A 1940s Georgian revival home, Kooyong Residence learns to live in the present. Its formal façade is reinstated, while everything behind it has been reworked – interiors are reconfigured so light, movement and connection mingle with ease. A sculpted stair and lift draw you down to a new ‘great room’, where the contemporary wing opens onto a travertine terrace and infinity-edge pool, with layered planting softening the edges. Period detailing and present-day restraint hold a quiet conversation throughout. Calacatta Viola marble, burnished brass and European oak give the rooms weight and warmth, while collectible furniture pieces and considered lighting create an expressive atmosphere.

Kooyong Residence dissolves the lines between old and new, house and garden, gathering once-disjointed spaces into a single, fluent whole. Broad openings at the rear pull the garden inside, framing it as a backdrop that shifts throughout the day. Sightlines run clear from room to lawn, so the eye – and the body – moves easily from interior to ground. Tuned to the site’s contours and greenery, the home balances composure with a relaxed sensibility. It all adds up to a richly layered setting where formal heritage and relaxed modern living read as one.