Fusing Californian Bungalow with Art Deco, Gothic and Georgian touches, multi-disciplinary design studio Hecker Guthrie’s Balaclava Residence offers a modern take on Melbourne heritage living for a family of six.
Described as “wacky” by architect and director Paul Hecker of Hecker Guthrie, Balaclava Residence is far from a conventional Melbourne home. Designed for a couple with four children, it strikes a delicate balance between shared living and intimate corners for play, privacy and pause. “Unlike many, they valued the existing architecture and recognised the beauty of the home they’d purchased,” Hecker explains. “Ultimately, they wanted a renovation that sensitively added to the house — respecting its character while making it work for modern family life.”
The home unfolds across three distinct zones, each attuned to the rhythms of family life. At the front, the original structure becomes a quiet retreat for the parents, where the primary bedroom, ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and a second living space are gathered. “We restored rather than replaced,” Hecker notes of the bathroom, where new plumbing was carefully integrated to preserve its original character. Period features remain touchstones in this part of the home — the living room fireplace, the terrazzo floor edged with an intricate border and the original 1930s–40s tiles — all honoured for their heritage and detail.
At the heart of the home, the kitchen, dining and living spaces flow together to embrace the daily rituals of family life. In the kitchen, a wood-fired barbecue set into a traditional fireplace speaks to one half of the couple’s love of cooking, while a glass screen around the island keeps clutter at bay without cutting off connection. To the rear, the children’s domain unfolds, with a family room on the ground floor and their bedrooms tucked above.
Pictured: the Wastberg W102 Chipperfield by David Chipperfield alongside the Barbera Design Bronze table by Daniel Barbera.
The custom panoramic Kodo wallpaper by Morgan Allender, Claudia Lau and Bill Henson unites the home’s varied influences into a single, cohesive narrative.
Within these zones, Hecker Guthrie’s layered sensibility quietly takes shape. Drawing from architectural influences that might at first seem at odds — Californian Bungalow, Art Deco, Gothic and Georgian — the studio brings them into considered conversation. The result is a deliberate fusion, each reference deepening the home’s character. “We embraced them all,” Hecker says. “The way I see it, we’re simply adding another layer in the home’s history — just another ‘moment in time’ that, hopefully, someone in 50 years will work with and respect in the same way.”
Materials anchor the home’s layered design, grounding its eclectic styles in tangible authenticity. As Hecker explains, they “start with ‘real’ materials, the kind that have been used for centuries”. European oak flooring, natural marble, honed terrazzo and fluted glass recur throughout the house, reinforcing a sense of enduring quality and reflecting the spirit of the original home.
A glass screen around the island bench cleverly balances practical needs with a sense of openness. Pictured: the Magis Officina bar stool by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec.
Bespoke elements — including custom panoramic Kodo wallpaper and artworks by Morgan Allender, Claudia Lau and Bill Henson, which inspired the colour palette — are woven through the spaces, with walls, ceilings, doors and details painted in singular tones to unify the varied styles and draw attention to the richness of plasterwork, patterns and detailing.
Balaclava Residence is a study in contrasts, preservation and layered design — a home that honours its past while offering a considered, vibrant environment for modern family life, marked by Hecker Guthrie’s thoughtful design hand.
Pictured: the Cassina Cab chair with arms by Mario Bellini.
Earthy greens, browns, greys, and soft peach tones, inspired by the owners’ cherished painting, inform the home’s cohesive and calming palette. Pictured: the Oeuffice Tuskan Chroma stool by Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte & Jakub Zak.
In the home office, the B&B Italia Le Bambole ’07 Bambola armchair by Mario Bellini and the Destroyers/Builders Windows of Bo Bardi side table by Linde Freya Tangelder.
Pictured: the Akari 120A pendant lamp by Isamu Noguchi and the Inout 44 side table by Paola Navone.
The home’s original bathroom retains its terrazzo flooring and 1930s–40s tiles, preserving heritage details while integrating discreet modern plumbing.
Pictured: The Water Monopoly Rockwell basin in Willow Green.
