Small but mighty: Il Duomo

Melbourne practice Wowowa Architecture has a way with colour and texture and this home is proof of that. Working with a brief that called for a light-filled, flexible space with plenty of storage, the Wowowa team has produced a jewel of whimsy and surprise in the heart of Melbourne’s Carlton North. “We love creating colourful forever homes for people who know life’s too short for boring spaces,” director Monique Woodward explains. “And we want to celebrate an optimistic Australian culture and daffy colloquialism by translating them into something that’s architecturally ambitious.”

The Victorian worker’s cottage had undergone a postwar DIY renovation that left it with a faceted, vaulted ceiling and an affectionate nickname that’s since stuck, Il Duomo. Highly ornate tiles also contributed to the home’s newly Italian flavour, as did the pink, white and green grid of the Florentine facade. So, when it came to renovating the interiors, the architects took unabashed inspiration from the home’s lively Mediterranean theme and weren’t shy about inflecting a contemporary twist on it.

View gallery

Il Duomo by Wowowa Architecture.

Image: Martina Gemmola

Pink, black and green terrazzo extends underfoot from the living area’s newly created, terrarium-like courtyard to the interior, optimizing a sense of spatiality in what is a small, urban site. The furnishings, in rich burgundy and lush green, are juxtaposed with the speckled floor and work in well with the kitchen’s joinery – a fun mix of caramel timber and muted green laminate. This is a particularly diminutive space, but the architects have been judicious in their planning to ensure everything is at an appropriate scale. The island bench, for example, extends from the wall and, while it appears much shorter than most, it is functional and well suited to the space. Meanwhile, the banquette-like seat is likewise built-in and compact, also serving as a storage unit. An acoustic panel-filled waffle ceiling is, perhaps, the proverbial icing on the cake; the way it synergizes with the courtyard’s geometry is one of many lovely vignettes to be found throughout this reinvigorated cottage.

View gallery

Pale green tiles in the shower recess contrast with the terrazzo floor.

Image: Martina Gemmola

There’s an element of bespoke craftsmanship to this renovation and it’s especially evident in the bathroom. With the terrazzo flooring as a backdrop, the vanity unit’s dusty green finish melds beautifully with the shower niche’s custom powdercoated steel frame and pale-mint-coloured tiles, each with its own seemingly unique pattern.

The architects’ fine attention to detail has enabled them to successfully mitigate the cottage’s constraints, delivering a home of indisputable charm and appeal.