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25.01.2022 I have just completed a concept design for a 4x2 dwelling on a quiet street in Manning. My clients are a young couple who hope to start a family in the near future. I was given quite a comprehensive brief, detailing specific non-negotiable requirements that were just not being satisfied with off the shelf plans. Emphasis on an economic use of space, reduction of corridors, dual use thoroughfares, appropriate storage, light, bright and warm living spaces and finding the idea...l balance of ‘dream home and budget’ were the main driving factors behind the design. Nine revisions later (a new record!) we arrived at a point where all involved can not fault a single aspect of the design. There isn’t a single square meter in the floor plan that hasn’t been carefully considered. If it didn’t add value to the design, it simply wasn’t there. I have thoroughly enjoyed working towards this goal and hope my clients will be very happy here in the future.

25.01.2022 A couple approached me for the concept design of a 3x2 family home, ancillary dwelling, shed, water tank and separate art studio. The block is in a fantastic position with sweeping views over the Perth Hills, a long northerly aspect and private access to Cookes Brook at the bottom of a long steady slope. The design will be inspired by contemporary rural Australian architecture with a strong emphasis on sustainability. I'm very excited to be part of what I am sure will be an amazing project.

24.01.2022 Construction drawings have just been completed for this beautiful rural dwelling in Lower Chittering. My clients came to me with aspirations of creating a large pavilion style home that wraps around a central pool and outdoor living area. We spent months meeting up over numerous site visits to find the perfect dwelling location, one that capitalised on the views through the Lower Chittering valley, was appropriately orientated, disturbed little of the existing vegetation an...d had efficient vehicular and service access. The dwelling was organised with three different wings, rotated at 45 degree intervals and on three different levels; gradually climbing the natural slope of the site. The living areas are orientated due north, and are sheltered from the two surrounding streets by the service and bedroom wings, they all wrap around a series of outdoor living spaces (alfresco, pool, verandah, spa & sunken fire pit) which are all tied together via a covered entry thoroughfare. The playful nature and interaction of these indoor and outdoor elements create wonderful & functional spaces for their family to enjoy year round.

24.01.2022 14 Fairlight Rise, Kallaroo is complete and will be going under the hammer. This was a project of massive proportions and the finished product turned out just spectacular, tell your friends, it's definitely worth a visit to the home open. Massive thanks to The Pool Renovators who designed and crafted a beautiful outdoor entertaining area to tie the whole project together.... More photos, plans and commentary available in the GM Design album.

23.01.2022 When you walk into a restaurant and comment on the beautiful ceiling fan choice by brand, make, model, price, aesthetics and efficiency... I think I should have stopped a bit sooner to avoid her losing interest...

22.01.2022 Beautiful little heritage extension we did in North Perth a few years ago, with city sunset views from the deck. . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #heritage #alfresco #cityviews @ North Perth, Western Australia

22.01.2022 Big weekend! 14 Fairlight Crescent, Kallaroo - UNDER OFFER!

21.01.2022 Gnobar Way, Mullaloo- A client asked me to design two three storey residences, his own family home on the right and an investment property on the left.

21.01.2022 Be sure to check out this incredible new display home this weekend. Design by GM Design Build by Fratelli Homes WA

20.01.2022 We undertake all sorts of projects big and small. Here we had a courtyard that was too small and dark to be usable for anything other than dry storage. Soon it will be transformed into a master suite overlooking the pool, and a double garage extension which will add significant value to this Greenwood home. We kept checks on the budget by getting creative with a skillion roof and parapet detail- ignoring several calls to completely replace the entire roof structure; which would have swiftly halted the entire project before it begun. . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #pertharchitecture #perthextensions #infilspace #budget

19.01.2022 I have just been given a fantastic opportunity to design a contemporary three storey family home on this stunning waterfront block in Mindarie Keys. Concept design coming soon...

19.01.2022 Another GM designed residence up on the market, this ones from 2014. https://reiwa.com.au/5-portrush-way-mindarie-4182638/

18.01.2022 Great evening for a slab party!

18.01.2022 Great to see some familiar site work shapes forming on Capecare Residential Care Facility in Dunsborough. It was a pleasure to be a part of the team to get this one over the line earlier last year.

