New Home Builders, Display Homes Melbourne, Building Design & Construction, Melbourne

EDITORIAL ON LINACRE HOUSE FROM THE AGE: Proof of the plan is in the living

A COMMITMENT to natural light and materials is the hallmark of this house in Linacre Road, Hampton. Originally built for one of the directors of custom builder Inform Design, its floorplan is now available to a broader market. According to the company, interest in the design has prompted Inform to create a slightly modified version, which will be available to clients as part of its 2010 collection. The Leon Meyer-designed house has four bedrooms, study, home theatre, family room, meals area, rumpus room and dining room. It also originally had a three-car basement garage.

Although the floor plan has been modified slightly, it remains true to the architect's original vision. The basement garage has been dispensed with to make the home more affordable, the front theatre room is smaller and the formal dining room is gone. One of Meyer's most distinctive characteristics is using a property's orientation to maximum effect, which is clearly evident in this design. Natural light floods the house on both floors, making it feel spacious and welcoming.

In the kitchen and dining rooms, at the back of the house, there are polished blackbutt floorboards, while the adjoining lounge room is carpeted. A stone-top island bench straddles the kitchen/meals area, with the stovetop and oven housed in a parallel bench behind. At the end of the kitchen, bi-fold doors open to bring the outside in, creating a very attractive workspace. Also lined by a wall of windows and bi-fold doors, the lounge room has built-in cabinetry along the inside wall to accommodate a desk, home entertainment system, storage space and bookcases. From this main living space, timber-frame doors open to a large deck with an outdoor fireplace and built-in barbecue. The decking also extends to the pool, which creates an interesting and usable outdoor space and provides an attractive vista from the living areas.

As with many contemporary house designs, all the bedrooms have been placed on the first floor. There is a central family bathroom, as well as a sizeable en suite to the main, which also features the non mandatory walk-in wardrobe.

Inform director Chris McKimm, who had the house designed and built, says it is great to live in. "All areas are zoned off, meaning kids and parents can both do their own thing harmoniously but at the same time, big, open entertaining areas mean the house is great for social activities as well," he says. Formed in 1992, Inform Design's stated mission is "to provide quality architect-designed homes at prices that make them affordable to the wider community".

The 2010 collection includes 40 new designs from three prominent Melbourne architects. Part of that collection - inspired by this property's address - is the new version of the house, which will be known as the Linacre House. "For the price range, this house is offered at an absolute bargain price," Mr McKimm says. "So much time went into designing this home to suit family living and entertaining." "If people like the style, I can tell you, the liveability is even better."