Set within the palatial transformation of an early 1900s Queenslander house, Graya, Brisbane’s pre-eminent construction and interiors firm, have created a forever home for the company’s co-founder, Rob Gray, and his family. Befitting their reputation as the purveyors of subtropical modernism, the timber structure was raised two levels from its foundation to sit upon bold hyperbolic arches, ushering in a breezy sense of European ease. Fittingly called Arcos— Spanish for arches — the home’s lofty interior, palatial proportions and sweeping curves echo the grandeur of a Mediterranean inspired villa that draws upon Spanish Revival influences with adept finesse and restraint.
Given the bold scale of its architectural framework, material selections were refined to pale wheat and clotted cream shades to heighten the tactile nature of their surface finishes. Travertine paving anchors the home, ebbing around softened returns clad in rendered walls on the lower level, which effortlessly seeps into the walls upstairs. Their matte finish complements the organic envelope while surrendering to the gentle sheen of Kustom Timber’s (KT’s) New York Loft European Oak timber boards that sinuously sweep up the heart of the home – a dramatically curved staircase – to line the hallways and master bedroom.
The Australian engineered hardwood timber flooring specialists laid extra-long and ultra-wide boards from their COMO range. Purposely designed for larger homes, the boards ensure the spaces flow seamlessly by means of their plank formation and natural glow. Tonally complementing the home’s base palette, the boards also articulate the bedroom’s central bed plinth, granting the entire room a levitational quality.
“As we were blending the original home's Queenslander-style with Mediterranean themes for the new build, we wanted to retain timber flooring upstairs. We looked at all of the high-end suppliers around Australia and liked KT’s tones as they custom stain all their ranges for that point of difference.” — Rob Gray, co-founder, Graya
As with all KT’s ranges, the boards were heat and moisture treated and scratch tested prior to installation. This process ensures the perfect coating weight to guarantee peak performance. Honed polishing techniques add the finishing touch — in this instance, a low sheen UV oil and a light surface layer of Woca oil to enhance their durability and protect them from the warm rays that filter within the double-height windows.
Rob says that “Compared to previous homes we’ve lived in, the pre-finished floorboards haven’t been as hard wearing as KT’s. We really enjoyed dealing with them and subsequently, we have used them for another project (Charlotte Street), and will do so again.”
Designed specifically to weather Australia’s dry conditions, KT floors retain their original foundation with minimal seasonal expansion and contraction thanks to the stability of their multi-layer plywood construction engineering. In this instance, the luxurious solid timber planks are a generous 20mm thick.
Upon the floors, complimentary custom joinery elements with rounded profiles and minimal furniture selections conjure an air of quiet, contemplative cool. Above all, the deliberate mark of the maker is celebrated within the home, sculpting a crafted tale of artisanal vision.
Photography by David Chatfield