18.01.2022 A schematic model and floor plans have been completed for a three storey harbour front dwelling in Mindarie Keys. The clients were looking for a dynamic, contemporary coastal aesthetic to capitalise on their prominent water front position. The design stems from a thorough investigation and organisation of the clients required spaces; private outdoor areas and bedrooms are sheltered by various external elements while more publicly perceived spaces are extruded out towards th...e limits of the setbacks to gain full exposure to the magnificent views over the harbour. Double and triple storey volumes were massaged into key areas for increased access to light and warmth on a very long and narrow block; this also appropriately increases it’s massing to help it sit more comfortably in the multiple dwelling zoned sector.

18.01.2022 This couple requested something "edgy". A contemporary coastal theme with floating roof planes, this home stands out in a windy beach-side suburb.

18.01.2022 Great fun to be a part of the new ‘Harbourside Freo’ redevelopment. Fantastic work by Furniture Options for getting this one over the line so quickly. . . . #custominteriors #interiordesign #samesamebutdifferent #viewsandbrews #furnitureoptions @ Fremantle, Western Australia

18.01.2022 I was contacted early last week in order to complete a feasibility concept design on a very steep site in Quinns Rocks. The views available at the rear of the site were akin to building 7 floors above pavement level, so the client’s objectives were to utilise the rear of the site, and subdivide the front of the site for future sale. The purchase of the block relied heavily on the possibilities presented in my proposal, so producing something realistic to pass council and R-...Code guidelines was paramount in this study, unlike many other concept proposals I have seen of late, that require varying degrees of redesign to be approved by the governing shire. Having completed a design on a similar block late last year, I was up to date on all of the nuances that make a design like this particularly difficult to resolve. Within three days, I was able to produce concept floor plans and a 3D study model with accurate site levels, retaining wall heights and maximum building heights fully approvable by City of Wanneroo planners. Studies like this could potentially save tens of thousands in stamp duty and interest charges, and months of resale time if the real world restrictions of the site aren’t within the client’s expectations.

17.01.2022 Some good progress by TLB Troy Leaman Building on this first floor extension in Kinross. My client loved the area but just needed a bit more space for her family. Swipe to see the transformation! . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #pertharchitecture #firstfloorextension #masterwall #perthextensions

17.01.2022 After quite a long green title subdivision process, construction has finally commenced with the slab being poured at #19 Shipton Loop, Ashby. Next door, #17 has also received Building Licence approval on the same day. Congratulations to the almost married couple Faye and Matthew on what will be a very happy (and quite impressive!) first home together.

17.01.2022 It's been a busy month here at GM Design with numerous projects being completed or just getting off the ground. I've had the pleasure to work on a heritage style extension in North Perth, a re-use of an existing space in Woodridge, three new subdivision proposals and supporting concept designs in Ballajura, Quinns Rocks and Edgewater, and finally a contemporary double storey in Port Coogee. The type of work I am doing has definitely shifted in the last six months. With counc...ils rezoning, infill and adaption has become a lot more common. 90% of projects I undertake are on unusual sites, requiring a lot of thought and consideration to find a one off design solution. One of the concept designs this month was on a rectangle site, perfectly flat with a 10m frontage and a rear laneway- with a clear brief from the client, a home like this usually designs itself... I spent three times (of my own time) what I usually spend on a concept design finding the perfect solution, carefully balancing each and every aspect of the design to fit the clients wants and needs. "It will do" was not an option. It just goes to show, no matter what site you have available, simple or complex, good design is paramount. Your home is going to be standing for the next 50-100years, make sure it's been designed properly.

17.01.2022 A concept design for a 5x3 family home in South Perth. Situated on a gently downward sloping block, the rear of the dwelling has direct northern exposure with full access to city skyline views. Care was taken to raise the floor levels to their maximum allowable height and stage the outdoor elements in a ‘stepping stone’ like formation down the slope, giving all ground, first floor and outdoor areas unique access to views and as much northern living exposure as possible.

17.01.2022 Beautiful home built by GR8 Build Homes in Lower Chittering, now available for viewing.

16.01.2022 Highgrove Developments have recently completed construction on this beautiful rural home in Chittering. The brief was to design a family sized home that works in harmony with its surrounding environment, while also taking in spectacular views over the lower Chittering valley. The entire home (and ancillary dwelling) is heavily insulated; two separate layers of R2.5 batts fill the double timber wall frames and the ceiling is lined with thick R4.0 batts. An additional layer of... anti-con sisalation is laid under the colorbond roof sheets. With correct orientation, appropriately sized eaves, planned breezeways, a light colour scheme and enough thermal mass to regulate the inside temperature, the home will stay comfortable year round, without excessive use of air conditioning. With the home working with, not against the surrounding environment, we were able to take advantage of the homes low operational energy expenditure and supplement it with solar power. All rainwater is collected in winter and fed into a large tank for use during the summer months. The ancillary dwelling and the shed also collect rainwater in a separate smaller tank. With the majority of the building being built with renewable and low embodied energy materials (timber), the owners have gone one step further and utilised rocks, bollards and groundcover hand-collected from different areas of the site, adding to the overall ‘green’ vibe of the home. The owners are repeat clients, and for a second time are delighted in their new home.

