Hill House

Hill House by Proske is a contemporary addition to a characterful villa in Adelaide designed around the meeting of old and new. The project creates a series of connected spaces for gathering between the restored grandeur of the original villa and the warm, expansive new living area, which opens out to side and rear courtyards. The palette brings together natural stone, timber joinery, textured walls and dark steel windows, all set against a backdrop of Tongue & Groove solid European oak boards in Freado. Laid in a chevron pattern across the floor, the boards combine a contemporary finish with a traditional format, echoing the blend between old and new in the home itself. “We wanted a product that was warm, tactile and hard wearing – something that would connect with the existing villa but clearly stand on its own,” explains Erin Crowden, associate architect at Proske. “The chevron format offered us the ability to use a very traditional format in a contemporary way and Freado kept the colour palette refreshing while adding depth.” Tongue & Groove boards were also used as a refined ceiling liner between the feature beams, bringing continuity to the open-plan kitchen and living space. “We really wanted a consistent feel and tone to wrap the room through the floor, timber veneer and ceiling, cocooning you within the space,” says Crowden. The installers were also able to expertly match the boards over the electric left cellar hatch for a seamless finish. The result is a calm and cohesive interior, in which the timber floor and ceiling work together to soften the scale of the addition. “Tongue & Groove offered the perfect backdrop,” says Crowden.