AHEAD OF THE CURVE

A modern monolith, this solid and cavernous family home in Melbourne is carved with graceful arcs and sweeping archways.

- CARLI PHILIPS

It feels as if you're walking into a cave, says Samantha McKenzie, director of Acustico Lighting and the owner of this home in Melbourne's Brighton. For Samantha, an interior designer by trade, creating a home that was sturdy and sensorial was a top priority. “I wanted it to feel like walking into a big, warm hug with heavy drapes and loop-pile wool carpets. It needed to feel solid, all-encompassing and cosy.

Beside the kitchen is a meals nook with a timber banquette carved into the concrete wall. 'Koki' chairs and 'Clay' round dining table, both by Desalto and purchased while living in Italy. On the table is Terra Flow object by Nadia Robertson Ceramics. The walls are rendered in Marmorino Venetian plaster. Opposite page Looking from the garden back to the rear facade, the home reaches its fullest expression with a concave and convex arch meeting in the middle. On the ground floor is the family lounge room.

It was during a 10-month sabbatical in 2013 with her family in the town of Cernobbio in Lake Como, Italy, that Samantha says sowed the seeds for her architectural vision.

“Everything there is stone or marble and it's so solid practically feel the weight of ancient history when walking on the cobblestones. Also, Milan wasn't far away which meant we were always close to the centre of all things design. Upon returning to Australia they engaged Leeton Pointon architects + interiors and briefed them for a home that involved interpreting classical architecture but in a modern way”.