Located in historic Williamstown, Victoria, is Alma Terrace House, a building project by Block favourites Bec and George Douros. Designed for their family of five, the four-bedroom, detached property is architecturally striking, reflecting the character of the local area and a link from the past to the future.
With seamless design, quality materials and clean, contemporary lines key factors of the home’s overall look, Bec describes the home as bright and open with a real wow-factor. “The design philosophy for Alma Terrace House is based around several factors,” she says. “Being located in a heritage location, the house has taken design elements such as pitched form and materials, and design ideology from the heritage homes within the neighbourhood. Along with this, we’ve used clean lines, subtle curves and material sensibility in a refined manner to assist the language between classic and contemporary.”
The exterior façade is a palette in neutral tones to contrast yet complement the heritage homes within the area. The light-coloured ivory architectural bricks give a smooth yet subtly textured finish, which pairs beautifully with the cladding and the landscape design that includes natural bluestone crazy paving as a design feature. Concrete bricks were the perfect choice for the exterior being energy-efficient and durable, as well as increasing the strength of the structure and guarding it from environmental elements.
The interiors reflect the external palette, offering a calming, light resort vibe with white, timber and natural stone as the main features throughout. “The internal living space has been maximised at every opportunity,” said Bec. “We wanted a home that considers our lifestyle requirements. The brief for the home was to create a holiday feeling – a luxury resort with all the functionality aspects a family needs.”
The entryway features warm timber flooring against crisp white walls, while fluid architecture and finishings help to deliver a soft, yet impactful look and feel to the space. There is a strong focus on energy efficiency and sustainability and Bec and George have been conscious that with so much glazing there was a need to maximise natural light but minimise heating and cooling options at different times of the year.
“Window dressings were an important part of our design considerations,” says Bec. “We have a lot of windows, so it was important to choose products that help to block out some of the heat while allowing us to control the light and privacy. We chose a combination of Luxaflex Duette Shades which suit the architectural style of the interiors while providing efficient insulation by trapping air within their honeycomb cell, and Luxaflex linen sheers to add softness and a touch of luxury to our home.”
While the timber flooring and wall panelling add warmth, the striking all-white kitchen is paired with lightly patterned luxe stone benchtops and a neutral finger-shaped tile splashback, offering a unique and modern look. Thanks to floor to ceiling windows leading out to the garden and pool area, the room is flooded with light, and the double doors provide a smooth transition from the interior to the exterior.
“The kitchen and living area are my favourite spaces in the house, with their stunning double height window and void,” said Bec. “I spend a lot of my time in the kitchen, and not only is it beautiful, it is also very functional. Helping to draw the eye to the height of the windows is a wall of sheer linen curtains that gently move with the breeze and soften the natural light that streams into the room, which is just beautiful.”
Organic shapes create visual interest throughout the home incorporated through curvaceous bathroom interiors, light fittings, lounge room furnishings, bed heads and a beautiful bespoke curved feature wall in the kitchen area. The master bedroom, which looks over the void, features layers of texture along with rounded bedside tables and an oversized Wylie shag chair, that succeeds in creating a beautifully serene space.
The main bedroom is an idyllic retreat with its walk-in wardrobe and ensuite. “We love how beautifully the curtains complement the chosen blinds, and the ability to automate the products. We have chosen to automate the majority of our window furnishings to add another element of luxury and ease.”
Texture continues to dominate in the bathrooms, where stone, ripple glass and organic finger shaped tiles in a neutral colour palette are complemented with soft dimmer lighting that accentuate the shapes creating a space filled with ambience and warmth. And just like the beautiful resorts, a skylight above the shower area bathes the room in natural light.
Also keeping Bec and George busy are their three children. “They will be teenagers before we know it, so it’s important for our home to have adaptable spaces for our growing family,” Bec explained. The boys are sharing at the moment, but the house has been designed for each child to have their own bedroom. In each bedroom, there’s subtle touches of colour, and plenty of space for playing, and room to adapt as the children grow.
“The rear open-plan ground floor provides a link to the external garden with a covered al fresco area and the pool, and is a favourite place for the whole family,” explains Bec. “This allows us to enjoy the space all year round, with the added benefit of a larger living area and continuous flow from inside to out.”
She adds: “Our main aim was to build a beautiful home to last a lifetime – a home using high-quality materials was a must for our growing family and for the longevity of the house.”
