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Architecture Design Interviews

Former Wallabies rugby captain’s family dream home

Kitchen
Kitchen

Ten years ago, the former Wallabies rugby captain Stephen Moore bought a block of land, on a sought-after street, in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington. The real estate was left vacant for a decade, before Stephen and his family decided to put permanent roots down and build an architecturally designed family home on it recently.

Stephen Moore and family
Courtney and Stephen Moore with their three children

“I’ve lived in 12 different houses in the past decade. Now, with a family including three kids, this was the first opportunity I’ve had to design and build a house, with everything my wife and I wanted,” says Stephen of the home that was designed by the architect Tim Stewart and built by the construction company Graya.

Only 15 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD, the new home boasts views of the city skyline, a three-storey staircase and unique brick arches constructed from PGH Bricks. The interior of the home has a clean, calm feel, courtesy of a medley of finishes – timber, stone and polished concrete –  that reflect the family’s love of modern, yet warm, spaces.

Kitchen
Kitchen

“Personally, I’m a big fan of a natural look and feel, so on the inside of our home, we used polished concrete. We complemented it with timber, a light-neutral brick and spotted gum that gave us that earthy edge we were looking for,” says Stephen who selected Australian-made timber furniture to complement the interiors – much of which is yet to arrive. “We’re still waiting on some key pieces for our house. In hindsight, that’s something we should have ordered a little sooner!” says Stephen.

Lounge room
Lounge room

Used extensively throughout the home, another of its more notable construction materials is brick. Robust and low maintenance, it’s a great choice for a young family of five. “We don’t have to worry about dirty hand marks on the walls when the kids run up the stairs,” says Stephen’s wife Courtney Moore.

Staircase
Dining room and staircase

As for his thoughts on the designing and building experience, Stephen is resoundingly positive. “There’s something to be said about designing a home with, and for, the people you love most. After all this time, we’ve got a place we can call home – and that’s a really good feeling.”

The home's unique brick arches are a talking point
The home’s unique brick arches are a talking point

Photography: Mindi Cooke

For more on PGH Bricks & Pavers | Brisbane’s stunning Calile Hotel

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Architecture Design Designers House Tours Interviews

Bespoke breeze blocks hallmark of Sydney seaside home

Renato Detorre

Bricks really do seem to be having a moment. After decades of rendering over them, suddenly there they are, in all their exposed glory. And when it comes to this Sydney coastal home, designed by Renato D’Ettorre Architects, there’s no denying that bricks are the star of the show.

Renato Dettorre

“This house embodies the spirit of seaside living in response to a magical site on the ocean, and a steep rocky coastline with an ideal north-east aspect,” says Renato of the home that, rather than opting for a ‘look at me’ aesthetic uses layered materials to an understated end. Key elements of the design brief include a space for the children to socialise, a cellar, music room and small gym – all of which feature in the abode that is home to a busy young family of five.

Renato Detorre
What a view!
Pool
Pool

“It would have been easy to treat the ocean as the only design influence but that would have been one-dimensional,” says Renato who found unlikely inspiration in the Italian countryside, of all places. It was on a visit to his Italian home in 2010 that the architect spotted a hay barn that was wrapped in perforated terracotta bricks that allowed air to pass through, yet kept the hay dry within. “The simplicity of the rectangular shaped barn in an open field left an indelible memory which became the conceptual basis for this house,” says Renato.

Renato Detorre

When it came to sourcing the right material with which to create his vision, Renato looked to PGH Bricks who devised a bespoke brick solution. The unique bricks are made of light terracotta clay and feature a clear, brilliant white glaze on the reverse, designed to blend seamlessly with the white painted brick walls that form the exterior. “The glaze is designed to scintillate under sunlight, just as the ocean scintillates in morning sunlight,” says Renato.

The house from the street
Understated: The house from the street

As for other challenges, excavating the site turned up more sandstone than had been initially anticipated. “This instigated a floor plan re-design to bring the natural beauty of the sandstone into the interior and to benefit from the sandstone’s cooling properties in the summer months,” says Renato of the design feature that is no doubt one of the key talking-points of the home.

Cellar
The cellar is nestled beside great swathes of sandstone

For more | House tour: This luxe coastal retreat avoids seaside cliches

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Architecture RENO ADDICT Shopping

One of The Block’s best kept secrets: architect Julian Brenchley

When watching The Block it’s easy to forget that behind the beautiful designs of the contestants is one man: Sydney architect Julian Brenchley. The show’s architect from day one, Julian sources the houses, designs the exteriors and deals with all the necessary planning permits along the way. In other words all the stressful stuff!

This season, Julian found inspiration in the architecture of Melbourne’s Elsternwick (where the show was set). Very much a traditional brick-and-tile suburb, Julian stayed true to the neighbourhood’s aesthetic, while adding elements of modernity. The result is a showcase of the hottest trends in bricks.

Jason and Sarah’s backyard

In the homes, texture has became the hero, with dark coloured bricks complemented by metal cladding and slimline roof tiles. The look is then carried over to the pavilions (as Julian calls the two-storey additions), which feature a complementary palette of dark coloured face bricks, adding a diversity of textures and finishes.

