Monash

Scandinavian-Japanese Interior Renewal

This full internal renovation transformed a 1980s split-level home in Monash to better suit modern living, without altering the existing footprint. By stripping the house back to its structure and rebuilding from the inside out, the layout was reconfigured to improve flow, comfort, and energy efficiency. A Scandinavian–Japanese inspired minimalist aesthetic brings warmth, simplicity, and calm to the renewed spaces.

This project involved a full internal renovation of a 1980s split-level home in Monash, completely reimagined to suit modern family living, without altering the original footprint of the house.

Rather than extending, the home was stripped back to its bare structure and rebuilt from the inside out. This approach allowed us to reconfigure the internal layout, improve spatial flow, and significantly upgrade comfort, performance, and finishes throughout.

The design direction was guided by a Scandinavian–Japanese inspired minimalist aesthetic, blending warmth, simplicity, and functionality to complement the home’s original form. Natural materials, soft textures, and a restrained colour palette were used to create calm, light-filled spaces while respecting the character of the existing structure.

The kitchen was fully relocated and redesigned as the heart of the home, featuring custom cabinetry, stone benchtops, and new appliances. The same considered approach was applied to the laundry, with bespoke joinery providing practical storage and visual continuity.

Living, dining, and kitchen areas were opened up to better suit the split-level layout, while bathroom layouts were carefully reworked to maximise space, light, and usability. The bathrooms were finished with custom joinery, statement tiling, and refined fixtures, striking a balance between minimalism and warmth.

All windows were replaced with double-glazed units to improve thermal performance and energy efficiency. Electrical systems were upgraded throughout, and new insulation was installed to bring the home in line with modern living standards.

Flooring was selected to clearly define zones within the home, engineered hardwood through the bedrooms, entry, and hallway, paired with large-format tiles in the living, dining, and kitchen areas for durability and a seamless visual flow.

The result is a thoughtfully renewed home that blends Scandinavian–Japanese minimalism with the original architectural character, delivering a calm, functional, and timeless living environment.

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After 20+ years in the house and the busyness of family life, it was finally time for a full renovation. Now that it was just the two of us, our priorities were energy efficiency, essential roof repairs, and an improved layout in the living areas. We also wanted to complement the original features of the 70s design with a Japanese and Scandinavian-inspired minimalist, natural, light-filled aesthetic.Knut helped us bring our vision to reality within our budget. He answered our many questions and brainstormed ideas and solutions so we could make informed design and material choices. We needed to live in the house throughout the renovation, and Knut staged the works to make this possible.The process felt very collaborative, and Knut’s eye for detail brought care and precision to the work. His extensive knowledge and careful management meant things ran on time with very few surprises. We’re thrilled with the result and would highly recommend Knut and his team.

Rachel & Darren

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