Homes

Adriana Hanna and Arthur Gouvousis

We’ve been stalking the home of Melbourne architect Adriana Hanna for quite some time via Instagram. We’re also massive fans of the local architecture firm where she works, Kennedy Nolan. (You may recall their Westgarth House project, which Adriana worked on, and which we recently featured).

Finally, today we share the Preston home Adriana shares with her partner Arthur Gouvousis (an electrician) and their daughters Hanna and Yvonne. It’s a beauty!

Written
by
Lucy Feagins
Supported by Dulux

The Preston home of architect Adriana Hanna and her family. Above – living room. Artworks left to right by Minonette, Ashley Goldberg, Kim Barter. Ligne Roset Togo sofa in custom velvet upholstery, vintage rosewood tray table, Alanda glass table by Paolo Piva, Yoko Ozawa wall pocket. Isamu Noguchi Akari light sculpture. Hand-me-down Flokati rug from Arthur’s mothers village in Greece. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room. Ligne Roset Togo sofa in custom velvet upholstery, vintage rosewood tray table, and Alanda glass table by Paolo Piva. ‘I have deliberately selected pieces that appear to float in the space with their light black steel frames the Togo sits in a striking contrast to these elements grounded and vibrant,’ says Adriana. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Architect Adriana Hanna in her Preston home. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining room. Tjanpi desert weavers and Jo Ruchel baskets on a Moroccan kilim. Adriana says the kilim ‘required some intense haggling with a young salesman in Fez!’ This sits on the cork Ilse Crawford Sinnerlig table and stool from IKEA. Vintage Moroccan Boujad rug from Robyn Cosgrove, Celine Wright paper floor lamp, George Nelson Apple lamp, Kandya Jason dining chairs by Carl Jacobsen. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining room mantle. Adriana says of her ceramics collection, ‘The pieces collected here are all proudly hand made both locally and internationally. Pieces are by Kim Jaeger, Kirsten Perry, Tessy King, Soholm, Lovemose, Mel D’Alessandro, Jo Ruchel basket, artwork by Georgia Janetzki, and the balsa model was a first year architectural model making exercise’. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining room. Tjanpi desert weavers and Jo Ruchel baskets on a Moroccan kilim. Ilse Crawford sinnerlig table from IKEA. Celine Wright paper floor lamp. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining room window. Jo Ruchel basket, Gardenias Vase by Jaime Hayon for BD Barcelona and West Germany vessel in a macrame hanging. Mixed with a range of local trash and treasure plant finds. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room. Alun Leach-Jones print, Pop & Scott pot and French cane chairs. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Sunroom. Vintage Pongrass dining chairs, vintage teak tray, bowl and candleholders sourced from Smith Street Bazaar, and Patricia Urquiola mangas rug for Gan (hanging on wall). Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Main Bedroom. Muji bed linen with SCP Donna Wilson throw, vintage Anvia wall lights, and Patrick Francis painting. Bed proudly made by Arthur. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Main Bedroom. Muji bed linen with SCP Donna Wilson throw, vintage Anvia wall lights, and ‘Red Pipe’ photo by Derek Swalwell. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Nightstand details. ‘I perhaps have a strange attraction to objects with legs,’ mentions Adriana. Atelier Stella vessels, Aleph ceramics u-vase placing a watchful eye over Tessa Blazey jewellery and Bjorg ear cuffs in a Bridget Bodenham dish. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Study. Desk from Grandfather’s Axe, Diesel for Moroso over-dyed chair, and large tonal Ted May painting titled ‘Marmoo and Doowii’. Celine Wright giboulee lamp. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Writer
Lucy Feagins
24th of November 2015

Adriana Hanna and Arthur Gouvousis bought their home in Preston nine years ago. Arthur had been searching for properties in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne where he grew up – and when he stumbled across this large 1930s ‘Tudor revival’ home, the pair were sold. ‘Safe to say it was the details, such as the lead light windows, spiral stair case, expressed chimney, sweeping gables and the window seat which we were completely enamoured by’ Adriana says. The pair purchased the home, and four years later, were joined by twin daughters Hanna and Yvonne (now 5 years old).

So far, Adriana and Arthur have made only superficial changes here – painting the home inside and out, sanding and polishing timber floors, reinstating original fireplaces, and replacing picture rails. They’ve also added hydronic heating and a 7.5kw solar system which Arthur proudly designed and installed to offset the energy consumption of the house. Almost all the improvements so far have been undertaken by Arthur and Adriana themselves, over many weekends and late nights.

Rather than trying to make a contemporary architectural statement and stripping the home of its character, Adriana and Arthur have embraced the charm of their house. They still have grand plans for bigger renovations – next on their agenda is landscaping the back garden, followed by renovating the bathrooms and kitchen, and updating windows and floors. Though, they’re in no great rush. ‘With a growing family and changing needs, the house will probably never be finished’ admits Adriana. ’Personally, I don’t think I could keep everything the same, I need flexibility in the space I inhabit. So until we can tackle the bigger projects, we rely on furniture and objects to reflect our personality’.

When it comes to decorating, Adriana is bold and intuitive. She enjoys juxtaposing contemporary pieces with the original fabric of the home, and her skill at sourcing and bringing together varied contemporary furniture pieces with classic lighting, artwork, ceramics and plant life is demonstrated in every room. ‘I’m most attracted to the materiality of a piece, be it the texture of timber, velvet or pottery’ Adriana says.

Aside for her passion for all things textural and handcrafted, Adriana also has a thing for lighting. ‘I have a keen interest in lighting and have collected a handful of my favourites from designers such as Tobia Scarpa, Isamu Noguchi, George Nelson, Fog & Morup, Celine Wright; at night they all take on a different persona and transform from sculpture to functional pieces’ she enthuses. ‘They enhance the entire house, they provide a warmth and ambience that could never be replicated by a down light. You can never underestimate the importance of lighting.’ Not surprisingly, Adriana’s favourite time to be at home is the evenings!

When asked to describe her home’s aesthetic, Adriana is thoughtful. ‘I suppose there is a real risk in a design professional presenting their house, as it can easily be mistaken for the aesthetic of their work and can appear singular’ she says. ‘My house is not a project, and I haven’t put it together this way to reflect who I am professionally’.  Indeed, despite the very carefully considered details here, and Adriana’s impressive design credentials, this is a home that feels fluid and real and very relaxed. Above all, it’s a beautiful, liveable space, unencumbered by the expectation of having to be ‘finished’.

‘We don’t actively pursue a certain style’ Adriana says. ‘Our house is a platform where we can explore ways to satisfy both my insatiable visual appetite, and our family as it grows’.

Living room. Ligne Roset Togo sofa in custom velvet upholstery, vintage rosewood tray table, and Alanda glass table by Paolo Piva. Sculptures by Peter D Cole and Kenya Peterson on mantle. Hand-me-down Flokati rug from Arthur’s mothers village in Greece. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

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