Josh and Elyse’s backyard

Three of the five Block homes have the same bricks on the exterior walls, the PGH Balmerino Blend, a dry-pressed brick, which creates harmony within the development. The other two homes keep to the same dark tones but differ in texture, adding to the palette’s complexity. Hannah and Clint’s house showcases a blend of Mystique and sandstock brick Greenway, while Sticks and Wombat’s house has a deep dark Pewter brick range, which is a semi-glazed metallic brick.

Jason and Sarah’s backyard

While in a design sense bricks look great, commercially they are also a good choice, thanks to their low maintenance and classic appeal. “That’s been the benefit of face bricks since time immemorial,” says Julian. “You put up a face brick and as long as you are happy with the colour you won’t have to touch it until you demolish it 80, 100, 200 years later. Low maintenance is a big thing nowadays.”

For more information.

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Architecture Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Get the monochrome look with the Morada brick range

Bricks… not the most interesting topic of conversation! But when it comes to renovating, they can absolutely transform your home. For those seeking an architectural edge and something that little bit different, the Morada range from PGH Bricks & Pavers is worth considering.

Coming in four contemporary shades: Ceniza, a timeless stone hue; Gris, an on-trend charcoal grey; Nero, a dramatic black and Blanco, a crisp white, they come in a refined matte finish with a porcelain-like texture.

Made in Spain from ultra-fine clay, the monochromatic shades provide the perfect neutral base for contemporary home facades, kitchen splashbacks or feature walls. Use one shade alone or mix and match to create two and three-tone schemes.

The bricks are available in three sizes: Linear, Splits and Standard, allowing for versatility in the way they are laid.

For more information | How to use bricks creatively

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Architecture Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

5 ways to use bricks creatively

Brick is back! Homeowners, architects and designers are embracing brick’s inate durability and aesthetic flexibility to build the homes of tomorrow. Using PGH Bricks & Pavers’ range, the broadest on Australia’s East Coast, homeowners are embracing varied textures, shapes, colours and finishes to inject life into their home’s design. Below are five ways to use bricks creatively.

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1. Interior feature walls add texture and visual interest for entrances and bespoke interior spaces. Bricks can create any look from crisp and contemporary monochromatic or glassy finishes using glazed bricks, to industrial and warehouse inspired interiors with dry pressed bricks.

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2. Create a recycled look by blending bricks with different textures and colours. Complement with timber joinery and flooring for a truly rustic style.

3, Maintain privacy without sacrificing design with a brick screen. Pierced brick walls allow light and air to easily flow through the building, connecting interior living spaces with the outside world, while protecting the home from prying eyes.

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4. Go against the grain with wire cut bricks. Exposing the inside of a brick on exterior walls adds contrast and character, as well as creating jagged edges to protect walls exposed to general public areas from the rigours of urban living, such as graffiti.

5. Demonstrate artistic flair by incorporating pattern work. Alternating brick laying directions, brick size and depth can all contribute to unique designs that change the style of exterior walls as the sun moves – or make a statement indoors by embracing favourite colours or shapes.

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— Michelle is the general manager of marketing and strategy at PGH Bricks & Pavers. For more information or to find your nearest PGH Bricks & Pavers display centre, visit their website or call 13 15 79. 

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Design RENO ADDICT

PGH’s collection of distinctively designed Dry Pressed bricks

Australia’s leading brick manufacturer, PGH Bricks & Pavers have introduced a new collection of exclusively designed and highly desirable house bricks: the Dry Pressed range.

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Barbecue area from The Block featuring Dry Pressed Bricks

As the latest addition to their comprehensive range, the collection includes nine bricks in an assortment of natural Australian tones which includes: Belgenny Brown, Gledswood Blend, Hawkesbury Bronze, Livingston Gold, Macarthur Mix, McGarvie Red, Megalong Valley Grey, Mowbray Blue and Wolverton Cream.

PGHBricksDryPressed-GledswoodBlendHouse2-LOWRES

Focusing on design and construction, Dry Pressed Bricks are architecturally solid and epitomise brick manufacturing excellence. The high-compression used as part of the manufacturing process provides a grainy, yet smooth and velvety appearance and their extremely square arris is also an important part of their aesthetic appeal; allowing infinite possibilities when it comes to innovative architecture in both traditional and contemporary building.

Like all the bricks PGH produce, the Dry Pressed range is:

  • Sustainable – bricks are made from natural materials and are recyclable
  • Energy efficient – bricks create thermal and acoustically efficient homes
  • Low maintenance – the colour of the bricks are enduring and do not require painting
  • Flexible when it comes to design – the comprehensive colour range and smooth finish of Dry Pressed Bricks are easy to use in any building design
  • Strong and safe – durable, non-combustible, termite resistant and will not rot or decay
  • Cost effective – low maintenance means virtually no ongoing costs

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For more information on PGH Dry Pressed Bricks visit their website.