16.01.2022 An electrical Engineer who specialises in 'sustainable future energy development' gave me a call about one of our homes under construction yesterday. He and his wife live nearby and have wandered through multiple times to watch the project grow. They asked to meet me at site, and being in the industry, they were fairly switched on in regards to (in their words) the 'out of the box' design decisions made to make this single story just work. They loved the central garden, pon...d, north facing courtyards and natural breezeways, they asked questions about sustainable construction methods and the direction of the opposing roof slopes in regards to the sun, but mostly they just loved the feel of the home. They know that this sort of thinking just isn't available with a pre-designed "will it fit on my block?" type project home. They are relocating and, without even a referral, have just asked me to design their next home.

16.01.2022 Custom designed entry door; this will be hand crafted from solid Meranti with a brushed aluminum handle and translucent film to the side lites for privacy. Spot the perfectly sized glazed peep holes for Mum, Dad, Betty and Lola . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #pertharchitecture #frontdoor #entrydoor #customdetails #entrystatement #streetwatching

15.01.2022 ....and after only 5 and a half months our home that will be open for viewings is at lock up - Super proud of our turn around time, but most of all the quality of our build. - This is credit to our incredible trades

15.01.2022 Sometimes the best tool for the job is a steady hand and a 40year old drawing board... I have some close friends who bought an unusual shaped block recently, they have some peculiar vehicle storage requirements, and without really knowing it, until they sat down and talked about it that is, had certain living needs that just weren't being addressed in any of the advertised home designs they had come across. Their brief experience with various in house builder draftsman were ...quickly met with doubt and skepticism as they all had something different to say about what could and couldn't be done. To make matters worse, what was presented to them was little more than a stock floor plan, obviously and crudely manipulated to 'fit' on their block. In some circumstances, entire rooms were lopped off (who expects a meals area and a study when you ask for them right?), dozens upon dozens of square meters of corridor space, weird nooks, rooms with bits of other rooms sticking in to them, were all deemed appropriate and presented to them as a viable option. This is hardly a professional, nor practical, or even ethical design solution for a young couple making the biggest financial decision of their lifetime. This design solution took a few hours out of my day, they absolutely love it, there aren't any compromises, and it's going to cost them exactly the same as the other design with entire rooms missing from it.

15.01.2022 A small collection of completed projects from 2006-2016

15.01.2022 First sign up before the weather turned! Also, congratulations to the clients who received an under offer today on the completed home.

14.01.2022 Beautiful living, meals and kitchen area, custom designed on an odd shaped block in Calleya. Excellent build quality by @redinkhomes

14.01.2022 Construction drawings have just been completed for this contemporary family home in Mindarie. My clients own their own roofing business and have strong ties within the construction industry, it was a pleasure working with them throughout the entire design process, right through to the tiniest of details of their dream home.

14.01.2022 Shaking up the colour palette with some earthy tones . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #colorbondcolours #paleeucalypt #surfmist #shalegrey #woodlandgrey #lexicon #merantitimber

14.01.2022 I was recently describing to a client the thermal performance benefits of reverse brick veneer construction. I have experienced first hand, that paired with solar passive design principals, this type of construction performs far better than Perth's 'norm', double brick. I was asked why it's relatively unheard of in Perth, if it's so well suited to our climate, and of similar cost to regular double brick construction? I answered in a way that double brick is the norm, and it'...s what builders are most comfortable building. This article touches on another side to it, many times I have suggested just to consider reverse brick veneer and clients have immediately shunned the idea. Glen Murcutt says that it's because brick has status, "If you put timber or steel or cladding (on the outside), it has less status (than brick)." I for one love brick, there are so many opportunities to play with massing, colours, textures and scale that only bricks can offer, but I also feel that totally dismissing any other method of construction because of status is a huge step backwards.

