Entering the front door of this modern home , visitors are struck by its spacious , open-plan interiors , flooded with natural light . However , with site constraints to address , designer Darren O ’ Neil had to make some dynamic architectural moves to create the relaxed , family-friendly feel .
O ’ Neil says while the design had to respond to issues like a limited frontage , a long , narrow site and steep shading angles in respect to the neighbours , it was never compromised by them .
“ To give the home weight within the wider streetscape , I designed a private , almost abstract frontage that emphasises natural materials and strong rectilinear forms ,” says the designer .
The garage ’ s cedar strip cladding forms one part of the facade while , to the right , boardformed concrete and a batten corner element combine on the front of the home proper . The extended garage soffit shelters the front door .
However , if the design is quite private and closed off to the street , it ’ s quite a different experience when actually stepping into the interior .
“ A vista extends from the front door right down the length of the long , relatively narrow home ,” says O ’ Neil . “ And from the entertainer ’ s kitchen right to the back of the residence , the
Previous pages and above left : Room at the back – a private front facade gives way to sheer openness and light at the rear of this new home by O ’ Neil Architecture . The secondstorey master suite looks down on the pool and back yard .
Top and above : A central hallway affords a line of sight from the front door to the rear of the home . The textured concrete dividing wall has a pivot wood door to the left , leading to a powder room and storage .
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