Years after marrying in the circa 1915 manor on site, the clients of this project returned to the Adelaide Hills property, this time as owners of the adjacent former stables. 

Unused for many years, the stables were a blank canvas beneath a gabled roof and with original brick floors. The vision; to transform the space into a family home.

What you see today is the completed first stage of the project, with a rear extension to follow in future. 

SpaceCraft reconfigured the existing structure, creating a downstairs en suite shower from the former outhouse, and adding a loft bedroom upstairs. 

To introduce natural light, the barn doors in the original arched entryway were replaced for large steel-framed windows. SpaceCraft’s Bre Tarca picked up on this arch to inspire the home’s signature use of curves throughout the kitchen, bathrooms, and pantry/laundry joinery. 

‘What I drew from the most was a traditional and classic farmhouse kitchen that would typically feature large 60mm profile doors, open shelving, and mixed materials including timber, metal and leather elements,’ she says. ‘The clients were after this style in a modern, refined and sophisticated way.’

The resulting palette is an uplifting, not-too-stark range of earthy neutrals encompassing Porter’s Paints French Green, and Washed Linen surfaces; with arabescato vagli marble; timber elements; and brass details. 

The cabinetry was entirely customised to suit the structure and the clients’ needs, from the shelving installed to fit underneath a support beam and line up with the overhead doors; and laundry cupboard designed especially for the iron board, requiring the plumbing to be reconfigured. 

Builder Craig van Diemen laid a concrete slab throughout to resolve the uneven floors, with new herringbone flooring installed above. 

Within six months, the building was turned from an empty shell into the inviting family you see today. The result is classic, yet modern and refined, and totally one of a kind!