Out of this world; an architectural revival worth the wait

Originally conceived by architect Graham Whitford, Stonyfell House stood for decades as one of the eastern foothills’ most distinctive expressions of late-modernist residential architecture.

What stands today is Whitford’s vision preserved, revived and reinterpreted into something truly special where Kurrajong Avenue reaches its quiet conclusion beside the Michael Perry Botanic Reserve.

Over the course of two painstaking years, the current custodians undertook a near archaeological restoration, stripping the structure back to its original bones before rebuilding it with a rare level of restraint; a transformation that saw ‘Stonyfell House’ shortlisted for the Interior Design Excellence Awards.

Working alongside Sofia Interior, the restoration did not dilute Whitford’s daring design language, it doubled down on it, amplifying the home’s mid-century modernist sensibility while introducing a refined palette of contemporary materials and finely resolved interiors.

From the outside, a striking serrated roofline forms a procession of six triangular pavilions, each one framing the sky and announcing the home’s unmistakable silhouette.

Inside, those forms translate to soaring timber lined cathedral ceilings that pull light deep into the interior, where walls of glazing dissolve the boundary between architecture and nature.

In places, the glass climbs all the way to the roofline, framing treetop canopies and distant views toward the Stonyfell ranges in compositions that feel more alpine retreat than suburban address.

Heated terrazzo flooring, expanses of spotted gum, imported ply, Venetian plaster, marble and granite sit against exposed masonry and dark structural elements, a collection of finishes that honours the robustness of Whitford’s original construction while introducing a new level of warmth, precision and verve.

The kitchen forms the social anchor of the home, its long stone surfaces, custom joinery, brushed gold accents and integrated storage creating a sleek culinary stage.

Across the home’s dynamic footprint are four bedrooms, four bathrooms, multiple living areas, a sauna, an expansive cellar and a lower-level retreat complete with games lounge. The main suite, sitting in its own wing, steps away from the rest of the home and into a ‘rainforest’ ensuite.

A succession of elevated terraces and balconies pull you like a powerful magnet to the rear gardens, where a newly restored heated pool and spa, pizza oven, professionally landscaped beds and a private gate to the reserve teleport you to a place that feels otherworldly. And that’s exactly what Stonyfell House is.

Out of this world.

• Architect-designed residence, meticulously revived over a two-year restoration
• Interiors reimagined in collaboration with Sofia Interior, shortlisted for the Interior Design Excellence Awards
• Striking modernist architecture defined by a serrated run of six triangular roof pavilions and timber-lined vaulted ceilings
• Vast, flexible floorplan suiting large families and those who love to woo a crowd
• Extensive double glazing
• Heated terrazzo flooring throughout much of the upper level
• Rich material palette including spotted gum flooring, imported plywood ceilings, marble, granite and exposed brick
• Private main suite wing with rainforest-inspired ensuite
• Multiple living zones including a lower-level retreat / games lounge
• Dedicated sauna and large wine cellar
• Newly restored heated swimming pool and spa
• Ducted ac and feature fireplace
• Outdoor entertaining with pizza oven and landscaped entertaining zones
• Professionally landscaped gardens designed to complement the surrounding foothills environment
• Private gated access to the Michael Perry Botanic Reserve directly from the rear of the property
• Extensive off-street parking, carport and workshop
• Moments to St Peter’s Girls’ College and Burnside Primary
• A short drive from Burnside Village, The Parade and CBD beyond