Inside the home of Modernist
Architect, Sir Roy Grounds PAGE 12
The French art to joyful living with
Maison Balzac PAGE 24
04.
The enduring elegance of Victorian heritage homes
12.
Inside the home of Modernist Architect, Sir Roy Grounds
18.
A return to earth: Organic palettes make their mark in 2026
24.
The French art to joyful living with Maison Balzac
32.
Your ultimate guide to summer events
76.
Sell in the new year
Contents
In our summer edition of In Focus, we take you inside the
personal address of renowned architect Sir Roy Grounds,
and talk to its recent vendors on what it was like to live
in this historic example of modernist design. Further on
in the issue, The Local Project Founder, Aidan Anderson
predicts what colours will make a design impact for 2026
and beyond. Plus we speak to Elise Pioch Balzac, the mind
behind homewares brand Maison Balzac, on the art of joyful
living. Whether you’re seeking your dream home or fresh
ideas, Jellis Craig is your connection to something greater.
At 96 Powlett Street, East Melbourne, the harmonious repetition
of arches, and formal proportions showcase the architectural
sophistication that characterises Melbourne's grand terrace homes.
FOUNDATIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
In our exclusive series, Foundations of Architecture, we explore Victoria’s most
recognisable architectural styles, examining their origins, defining features, and
why they continue to shape our streetscapes today and what makes them highly
sought after.
Few architectural styles hold such a treasured place in
Melburnians’ hearts as the Victorian home. Built during Queen
Victoria’s long reign (1837–1901), these homes reflect a period of
extraordinary growth and ambition in Melbourne’s early history.
In the 1850s, the discovery of gold transformed Melbourne from
a provincial settlement into one of the world’s richest cities. As
newfound wealth swept through the colony, homeowners eager
to showcase prosperity looked to Britain for inspiration.
Drawing on Georgian and Regency design, local builders adapted
these ideals to suit the conditions, introducing wide verandahs,
high ceilings, and generous windows to maximise light and air. The
result was a distinctly Melbourne architectural identity, blending
European sophistication with Australian ingenuity.
The Enduring Elegance of
Victorian Heritage Homes
InFocus Spring | 5
The Many Faces of Victorian Design
interiors showcased polished timber floors, stained glass, and
finely plastered cornices and ceiling roses.
By the Late Victorian (1875–1901) period, Melbourne’s wealth was
mirrored in homes of grand scale and ornamentation. Italianate
influences appeared in detailed brickwork, archways, parapets,
ironwork, and sweeping verandahs adorned with intricate
detailing.
Victorian architecture in Melbourne is not a single style but a family of designs,
reflecting the city’s evolution from modest settlement to a thriving metropolis.
Early Victorian (1840–1860) homes were simple and symmetrical.
Brick-built with pitched roofs and restrained ornamentation,
decorative detailing was minimal yet thoughtful: moulded skirting,
plain plaster ceilings, and detached rear kitchens were hallmarks
of the period.
As gold-fuelled prosperity grew, Mid-Victorian (1860–1875)
design embraced embellishment. Façades featured intricate cast-
iron lacework, patterned tiles, and decorative brickwork, while
FOUNDATIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
A classic double-fronted Victorian, 123 The Parade, Ascot Vale demonstrates the period's love of symmetry. The central entrance is perfectly flanked by matching windows and verandah
columns, while delicate cast-iron lacework showcase the decorative craftsmanship of the era.
6 | InFocus Summer
FOUNDATIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
Detailed brickwork, archways, parapets, ironwork, and
sweeping verandahs adorned with intricate detailing.
Detailed plaster ceiling roses adorned light
pendants in classic Victorian homes, as seen
here at 55 Park Road, Middle Park
Stained glass windows often featured patterns,
birds, or roses. At 19 Bates Street, Malvern East,
the homeowner incorporated the year the home
was built into the design.
Distinctive for their elaborate decoration, ceiling
cornices blend organic motifs. At 168 Bellair
Street, Kensington, multi-tiered cornices show
off the high ceilings and complement an ornate
marble fireplace.
InFocus Summer | 7
At 34 Ferrars Place, South Melbourne, a statement
archway anchors this wide entrance hall, its curved
form accentuated by ornate plaster mouldings and
decorative corbels.
