Named Druid Grove for its mystical and grounding qualities, the house weaves together an eclectic mix of natural and monumental elements, both fabricated and real, into material-rich spaces that feel part stage set, part sanctuary.
Druid Grove mixes subtle reconfiguration alongside daring architectural gestures. A half-metre rear extension and removal of a central structural wall unlocked the ground floor plan, reorganising it around a central antechamber, transformed from a dark underutilised dining area into a key introductory space . The antechamber, set with a bar, is flanked by a pair of cave-like openings concealing sliding pocket doors and setting the scene for the rough cast texture of the kitchen and dining area.
The front living room is painted entirely in a creamy white to maintain visual continuity and emphasise the architectural gesture of the cave openings. Flooring consists of Douglas fir plywood panels, oiled to highlight natural texture and grain.
The kitchen is transformed from a dark, pokey outrigger into an open, customised space defined by a 4 metre long meandering stainless steel kitchen island set with integrated hobs and fully welded in sink for a seamless finish.
Adding to the feeling of exaggerated natural forms, overhead timber trusses are imagined as growing tendrils, stained pale green.Set against the grey rough cast texture of the kitchen is an elevation of custom glazed Palet tiles in varying pink and orange tones. A high gloss pale pinky-cream paint bounces light through the room.
Standing sentinel to the ground floor extension in the garden is a single standing stone or ‘menhir’, a physical and symbolic anchor that provides privacy from neighbouring views. Last moved by the glacier that deposited it 15,000 years ago, this ancient rock adds to the cave-like sense of protection and enclosure, standing in contrast to the spacey steel canopy of the patio. The stone’s presence sets the tone for the home’s connection to nature: elemental, experimental and entirely personal.
A deep blue study and second bedroom echoes cinematic FX backdrops, while a large home office and studio draws from a palette of green and pink. A shower room part of the main ensuite on the top floor features a striking green terrazzo shower wall panel with purposefully broken edges, mimicking the organic gestures found throughout the home.
Photography by Felix Speller