Minett Studio is a Bayside architectural and interior design practice specialising in residential architecture, renovations, extensions and new homes in Black Rock and throughout Bayside Melbourne. Based locally in Sandringham, we understand the distinctive character of Black Rock — its coastal setting, established streetscapes, mature gardens and mix of period, mid-century and contemporary homes.

Our approach combines architecture, interior design and landscape design, allowing the home and its surroundings to be considered together from the earliest stages of design.

Renovations & Extensions in Black Rock

Black Rock is an area where many homeowners love their location but find that the existing house doesn’t necessarily suit the way they want to live. Rather than assuming that a home needs to be demolished and rebuilt, we look carefully at the potential of the existing property.
A considered renovation or extension can introduce northern light, improve circulation, provide additional accommodation and create a much stronger relationship between the home, garden, pool and outdoor living spaces. Sometimes the most successful solution is not the largest intervention. Replanning an existing home intelligently and concentrating new construction where it provides the greatest benefit can result in a substantially improved home while making considered use of the existing building.

New Homes in Black Rock

Designing a new home in Black Rock provides an opportunity to respond specifically to its Bayside location.
Orientation, natural light, privacy, outlook, prevailing weather, landscape and indoor-outdoor living all influence the architectural response. Proximity to the coast also makes material selection and detailing particularly important. We consider durability, exposure and long-term maintenance alongside the appearance and character of the architecture. Our aim is to create homes that are contemporary and refined while retaining the relaxed quality appropriate to Bayside living.

Town Planning & Bayside City Council

Residential projects in Black Rock can involve a range of town planning considerations depending on the site and proposed development.
Minett Studio has experience working with Bayside City Council and navigating the town planning process for residential projects throughout the municipality. Planning considerations may include neighbourhood character, building height and setbacks, overlooking and privacy, significant vegetation, site coverage, permeability, private open space and planning overlays or other controls affecting an individual property. We consider these requirements from the beginning of the design process so that planning, architecture and the client’s brief can be resolved together. Where a planning permit is required, Minett Studio can manage the architectural town planning process from initial site analysis and concept design through to preparation of the planning application, coordination with specialist consultants and responses to Council during the assessment process.

Architecture, Interiors & Landscape

We believe the strongest residential projects are created when the architecture, interiors and landscape are designed together.
Minett Studio provides architecture, interior design and landscape design as an integrated service, creating a consistent design language throughout the property. Our interior design service can extend from spatial planning through to kitchens, bathrooms, bespoke joinery, lighting, stone, flooring, fixtures, fittings, furniture and material selections.

Outside, gardens, courtyards, swimming pools and entertaining spaces are considered as extensions of the architecture, strengthening the relationship between the house and landscape.

The result is a home that feels cohesive, considered and highly liveable.

Pre-Purchase Architectural Advice

Finding a property that ticks every box can be particularly difficult in established Bayside suburbs such as Black Rock.
A house in the right street, with the right orientation and land may not initially have the accommodation or layout you need — but that doesn’t necessarily make it the wrong property. Architectural advice before purchasing can help identify whether a renovation, extension or reconfiguration could unlock the potential of the home. Minett Studio can assess a property, identify opportunities and likely constraints, discuss the scale of alterations that may be appropriate and provide initial guidance around the likely construction budget.

This can help buyers look beyond the existing floor plan and make a more informed decision about the long-term potential of a property.

Considering Building or Renovating in Black Rock?

If you love Black Rock but don’t love your home, we can help you explore what may be possible.
Whether you are considering a substantial renovation, extension, new home or assessing a property before purchasing, an early architectural conversation can help establish the opportunities, planning considerations and likely pathway forward.
Minett Studio offers a complimentary initial design consultation to discuss your property, your ideas and how your home could better suit the way you want to live.

Minett Studio — Architecture · Interiors · Landscape

The City of Bayside is a local government area in Victoria, Australia. It is within the southern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of 36 square kilometres and in 2018 had a population of 105,718 people