8 | InFocus Summer
The Heart of Melbourne’s Heritage
The Victorian spirit of grandeur also shaped our city’s great public
landmarks.
The Royal Exhibition Building, constructed in the Carlton
Gardens for the city’s first international exhibition in 1880, is a
UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its distinctive dome
and rich architectural detail.
Melbourne’s civic buildings, including Parliament House, the
Old Treasury Building, and Melbourne Town Hall, further
demonstrate the scale and ambition of the era.
Yet for most Melburnians, the true heart of Victorian architecture
lies in its residential streetscapes.
Some of the finest examples can be found across the city’s inner
suburbs, from the ornate terraces of Carlton, Brunswick and Fitzroy
to the graceful villas of East Melbourne, South Yarra, Hawthorn. As
well as further afield in regional areas such as Ballarat, Bendigo
and Geelong.
FOUNDATIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
A masterpiece of Victorian architecture, the Royal Exhibition Building captures the era's love of ornate detail and classical design. The building's
elaborate stone carvings, dramatic dome, and symmetrical composition reflect the same architectural values found in Melbourne's Victorian
homes expressed on a grander scale.
InFocus Summer | 9
A Living Legacy: Old Soul, New Life
Victorian homes remain a quintessential part of Melbourne's
streetscape, their iron lacework and decorative verandas woven
into the fabric of the city's identity.
Heritage overlays protect their historical significance, preserving
the street-facing character that defines our neighbourhoods,
while allowing sensitive adaptation behind the scenes. It's this
framework that enables these 19th-century residences to evolve
thoughtfully for modern living.
FOUNDATIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
Today, architects and homeowners are reimagining interiors,
drawing in natural light, and extending upwards or outwards to
create space for contemporary family life, all while respecting the
elegant façades that give Melbourne its distinctive charm.
10 | InFocus Summer
FOUNDATIONS OF ARCHITECTURE
It’s this sympathetic balance between preservation and progress that ensures
these homes remain as relevant today as they were in Melbourne’s boom years,
connecting residents to the past while keeping pace with a city that’s always
evolving.
The traditional Victorian façade at 26 The Parade, Ascot Vale, maintains the street's historical integrity with its ornamental cast-iron fretwork and classical details. Behind the original
home a striking contemporary addition delivers the functionality of modern living. This balance preserves Melbourne's architectural legacy while creating homes fit for today.
InFocus Summer | 11
BEHIND THE DESIGN
Inside The Home of
Modernist Architect,
Sir Roy Grounds
12 | InFocus Summer
Before his larger architectural marvels, he created three experimental houses each built around a single shape: a triangle, a circle, and a
square. Playing with this geometry, the square house, recently sold by Jellis Craig Stonnington, surprisingly feels more circular, due to its
round internal courtyard. In this article, we sat down with the home's most recent occupants to discuss what it has been like to live in this
historical example of modernist design.
Sir Roy Burman Grounds is one of Australia’s most celebrated architects. He is
known for exploring the mid-century movement in Australia and designing landmark
buildings including the National Gallery of Victoria. Knighted and awarded the RAIA
Gold Medal in 1968, he remains one of Australia’s foremost architectural modernists.
From the street, the building appears as an austere brick volume with minimal openings, just entry and service doors punctuate the
façade. Above the solid walls, a continuous band of windows separates the roof plane from the perimeter, washing interior spaces with
diffused daylight.
BEHIND THE DESIGN
14 | InFocus Summer
BEHIND THE DESIGN
Grounds designed the entire dwelling around a radical
geometric idea: a square floor plan embracing a circular glazed
courtyard at its heart.
The floor plan arranges rooms along radial walls that extend
toward but never quite reach the courtyard perimeter,
preserving sightlines across the glazed central space.
InFocus Summer | 15
Every room orbits the central courtyard, creating a constant
visual connection to the heart of the home. How has this
unique spatial relationship influenced your daily experience of
living here?
Daily living is surprisingly easy, yet remarkably special. Constantly
looking into the lush bamboo in the courtyard makes every
moment feel connected to nature.
Where do you find yourself gravitating to at different times
of day, and how does the light change throughout those
moments?
There are times of the year where the morning sun hits directly
on your pillow —it’s a beautiful way to wake up. In the afternoon,
sun shines through the living room, providing incredible visuals
through the bamboo. The fire pit in the courtyard is perfect
for evening drinks, and there is a special reverberation in the
courtyard that makes it feel intimate.
