October 8, 2024

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Home living innovation

A contemporary yet timeless home built on a narrow site in Toorak



a sign on the side of Rietveld Schröder House: Clever planning and a refined materials palette have resulted in a modern Toorak home that is flooded with natural light and brimming with luxury.


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Clever planning and a refined materials palette have resulted in a modern Toorak home that is flooded with natural light and brimming with luxury.

Designing a home that feels spacious on a narrow site is no mean feat, but it’s a brief that the team behind boutique architecture and interior studio Skulptur have mastered with their ‘Toorak Town Residence’ project.

The owners of the inner-city site called upon the multi-disciplinary firm, who worked alongside construction company Kabsav Projects, to maximise the building footprint and create a home that is bathed in as much natural light as possible.



a view of a garden


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a living room filled with furniture and a large window


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“In order to gain approval for the ambitious vision we worked in consultation with council in the town planning stage,” explain Skupltur director Sophie Gilmore. “This enabled us to achieve 250sqm of internal space, on a 170sqm site, while still having generous gardens.”

The south-east orientation and compact building site meant special consideration was needed to optimise the amount of natural light entering the home. Installing skylights, steel-framed doors and expansive windows provides a connection to the site’s verdant terraces and courtyards. This contributes to the home’s overall sense of calm and was paramount in ensuring the rooms were bright. Polished Venetian plaster was applied to internal walls as a tool for rebounding light within the living areas.



a close up of a stone building with a large mirror


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a kitchen with a tile floor


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The home rings true to Skulptur’s ethos of creating timeless homes designed for contemporary living. Modern furnishings, pared-back detailing and a predominately natural materials palette of stone, timber, bronze and glass, define the interior which boasts a luxurious yet understated feel. “We wanted to ensure that the home maintained a timeless and classic aesthetic,” shares Sophie.

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a view of the television


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Iconic design pieces have been peppered throughout the home, including a statement-making Ligne Roset ‘Ruché chair which sits elegantly in the living area. The luxurious appointments continue upstairs where the main bedroom connects to a generously-sized walk-in wardrobe and marble-clad ensuite which boasts an indulgent freestanding bath illuminated by a skylight.



a bird sitting on a bench


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a close up of a bowl sink on a snowy surface


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Despite the constraints of working within a modest footprint, an ambience of pared-back luxury and brightness has been successfully achieved here. “We believe the abundant natural light and verdant vistas, together with the carefully selected palette of natural materials has created the inner city sanctuary our clients envisioned,” says Sophie. skulptur.com.au



a bench in front of Rietveld Schröder House


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