Handcrafted Krause Emperor bricks create a warm welcome at Wheelers Hill.

Set back from the street, Wheelers Hill House beautifully characterises a modern farmhouse in a suburban setting. Its clean, simple lines and raw, natural palette delivers warmth and intimacy in spades. And is simply perfect for a family downsizing from a semi-rural location.

Renowned for its warm minimalist approach, the team at Matyas Architects has more than delivered. Wheelers Hill House is a spacious four-bedroom, three-bathroom home that’s responsive to its surroundings, yet makes an indelible mark on this quiet southeastern Melbourne suburb.

The natural palette of warm materials creates a welcoming and calm presence. Krause Emperor Bricks in Ghost, Blackbutt timber-lined ceilings, and American Oak flooring are a stunning combination. These materials are beautifully complemented by Apollo Random Ashlar stone on the fireplace and living room surrounds and Endicott random stone paving at the entrance, and smartly contrasted with muted black accents on the window and trims.

It's a well-considered, minimalist palette, with brick a clear standout from the beginning.

“Face brick is a predominant material used in the neighbourhood, so that informed our decision to select it. We wanted to do something that wasn’t competing with the buildings but related to the existing streetscape,” says John Matyas, owner of Matyas Architects.

“And we wanted a handcrafted feel, so that’s where the Krause Emperor bricks come into their own. The bricks achieved the handmade qualities we were looking for, with their subtle variation in finishes and colour,” continues John.

To help blend the palette of brickwork and achieve a softer, more hand-finished look, a light concrete slurry is used across the brickwork, resulting in a muted finish, without losing Krause bricks’ beautiful colour variation.

The result is stunning.

The use of Blackbutt timber is jaw-dropping. The beauty of the timber is accentuated by the striking pitched roof, which is, without a doubt, another outstanding feature of the home. Not only visually appealing, but by extending the ceiling plane upwards and using the peaked underside of the roof internally, the inside spaces feel generous, open, and light-filled.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights flood all rooms with an abundance of natural light, particularly in the open-plan living area. Here, the lines between inside and outside are generously blurred, with thoughtful landscaping by LePage Design creating a vision of green plantings from every window.

Wheelers Hill House looks as good as the day it was built, two years on, the spaces all work seamlessly as a comfortable family home, and its timeless design and palette only improve with age.

Architect: Matyas Architects
Product: Krause Emperor bricks, Ghost
Builder: Markus Builders
Landscape: LePage Design
Photos: Alex Reinders