Have you discovered any unexpected qualities or behaviours of
the space over time?
The use of space is exceptional. The hidden cupboards and
doors only reveal themselves the longer you live there. They are
the perfect balance of aesthetic and practicality. Sir Roy used
the house as a bit of a test case for future projects, which is very
exciting. This included his designs for a built-in dining table, large
front door, hidden pocket doors, and internal courtyard.
Has living here changed your understanding of Roy Grounds’
vision or influenced the way you think about architecture?
It has made me love and appreciate modernist architecture much
more. Visiting a place like Palm Springs, a mecca for modernist
design has made me realise that Sir Roy was a true visionary and
up there with the best modernist architects.
How has the home’s heritage been maintained?
The house was restored back to its original condition in the early
2000s with reference to original drawings and papers stored at
the State Library. It was fastidiously done, down to the perfection
of the offset tiles in the bathrooms to the cork wall in the dining
area. Every aspect was brought back to life. A lot of the original
built-in cabinetry was precision-made, along with the original
door handles.
Tranquil,
harmonious,
contemplative
1/24 Hill Street, Toorak
Recently sold by Carla Fetter
Jellis Craig Stonnington
BEHIND THE DESIGN
16 | InFocus Summer
InFocus Summer | 17
A Return to Earth:
Organic Palettes Make
Their Mark in 2026
2026 DESIGN PREDICTIONS
Photography by Pier Carthew
18 | InFocus Summer
2026 DESIGN PREDICTIONS
Aidan Anderson, Founder of The Local Project, predicts what
colours will make a design impact in 2026.
InFocus Summer | 19
2026 DESIGN PREDICTIONS
Long defined by an affinity for restraint and minimalism, The Local Project has
celebrated spaces where form and feeling coexist in quiet balance. But in the latest
issue, a shift emerges – one that reflects the design world’s embrace of colour as a
vehicle for depth, emotion and connection.
For more than a decade, cool neutral palettes have dominated interiors. Now, that pared-back clarity is evolving. In its place, designers
are favouring earthy, organic hues, tones that speak to a desire to reconnect with the natural world, to engage the senses, and to create
spaces that feel grounded and welcoming. Here are three tonal palettes that are having their moment in the sun in 2026.
Photography by Clinton Weaver
20 | InFocus Summer
2026 DESIGN PREDICTIONS
Grounded reds
Among the emerging palettes, a family of soft, earth-toned reds is
taking centre stage. Nuanced tones of rust, ochre, terracotta, clay
and rose are surfacing across materials and details, from marble
and metal to joinery and brick. Whether used in broad, immersive
gestures or as subtle accents, they bring warmth and intimacy to
architectural form.
In The Corner Shop House, a reimagined terrace in Sydney’s
Camperdown by Downie North, this palette finds exquisite and
generous expression. In the ground-floor living space – anchored
by textural Krause bricks in autumnal tones – a rounded kitchen
island in rose-toned marble from Artedomus is a sculptural
centrepiece, complemented by a perforated metal staircase
rendered in a muted, burnished finish.
InFocus Summer | 21
2026 DESIGN PREDICTIONS
Mellow yellows
The current crop of yellows are gentle and luminous, subtle yet
transformative, bringing with them a sense of optimism, ease and
clarity.
In SSdH’s Dunstan – winner of the Residential Architecture
category at this year’s (Emerging) Designer Awards – the shade
is applied with precision and restraint. Yellow metal frames the
expansive glass doors that bookend the main living space, their
glow echoed in the timber beams that define the adjoining
alfresco areas. The result is a residence that feels bathed in
perpetual daylight.
Equally evocative is Lucy Folk's etc Le Bateau Ivre on the Sunshine
Coast, a colour-saturated reimagining of a classic Queenslander,
designed in collaboration with Sydney interior designer Tamsin
Johnson. Recently featured on The Local Project’s new real-
estate vertical, On The Local Market, the home features pops of
yellow throughout – in the custom vanities and sculptural mirrors
of the main bathroom, in a sun-drenched sofa that anchors the
living space, in art and objects that punctuate walls.
Photography by Anson Smart
22 | InFocus Summer