Houzz Tours
Modern Architecture
Houzz Tour: From Olden Church to Soaring Modern Marvel
Pray join us on this trip through an incredible home in Melbourne that's a real sanctuary
When an 1892 Anglican church outside Melbourne, Australia, came on the market, husband-and-wife architects Dominic and Marie Bagnato jumped at the chance to save the weatherboarded structure from being bought and turned into a commercial office space. With old churches like it becoming a rarity in the area — the smallish designs can't support growing congregations, so churchgoers are consolidating into larger spaces — the couple decided that converting the building into an awe-inspiring modern home would help ensure its staying power. “We wanted to preserve the architecture and retain the look but bring it to a 21st-century house on the inside,” Marie says.
Of course, adding a little style didn't hurt, either. Since it was listed as a heritage site, the architects could do only so much to the existing structure. So they created a mezzanine with two bedrooms and a rumpus room in the old church structure and added a new modern building with a plush master suite, ramping up the square footage to accommodate the current occupants: a doctor, his wife and their six kids.
With the home's hundred-year-old trusses and ceiling, and high-end decor, being inside it today is nearly a religious experience.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of 8
Location: Moonee Ponds neighborhood of Melbourne, Australia
Size: 5,274 square feet; 4 or 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
Budget: $1.55 million
Of course, adding a little style didn't hurt, either. Since it was listed as a heritage site, the architects could do only so much to the existing structure. So they created a mezzanine with two bedrooms and a rumpus room in the old church structure and added a new modern building with a plush master suite, ramping up the square footage to accommodate the current occupants: a doctor, his wife and their six kids.
With the home's hundred-year-old trusses and ceiling, and high-end decor, being inside it today is nearly a religious experience.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of 8
Location: Moonee Ponds neighborhood of Melbourne, Australia
Size: 5,274 square feet; 4 or 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
Budget: $1.55 million
Since it was a very insular building, the architect worked to connect the space to the backyard. Large windows now open to the swimming pool and picturesque Moonee Valley. The larger window is meant to be a modern interpretation of a Gothic window. “It makes the space stunning back there,” Bagnato says.
Gold is a theme throughout the house. The color reminds Bagnato of old churches, something she says she subconsciously thought of during the design. Gold comes up in the multicylindered chandelier, which is meant to emulate organ pipes.
Gold is a theme throughout the house. The color reminds Bagnato of old churches, something she says she subconsciously thought of during the design. Gold comes up in the multicylindered chandelier, which is meant to emulate organ pipes.
Since this is a heritage-listed building, the architects retained all the original exterior features on the church side, including the weatherboard, Gothic windows and cloverleaf vent. “To be transparent, we wanted to highlight the building, not destroy the facade,” Bagnato says.
A black stairwell links the church to the new modern building, which contains the master bedroom.
A black stairwell links the church to the new modern building, which contains the master bedroom.
The designer wanted the media lounge in the church building to have a completely different vibe from the other living areas. Whereas the living room is open and full of light, this space is intimate and moody, with gray walls, alligator-skin-recalling wallpaper, velvety sofas and carpeting, and small surprises of gold.
“I wanted it to feel quite lush and over the top. It’s almost like a foyer to a hotel,” Bagnato says. “It’s where you go with friends.”
All furniture: Coco Republic
“I wanted it to feel quite lush and over the top. It’s almost like a foyer to a hotel,” Bagnato says. “It’s where you go with friends.”
All furniture: Coco Republic
Black and gold continue in this sitting room, which was once the original entry to the church. It now links to the media lounge, with windows that look to a garden.
Calacatta marble runs throughout the kitchen, including on the island. The area connects with the dining room and spills out to the living room.
A freestanding Caroma Noir bathtub dominates the master bathroom. The materials found throughout the rest of the house repeat in this space. The black Nero Tempest marble found around the fireplace comes up here as an imposing wall; acid-washed Chiampo limestone similar to that in the living room adorns the floor, only here it has a more honed, smoother finish. The light fixtures glow amber when lit, complementing the gold tones in the marble.
This staircase is the link between the old and new building. It leads up to the bedrooms and features partially exposed stained hardwood treads for a floating effect.
The original Gothic windows split the floor levels in the two church bedrooms. An original truss cuts a striking scene, as does a mirror near the ceiling above the bed that makes the hundred-year-old wood roof appear to hover.
This al fresco seating area is underneath a portion of the new building that links the two structures. The cabinetry around the stainless steel barbecue and sink is recycled timber.
Glass walls fuse old and new, indoors and out, connecting the house to the pool area and the Moonee Valley beyond.
The mezzanine looks over the living room void, aided by a glass balustrade. The old trusses jut into the space, keeping the rhythm of the old structure.
The architect wanted the staircase, which leads to an attic-type space, to feel sculptural but not fight the old building design.
The architect wanted the staircase, which leads to an attic-type space, to feel sculptural but not fight the old building design.
The homeowners are converting the attic-type space with views of Moonee Valley into a loft bedroom for two of their children. A kitchenette and powder room are in back.
The owners wanted the master bedroom to feel a bit like a plush hotel room. Sheer black curtains, charcoal wallpaper and an artichoke-recalling light add to this effect.
The ceiling in the wine cellar is recycled timber. The backsplash is backlit onyx.
Tell us: Do you live in a remodeled church building? We'd love to see a photo.
Tell us: Do you live in a remodeled church building? We'd love to see a photo.
Leaving the limestone floor “lumpy and bumpy,” Bagnato says, and adding an acid-washed finish, helped make the surface appear aged.