Houzz Tour: A Former Chicory Kiln is Transformed Into a Holiday Home
A historical kiln in Australia is given a new lease of life as an airy and serene holiday retreat
Landscape architect Charles Anderson and his wife Tiziana Launech scoured Phillip Island in Australia for years in search of a traditional chicory kiln they could transform into a unique holiday home. Chicory kilns – once used for drying chicory dock, a root vegetable similar to parsnip that thrives within the island’s rich volcanic soil – are a prevalent architectural feature on Phillip Island. When they finally came across their future home on Ventnor Beach, they asked architect and friend Andrew Simpson to turn the historical building into a modern and social retreat. Charles and Andrew collaborated on the design to produce A House for Hermes, named after Charles’ own art exhibition shown at Tarrawarra Museum in 2007.
Houzz at a Glance
Location Victoria, Australia
Who lives here Landscape architect Charles Anderson and his wife Tiziana Launech
Size 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms
That’s Interesting The mobile joinery in the main living area can be moved around according to the homeowners’ needs
Houzz at a Glance
Location Victoria, Australia
Who lives here Landscape architect Charles Anderson and his wife Tiziana Launech
Size 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms
That’s Interesting The mobile joinery in the main living area can be moved around according to the homeowners’ needs
The property sits in the stunning coastal setting, about 600 meters from the beach on Phillip Island, and is across from protected wetlands — a lush and secluded backdrop.
‘It is a relatively flat block dotted with indigenous shrubs and trees, along with a second smaller home and detached studio,’ says Andrew.
The entrance opens straight onto the bright and airy kitchen and dining room. The open-plan living space creates a social atmosphere where Charles and Tiziana can entertain guests with ease.
The hoop-pine plywood and stainless steel kitchen is one of the quirkier aspects of the house – mobile stair joinery. It can be reconfigured for a variety of uses within the downstairs area, providing both access to the staircase and extra worktop space when needed.
‘The mobile joinery is one of my favourite features of the house,’ says Andrew. ‘There is such a variety of uses for it.’
The space can be transformed to facilitate a group cooking class, for example, or an intimate meal. By stowing the joinery, a completely open-plan is created on the ground floor. The joinery can also act to separate the kitchen and dining areas – more strongly defining the two rooms.
The hoop-pine plywood and stainless steel kitchen is one of the quirkier aspects of the house – mobile stair joinery. It can be reconfigured for a variety of uses within the downstairs area, providing both access to the staircase and extra worktop space when needed.
‘The mobile joinery is one of my favourite features of the house,’ says Andrew. ‘There is such a variety of uses for it.’
The space can be transformed to facilitate a group cooking class, for example, or an intimate meal. By stowing the joinery, a completely open-plan is created on the ground floor. The joinery can also act to separate the kitchen and dining areas – more strongly defining the two rooms.
Don’t be fooled by the minimalist design of the joinery. Andrew cleverly crafted the units with ultimate functionality in mind.
‘Each mobile joinery unit is built on casters to allow them to easily roll along the floor,’ he says. The casters include breaks so they can be moved and securely set in place to allow people to walk up and down. ‘Each unit is based on the same module to allow multiple configurations with flush heights and consistent materials.’
‘Each mobile joinery unit is built on casters to allow them to easily roll along the floor,’ he says. The casters include breaks so they can be moved and securely set in place to allow people to walk up and down. ‘Each unit is based on the same module to allow multiple configurations with flush heights and consistent materials.’
Showcasing the industrial past of the house, the high ceilings and large open spaces pay homage to the traditional chicory kiln structure.
Charles put his own mark on the design by not only naming the project after his exhibition, but also reusing materials from it. The plywood with intricate etchings from the art show are embedded in the ceiling of the spacious dining and living rooms.
The floorboards are recycled oak and the dining table salvaged from an old cottage on site.
Foglia Chair, James Richardson.
Discover how to elevate your interiors with reclaimed wood
Charles put his own mark on the design by not only naming the project after his exhibition, but also reusing materials from it. The plywood with intricate etchings from the art show are embedded in the ceiling of the spacious dining and living rooms.
The floorboards are recycled oak and the dining table salvaged from an old cottage on site.
Foglia Chair, James Richardson.
Discover how to elevate your interiors with reclaimed wood
Charles and Tiziana used both old and new furniture for the house, including this mid-20th century sideboard they picked up from a second-hand shop.
Browse 10 stylish sideboards
Browse 10 stylish sideboards
A humble cloakroom is slotted into the downstairs living area with a suspended toilet and wall-to-wall mirror giving the illusion of more space.
Upstairs, the study is a secluded haven where Charles can focus on his projects. The large windows provide a scenic view of the beautiful coastal landscape, and the louvres beneath the window encourage natural ventilation.
The bookcase spanning the back wall was custom-made by Orana Joinery – just what Charles and Tiziana needed for their extensive book collection.
Charles made the industrial hanging lights with large globes from Beacon Lighting and ceiling light cords from Fat Shack Vintage.
The bookcase spanning the back wall was custom-made by Orana Joinery – just what Charles and Tiziana needed for their extensive book collection.
Charles made the industrial hanging lights with large globes from Beacon Lighting and ceiling light cords from Fat Shack Vintage.
Desk, Chapman and Bailey.
The bedroom is located on the kiln’s upper level; the light streams in through a strategically positioned skylight. ‘The skylight at the apex of the kiln in the bedroom affords an uninterrupted view to the sky during the day and the stars at night; it also allows for passive cooling,’ Andrew says.
And so, a holiday house was born. ‘It was a collaborative design process, and the owners were very closely involved from inception through to completion,’ Andrew says. ‘They love being there.’
TELL US…
What are your thoughts on this renovated kiln? Let us know in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What are your thoughts on this renovated kiln? Let us know in the Comments below.
Of course, as a building dating back to the 20th century, the renovation wasn’t a completely smooth process. The renovation team had to rebuild and restore the chicory kiln’s cracking and flaking concrete after construction had already begun. To resolve this issue, Andrew worked closely with the builder and opted to use shotcrete (a concrete conveyed at a high velocity) over steel reinforcement.
‘It’s these unknown existing conditions that can potentially cause a budget blowout, which is why collaborating closely with everybody else involved was crucial to the project being completed on budget,’ says Andrew.