Doherty Design Studio has revamped a 1910 church in Hawthorn, Australia into a lovely light-filled house for a family of five. While the renovation isn’t the church’s first residential adaptation, the recent restoration has combined contemporary design with features representative of the building’s past, like the stunning stained-glass windows installed throughout.
Before Doherty Design Studio got their hands on the project, the 1910 Hawthorn church had already been extended with an apartment as part of a larger residential complex developed over two decades ago. Still, some elements of the house of worship’s past were retained, such as the ivy-covered brick facade, arched doorways and windows, and original timber beams.
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As expected, natural light floods the bright and airy interior, which features crisp white walls offset by a variety of floor textures, from cool terrazzo in the bathroom to the wood parquet flooring in the office and kitchen. Stained glass adds color into the space as well as a nod to the building’s heritage. A custom-made, aged-bronze chandelier, designed by Christopher Boots, hangs opposite three stained-glass windows and provides a striking contemporary focal point.
Via Yellow Trace
Images via Doherty Design Studio, by Derek Swalwell
