Words by Samii Lund
With their incredible eye for curation and a longstanding appreciation for the arts, Hans and Ursula of House of Orange breathe new life into their cherished Edwardian family home in Elwood.
An enchanting presence hidden in plain sight, sunshine streaming in through every window, an established garden and pool veiled within the foliage to the rear. From the street, the home wears its solid-brick Edwardian history with integrity. Yet, inside, it tells a different story, with soaring ceilings, a circular living space that curves around the garden, and incredible proportions that reveal pockets of brilliance at every turn. “The feeling as you walk through is that you’re entering a bit of a secret oasis,” the owners say. “That sense of escape was the first pull.”
Upon finding the c1910 double-fronted beauty on Avoca Avenue, Hans and Ursula, the design duo behind House of Orange, knew they’d found something special. “It was instantly the mix of old and new,” they explain. “We’ve always believed in taking what’s original and giving it a modern counterpoint. Not to erase its history, but to keep it loose, relaxed, and curated.”
Architect Steve Domoney’s extension gave the house its curved centrepiece. Their instinct was to strip it back, removing the low ceiling and exposing Blackbutt beams. “It raised the ceiling by 300 millimetres, which resulted in a massive room changer,” Hans recalls. “The whole space just opened up.”
The interiors became lighter, calmer. “We immediately set about taking the dark timber floors back to the palest matte finish we could achieve, and repainting the whole home in a soft, cloudy white, and rendering the living room’s walls with micro cement, opening up the entire house with this continuity throughout the rooms that made it flow.” The kitchen’s heavy purple and red tones were replaced with more neutral and up-to-date finishes, in line with their neutral ethos. “We prefer to add colour in different ways, in small pieces of art, candles, quaint European-style lamps.” Says Hans.
The way the family lived together informed every design decision. “The great thing about this home is that it allows everyone to exist in independent zones and yet still feel connected.” The front room became a retreat, the backyard a playground for children within sight of the living area and a concealed galley laundry that doubled as a butler’s pantry proved, in their words, “an absolute godsend.”
Practical upgrades mattered just as much as aesthetics. “A home is to be lived in, not displayed,” Hans says. So, they installed hydronic heating, a new hot water system, and even a zip tap for daily ease. Music was layered in, with Sonos speakers running through every room. “Every piece in our home is considered based on whether we love it and whether it connects. Nothing is here by mistake.”
Visitors feel it too. “Everyone who comes says it’s one of their favourite houses,” they say. Summer evenings spill out onto the deck, while winter afternoons are spent curled up in the circular room as the rain falls outside. “This is a very happy place,” they reflect. A home shaped by its love, light, and the belief that beautiful imperfection is what makes a house live.
Now exclusively for sale with RT Edgar Glen Eira, 25 Avoca Avenue, Elwood is ready for a new family to make it theirs. For more information, please contact Todd Newton on0412 568 313
