Soft Focus
This reimagined Spanish Mission home fuses old and new into a serene family haven that is warm, embracing and chic.
BUILDING DESIGN, INTERIOR DESIGN, LANDSCAPE DESIGN + CONSTRUCTION Thomasz Design & Construction • STYLING Sachi Design • IMAGERY Jody D’Arcy • WORDS Elizabeth Clarke
The intangible thing, “It just feels right”, is almost always what initially draws us to a prospective new home. When Sacha and Jared Thomasz first saw this 1932 Spanish Mission house on a leafy street in Inglewood, they knew it was theirs. Bearing all the typical design elements of the era, from its terracotta clay tile roofs and white stucco walls to its soaring arches, its potential was obvious despite its status as the street’s “ugly duckling”.
“It was very old and dated and had gone through a small renovation, but it still had its original layout,” recalls Sacha. “We loved its point of difference amongst the Californian bungalows on the street and wanted to honour its original style but make it more liveable.”
The home was in good hands. The husband-and-wife team runs the luxury boutique Perth building business Thomasz Design & Construction and specialises in character renovations, extensions, additions and interiors. Restoring the house's Mediterranean charm while adding their own strong aesthetic vision has resulted in a home that defines contemporary minimalism.
The exterior preserves its iconic stucco walls, terracotta-tiled roof, and distinctive arched windows and doorways. Adding a steel front door with reeded glass provides privacy while allowing natural light to illuminate the home’s interior spaces.
Inside, the home was fully gutted, and three bedrooms, a bathroom, mud room, wine cellar and a powder room were designed at the front. At the rear is an expansive open-plan living area encompassing a kitchen, dining and living space that opens to the garden. A second level was added, accessed via a serpentine sweep of a staircase that embraces the master suite, theatre, and a vast walk-in linen cupboard.
The walls and ceilings throughout are coated in limewash paint in bone by Bauwerk, which feels cocooning and imbues velvety softness, warmth and openness.
"Bauwerk paint is natural, and the texture enhances the minimal feel we have created," Sacha says. The floors are lined with elegant travertine, imparting a European feel and adding texture and warmth while maintaining the minimal aesthetic.
“We applied a consistent palette throughout all the spaces to make the home feel as pared back as possible,” Sacha says. “There is one colour wall and ceiling throughout, one colour benchtop and one colour cabinetry. It feels very simplistic and natural.”
This limited range of materials also helps focus attention on the home’s inherent beauty. The family’s open-plan living space, with its lofty ceilings, recessed lighting and soft, nuanced palette, instils an airy ambience. Vast glass doors stack into cavities, allowing the interior to seamlessly merge with the outdoors, creating one ample open space and a sense of visual infinity.
The kitchen is the nucleus of the home, dominated by a curvaceous concrete island bench. Instead of overhead cabinets, a discreet steel shelf runs along the edge of the splashback. "We opted for a timber look for the cabinetry to infuse warmth into the space," Sacha explains. “All the appliances are integrated, and the scullery and laundry areas are tucked away to the side, giving the kitchen a streamlined appearance.”
Sacha extended the same restrained influence in the adjacent living space, allowing just touches of colour and decorative detail to creep in, including artwork by Byron Bay artist Jai Vasicek. The clean, white and light-filled space embraces a considered selection of contemporary furnishings made of travertine, timber and soft linens.
The focal point of the house is the swoop of a staircase delicately coated in lime wash paint. Its soft, organic and sculptural form gracefully unites the two floors of the house, while a trio of Muuto frosted glass pendants
serves as the only decorative embellishment. Beneath the staircase is a glass door leading to a wine cellar that wraps beneath it.
Upstairs, the master suite has been designed as an open space, separated by a long timber headboard that backs onto the ensuite vanity and a pair of floating oblong mirrors. The bathroom is dominated by a travertine-tiled bath atop a pedestal, alongside other creative comforts including his-and-her wardrobes and an infrared sauna. "We used micro cement in a similar colour to the Bauwerk paint instead of tiles for a more seamless look," says Sacha.
When not luxuriating upstairs, the couple is in the garden with their young sons and French bulldog, Pablo. “We love being able to open up to the back garden and spend lots of time there,” Sacha says. “In summer, we live in the pool cabana with its outdoor kitchen and wine fridge.”
When the glass doors are wide open, the indoor and outdoor kitchens appear as one long run. Both feature the same timber look, but the alfresco version is made with a compact laminate mix that can withstand the elements. Its benchtop comprises terracotta-toned tiles, and below it is a clever built-in kennel to which Pablo can retreat. Sacha powder-coated the outdoor furnishings white and arranged them around the outdoor fire, which features stuccoed surrounds that reference the original home’s facade.