13.01.2022 Anti-Builder and Anti-Architect designed homes. The equivalent of removing your own tooth instead of seeing a dentist. While I respect the thought process behind these modular units, designing and building a home is so much more than joining up rooms to meet a desired quota. Properly practicing building designers and Architects have an inherently complex yet invaluable process just to consider things. ... They consider the site, the location and the climate. They consider the client, the clients budget, and its potential for future use. They consider its construction, materials and the technical beneficiaries to aid in keeping it comfortable. They consider how people circulate within a home and how people circulate around a home. They consider your neighbours, surrounding noise and your privacy. They consider how your home will be used, furnished and how it will be lived in. They consider a homes aesthetics, the qualities of light entering a home and the resultant spatial qualities being lived in. They consider all of this, before a pen touches a single piece of paper, or a single line is drawn on the computer. Years of higher education, training and knowledge gained through professional experience, as well as an individuals raw talent to implement these considerations into a building, dramatically increase the quality of the design and the resultant quality of living for its occupants. Or you could stick some rooms together. https://www.facebook.com/ArchDaily/posts/10157633358690603

12.01.2022 Colours, cabinets and coffee! . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #pertharchitecture #firsthomebuyers #andnowforsomethingcompletelydifferent #comtemporaryclients #designfuel

12.01.2022 Gibraltar way progress . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #statement

11.01.2022 A young couple got in touch about designing a house for them in a quiet street in Iluka. They came to me with fairly elaborate expectations and a single image of a $1M house they "liked the look of". Half of the design initiative was to try and reach their budget, but the challenge was doing so and still creating the big first impression the clients were after.

11.01.2022 Two great blocks available in Hillary’s, worth a look!

11.01.2022 Great fly around visuals by renderhaus on our Mindarie Project. Under construction by Fratelli Homes https://www.instagram.com/p/B0R7PQ9FngA/

10.01.2022 An exciting 3 Storey project starting tomorrow at Mindarie marina!

09.01.2022 A concept design has recently been completed for a Fremantle restaurant turned Bar; increasing its exposure, sense of address, furnishability and way-finding were all driving factors behind this refurbishment project. . . . #gmdesignau #restaurantfitout #pub

09.01.2022 A double storey, four bed, three bathroom family home in the coastal suburb of Burns Beach, featuring full lap pool and landscaping design.

08.01.2022 A collection of concept designs and homes that are currently under construction.

07.01.2022 Here at GM Design, we aren't afraid of a little challenge. I was approached late last year to see if I would be interested in designing a new family home, the clients didn't have a block at this point, but were looking and just wanted to touch base to see if I was interested. A few months later, I was asked to go and see the block they purchased in Quinn's Rock's. I had never seen anything quite like it, it was a beautiful spot with fantastic views, but it was essentially a... sand dune, taller than it was long, taking a good couple of minutes to climb to the top. It had been bought and sold numerous times over the years, because there wasn't anyone really willing to take on the challenge of building on it. Numerous design meetings later, a three storey family home was proposed and provisionally approved by council. The dynamics of getting such a complex project to not only satisfy the owners wishes, but to functionally cooperate within the difficult site conditions and to comply with the councils requirements was one of the more difficult tasks I have been asked to undertake. In the last few months, the owner has completed the majority of the site works and is almost up to ground floor level after constructing the bulk of the concrete undercroft. I got the chance to meet the owners back on site last week, it was wonderful seeing months of hard work and planning making its way into reality.

06.01.2022 Thoroughly recommend this workshop if you get the chance to go in the future. Learnt a lot about the intricacies of ambient, accent and scenic lighting and how it can make or break a great project. Thanks to the team at Lighting Options Australia and Stacey for a great presentation.

05.01.2022 A well known northern suburbs real estate agent commissioned me to design an impressive beach front home in Iluka. The client’s brief required three levels, private, resort style accommodation for frequent visitors as well as their own desire for opulent coastal living and flexible entertaining spaces.

04.01.2022 Some courtyard details- Queensway road, Landsdale

04.01.2022 We don’t do ordinary... Varnished marine ply panels with black negative joints clad the underside of this PFC canopy. It’s a totally inexpensive material choice in comparison to standard CFC soffit lining and plastic joining strips, yet it adds so much warmth, colour and character to the entry of this home. . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #marineply #cladding #negativejoints #pfccanopy

