Cantilever House by InForm maximises its north-facing views for a busy family of four, framed by an overhanging steel screen façade.
Cantilever House marks another collaboration between Victorian-based design and construction company InForm and architectural practice Pleysier Perkins. This time, the studios conceived a Melbourne home to better accommodate the evolving needs of two working parents and their two young daughters, who desired a modern and low-maintenance place to call home.
The resulting design balances the brightness of its sunlit spaces with the rich, darker tones of its interiors. “The clients bought the block, in part, due to the wide frontage and the northern orientation to the side,” Pleysier Perkins design director Stewart Youngblutt says. “Therefore, optimising the [home’s] orientation and maximising the outlook to the north was essential.”
A wide overhanging steel screen spans the home’s façade, allowing diffused natural light into the interiors, framed by the steel screen’s artistic panels. While near-constant northern light was sought after, operable external blinds were installed to ensure privacy for the street-facing bedrooms.
The staircase acts as the heart of the home, where the long-form entry hallway and living spaces meet, including the open-plan kitchen and dining area. Full-height sliding doors leading off these spaces create a seamless connection to the open loggia and pool house, while upstairs, the central staircase separates the parents’ private quarters at the rear from the front-facing bedrooms and activity room.
“Hallway proportions were carefully considered to provide ample space for viewing each artwork,” Youngblutt says.
In the kitchen, polished concrete floors and timber ceilings create a dynamic interplay of textures. Black-stained timber joinery and black marble add richness and depth to the space.
The Muuto Nerd bar stools by David Geckeler.
The dining area features the Blade dining table by CR&S Varenna for Poliform and the Cassina 412 Cab chairs by Mario Bellini.
Natural timber ceilings and the solid presence of polished grey concrete floors ground the home, letting its contents speak for themselves. At the same time, deep black dominates the interiors, challenging the traditional colour expectations of a family home.
The black-stained joinery and black-and-white ribbed marble introduce a dynamic balance, with the strength of the darker tones softened by the tactile qualities of natural timber and concrete surfaces. Curved walls further soften the interiors, allowing the art collection to take centre stage without distraction.
“The clients have a deep appreciation for art,” Youngblutt explains. “Integrating their collection was a key priority to ensure each piece was celebrated within the home.”
The collection features mainly Australian visual artists, including Ildiko Kovacs, Sally Anderson and Rhys Lee. Instead of saturating the home with various bold colours, the studios chose to let the art speak for itself. “The vibrancy is introduced through the carefully chosen pieces of art,” Youngblutt affirms.
Cantilever House challenges traditional design paradigms of a family home, enabling its spaces to engage with its inhabitants, rather than just accommodate them as they grow. Through a contrasting combination of materials, flexible design and bespoke fundamentals, InForm has created a lasting sense of home.
In the living area, Pierre Paulin’s GUBI Pacha lounge chair sits beside a ceramic plinth by Alison Frith, accompanied by the Coco Flip Sequence Round table.
In the main bedroom, the Ligne Roset Ploum settee by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec is paired with the HAY Bowler side table by Shane Schneck, while the Arch sculpture by Kristina Dam Studios sits atop a Coco Flip Sequence Round table.
Pictured are the Driade Roly Poly chairs by Faye Toogood.
A large steel screen spans the home’s façade.
