Contemporary Style

Contemporary Style

Top Ideabooks

Appears in

Decorating Guides → Decorating Styles

Houzz Tours

Houzz Tours

Top Ideabooks

See also

My Houzz Apartments Colorful Homes Contemporary Homes Eclectic Homes Farmhouses Floating Homes Guesthouses Historic Homes Lofts Midcentury Homes Modern Homes Ranch Homes Small Homes Townhouses Traditional Homes Transitional Homes Vacation Homes Homes Around the World

Homes Around the World

Homes Around the World

Top Ideabooks

Appears in

Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Addition Makes the Connections

A Melbourne home expands out and up with rooms that emphasize indoor-outdoor and open-plan living

Grace Chamia December 30, 2014

Houzz Contributor. I'm an experienced lifestyle journalist with a penchant for open houses that I have no intention of buying...

Houzz Contributor. I'm an experienced lifestyle journalist with a penchant for open... More

Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog.

Bill and Christine McCorkell purchased their Edwardian clapboard home in 2010 with the intention of renovating. They and their two kids needed more space, and they built an additional story to accommodate extra bedrooms and bathrooms. But they didn’t stop there. They remodeled rooms in the front of the house to make them more modern looking while maintaining period details such as high ceilings, ceiling roses and cornices. Farther into the home, the space shifts to a more contemporary style with polished concrete floors and honed block walls.

Contemporary Dining Room by ArchiBlox

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Bill and Christine McCorkell; their children, Harriet and Sam; George the rabbit; and Toby the lizard
Location: Balaclava, near Melbourne, Australia
Size: 1,722 square feet (160 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

The McCorkells, of ArchiBlox, wanted to create a home with personality — one that was beautiful, refined and playful at the same time. “We love the ease and beauty of the home, and especially the way it integrates the outside in,” Bill McCorkell says.

Indoor-outdoor living was achieved with a layout that captures every opportunity for external views, either out to the garden or over the adjoining properties’ roofs. Sliding windows open to the rear, letting in natural light, which bounces off and warms the polished concrete floor.

Daybeds transform the kitchen from a task-driven space to a multipurpose zone to unwind in. “With the morning sun on your back, it’s a pretty special place to read and have a cuppa,” Bill says.

Contemporary Kitchen by ArchiBlox

Bill and Christine designed many elements in the kitchen with recessed woodwork for items in constant use. The black Caesarstone island top, for example, has a recessed heavy-duty wood chopping board.

Stools: Last Minute, Hub Furniture

Contemporary Kitchen by ArchiBlox

Tucked in a corner nook is a pantry that helps conceal everything else. Look up and you’ll notice a slant in the ceiling; the setup utilizes an awkward space under the stairs.

Contemporary Kitchen by ArchiBlox

Polished concrete floors in the dining and kitchen area are set at the base of honed concrete block walls, reinforcing the inside-outside connection.

Contemporary Kitchen by ArchiBlox

The block walls stretch past the ceiling level and into a void beyond a skylight that runs the length of the space. Natural light spills in, opening up and softening this side of the home.

Contemporary Dining Room by ArchiBlox

The contrasting ceiling is lined with staggered plywood panels; joints are emphasized with a black textile that is recessed between the panels.

A vibrant piece of art by Ali McNabney-Stevens complements the concrete and wood.

Contemporary Deck by ArchiBlox

From the outside, notice the recessed black grout lines between the concrete blocks and between the timber panels on the upper level. This is a running theme throughout the house; it’s seen in the wet room as well, for example.

Every design element is consciously linked, in a layout that is free flowing and functional. As Bill says, “It incorporates order into what we all know as busy, crazy lives.”

Contemporary Exterior by ArchiBlox

Style Divide: How to Treat Additions to Old Homes

Contemporary Living Room by ArchiBlox

Despite the open-plan layout, zones create intimacy in all those big, open spaces. The kitchen, for example, opens to the dining area and a separate living area, so no one is ever disconnected, but everyone can still get away from it all. “We wanted to be able to retreat from the children, and vice versa, but keep that connection and family interaction,” says Bill.

Large windows open out to the barbecue area and provide a lovely leafy view from the couch. The children like to use the family room to watch TV or play their Wii games.

While the brickwork feature in this room creates interest, there are plans to turn it into a fireplace.

Cockatoo-print box: Bonnie and Neil; pendant light: Lineare A , About Space

Contemporary Family Room by ArchiBlox

The family room makes a statement from afar with this custom-built ArchiBlox plywood bookshelf, which can be seen through the expansive windows as you approach the entrance of the house. “It makes a real feature and adds the finishing touch to our home,” says Bill.

The large shelving unit has room for family photos, knickknacks and books, which are arranged by color.

Contemporary Home Office by ArchiBlox

The study embraces multipurpose functionality: Bill and Christine use it mostly for work, to practice music and for meditation.

