Minett Studio is a Melbourne architectural and interior design practice specialising in residential architecture, renovations, new homes and coastal retreats throughout the Mornington Peninsula.

We work across Sorrento, Blairgowrie, Portsea, Flinders, Red Hill, Mornington and surrounding areas, designing homes that respond to the distinctive landscape, climate and relaxed character of the Peninsula.

Our approach brings together architecture, interior design and landscape design, allowing the home and its surroundings to be considered as one complete composition.

Coastal Homes & Renovations
The Mornington Peninsula offers an extraordinary variety of residential settings , from established beach houses and village properties to elevated coastal sites, rural landscapes and homes surrounded by significant vegetation.
Many existing Peninsula homes occupy wonderful sites but no longer make the most of them. A carefully considered renovation or extension can dramatically improve natural light, views, circulation and the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces without necessarily requiring the existing home to be demolished. We look closely at what is already valuable about a property and identify opportunities to transform the way it functions and feels.

New Homes on the Mornington Peninsula

Designing a new home on the Peninsula begins with understanding the site.
Orientation, views, prevailing winds, topography, vegetation, privacy and the surrounding landscape all influence our architectural response.
Our designs prioritise natural light, passive solar principles and strong connections to outdoor living while also considering the realities of the coastal environment, including exposure, durability, material selection and long-term maintenance.
The objective is not simply to create a beautiful house, but a home that feels intrinsically connected to its location.

Architecture That Responds to Landscape

Landscape plays a particularly important role in our Mornington Peninsula projects.
Rather than designing the house first and considering the garden afterwards, we explore the relationship between architecture and landscape from the beginning.Courtyards, terraces, swimming pools, gardens and outdoor entertaining areas are considered as extensions of the interior spaces, creating opportunities for shelter, privacy, views and seasonal change.

This integrated approach is particularly valuable on coastal and rural sites where the landscape is often one of the property’s greatest assets.

Architecture, Interiors & Landscape

Minett Studio provides architecture, interior design and landscape design as an integrated service.

We can develop a project from its initial architectural concept through to kitchens, bathrooms, bespoke joinery, lighting, materials, fixtures, finishes and landscape. By considering these elements together, we create homes with a consistent architectural language and a strong sense of place. Our work is contemporary yet warm and highly liveable, with an emphasis on natural materials, thoughtful detailing and spaces designed to be enjoyed for many years.

Holiday Homes & Coastal Retreats

A Peninsula home often needs to function differently from a traditional metropolitan residence.

Holiday homes need to accommodate extended family and friends while remaining relaxed and easy to maintain. Flexible sleeping arrangements, generous communal spaces, outdoor showers, storage for beach equipment and strong indoor-outdoor connections can all become important parts of the brief. For permanent residences, the challenge is often to retain that relaxed coastal quality while providing the amenity, comfort and storage required for everyday life. We design each home around the particular way its owners intend to use it.

Considering Building or Renovating on the Mornington Peninsula?

Whether you are contemplating a new coastal home, transforming an existing beach house or assessing a property before purchasing, early architectural advice can help you understand the potential of the site. We can explore design opportunities, planning and site constraints, the scale of work that may be appropriate and the likely construction budget before you commit to the next stage. Minett Studio offers a complimentary initial design consultation to discuss your property, your ideas and what might be possible.

Town Planning & Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

Residential projects on the Mornington Peninsula can involve complex planning considerations, particularly on coastal, environmentally sensitive, rural and highly vegetated sites. Minett Studio has experience working with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and navigating the town planning process for new homes, renovations and substantial alterations and additions.

Before commencing design, we consider the planning controls that apply to the property and how they may influence the development potential of the site. Depending on the location, this can include neighbourhood character, building height and setbacks, vegetation and tree protection, bushfire requirements, environmental and landscape considerations, coastal conditions, overlooking, site coverage and other planning overlays.

Our role is not simply to prepare drawings for a planning permit. We develop the architectural response with the relevant planning controls in mind from the outset, identifying potential constraints early and looking for design solutions that balance the client’s brief with the particular requirements of the site.

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, responses to Council requests for further information and amendments that may arise during the assessment process.

For challenging sites, early architectural and planning advice can be particularly valuable. Understanding the likely opportunities and constraints before committing to a design — or even before purchasing a property — can help clients make informed decisions about what may realistically be achievable. Our experience designing homes throughout Sorrento, Blairgowrie, Portsea, Flinders, Red Hill, Mornington and the wider Mornington Peninsula gives us an understanding of the very different planning and site conditions encountered across the region.

Minett Studio — Architecture · Interiors · Landscape