House of Parts

House of Parts is a renovation project for a couple and their two young children where function meets art, injecting bursts of delight into everyday functions with nature-filled corners and nostalgic references. It is always the little things, the tiny minutia of detail, that ultimately make spaces beautiful and memorable.

Quotidian elements such as steps, windows, tables and lamp have been deliberately elevated into art pieces. It begins with a miniature loose-pebble garden at the entrance of the corner terrace house. The design intent was to bring nature closer into the interiors incorporating a curvy bench in the corner threshold, with loose pebbles and a Cyperus-plant.

The living and dining are on different level and the transition between them is marked with a layered travertine steps with a timber bench embedded into the raised section. There are many other details that question both the function and emotive quality of furniture and joinery. For example, a bespoke limestone dining table has a curved cut-out at one corner with a lithe plant peeps out to literally bring a touch of nature to meal times. The client wanted a kitchen island but due to spatial constraints we designed an equally interesting curved kitchen counter with its form emphasized with a round sink.

Following the artistic spirit, the first storey flooring has a crafted quality. We cut the large-format tile into organic shapes laying them with different grout spacing to give a tactile feel. The treatment was inspired by a personal memory of the architect’s childhood home where she had crinkled dark-brown floor tiles with a lot of grout lines. We wanted to give the client something unique. Having a strong memory of your first-home is very comforting and precious.