Contemporary Home Office by ArchiBlox

There is plenty of built-in woodwork in this room: plywood bookshelf, study desk, shelves and storage unit.

Contemporary Home Office by ArchiBlox

The window reveals a clever lattice feature on the wall outside that creates the illusion of a distant scene. It not only opens up the space but adds a tranquil quality to it.

The lattice wall feature was part of the original property and was discovered once the vines were cut back. “It’s one of the reasons we made such a big window: to be able to look at the lattice from inside the house,” says Bill.

Contemporary Staircase by ArchiBlox

Just above the pantry and storage area, a staircase leads upstairs to a “learning corridor” that adjoins two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Contemporary Home Office by ArchiBlox

The learning corridor makes the most of what would usually be an empty area and is personalized with the kids’ toys. It also provides more space for the kids away from Mom and Dad, so they don’t always have to retreat to their bedrooms when seeking alone time.

“The flow and functionality provides an enhanced style of living with set designated areas. Kids’ zones, adult zones, family zones; there is a place for everything,” says Bill.

Contemporary Bedroom by ArchiBlox

This box-like compartment in the main bedroom is a walk-in wardrobe; it’s a fun wood feature and flows through to a beautiful en suite. “It’s a great functional space that looks cool too,” says Bill. The box is made of Tasmanian oak.

Contemporary Bedroom by ArchiBlox

Quilt cover and pillowcases: Sandi, Country Road

Contemporary Bathroom by ArchiBlox

A wood shelf is strategically placed in the white-tiled bathroom, adding warmth and texture to the monochromatic color scheme.

Sink: Reece; tiles: National Tiles

Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes

Barn Mini Metal Pendant Light 1 Light, Hardwire

Barn Mini Metal Pendant Light 1 Light, Hardwire

$54

3-Light Bath Bar, Natural Brass

3-Light Bath Bar, Natural Brass

$118

Nourison Aloha 5

Nourison Aloha 5'3" x 7'5" Green Tropical Area Rug

$81

Leodegrance 1 Light Black Outdoor Wall Sconce 14" High, Textured Black

Leodegrance 1 Light Black Outdoor Wall Sconce 14" High, Textured Black

$78

Ashley Superiora Transitional 1-Light Black Outdoor Wall Sconce

Ashley Superiora Transitional 1-Light Black Outdoor Wall Sconce

$43

Shelly Swivel Bar Stool, 30"

Shelly Swivel Bar Stool, 30"

$167

Sponsored

Fresh Pointe Studio

Industry Leading Interior Designers & Decorators | Delaware County, OH

We design, build and renovate in the most exquisite of fashions. Our team of revolutionaries is dedicated to... Read More

Sponsored

Comments (24)

See 21 more comments

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

PRO

Create Yourself - Space, Body & Mind

Really nice and good idea!

Like January 24, 2015 at 11:37PM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

Sylvia Berger

This is one of my favorite house ps I've seen in a while. Great job! :)

2 Likes January 30, 2015 at 5:24AM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

vikiwatson

Inside out

Like May 17, 2015 at 1:19AM

Related Stories

Decorating Guides Your Guide to Contemporary Style

By Laura Gaskill

Discover the keys to getting this clean-lined, uncluttered look in any room

Full Story

Kitchen Design How to Add Character to Your Contemporary Kitchen

By Kate Burt

Streamlined cabinets and state-of-the-art appliances are only part of the story in designing a contemporary kitchen

Full Story

New This Week New This Week: 4 Contemporary Kitchens With Wood Cabinets

By Mitchell Parker

See how different woods and wood grains create warmth and visual interest

Full Story

Kitchen Styles Your Guide to a Contemporary-Style Kitchen

By Laura Gaskill

Discover the palettes, fixtures, materials and details designers use to achieve this clean-lined look

Full Story

Kitchen Design See How 1 Kitchen Style Works With 5 Types of Wood

By Barbara Milner

These contemporary kitchens show off the beauty of red oak, teak, apple wood and more

Full Story

Wall Treatments Houzz Tour: Miami Penthouse Gets a Jackie O-Inspired Look

By Bryan Anthony

Hand-painted wallpaper, modern furnishings and glamorous touches shine in this new condo with Atlantic Ocean views

Full Story

Decorating Guides 10 Minimalist Decorating Essentials for All Seasons

By Laura Gaskill

Keep your room decor stylish and uncluttered with these basic accessories

Full Story

Kitchen Makeovers Quebec Homeowners Say Goodbye to an Open-Plan Kitchen

By Erin Carlyle

A designer gives the room a sophisticated restaurant look and puts up a storage wall to separate it from the dining area

Full Story

Additions New Addition Breathes Life Into This Toronto Home

By Becky Harris

A century-old house expands and opens up with a new light-filled kitchen, family room, master suite and TV lounge

Full Story

Most Popular New This Week: 3 Great Contemporary Kitchens

By Mitchell Parker

See how clean lines and low-maintenance features contribute to bright, family-friendly designs

Full Story