Above: Testament to the skill of
Metzger Builders as well as O’Neil’s,
the airy living spaces required exact
finishes, with no kickboards or
ceiling cornices to hide mistakes. In
conjunction with the predominantly
glass walls, clerestory windows give
the living area ceiling a floating effect.
Facing page: The dining room steps
down from the adjacent living zone.
Oversized custom pieces – including a
‘Fandango’ pendant by Hive – balance
the grand scale of the home.
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“The home connects with its green outlooks
via long stretches of floor-to-ceiling glass which
are balanced by generous overhangs, providing
shade and protection,” says David Rea.
However, the deep overhangs are only one
of several reasons that the home looks so serene
and harmonious. The simple, clean forms are
accentuated by the lack of distracting details
such as exterior roof gutters. Plus the house has
two strong vertical elements that both contrast
and complement its overall horizontality – the
double-height entry and double-height lounge.
In addition, the home is designed to look
like it is actually constructed from walls of glass,
rather than solid walls punctuated by windows.
To this end, the steel structure holding up
the home is disguised in some areas as dense
window framing – structural support not hiding
in the woodwork, but rather in the windows.
“Clerestory windows add to the lightness of
the interiors, too,” says O’Neil. “These provide
a breathing space between the windows below
and ceiling above, creating a floating effect.”
Contributing to the crisp, planar aesthetic,
the tile floors run out past the windows to
same-level exterior decking and the ceiling also