Balmer St House in Brunswick East is a finely resolved heritage renovation that reimagines a modest period dwelling as a contemporary family home attuned to light, landscape and longevity. Retaining the character of the original frontage, a modern double storey rear extension unfolds behind—articulated in a contrasting external material palette of recycled red brick and dark metal cladding.

The home is conceived for evolving family life, balancing openness with retreat. Downstairs, flexible living spaces anchor an expansive open plan zone, where polished concrete floors provide thermal mass and a tactile, grounding presence. High performance windows and carefully calibrated openings enable natural cross flow ventilation, while passive heating and passive shading strategies ensure year-round comfort in an all electric home with high insulation and energy efficient systems.

At its heart, a light court garden introduces abundant natural light deep into the plan, its native vegetation reinforcing a biophilic connection. Views to greenery are curated from every room, dissolving boundaries between inside and out. This is most evident in the seamless indoor/outdoor living experience, where large glazed openings extend to a generous backyard, swimming pool, and an expressed timber frame pergola—its tension wires inviting climbing plants to soften and animate the structure over time.

Upstairs, kids’ bedrooms and a dedicated retreat provide privacy and independence, complemented by spaces that support working from home flexibility. Throughout, a natural and textured interior material palette is enriched by moments of bold colour, paired with high end fixtures, fittings and lighting that elevate the everyday.

Balmer St House is a study in balance—heritage and contemporary, robustness and refinement—crafted for modern living while remaining deeply connected to place and environment.

This project is in construction and due to be completed in late 2026.

Please get in touch with us if you would like to know more about this project. 

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