nicole a. iacono
ARCHITECT
Bellair Street
Kensington
Bellair Street was conceived as a contemporary extension to a single-fronted Victorian terrace for a professional client seeking a home that embraced a modern industrial aesthetic while remaining highly functional, durable and adaptable for the future. Rather than softening the architecture, the design celebrated honesty in both materiality and form, creating a home that feels confident, refined and effortlessly liveable.
The existing Victorian terrace provided a strong historical foundation, while the contemporary extension introduced a distinctly modern architectural language. The new addition significantly expanded the home's accommodation, incorporating an additional bedroom, bathroom, generous open-plan living, dining and kitchen spaces, together with a practical laundry and valuable rear laneway access. Open planning, carefully integrated storage and flexible living spaces were designed to support the owner's lifestyle while ensuring the home remains adaptable as future needs evolve.
Materiality became the defining architectural expression. A robust concrete exterior establishes a confident contemporary identity, while black steel-framed internal doors introduce rhythm and refinement throughout the interiors. A dramatic black Dekton kitchen island anchors the open-plan living space, combining sculptural simplicity with exceptional durability. Restrained monochrome finishes allow texture, proportion and natural light to become the defining elements, creating interiors that feel sophisticated, calm and quietly confident.
Builder: Owner builder