Melbourne architecture and design practice Pasquale Cook enhances the grandeur and glossiness of a 90s home for a growing family.
Elevated on a leafy street in Melbourne’s inner city, Mirror House was once a tired 90s build. Pasquale Cook was tasked with redesigning the family home to reflect a warm and uncluttered living environment that was sympathetic to its original era. “It was important for the home to be practical and durable for the young family,” Pasquale Cook co-founder Sophie Di Pasquale says, “and so robust finishes were used throughout.”
These finishes, including washable rendered walls, solid marble floors and laminate kitchen cabinetry, were made in part with the expectation to age and patina over time. On a larger scale, these design choices subtly nod to the original home’s 90s architecture. “We wanted to create a luxurious feel without the home feeling ostentatious,” Di Pasquale continues. “We brought back some of the grandeur and glossiness that the 90s references showcased—but in a more contemporary way.”
The use of marble in the kitchen enhances the ‘grandeur and glossiness’ of the 90s home.
The dining space features the Chiavari chairs by Gio Ponti for Fratelli Spinetto and a brass counterbalance pendant by Gaetano Sciolari for Stilnovo.
The marriage between 90s revival and contemporary living is revealed through the home’s intimate pockets for dining, reading and playing music. These spaces have been established for room-to-room viewing, an intentional option created to “allow for areas to be opened or closed when required,” Pasquale Cook co-founder Sally Cook says. Pasquale Cook forwent a typical open-plan layout by enclosing the stairs in textured, rendered walls and establishing a concealed, solid sliding door to the home’s library.
Clean, sharp lines, a restrained, muted palette, and curated artwork from local and international artists create a warm and refined atmosphere. The owners were drawn to heavy brass and marble elements, and this is actualised in the inclusion of a brass counterbalance pendant by Gaetano Sciolari for Stilnovo, a custom marble and bronze coffee table and joinery hardware by Daniel Barbera and a Knoll Saarinen coffee table in deep burgundy by Eero Saarinen. “For us, it’s always important to explore decorative pieces from a range of eras and styles to create a unique and balanced feel for the home,” Cook explains.
As its name suggests, Mirror House reflects Pasquale Cook’s distinctive approach to blending context and personal style. In between moments of boldness, the home’s natural palette and textural layers ensure each space feels connected and ready to endure for years to come.
The B&B Italia Tufty-Time sofa by Patricia Urquiola, Knoll Saarinen Tulip dining table by Eero Saarinen and the Cassina LC1 chair by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand in the living room.
Natural materials such as oak and linen are a canvas for artwork and bespoke pieces, such as the custom Vellum wall lights by Pasquale Cook.
A curved bathtub and a boxy-lined basin pay homage to the original 90s build.
