McLauchlan Building Designers Project 2

Townhouses have become popular in Melbourne suburbs as busy people choose to spend their leisure time on family and recreational activities, rather than extensive garden maintenance. Townhouses can offer all the benefits and features of a house on a subdivided lot, and have much to offer, particularly in light of these changes in lifestyle.

Increasing land values make townhouse developments even more appealing, as townhouses can provide the best of both worlds – the same space and comfort as a home, on a site small enough to house an apartment block – but without the hassle of dealing with an owners corporation.

Designed by McLauchlan Building Designers and built by Victorian Extension Design, these two family homes each provide an outstanding level of amenity and finish. Designed for growing families, the living areas are zoned for quiet, family and active pursuits. Both homes are uniquely individual, yet meld comfortably into their heritage environment. Large multi-car garages (housing up to five cars) are discreetly located at basement level, alongside versatile gym/theatre rooms.

The properties offer a level of accommodation usually only found on much larger blocks. The classic and durable external treatment is modern, yet has an aged appearance at the same time, while the façades have a timeless look that has been achieved with the use of Daniel Robertson bricks with Toscana render on the walls, and Spanish terracotta roof shingles.

Interior design by Wendy Hoffman has ensured the homes are as beautiful inside as they are out. There are threemetre ceilings through the ground floor, and large windows that magnify the sense of light and space. The rooms have been carefully proportioned to provide comfort and cosiness, while timber in the floors, stone in the benches and colour in discreet splashes gives the homes a sense of liveable adventure.

By utilising the features of the site, McLauchlan Building Designers ensured the significant trees at the front and rear of the site were retained. Careful siting and sizing of each home’s swimming pool has enhanced the seamless transition from house to the outdoor living, giving the impression that the living areas incorporate the garden.

McLauchlan Building Designers specialises in producing designs that suit the specific needs and visions of clients when matched with the unique opportunities presented by specific sites.

Most of the team’s work is around Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula; however the company has designed homes throughout Victoria and has also completed interstate projects.

Established in 1979 by Robert McLauchlan, the business has won the Building Designers Association of Victoria (BDAV ) Design of the Year award twice and has also been awarded several category wins for new homes and renovations, in addition to receiving unit development and sustainable design awards from the City of Whitehorse.

McLauchlan Building Designers undertakes all aspects of residential design, and is a proponent of the philosophy that multi-residential projects should be as well-resolved as individually designed homes.