Ten years ago, the former Wallabies rugby captain Stephen Moore bought a block of land, on a sought-after street, in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington. The real estate was left vacant for a decade, before Stephen and his family decided to put permanent roots down and build an architecturally designed family home on it recently.
“I’ve lived in 12 different houses in the past decade. Now, with a family including three kids, this was the first opportunity I’ve had to design and build a house, with everything my wife and I wanted,” says Stephen of the home that was designed by the architect Tim Stewart and built by the construction company Graya.
Only 15 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD, the new home boasts views of the city skyline, a three-storey staircase and unique brick arches constructed from PGH Bricks. The interior of the home has a clean, calm feel, courtesy of a medley of finishes – timber, stone and polished concrete – that reflect the family’s love of modern, yet warm, spaces.
“Personally, I’m a big fan of a natural look and feel, so on the inside of our home, we used polished concrete. We complemented it with timber, a light-neutral brick and spotted gum that gave us that earthy edge we were looking for,” says Stephen who selected Australian-made timber furniture to complement the interiors – much of which is yet to arrive. “We’re still waiting on some key pieces for our house. In hindsight, that’s something we should have ordered a little sooner!” says Stephen.
Used extensively throughout the home, another of its more notable construction materials is brick. Robust and low maintenance, it’s a great choice for a young family of five. “We don’t have to worry about dirty hand marks on the walls when the kids run up the stairs,” says Stephen’s wife Courtney Moore.
As for his thoughts on the designing and building experience, Stephen is resoundingly positive. “There’s something to be said about designing a home with, and for, the people you love most. After all this time, we’ve got a place we can call home – and that’s a really good feeling.”
Photography: Mindi Cooke
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