A suburban, eco-friendly home big on both design and sustainability

Rich in contrasting materials and innovative design, today’s home tour is a bit of a stunner. But design alone is not what makes this eco-friendly home such a joy to explore.

We take a look around with the interior design team behind the project, The Stylesmiths, as they show us how this impressive suburban home pushes the envelope both inside and out.

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Exterior of Maxwell residence with slate and timber materials
Living room with view of pool from Maxwell house

As a knock-down re-build project, the owners were keen for their new space to be an eco-friendly home, centred around nature.

The home was designed by architectural firm Melbourne Design Studios with the interiors designed collaboratively between the home owners and The Stylesmiths.

The brief was to create a family home that inspires, relaxes and calms busy minds with beautifully crafted spaces, natural materials and endless dialogue with nature.

With a mix of robust materials such as polished concrete floors, American oak paneling, large windows and slate, much of this home is designed to bring the natural surrounds in.

Dining space with built-in bar

Situated in the north Melbourne suburb of Northcote, this is home to a young family of 5 and their miniature schnauzer.

This 2-level home has 4 bedrooms, 2 internal courtyards, a pool and large open plan living, kitchen and dining area.

Each space offers intimate views and engagement with natural surroundings and vegetation, be it from courtyards, gardens, green roofs, or planters.

The home uses Biophilic design to give the internal spaces a greater connection to nature and the outdoors. Biophilic design means love of nature and by creating a connection to nature from within a home. It achieves numerous benefits to our health and wellbeing.

Living room with built-in shelving
Outside courtyard seating area

This award winning, eco-friendly home is widely recognised for its sustainable and innovative design.

The courtyards were key to the home’s design, allowing for an abundance of natural sunlight and promoting excellent natural ventilation. Urban food production, green roofs and integrated planters created additional and intimate connections with nature.

For the eco-friendly aspect, the home boasts a sustainable materials palette. This includes reused, sustainably sourced, natural materials with a positive effect on the environment. Such as recycled bricks, local timber cladding, natural slate and stone.

Outside courtyard with maple tree
Black and timber shelving unit with display decor

Internally, the fusion of both hard materials and tactile pieces create a contrast of colour, texture and interest.

We love the materials palette used in this home, including polished concrete, stone, terrazzo, red brick, marble and glazing. And the unique soft furnishings, like hand-woven rugs, wallpaper and tactile elements, personalise the home and add further interest.

Many of the pieces sourced support local, home-grown designers and manufactures.

The home’s colour palette develops between the different rooms with fun and unexpected surprises around every corner. Injections of colour create calm, warm and inviting spaces throughout this family home.

Photography Fiona Susanto
Architect — Melbourne Design Studio
Interior design — Lead designer Silvia Roldan
of The Stylesmiths

Thank you to The Stylesmiths for showing us around this wonderful family home. To get the latest home tours and the best of the blog to your inbox each week, subscribe to our e-newsletter here.

More home tours here

Duck egg blue corner sofa
Upper courtyard with seating
Exterior of Maxwell home with slate and timber materials
Outdoor seating in courtyard of home
Simple styled bedroom with timber walls
Girls bedroom with spotted wallpaper
Comfy reading nook
Timber batten wall of hallway
Open-tread staircase of the Maxwell house
Dining room with cluster of pendant lights
Living room through to island bench in kitchen
Colourful rug in living room
Style Curator
Style Curator is an award-winning blog about the pursuit of a stylish home. Founded by Gina Beschorner, a social media adviser turned blogger and Interior Designer, we share our favourite home products, tours of designer homes, interviews with artists and experts in the design industry and other stylish news. Subscribe to our e-newsletter for weekly highlights!

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