A warm and textural family home where heritage character meets bold contemporary architecture.

From the street, Earth & Gable offers a glimpse into another era. Behind its original façade, however, the home unfolds into something altogether unexpected - a contemporary family residence shaped by light, texture, colour and a strong connection to the outdoors.

For homeowner Katie Davies, the vision was never to create a stark contrast between old and new. Instead, she wanted the two to sit comfortably together: preserving the generosity and character of the original home while creating a new chapter that felt warm, inviting and distinctly personal.

At the heart of the renovation is its striking gabled form, complemented by a terracotta brick screen, rammed earth walls, limestone floors, concrete surfaces and layers of tactile finishes. Soft, earthy tones run throughout, punctuated by rich burgundies, dusty pinks, olive greens and playful moments of colour.

Fenton & Fenton furniture, artwork and objects bring another layer of personality to the architecture, adding softness, colour and a sense of fun to a home designed first and foremost to be lived in.

We stepped inside Earth & Gable and spoke with Katie about honouring the home's heritage, embracing natural materials and creating a family home that will only get better with time.

OLD MEETS NEW

From the street, the original façade feels like a glimpse into another era, while everything beyond it is completely new. How did you want that transition to feel?

It was really important to me that the transition felt seamless and respectful of the original house. I was very keen to avoid adding a modern box to the back of a period home.

I think the architects achieved that beautifully. The terracotta brick screen and gabled roof give the new part of the house its own strong identity, while still feeling connected to what came before it.

Was there one heritage detail you were particularly determined to preserve?

All of it! I love the high ceilings, the ceiling roses and the grand proportions of the original front rooms. Those details give the house so much character and were a big part of what we wanted to retain.

THE VISION

When you stripped the house back and began again, what did you know you wanted the new home to be?

I wanted a light-filled house with glimpses of the outdoors and garden from as many spaces as possible.

More than anything, I wanted it to feel warm, cosy and inviting, somewhere you immediately feel comfortable being.

Was there one architectural decision that became the starting point for everything else?

The gabled roof. I think that became the defining architectural feature of the house and so much of the design evolved from there.

MATERIAL MATTERS

There is such a beautiful mix of texture throughout the home.
How did you approach the material palette?

I love texture, so I knew I wanted the house to incorporate lots of natural materials and different finishes.

The architects really understood that. We used rammed earth walls, limestone tiles through the living and dining spaces, concrete benchtops and lots of beautiful tiles throughout.

There’s a softness and warmth to those materials that I love. Even though the architecture is contemporary, it never feels stark.

What's a detail in the house you particularly love that someone else might walk straight past?

The steps leading from the kids' rumpus room down to their bedrooms.

They sit right at the point where the old and new parts of the house meet, with floor-to-ceiling glass on either side overlooking rooftop garden beds. I love that little transition, it feels quite special.

COLOUR & CHARACTER

The palette is incredibly calming, but there are also these wonderful hits of pink, burgundy, terracotta and green. How did you want colour to work within the home?

I wanted the architecture and materials to create a really warm, natural foundation, and then for the furniture and styling to bring in texture, personality and fun.

I love colour, but I wanted it to feel complementary rather than compete with the architecture.

THE FENTON EDIT

How did you want the furniture and styling to interact with the architecture?

I wanted it to complement the architecture while adding another layer of texture and colour.

The house itself has such a beautiful earthy palette, so the furniture and objects gave us an opportunity to introduce more playful colour and personality without losing that sense of calm.

LIVING HERE

Now that you've lived here for a while, has anything about the house surprised you?

I've been surprised by just how calming it feels.

Almost everyone who comes into the house comments on the colour palette and how soothing it is. I also love watching the light change throughout the day, particularly the way it filters through the mesh at the top of the void and falls down towards the outdoor dining area below.

Those are the moments you don't necessarily understand from a floor plan. You only really discover them once you live in the house.

And what do you hope Earth & Gable feels like ten years from now?

Lived in.

I hope it's filled with happy memories and that, over time, we've collected even more beautiful and interesting pieces for it.

I don't want it to ever feel finished. I want it to continue evolving with us.

HOME: Earth & Gable
Homeowner: Mark & Katie Davies
Furniture & Styling: Fenton & Fenton
Photography: Eve Wilson
Architecture: Studio Bright
Builder: Comb Construction