Houzz Tour: A Colourful and Quirky Church Conversion
Bright colours and midcentury furniture make for a unique and bold reinvention of a traditional church
This 150-year-old converted church stands tall in Exeter, South Australia, and catches the breeze from the nearby beach and port. Architect and interior designer Stewart Kirby bought the property in 2013, and set about improving the comfort and energy efficiency levels throughout the home. As the tallest building in the area, it receives little protection from extreme winds.
‘You could literally feel the wind blowing through the building when I first moved in,’ says Kirby. He filled gaps in the fabric of the building, installed a 5kW PV solar system and Air-Cell foil insulation, and repaired the windows. While the previous owners had kept the integrity of the building intact, it required a lot of maintenance, an exterior update and the addition of some practical mod cons.
‘You could literally feel the wind blowing through the building when I first moved in,’ says Kirby. He filled gaps in the fabric of the building, installed a 5kW PV solar system and Air-Cell foil insulation, and repaired the windows. While the previous owners had kept the integrity of the building intact, it required a lot of maintenance, an exterior update and the addition of some practical mod cons.
In the middle of the ground floor, the living area set-up echoes the symmetrical design of the church. Kirby says he intentionally positioned the blue three-piece suite, originally from Denmark, and additional chairs around the circular Nanimarquina rug, as a way to mirror this symmetry. This arrangement also helps create an intimate gathering space within what is otherwise a very large room.
From the comfort of the sofa, you can look up into the raised pulpit area of the church, to the view of a colourful, round, stained-glass window.
Rug, Sybilla ‘Diana’ by Nanimarquina from Aptos Cruz Galleries. Oscar chair and ottoman, Walter Knoll.
From the comfort of the sofa, you can look up into the raised pulpit area of the church, to the view of a colourful, round, stained-glass window.
Rug, Sybilla ‘Diana’ by Nanimarquina from Aptos Cruz Galleries. Oscar chair and ottoman, Walter Knoll.
Cushions, custom made by Stewart Kirby Design.
Off from the living space is what Kirby affectionately calls the ‘library nook’. This area creates a smaller point of interest within the large, open-plan space, so as to ensure it doesn’t feel vacant or cold. ‘The bright colours of the rug also remove any risk of the space appearing unwelcoming,’ adds Kirby.
Having removed the curtains, this corner now receives gorgeous northern sun.
Rug, Terrace Floors & Furnishings. Bookshelves, Ikea. Sofa, vintage Ikea. Wassily chair, Marcel Breuer. Barcelona chair, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Having removed the curtains, this corner now receives gorgeous northern sun.
Rug, Terrace Floors & Furnishings. Bookshelves, Ikea. Sofa, vintage Ikea. Wassily chair, Marcel Breuer. Barcelona chair, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Opposite the library nook is the dining area. Here, Kirby has used a large boardroom table to ground the scale of the room. It can comfortably sit up to 12 people.
Eames Aluminum Group conference table and chairs, Herman Miller.
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Eames Aluminum Group conference table and chairs, Herman Miller.
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A second-hand aluminium suspension lamp, directed at the table rather than on people’s faces, provides soft lighting for dining. The lamp also ensures the table remains a focus at night, again to create points of interest throughout the vast space.
Artwork, Stewart Kirby and Mark Goddard. Bowls, Christine Cholewa from JamFactory.
Artwork, Stewart Kirby and Mark Goddard. Bowls, Christine Cholewa from JamFactory.
The kitchen resides in what was the raised pulpit of the church, giving it a view across the ground-floor living area. ‘Cooking seems to me a delightful use of this space!’ says Kirby.
Artwork, Annalisa Feleppa. FAB32 fridge-freezer, Smeg. BeoVision 3-28 TV, Bang & Olufsen.
Artwork, Annalisa Feleppa. FAB32 fridge-freezer, Smeg. BeoVision 3-28 TV, Bang & Olufsen.
