Specialists in multi-residential and boutique builds, iD Property is a Melbourne-based property construction operation. Founded in 1988, this family business is now under the reigns of Ante Kelic and his father, and together with their team they use their experience and expertise to bring ideas to life.
The much-lauded Bloomfield Residence in Ascot Vale was a very personal undertaking for Ante, as the build is his family home. Already living in the area, Ante and his wife and young daughter were keen to find a block of land where they could build a property that brought their own dreams to life.
Designed by FGR Architects and built by iD Property, the brief was to create a family home with large open spaces and loads of natural light. With a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve, Ante worked closely with FGR to push the project to completion within 12 months of purchasing the land. The result is nothing short of spectacular, in a warm, grounded and understated way that exudes style and comfort.
Located on a character-filled laneway, the angular façade of the contemporary home features striking concrete and large glass panels. The elegant simplicity of the two-storey home continues into the expansive interior with a steel staircase and a soaring Blackbutt timber ceiling that extends through to the outdoor area at the rear of the home.
Explains Ante, “We spent countless hours on Pinterest and Instagram to create a scrapbook of everything we loved in terms of architecture and interior design. We actually took the scrapbook to our meeting with Kate Walker of KWD and she quickly grasped the look we were trying to achieve. Selecting the right tile was one of the most difficult things to reconcile in our minds.”
“We were playing with the idea of having a polished concrete floor because we wanted a grey effect but we weren’t sure how to achieve it. We met with so many businesses in Melbourne with no success, and then we took a drive to the Mornington Peninsula to meet with Kate. It made such a difference seeing a range of samples and she put together some flat lays and explained how the materials would perform. We really wanted to keep our material selection simple in terms of not having too many different types, and it was important to us that the internal flowed to the external. Kate recommended the perfect tile. We went with a large format Italian Limestone tile (1200 x 600mm) for the bathrooms, kitchen, dining and entrance. This tile flowed through to the outside paved area with the same grout lines so the look extended seamlessly from the interior to the exterior. Whilst the tiles look exactly the same, the rating for the outdoor tiles ensure they will handle nature’s elements.”
“The same philosophy applied to the ceiling, with the internal ceiling extending through to the outdoor area. Blackbutt was the perfect choice both in terms of the colour and the durability as it is ideal for exterior weather conditions.” continues Ante.
“Now that we have been in the property for over a year, we are so happy with the liveability of our home. Everyone who comes to visit us is wowed by the finishes, but the one thing they also say is that feels very homely and that it has a great flow.”
“FGR really excelled with the functionality and the way our house works. They designed it specifically for our family’s lifestyle and they captured us perfectly – from the open, light and spacious interior to the play room for our daughter off the main living area to the purpose built cubby house in the back garden that reflects the design of the main house.”
“They really took every element into consideration from the layout of the bedrooms and the study to the bathrooms and the courtyard. The home will suit our family’s lifestyle for the foreseeable future.”
The large living space is the heart of the home and provides a strategic connection to almost everywhere else in the house. The communal area, with a contemporary fireplace and wood storage area, features a sliding door that conceals a playroom for Ante’s daughter, ensuring her area is part of the room whilst keeping it separate from the entertaining zone.
A palette of earthy tones creates a warm aesthetic, and the refined selection of materials allows their natural beauty to shine. The minimalist feel is successfully executed with large west-facing windows that allow sunlight through in the morning. Views over the Maribyrnong Valley and city skyline create a beautiful urban backdrop.
The bathrooms elegantly complement the home with the continuance of their signature tiles married with black tapware, marble benchtops and round basins. Rendered concrete walls together with offset glass and custom steel shelves create a sleek look.
The kitchen showcases an island bench surrounded by soft, warm Blackbutt timber joinery, flooded with natural light from spectacular glass stacking doors. The seamless interior/exterior spaces ensure the outdoor areas are just as effective as the indoor areas of this home.
Explains Ante, “Whilst the success of the design of our home has really cemented our expertise and building excellence, we are always conscious about the amount of work we take on. We really are focused on quality rather than quantity. We are acutely aware that a home is more often than not a major investment for our clients and we take our role in that process very seriously. We prefer, where we can, to undertake the complete build ourselves so that we are in control of the outcome and create the perfect result for our every single project.”
Says Kate, “We loved working with Ante because he had such a clear vision and it was a pleasure for us to combine our hard finish expertise with his solid ideas. It was so important to us that we specified the right product that was fit for purpose, came in on budget and supported his design aesthetic.”
Design: FGR Architects
Interior styling: Hunter May Designs
Photography: Peter Bennetts
For more information on the tile selection for this stunning urban home, contact the KWD team on 5974 1800. http://www.katewalkerdesign.com.au