03.01.2022 This beautiful home features a large open plan living area, ‘kinked’ in two places to orientate the floor to ceiling living room windows due north. The kink also maximises usable floor area by hugging the setbacks on this unusual shaped block. The home is comfortable year round, low winter sun is captured in the high thermal mass of the floors, warming the home with zero input (and cost) throughout the winter. Ample eaves protect the windows from the higher sun in summer mont...hs, creating a bright and beautiful space, without any adverse heat gain throughout the day. Coupled with an entirely insulated building envelope, high quality, draft proofed windows and doors, low energy use appliances, a light colour scheme and a reflective Colorbond roof; expect considerably reduced energy consumption costs when compared to the average Australian home. The elevations are contemporary in their styling and detailing yet comfortably fit within the predominantly residential ‘golf course estate’ aesthetic of the suburb. Feature elements such as the glazed face brick wall, Linea weatherboard cladding and surrounding corner window, neutral light and dark grey colour scheme with two ‘park green’ feature walls really make this home stand out. Continuity of design elements were continued around the three exposed sides of the home, giving a lot of visual interest to all accessible sides of this corner block. The design brief was aimed towards small families, professionals and empty nesters, who want a high quality, lock up and leave, maintenance free home that prioritises a high level of design and fit-out.

03.01.2022 I have just finished a concept design for this wonderful bush block in Carramar. My client is a building certifier/planner, and must have seen thousands of drawings cross her desk. You know you must be doing something right when your drawings stand out enough to be asked to design their forever home. . . . #gmdesignau #customperthhomes #buildingdesigner #bushblock #carramar

03.01.2022 This was a difficult block with a 3m fall from back to front. Fully compliant with local planning laws, we were able to perch the house on top of the hill to capitalise on the fantastic ocean views. Unconventionally, we then were able to locate a fully private pool, garden and outdoor entertaining area to the front of the house, sharing the same view.

02.01.2022 This was an incredibly difficult but rewarding project for close family friends. It involved the extension of a currently lived in family home and the design of a separate double storey 4x3 family home at the rear of the site. Because of the position of the original home in the centre of an unusually shaped site, a Development Application and numerous meetings with the City of Joondalup planners was needed to grant Building licence for the two developments.

01.01.2022 Our PFC entry canopies are up for #19 and the timber framed envelope is taking shape. Timber is being used as a sustainable and cost effective alternative to double brick. Packed with insulation it gives excellent R-values, is simple to build, contains much less embodied energy and is infinitely more renewable. Framed construction also lends itself to this style of home, with a lot of reveals, overhangs and protrusions able to be constructed much more economically out of ligh...tweight materials. With such a playful northern elevation, high raked ceilings up to a whole bank of clerestory windows, and such a prominent corner position overlooking Lake Joondalup, this is going to be one seriously impressive first home! Also, #17’s slab is down!

01.01.2022 It's getting closer to Christmas and possibly the busiest time of year for me. I took a quick break between drawings, and read an article in the West Australian titled, "Small home is beautiful to build, power, sustain". It touched on the impact of embodied energy in today's larger homes (in comparison to 50 years ago). One of the statements made in the article genuinely surprised me, "the energy embodied in a 392sqm house alone is more than the embodied and operational ener...gy demands of a 100sqm house with three occupants, over 50 years". Just think about that, half a century of your fridge running constantly, light switches going on and off an unthinkable amount of times, air conditioning on throughout each summer, heating during the winter and so on. It's astounding to think that a lot of couples and small families occupy your typical Aussie 4x2, and by downsizing to a totally liveable home half the size, could totally offset their combined energy usage for that family's entire lifetime. With global issues on energy expenditure, this is huge. It made me think; countless times over the years I have been approached with people asking me to draft their design. Typically these are hand drawn with little to zero knowledge about the general efficiency of design. I've suggested that I could rearrange this, adjust that and remove 'x' sqm of 'wasted space'. All of this is usually corridor space, nooks, crannies, inefficient layouts, disproportionate rooms and so on, and of no effect to the amount of usable accommodation in their home. Not only would this inefficient use of space cost thousands of dollars per sqm to physically build, it would also waste a drastic amount of embodied energy just to be there. I usually lose these types of jobs because the client thinks I am trying to get them to pay for something they already have. On the one hand, I know if I don't do it, Joe Bloggs with a TAFE certificate and a pirated version of AutoCAD will get it done and the clients will think they have made a saving. The hard truth is they haven't, in fact quite the opposite, and neither will the next person that comes to me with the same idea. To all of my clients, past, current and future, thank you for having the confidence in me to do what I do best. Every job that has left my desk has been designed with integrity, in yours and the planets best interests. Have a happy a safe holidays.

01.01.2022 A four bedroom, three bathroom town house style home in Burns Beach.