An unsightly white enamel cooker originally stood at the end wall of the kitchen, which made it impossible to access the first two cupboards under the kitchen worktop. A solution was provided by removing a section of shelving from the dividing wall and installing heat-proof stainless steel lining. An upright gas cooker was then installed, which faces the main kitchen joinery in a more galley style.
Girl’s Head artwork, Lidia Groblicka.
Girl’s Head artwork, Lidia Groblicka.
The original white joinery remains intact, excluding one 450mm-wide cupboard, which was removed and replaced with a dishwasher. ‘The joinery had aged well,’ says Kirby, ‘but the kitchen’s lack of contemporary facilities desperately needed attention.’
Two additional cupboards were modified to house two combination ovens.
Two additional cupboards were modified to house two combination ovens.
Except for the simple addition of a Songe mirror from Ikea above the existing basin, the bathroom underwent no changes. ‘It previously had a cheap-and nasty-looking self-adhesive mirror on the wall,’ explains Kirby.
The bathroom can also be accessed from the patio at the back of the house.
Tucked up in the roofline of the church is a bedroom, living space, studio and bathroom.
At the centre of this open-plan, upper level is the bedroom. ‘While the space around me is huge, it never feels anything less than completely comforting,’ says Kirby. ‘The dark, ornate timber ceilings really make this space feel like a cocoon.’
To make this more than just somewhere to rest his head, Kirby added a sofa to the side of the bed to encourage relaxing. ‘My cat loves it on a winter’s day when the sun streams through the skylight above,’ says Kirby.
Despite being open to the living area below, one cannot look up into the bedroom, so it remains private.
Componibili bedside table, Kartell.
To make this more than just somewhere to rest his head, Kirby added a sofa to the side of the bed to encourage relaxing. ‘My cat loves it on a winter’s day when the sun streams through the skylight above,’ says Kirby.
Despite being open to the living area below, one cannot look up into the bedroom, so it remains private.
Componibili bedside table, Kartell.
This view, from the balustrade wall of the bedroom overlooking the living room and kitchen, is one of Kirby’s favourite outlooks in the church.
On the other side of the staircase is a work studio, which benefits from north-facing skylights and east-facing lead-light windows that have an outlook over Port Adelaide.
‘The studio was in poor taste when I bought the church,’ says Kirby. ‘There were awful pastel green curtains blocking the skylights, and the stained cream carpet had definitely seen much better days.’ Where there is now simple plywood shelving, a large white melamine open wardrobe also covered the wall and much of the covetable timber work. In addition to this, a hideous (and broken) exhaust fan did no justice to the upper circular window in which it sat.
The removal of the curtains, wardrobe and fan (the window was reinstated) brought natural character back to the space, while new charcoal carpet freshened up the look and feel.
Round table, Botium. Red armchair, vintage Ikea. Aeron chair, Herman Miller. Metal shelving unit, Mei & Picchi.
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‘The studio was in poor taste when I bought the church,’ says Kirby. ‘There were awful pastel green curtains blocking the skylights, and the stained cream carpet had definitely seen much better days.’ Where there is now simple plywood shelving, a large white melamine open wardrobe also covered the wall and much of the covetable timber work. In addition to this, a hideous (and broken) exhaust fan did no justice to the upper circular window in which it sat.
The removal of the curtains, wardrobe and fan (the window was reinstated) brought natural character back to the space, while new charcoal carpet freshened up the look and feel.
Round table, Botium. Red armchair, vintage Ikea. Aeron chair, Herman Miller. Metal shelving unit, Mei & Picchi.
Check out 10 reasons to make shelving a feature in any room
The office desk was bought at an auction.
This upper-level shower room is defined by the shape of the building’s structure. One wall was removed to create more space, while simple updates – re-grouting the tiles and adding new sanitaryware – freshened it up.
Outside, a new roof, patching and a fresh lick of paint has transformed the back patio into a protected, all-weather outdoor space.
