounge room mantle influences the custom ribbing joinery.
However, several design decisions were made to improve spatial flow to make the home more fitting for the family. For example, by removing the wall between the kitchen and living space, a more open plan was achieved for the family to entertain. The kitchen cabinetry was fitted to create more storage, and sand-blasted granite benchtops were installed, providing more bench space to prepare meals.
Simple in-built shelving in the study nook. Photo: Anthony Green
Marble benchtop and splashback in the kitchen. Photo: Anthony Green
“The glare of poor lighting choices is modern homes is not something that we could live with, the house doesn’t need any lighting during the day as it has perfect artists’ light.”
As an interior designer with over 20 years of experience in the field, Seona explains, ‘By relying on authentic and traditional materials, the fabric of the house wasn't diluted.’ The new insertions were balanced with the existing architectural elements to create a harmonious dialogue between old and new. Inspiration was drawn from the solid yellow terrazzo floors in the bathroom.
‘Natural light is one of the most evocative elements in this house.’ Where natural light is not available, effective placement of artificial light still enables all zones in the house to be functional.
The freedom to control ambient lighting with floor lamps that have original Art Deco shades responds to the home's south facing position. During the day, the interiors are illuminated by the daylight from the steel-cased windows.
The importance of natural light is most evident in the eastern master bedroom, where the owners are woken up every morning with the sunlight showering in. ‘This is a ritual that the house has shared with everyone who has ever lived here and makes you feel delight[ed] to be included in those moments.’
A touch of traditional in the bedroom space. Photo: Anthony Green
The white and simple wardrobe design in the main bedroom. Photo: Anthony Green
