Tucked quietly into a leafy street in Melbourne’s inner south-east, Terracotta House by Lande Architects is a thoughtful reimagining of an Edwardian residence. One that prioritises warmth, a richly layered material palette and a sense of lived continuity over overt statements.

Clad in terracotta shingles, the exterior sets the tone for what unfolds within. There’s a softness to the home, it's lived-in, timeless and grounded. This sensibility guided the project from the outset: to create a family home that feels intuitive and personal, a place where new roots could be established while honouring the past.

Material choices throughout the home are deeply personal. Drawing on the clients’ rural upbringings, Lande Architects wove references to farming life and communal gathering into the interiors.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the kitchen - conceived as the heart of
the home. What began as an idea for a farmhouse table evolved into a generous
marble island bench, grounding daily rituals and shared family moments.

“They grew up in farming communities, so we wanted to bring those memories of home and growing up in rural New South Wales into the house”

Lachlan McArdle, Director at Lande Architects.

The living spaces continue this dialogue between familiarity and reinterpretation. Furnishings are layered rather than matched — a balance of reclaimed, custom and existing pieces that gives the home its unique charm.

Within this space, our Maya Coffee Table sits naturally, its sculptural presence complementing the home’s earthy palette and tactile materiality. Positioned at the centre of the living area, it becomes both a functional anchor and a considered statement.

“Good architecture should speak to its time. You shouldn’t try and mimic the past, and I don’t think you should try and predict the future. A home should feel and present its time.”

Terracotta House is exactly that — a home
shaped by people, place and philosophy, designed to be lived in and loved for
years to come.

As seen in: The Local Project

Architect: Lande

Builder: BFC Built

Photography: Anson Smart