Grand Vision

Architect and TV host Peter Maddison has always loved Melbourne’s Modernist houses. After waiting for the right property to come up, he and his wife Andrea secured a 1969 home they’ve now sensitively updated.

- Stephen Crafti

Modernist homes have a certain magic to them. That’s why architect Peter Maddison and his wife Andrea spent seven years keeping a close eye on property listings in a bayside pocket of Melbourne known for its iconic and intact Modernist houses. In 2000, their patience paid off when a double-storey property was put up for sale. “It was designed by Walters & Grodski Architects in 1969. Initially I was drawn to the home’s facade, but then when I discovered all its levels and beautiful joinery I was sold,” says Peter, who’s also the host of Grand Designs Australia.

Andrea, though, didn’t experience things quite the same way: “It reminded me of those brown-brick blocks of flats that were built at the time,” she laughs. She did, however, love the home’s western aspect and its elevated dining and living area that overlooks the back garden. “That western light is quite magical. You notice that each day feels so much longer having this afternoon light.”

Before buying this home, the Maddisons had lived in Victorian properties and California bungalows. “We were pretty tired of living in that typical format, with a corridor down the centre and enclosed rooms either side,” says Peter. What they were seeking was a home that was “exuberant, experimental and fun”; this home had those qualities.

With their three kids now having left home, the couple can enjoy the fruits of their renovation labours – an exacting process that was completed in three stages, for budget reasons. On moving in, the family started with some minor changes, including reworking the garden with landscape designer Steve Dale. A cabana was installed and the pool in the backyard cut in half, with a 30,000L water tank placed below what’s now a manicured lawn. The roof was replaced and the shag-pile carpets removed.