Federation Style
Breaking traditions is hard to do. Working with completely different design styles is even harder. And this Melbourne home renovation by Hecker Guthrie, takes on both challenges. Head first.
The brief was to extend an existing federation home in Melbourne’s leafy Middle Park suburb. The challenge was to bring a modern feel to a home that was heavily steeped in a traditional federation style. Interior designers Hecker Guthrie made the bold decision to embrace both architectural styles to their fullest potential.
The existing front end of the house was refurbished to enhance its original federation heritage. Ornate fireplaces were restored and high skirting boards and new ceiling roses added back in to the architecture. The colour palette was kept light and bright and the front bedrooms and dining area breathe the old world charm of the home’s original personality.
Walking through to the back extension of the house, the design shift is immediate. Beautiful modern slabs of a Spanish Seville stone replace the herringbone timber oak floors. The cooler colour palette, crisp stone finishes and modern clean look perfectly juxtapose the heritage feel of the home’s front. The modern aesthetic of open plan living is at the heart of the renovation. The kitchen, entirely modeled out of custom stone, has a beautiful cantilevered bench, a stand out piece of contemporary interior design. A giant glass sliding wall opens up allowing for the seamless outdoor living and beautiful modern furniture adds the finish style for the modern family space.
Hecker Guthrie have embraced the design shift between old and new without hesitation and the contrast works perfectly. The house feels light and bright throughout. Far from being lost with the renovation, the welcoming charm of the federation style is transferred into a more contemporary setting as you move throughout the house. The house feels united, welcoming and warm. It of course, also looks beautiful. It’s just like the old adage, opposites really do attract.
