The Design Files: Lyon Housemuseum is a family home that doubles as an art museum

Who: Corbett and Yueji Lyon

Where: Kew, Victoria

What: A family home that is also a museum of contemporary art

The Lyon Housemuseum in Kew is no longer Melbourne’s best-kept secret. This remarkable, yet surprisingly under-the-radar home belongs to one very special family.

Corbett Lyon is a fourth-generation architect, and co-director of Lyons Architecture. His partner Yueji, and daughters Carlin and Jaqlin, are his creative partners in this truly innovative endeavour – an art museum that is also their family home.

The Lyon Housemuseum remains largely unknown to most Melburnians. An impressive family home to art collectors Corbett and Yueji Lyon, this incredible property also serves as an expertly curated art museum, housing the Lyons’ spectacular collection of Australian contemporary art. On designated days each week, the home is open to the public via private tours conducted by members of the family.

The Housemuseum first opened in 2009. A unique proposition, this hybrid of a private residence and a public museum is the first purpose-designed museum of this kind in the world.

It is a space that sparks the creative imagination so profoundly, bravely re-imagining the relationship between art and architecture, between public and private space.

• Related: When a creative family knew they’d found ‘the one’
• Related: Inside the tiny home Josh and Jenna Densten
• Related: Inside a plant-filled rental home

A home like this represents collaboration on many levels. First and foremost, the Housemuseum is a unique creative partnership between the couple, who began collecting Australian contemporary art more than 26 years ago.

Today, their collection comprises more than 350 works from more than 50 Australian artists, including Brook Andrew, Howard Arkley, Patricia Piccinini and Callum Morton.

Conceived by Corbett, the museum is very much a family affair – he and Yueji plan each exhibition (the artwork on display changes annually), host the public tours (Yueji takes weekday tours, Corbett does the weekend shift), and Carlin and Jaqlin help with administration and design, while Yueji takes all the bookings and, incredibly, also does all the cleaning.

Although they’ve hosted more than 10,000 visitors since opening in 2009, the Lyon family haven’t been particularly proactive about publicity – until now. This year, though, they have some news to share.

They have recently announced a major extension of their existing offering – they are building a new museum adjacent to the Housemuseum, and they’re donating it to the public – at a cost of $14.5 million.

Due to open in mid-2018, the new museum will operate in tandem with the existing Housemuseum, and will offer a new, purpose-built, exhibition space for both local and international art, temporary exhibitions and events.

Set to open in November 2018, the Lyon Housemuseum Galleries will launch with a huge exhibition of all-new commissions by Australian contemporary artists.

The Design Files guide to exhibiting works

Displaying art and collections is the most effective way to personalise a space, but “art” isn’t always a picture in a frame. Take objects out of their usual setting to see them differently. Mount a plate on a wall, or create a box or shelf for a treasured object.

• When hanging artwork, consider the space around it, too. Large artworks shouldn’t be crowded, while small artworks often benefit from being hung close to a ledge or surface.
• Transform a collection by displaying objects in an orderly, repetitive way.
• Take lighting cues from museums and galleries – anything you want to be noticed should have a light pointing at it.