The outdoor area at the rear features an established jacaranda tree and a swimming pool that creates a holiday-like atmosphere. The pool has a distinct resort-style design with its linear shape and steps leading into it. It is enclosed with glass fencing, and the pool’s perimeter is delineated by honed aggregate that extends around the entire property.
By avoiding a large material palette and excess objects, Sacha has created a home that embodies minimalist design at its best. "It's a very relaxing home to live in, especially being able to open up to the back garden and spend lots of time there," she says. "It’s a sanctuary that feels calm and soothing and the most amazing place to come home to."
An open indoor-outdoor connection increases livability in the home, and a soft, neutral palette creates a soothing ambience. The artwork is by Byron Bay painter Jai Vasicek, the sofa is from MCM House, the island bench stools from Zenn Design, the travertine dining table is custom-designed, and the chairs are from MCM House.
Bathed in natural light, the open-plan living space’s gentle palette and glass doors connect the interior to the exterior, echoing Mediterranean style. The cabinetry features Laminex Classic Oak Nuance, the bench and benchtops are concrete, the splashback features tiles from Tile Expo, the tapware is by Phoenix Tapware, and the sink is from ABI Interiors.
The dining table was custom-designed by Sacha, who selected a beautiful travertine slab from Zuccari Stone and then worked with a stonemason to bring it to life. The chairs surrounding the table are from MCM House. The front door, composed of steel and reeded glass, can be seen in the background.
The couple is drawn to sculptural forms. In the dining space parallel to the kitchen, the table's curves relate to the shapes of the arches. The pair of kitchen stools from Zenn Design are upholstered in a textile from Warwick Fabrics.
In the kitchen, you catch a glimpse of the scullery. The entire home is swathed in Bauwerk Colour Limewash paint in Bone, creating a warm and neutral ambience with subtle grey undertones. This beautiful paint catches the light, accentuating the curves and planes of the walls and ceilings while imparting softness throughout the spaces.
The view from above reveals the stairwell's softly organic shapes. Windows at the very top draw in light, which beautifully illuminates the space
The elegant curved stairwell ushers the couple up to their beautiful master suite and theatre. The trio of lights are from Muuto, and the plinth Sacha created herself. The glass door next to the stairwell opens to a wine cellar that meanders its way beneath the stairs.
The master suite is a spacious, open area with a bed and bathroom divided by a timber bedhead. The bed linens are by L&H Home and Bed Threads, and the velvet cushions by L&M Home. The space includes an infrared sauna by Revive Sauna, creating a perfect retreat for relaxation and wellness.
In the bathroom, two mirrors float above the dual vanity. The use of micro cement, matched to the paintwork, imbues the space with a seamless aesthetic, harmonising with the Laminex Classic Oak Nuance cabinetry and travertine. The basins are from ABI Interiors and the white tapware from Phoenix Tapware.
The bathroom includes a Roman bath tiled in travertine. The tapware is by Phoenix Tapware.
Soft linen sheers filter light into the shower recess. The shower head is by Phoenix Tapware.
The outdoor entertaining space features curved elements that provide a beautiful contrast to the more linear forms and details, such as the floor pavers. The outdoor lounge from MCM House was powder-coated white, which complements the space. The coffee table is from Sitting Pretty Furniture.
A custom sign sourced from Etsy gives the home its name. The wall light is from Alti Lighting.
Pablo the French bulldog makes himself comfortable in his kennel, upholstered in a textile from Warwick Fabrics. The benchtops are covered in terracotta tiles from Myaree Ceramics referencing the traditional Spanish roof.
The swimming pool's sleek, straight lines contrast with the home's Mediterranean-inspired arches. Surrounding the pool are several outdoor entertaining areas – an outdoor kitchen, comfortable lounge space, and a cabana.
Sacha and Jared, the owners and builders, delight in their minimal and serene home. They enjoy the view towards their house from the pool cabana, which references the original home’s arches. The high table is from Sitting Pretty Furniture, and the chairs are from MCM House.
The Spanish Mission home, built in 1932, features typical design elements of its era such as white stucco walls and soft arches. The couple retained the facade for its uniqueness and replaced its roof tiles with Spanish-style terracotta to enhance it.
"We applied a consistent palette throughout all the spaces to make the home feel as pared back as possible. There is one colour wall and ceiling throughout, one colour benchtop and one colour cabinetry. It feels very simplistic and natural.”
—SACHA THOMASZ, Thomasz Design & Construction
Tour more havens
