If design is everything, this Melbourne knockout is as good as it gets.
Melbourne homes are known for tasteful designs. It only takes one drive around any given suburb in Melbourne to see a plethora of diverse homes. From old Victorians filled with Aussie magnates to sleek modern homes with winding staircases, plenty of natural light and luxury finishes—Melbourne has it all.
For number seven Stuart Street in Melbourne’s Armadale, there’s no exception. When Rob Mills is in charge, you bet your bottom dollar no stone will be left unturned in creating a living masterpiece. Mills is responsible for most of the homes you like on Instagram, and has been pushing home design boundaries since the beginning of time. Mills spared no expense when sourcing materials to transform the former warehouse into a contemporary masterpiece. The property hit the market with Kay & Burton, with an indicative selling range of $8.8 million to $9.4 million. A price tag worthy of greatness, read on before you gasp and step away from your screen.
In an Oceans Eleven type of way, Mills flew to Italy and sourced famous marble from Verona’s famed marble quarries. Naturally, if you’re in Verona, your next design destination is Milan. That’s exactly where Mills headed to source the fabrics and furnishings for 7 Stuart Street, Armadale. The five-bedroom home carries a significant sense of harmony when speaking matters of design.
“The furniture and the architecture were conceived as one, which is why it looks the way it looks and feels the way it feels,” Mills explained to Domain. “It really has been designed as a single experience.”
Perhaps it’s the small details, the ones many would overlook that separates Mill’s masterpiece from the rest. A brass kitchen stocked with a Faema coffee machine, luxurious brass door frames and recessed windows display a high-end luxury setting made possible by Mills’ experience and attention to fine detail create a space so individual it’s impossible to replicate.
Mills saw potential in the warehouse becoming a family home, he looked past the vast warehouse shell, which belonged to businessman Daniel Besen. It was about cascading natural light and smooth stucco walls to create a sculptural element reflecting a fabric-like softness depending on the time of day. It’s these intricate details that make a Mills home so great, like a fine timepiece, Mills’ mind works to perfection. Calculating light density and furniture fabrics all in one harmonious design.
The winter room as it’s known, is a European-inspired library fitted with smoked oak-lined walls. The Stuart street property encompasses sweeping tree-top views of the city from one of Melbourne’s most sought after suburbs. Kay & Burton understood the calibre of property they were handling when the property hit the market. There was no question surrounding price or a matter of sale. It’s about placing someone in the property who identifies with Mills’ vision and appreciates the fine details of the former warehouse.
“It’s a beautiful place to wake up; the French linen drapes cocoon the room and create a sense of intimacy,” Mills told Domain.
Perhaps the home’s greatest feature is a Drake-like spiralling staircase. A signature Mills installation that could stand by itself in an art exhibition. Black marble, and an angel-like circular window custom made, and craned into the property whilst being built offers home owners just another glimpse into the word ‘custom’ and everything it represents.
The ground floor is built for luxury independence, with a fully self-contained two-bedroom apartment. Occupants may enjoy a Swedish sauna and brass-lined lift linking the independent floor with the rest of the house. Kay & Burton’s Andrew Sahhar explained,
“The Stuart street residence is one of the most unique properties in the Melbourne property market, offering the best of Rob Mills Design, along with multiple living zones, high-end fixtures and finishes, sauna and self-contained two bedroom apartment in a fantastic Armadale location.”
“It’s a beautiful place to live in,” Mills stated. “It is a place of refuge from the busyness of our lives.”
