Designed to inspire, The Aston is a five bedroom, three bathroom home with flowing internal spaces that seamlessly extend to external entertainment areas; and with an exciting combination of materials adding a tactile, earthy and natural element to the finished product.

For Architect Paul Tilse, and Interior Designer, Melinda Boag, the merging of creative disciplines allowed them to push the boundaries on design.

“Traditionally an architect draws up plans and then the builder and interior designer have to work around that, without having any input,” says Paul. “By working together from the start we can identify any challenges and work around that, resulting in a more seamless process and a far superior design.”

“We really spark ideas off each other,” adds Melinda Boag. “For instance, when Paul talked about using cedar cladding on the exterior of the home, I wanted to continue that warmth through the home with the beautiful honey tones of the ironbark timber floorboards.”

This is apparent as soon as you walk through the door and into the high ceilinged entry, with a stunning stacked natural bluestone feature wall making a dramatic impact.

From the entrance, you’re automatically drawn into the open plan kitchen and living area - the heart of the home. Despite being one large space, it’s been cleverly designed to create separate “hubs” between the kitchen, family room and dining room – perfect for when family members want to engage in different activities.

Floor to ceiling double-glazed bi-fold doors let in the natural light to bask the entire room in sunlight. Open the doors and you have a fourth living area: the stunning pool and landscaped gardens.

Entertaining has certainly been a key consideration in the design of The Aston, starting with the streamlined kitchen.

Long, wide bench tops provide plenty of room for food preparation and are strategically placed next to the sink and appliances to allow for efficient workflow, with the stainless steel bench top located next to the oven to minimise heat transferral when hot items are removed. A walk-in butler’s pantry allows you to hide prep clutter behind doors and the clever hidden storage beneath the hardwood countertop. The extended breakfast bench provides a place for children to complete homework or for guests to enjoy a drink while chatting to the Chef, and a high benchtop cleverly conceals the clutter of a busy kitchen.

“Outdoor entertaining is an essential part of the Australian lifestyle,” says Paul. “And we wanted to maximise the use of the swimming pool, paved outdoor entertaining areas and landscaped gardens. That’s why every major living area features floor to ceiling double-glazed bi-fold doors that instantly create a flow between the internal and external living spaces, perfect for use all year round.” The formal living area embodies this principle perfectly. Featuring the striking bluestone walls that run throughout the home and a wall-mounted gas fireplace, it creates a cozy and inviting ambience during winter, whilst in summer the doors can be opened up onto the pool area – ideal for guests to enjoy cocktails or post dinner drinks.

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The indoor-outdoor theme continues into the more private areas of the home, including a parent’s retreat filled with natural light and pool views – ideal for quiet contemplation and pre-breakfast peace and quiet. But the real scene-stealer is the luxuriously appointed ensuite. At its heart is the Apaiser freestanding bathtub, exuding understated sophistication, with its organic curves and clean, chic lines. Set in front of a large cedar window, it is complemented with his and her freestanding Apaiser stone basins and stunning recycled timber flooring with Hydronic heating underneath. Discreetly positioned to the side for privacy and seclusion, the Villeroy & Boch toilet features a soft-close seat and Grohe in-wall unit with illuminated flush plate. The shower features two shower points: one hand shower and a wide rain showerhead suspended from the ceiling.

But, according to Paul, the children don’t miss out either. “There’s an increasing trend towards having separate spaces for children and parents in the home,” he says. “And upstairs we’ve essentially created a “children’s retreat” with three bedrooms, their own bathroom and a multi-use living area – again with views overlooking the pool.

Externally, the house incorporates a variety of innovative materials that maximise energy efficiency, low ongoing maintenance and stylish design. Composite aluminium cladding with a timber-look pattern has been used on the walls to create the beauty of natural timber without the high maintenance. The garage door has been transformed into a focal point of interest through custom made natural cedar cladding that matches the cedar windows while a random stacked natural bluestone wall extends from the front garden through the house and out towards the pool to create a striking and distinct home feature. Technology has been fully embraced to enhance the living experience and includes a Sonos integrated sound system with Wi-Fi control and electric hi-lite opening windows.

However luxury is also balanced with eco friendliness. With an energy efficiency rating of six stars, The Aston proves that through intelligent design, and an ingenious use of materials, you can live in harmony with the environment as well as living in the luxurious home of your dreams.

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