WELL THOUGHT OUT

In this Adelaide home, classic design features have been reframed in a contemporary context.

- CARLI PHILIPS

Downsizing from a double storey, ornately European-style house to a more intimate, single-level, modern property is a momentous change at any time, but it was especially significant for interior designer Georgie Shepherd’s clients, Bob and Barb, a sprightly couple in their 80s. “To take on something like this at their age is super impressive but then again, Bob would give a lot of 30-year-olds a run for their money,” says Georgie, director of GSiD who worked with senior interior designer Mara Morton on the Adelaide home. “The last time they had taken on a renovation for their own personal residence was 20 years ago, so this time it was less running around and more about a very specific brief. They were completely up for the challenge and put a lot of trust in us,” says Georgie, who collaborated with builders and architects, the Genworth Group.

The concept involved re-interpreting the traditional features of the couple’s existing home into a more contemporary expression. Documenting their furniture and antiques gave Georgie an insight into how they lived and the materials they were drawn to. So while the new building envelope had beautiful high ceilings and generous proportions, Georgie was conscious of softening the modern structure with classic detailing like high shadow-line skirtings and door architraves, making the “scale of each space more manageable and visually comfortable.”