Magis Easy Chair in ‘Yellow’, Aptos Cruz Galleries.
Magis Easy Chair in ‘Yellow’, Aptos Cruz Galleries.
The patio overlooks the back garden, which faces west and endures extreme coastal winds. The space previously housed a crop of weeds and a new roll-out lawn that wasn’t doing well.
‘As I don’t have kids or a dog to worry about, I was able to treat this space as purely decorative,’ says Kirby. Trees, however, have been planted to help shade the western end of the building from late summer sun, which Kirby hopes will improve the thermal efficiency of the building.
Creeping boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium) was chosen for the ground cover to give the appearance of a lawn without the maintenance. It has very quickly covered the entire space.
‘As I don’t have kids or a dog to worry about, I was able to treat this space as purely decorative,’ says Kirby. Trees, however, have been planted to help shade the western end of the building from late summer sun, which Kirby hopes will improve the thermal efficiency of the building.
Creeping boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium) was chosen for the ground cover to give the appearance of a lawn without the maintenance. It has very quickly covered the entire space.
The southern garden originally had only two trees and a massive crop of stinging nettles. Unfortunately, the two trees needed to be removed, as both were planted too close to neighbours’ walls and were causing significant structural damage to their properties. The silver lining was that garden designer Mark Ellis, whom Kirby enlisted to help, had a blank canvas with which to work.
Ellis was tasked with turning the southern garden into a shady summer haven that would also attract bird life.
Coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia), a species that grows along the east coast of Australia, and crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica), were planted to provide full cover in the garden. Knowing they would take time to grow to their full size, the fence was painted orange to add instant relief and a sense of fun to the zone. Initially, it provided a lovely contrast to the growing plants, but has since been pleasantly overtaken by foliage.
Metal outdoor seating, Domo.
Coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia), a species that grows along the east coast of Australia, and crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica), were planted to provide full cover in the garden. Knowing they would take time to grow to their full size, the fence was painted orange to add instant relief and a sense of fun to the zone. Initially, it provided a lovely contrast to the growing plants, but has since been pleasantly overtaken by foliage.
Metal outdoor seating, Domo.
The property is located on a busy intersection, but fortunately benefits from a high masonry wall. Both sides of it are painted in Haymes ‘Raspberry Sorbet Morado’, or bright pink as all the locals like to call it. ‘As a fan of bright colours, I knew I’d love it, but was a little unsure of how the public would perceive it,’ says Kirby. ‘As it turned out, the majority of people had the same reaction I did the day I returned to find my painters had applied the first coat: surprise, smiles and laughter.’ Neighbours agree that it adds a sense of fun to the area.
Some time was spent removing the weeds and a leaking concrete pond from the wraparound planter that sits against the wall. Bamboo, which has been planted along the entire length of the planter, helps to soften the pink wall.
Chairs, PS 2012 Easy chairs, Ikea.
Some time was spent removing the weeds and a leaking concrete pond from the wraparound planter that sits against the wall. Bamboo, which has been planted along the entire length of the planter, helps to soften the pink wall.
Chairs, PS 2012 Easy chairs, Ikea.
The expanse of concrete is broken up by the garden, which will only become more dense in time, and the addition of mature cacti in pots that came from Kirby’s previous residence.
TELL US…
What do you think of this converted church? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this converted church? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Architect and interior designer Stewart Kirby of Stewart Kirby Design, his partner, Marcus Brownlow, an artist, and Pussy the cat
Location Exeter (a suburb of Adelaide), South Australia
Size 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 2 living areas and a studio space
With the exception of a bright, colourfully striped door, the exterior of the church is in keeping with its heritage. The timber details have been painted in ‘Wood’ Murowash by Murobond. ‘This paint has a beautiful texture that suits the rough render finish, and the colour blends in well with the superb stone work of the walls,’ says Kirby.