A Home Designed to Feel Like You're Living in a Garden (House Tour)

Designed to feel like one is living in a garden, Cascade House by John Ellway seamlessly blends outdoor and indoor living. Located in Queensland, the family home of interior designer, stylist and client Jacqueline Kaytar is a traditional cottage home that was in dire need of repair. Working closely with Jacqueline, the architect avoided building underneath the home to keep the streetscape intact. Instead, John Ellway used the vacant land to the side of the original cottage to provide a much-needed extension that leans into the cascading landscape of the site.

Found by the client, the cottage home was in a dilapidated state, though internally and structurally the house was in good condition with a much-needed update to accommodate the contemporary needs of the family. After bringing John Ellway on board, Jacqueline expressed an aspiration to instil a feeling like that of living in a garden. Beginning the house tour from the parking area, the entry to the home opens to the kitchen, dining and living spaces. Immediately connecting to the gardens through large glass doors and windows, the house opens up onto a grass patch for the family to enjoy. Providing the space to embrace living in a garden, the grass patch also offers a private outdoor reprieve.

Connecting the new extensions with the older parts of the cottage, a breezeway also adds another layer of connection to the garden. The private rooms sit in the old section of the cottage, with the entertainment spaces confined to the new extensions. The home’s extended veranda instils the experience of living in a garden as occupants step into the new volume. Incorporating seamless connections throughout the architecture, John Ellway has made additional interior design choices in the kitchen, adding nooks and crannies to conceal appliances and ensuring the interior architecture is kept sleek and simple.

In the kitchen, Fisher & Paykel’s integrated appliances seamlessly blend into the joinery, providing a cohesive effect. Aside from aligning with budget and aesthetic desires, John Ellway used Fisher & Paykel to coincide with the broader context of the kitchen. Focused on using key materials to further assist with the idea of living in a garden, the client and architect chose plywood, brass countertops and polished concrete to foster a warm and natural connection. Together, John Ellway and Jacqueline work to combine finishes and textures to create an uplifted and refreshing home.

00:00 - Introduction to the Garden Home
00:26 - The Inner-City Location
01:14 - An Overview of the Home
01:49 - A Walkthrough of the Home
02:28 - The Key Brief of Garden Connection
02:50 - Original Timber Cottages
03:18 - Separation of Old and New
03:53 - The Kitchen
04:11 - A Seamless Integration of Fisher & Paykel
04:44 - The Fisher & Paykel Fit
05:16 - Key Materials
05:59 - A Connection of Texture and Detail
06:22 - The Connection Between Owner and Architect
06:59 - Proud Moments

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Photography by Toby Scott.
Architecture and Interior Design by John Ellway.
Interior Design and Styling by Jacqueline Kaytar at Repose.
Build by Newman Homes.
Landscape Design by Tom Collins.
Engineering by Ingineered Consulting Structural Engineers.
Appliances by Fisher & Paykel.
Filmed and Edited by O&Co. Homes.
Production by The Local Project.

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

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