The design for Deventon is shaped by the inspiring opportunities of working within a heritage building to create a contemporary home that elevates the needs of a young family, to create a home that is contemporary, enduring, and carefully considered.

Maintaining the scale of the rooms in the front of the house while maximising potential, the home’s original ballroom evolved to become a bar and lounge in simple white hues, while the dining and billiards room were created by opening smaller original rooms to add light and colour.

Referencing geometry of the original architecture, a design language of triangulated shapes was established, with joinery in the home and walls of the master bedroom inscribed with a distinctive leadlight motif, creating an interplay between old and new. In the master ensuite of bush hammered stone, a glass skylight ceiling celebrates the sky and morning sun, creating connection through lightness.

Working within the heritage requirements of the site, Jolson responded to a client’s desire for a large, open entertaining area by extending the home in line with the existing façade and the insertion of a glass box, to create a contemporary family home, that celebrates an abundance of natural light and volume.

Oriented to take advantage of the northern light, the addition creates a softness that opens out to the garden, where perennial colour speaks to the family’s contemporary art collection, creating a seamless connection between inside and out.