Loch by Emily Gillis Design
Emily Gillis Design reimagines a Victorian red-brick, double-storey residence in Camberwell through a comprehensive 400-square-metre reconfiguration that honours the home’s original envelope while refining its internal plan for a family of five.
The project, titled Loch, balances heritage character with considered contemporary interventions, aligning spatial planning with the evolving needs of modern family life.
What was once the lounge is repurposed as a master suite, complete with ensuite, walk-in robe and an adjoining study. In a complementary move, the former master bedroom is reassigned as a gentleman’s study, reinforcing a clearer hierarchy of private spaces and creating distinct settings for rest, work and retreat.
At the heart of the home, the kitchen has been reoriented to strengthen the connection to the garden. A workbench sits beneath a newly introduced French window, drawing daylight deeper into the room while framing a view outward. The addition of a butler’s pantry supports the practical demands of family life, keeping the main kitchen composed and efficient without sacrificing warmth or detail.
Architectural refinements extend throughout the project. Extended French doors and sharpened ceiling detailing bring order and balance, aligning new interventions with the Victorian framework rather than competing with it. Intricate custom cornices and mouldings continue the home’s original language, while a restrained palette builds a sense of continuity: Versailles oak boards in an aged stain, warm white walls, and finely detailed Carrara and Calacatta stonework selected for their clarity and tactile depth.
Finishing touches reinforce the home’s English temperament, with lighting and furniture sourced from the UK to complement the classical detailing. Across the interiors, materials and proportions are handled with precision, creating spaces that feel grounded in the building’s history while calibrated for contemporary living.
Emily Gillis Design approaches residential work through a close reading of both people and place. From its Melbourne base, the studio leads a small team focused on a select number of projects across Australia and worldwide. Each commission begins with an attentive understanding of how residents live, then uses that insight to refine spatial sequence, atmosphere and tactility through honest materials, layered texture and considered architectural detail.
