Concrete floors are a hard-knock, good-looking solution to the challenges of life with two young boys in this character house makeover.
In association with Peter Fell.
A black-and-white theme was a key driver behind the update of this 1920s bungalow in Point Chevalier, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. The owners (a couple with boys aged 10 and 8) asked architectural designer Michael Macfie to work within this contrasting palette
to craft a modification that would meld with the traditional vernacular streetside, but be a contemporary surprise, hidden from view, in an extension that overlooked a pool.
Michael incorporated a glazed link to connect new to old and, while the couple shocked some of their friends by painting the original floorboards white, in the stepped-down addition, concrete floors grace the open-plan living. “We knew we’d never match the timber flooring exactly so went for something totally different — something robust enough to pair with the black joinery and black kitchen cabinetry,” says Michael.
Lending strong architectural presence and taking the knocks of busy family life, the polished and sealed floors wrap up into a fireplace hearth in a clean, seamless aesthetic that the owners find easy to maintain and looks elegant yet modern.
The floors, which were coloured with Peter Fell oxide in PFL 609 from the Special Charcoal range and given a natural polish finish, are not only resilient but reflective, too. Throughout the day, sunlight and shadows play across their patinaed surface, lending real-life expression to the term ‘50 shades of grey’. “We opted for natural polish rather than exposed aggregate to let the rugs and artwork do the talking and to capture an art-gallery feel,” says Michael.
Smooth and subtle underfoot, the concrete floors in this reimagined home are a platform for many years of play and everyday ahead.
peterfell.co.nz