When you’re renovating a small terrace in the inner city it’s a given that space will be at a premium, both inside and out. So, it takes a talented architect to not only create a sense of spaciousness and light within, but also to seamlessly blend the choice of new construction materials with the adjacent, snugly fit, buildings and the Victorian era streets.
Wilson Tang, of Sonelo Design Studio, did this exceptionally well. Driven by his client’s strong wish to use bricks, Wilson’s recommendation of using Krause Emperor bricks for the external walls and courtyard perfectly fit the bill. These stunning bricks, in Grampian Blue, provide a beautiful complement to the red brick of the adjoining building, along with the bluestone cobble in the rear lane, perfectly suiting Carlton’s Victorian era streets. But on top of that, the biggest selling point for Wilson’s client was the fact that the Emperor bricks are locally made, by Krause Bricks in rural Victoria.
From Wilson’s perspective, he simply loves the bricks, and has used them before. As Wilson comments, what sets them apart is, “their unique size – at 45mm high and 370mm long – which moves them from being just another ordinary brick, to something special, almost like stone.”
As you can see from the images, these beautiful bricks are the first thing that draws the attention of people passing by, adding that genuine ‘wow’ factor to the final result. And when the renovation was complete, for Wilson’s client to say, “I love it”, well, there really is no higher complement.
For more information on Krause Emperor Bricks, or to see samples, please contact Robertson’s Building Products on +613 8199 9599.
Architect: Sonelo Design Studio
Product: Krause Emperor bricks, Grampian Blue
Builder: TCM Building Group
Photographer: Peter Bennetts