The Design Files: A handcrafted Alistair Knox home

Who: Susie Silverii and Laurence Parisi with children Oli, 10, Alfie, 6, and Lulu, 2

 What: A handcrafted home with history and heart

 Where: Hurstbridge, Victoria

Susie Silverii and Laurence Parisi spent years dreaming of buying land on which to raise their growing family – with children Oli, 10, Alfie, 6, and Lulu, 2.

They inspected several homes in Melbourne’s outer north-east, including several by famous local designer Alistair Knox, but none were quite right in their current state.

“Many of these homes had very quirky floor plans that required too much work, or they weren’t large enough for our growing family,” Silverii says. “I was only ever prepared to make a tree change if we found a perfect Knox match for us.

“Fortunately, we came across this home on 20 acres of private bushland, and were lucky enough to move in just before the pandemic exploded here in Melbourne.”

This particular home in Hurstbridge was built by Knox but designed by John Pizzey, who was Knox’s right-hand man for 15 years before starting his own architecture practice.

Silverii and Parisi loved the home’s floor plan and learning about its rich history from the vendors, who commissioned the house back in 1978.

“It was untouched, in completely original condition, and something we felt we could put our own stamp on,” Silverii says.

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“We fell in love with the views, being high up on a hill, and on 20 acres of very private natural bushland. It had an instant, calming feel.”

Through their conversations with the former owners, Silverii and Parisi learned many details about the home’s origins.

The mud bricks were made from clay sourced from a local dam, the fireplace slate hearths and thousands of bricks were salvaged from the original Richmond Primary School, timbers were sourced from a demolition yard and the three leadlight windows came from a church in Briagolong, Gippsland.

Nearly all these original details remain today in the timber ceilings, restored mud-brick walls, brick flooring and open fireplaces wrapped in recycled apricot bricks.

“There is not a single plaster wall in this house,” Silverii says.

She and Parisi haven’t made any structural changes to the property, although many rooms have been given a sympathetic, cosmetic update.

“The renovation/restoration process mostly involved problem solving,” Silverii says. “It was sometimes challenging to remain faithful to the original design while trying to adapt it for modern family living, staying within budget for each space, and working with the uneven floors and walls of this handmade house.”

Silverii loves so many details of this home, but what she appreciates most is the way it makes her family feel.

“It’s more about the experiences this home is allowing us to experience, the memories it is helping us to make and the feelings it is making us feel,” she says. “We love that it is a sustainable home and that we are preserving a piece of local history.”

How to get the 1970s look

The 1970s are back, in a big way. It’s true what they say, every trend really does come around again, if you wait long enough!

Here’s how to channel the best of the decade’s style, without falling into pastiche.

– Look for every opportunity to maximise texture – restore and highlight timber panelling and embrace natural slate and stone.

– Embrace the red brick and tiled floors of the ’70s – they not only look great but are also incredibly robust and require minimal upkeep.

– When it comes to furniture and decoration, look for rattan furnishings and woven finishes.

– Leafy foliage and plant life was a key motif of the ’70s – cultivate your own indoor jungle or seek out leafy patterns in artwork, soft furnishings and textiles.

– A warm, earthy colour palette typifies ’70s interiors – consider terracotta tiles, and paint colours in shades of tan, mustard and ochre, with a warm white base.

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