COLOUR CHART

The transformation of this home involved using colour theory to inform the art-filled interiors, evoking meaning and atmosphere for its inspired new spaces.

- CARLI PHILIPS

Colour in architecture – a means as powerful as the ground plan and section. Or better: polychromy, a component of the ground plan and section itself,” said architectural luminary and painter Le Corbusier on the importance of colour in buildings. His theory struck a chord for architect Lucy Clemenger of Lucy Clemenger Architects who flushed the walls of this Melbourne home with colour, splashing the dining room with pale blue in a nod to nature and clear skies, and bathing the laundry in soft green – an ode to spring and growth. Elsewhere, the ensuites are charged with pigment: rose pink colourblocking the shower and glossy ultramarine tiles framing the vanity walls. “Le Corbusier was developing his ideas around the time the client’s house was being built in the 1930s and the concept of harmonious tones that could embody spatial effects and arouse reactions became the starting point for this project,” says Lucy.

For her client, art consultant Georgie Bruce, the driving force behind the renovation was to improve the internal functionality. The family of five had lived in the house for a number of years and the rooms were tight. The goal was to revise the footprint to allow for more spacious bedrooms and a larger kitchen with defined, enjoyable and easy-to-navigate living spaces. Also paramount was better visual sightlines in which to view Georgie’s breathtaking art collection.