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The Salmon House Offers Layered Design and Urban Warmth

ByMyProperty Life

Set atop Northcote’s Ruckers Hill, Salmon House by Australian studio True Story is a striking, multi-level residence that merges sculptural architecture with nuanced interiors. Designed by True Story’s Dan Gayfer and Lewis Marash, the home is a space that responds intimately to its surroundings while redefining what it means to live well in the inner suburbs of Melbourne.

Modern two-story white house with large windows, a covered patio with green chairs, glass railing, and a swimming pool in the foreground under a clear sky.

From its highly visible corner lot in Brunswick East, Salmon House establishes a commanding presence with its blend of robust materials – think cast in-situ concrete, reeded glass, rich timber cladding, and custom brickwork. Yet despite its material boldness, the home maintains an undeniable elegance, rooted in its careful balance between privacy, openness, and connection to its site.

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Modern white house with large windows, concrete walls, and a pool in the foreground, surrounded by greenery under a clear sky.

The architectural layout adapts to the sloping terrain, allowing the three-level residence to cascade naturally from front to back. Strategic cutaways and sightlines throughout ensure that movement through the home feels instinctive – almost like a current guiding one from shared spaces to quiet spots, from lively gatherings to still contemplation. True Story shares: “Navigating Salmon House is not unlike salmon swimming upstream; ascending from level to level, guided by instinct and senses. It is a sensory experience, traversing diverse spaces, materials, and moments that evoke both activity and tranquillity. The journey includes time with family and friends, with gentle pauses for reflection ultimately leading to moments of solitude.:

A black Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV drives out of a modern concrete residential garage surrounded by greenery and plants.

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Modern open-plan kitchen and dining area with wood cabinetry, island seating, green outdoor table and chairs, and a tan sofa with a striped pillow.

With the property occupying such a public-facing plot, local heritage guidelines heavily influenced both its visual language and spatial layout. Rather than imposing a stark contrast between the original house and the modern addition, the design team integrated narrow, textured glass as a subtle transition between contemporary and traditional forms. This understated move softens the dialogue between new and old, earning the home both architectural relevance and contextual respect.

A modern living room with a beige sectional sofa, patterned rug, light gray walls, and wooden accents, adjacent to an open kitchen with wood cabinetry.

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Tan leather sectional sofa with three textured pillows sits against a plain wall; a gray cat is by a glass door near green plants.

A modern open-plan living space with a tan sofa, a cat resting on it, a kitchen with wooden cabinets, and a dining area with a round table and chairs.

Inside, every room serves a distinct function, yet collectively they flow with cohesion. Shared living spaces – including a sunken lounge that spills out onto an outdoor terrace – are designed for connection, while private zones like the moody library and rooftop terrace offer restful escape. Floor-to-ceiling windows capture sweeping views of Melbourne’s skyline, anchoring the home within its broader urban locale.

Modern kitchen with wood cabinets, a large island with a ribbed white base, three brown barstools, and floor-to-ceiling windows providing natural light.

Modern kitchen with wood cabinets, open shelves with glassware, a built-in sink, and a light countertop island with a brown leather bar stool and a bowl of fruit.

Materially, the house continues its layered narrative with finishes like Grey Ironbark flooring, sculpted concrete island benches, and custom cabinetry in warm, natural veneers. In the sunken lounge space, burnished concrete flooring runs uninterrupted from inside to out, blurring the boundary between built the interior and the landscape.

A dining area with a round table, five chairs, potted plants, large windows, and a cat walking on a wooden floor near the balcony.

Modern open-plan living and dining area with wooden floors, large windows, and sliding glass doors leading to an outdoor patio with green chairs and a table.

Modern poolside lounge area with a wooden deck, beige sectional sofa, small wooden stool, potted plants, and a partially covered ceiling next to a white brick wall.

At its heart, Salmon House was conceived as a space to bring a family closer together – to facilitate both communal living and solitude. A generous outdoor terrace and adjacent pool house foster year-round socializing, while zones like the study and library offer refuge and focus. The pool itself acts as a connective element, tying the home and landscape into a singular experience.

Modern bathroom with a freestanding tub, glass-enclosed shower, wall-mounted fixtures, large mirrors, and neutral-toned tile under a slanted ceiling with natural light.

A modern bathroom with a white freestanding tub, frosted glass panels, a skylight above, tiled walls, and a towel hanging on open shelving.

Spacious modern living room with tan sectional sofa, built-in wooden shelving, large windows, and a hallway featuring a round window. A person is sitting on the sofa reading.

A modern living room with a tan leather sectional sofa, patterned pillows, a round coffee table, rug, and large window overlooking plants and tall cacti.

A modern living room with a tan leather sectional sofa, round glass coffee table, and open shelves displaying decor items, including model hot air balloons and small sculptures.

A modern wooden wall with built-in shelves, a bench with an open book and drink, a potted plant, and a gray round ottoman in front. Warm lighting creates a cozy ambiance.

A modern interior with wood accents, a built-in desk, and a cat standing at a glass door that leads to tiled outdoor stairs.

A modern outdoor patio with a green-tiled wall, gray cushioned bench, wooden deck, small round wooden table, and a beige pillow under a partially covered roof.

A living room with a large patterned rug, built-in bookshelf with ladder, window seat, fireplace, and wooden floors.

Modern bathroom with white tile walls, a large mirror, wooden vanity, built-in sink, wall-mounted faucet, potted plant, and a white towel rack reflected in the mirror.

Minimalist white-tiled bathroom with a wall-mounted shower, towel radiator, and a narrow vertical window opening to the outside.

Minimalist shower with light gray tiles, overhead rain shower, and an open skylight showing a tree branch above. A white heated towel rail is on the right wall.

Adding to the home’s indoor-outdoor connection are the glass-topped showers, which are open to the sky and connected to the outdoors while maintaining complete privacy. These secluded bathing spaces allow natural light to pour in, creating a tranquil bathing experience that blurs the line between indoor comfort and the surrounding environment.

A modern bedroom with a checkered bedspread, a potted tree behind a decorative glass partition, a white fireplace, and a framed portrait on the mantel.

A glass sliding door opens to an outdoor shower area with a potted tree; inside, a fireplace mantel holds framed art and decor items.

Outdoor shower with a rainfall showerhead, beige tiled walls, a potted tree, and a narrow skylight above letting in natural light.

The complexity of the project required coordination across multiple disciplines. True Story worked closely with the structural engineer, builder, and pool specialists to integrate the residence’s many components – from the subterranean basement to the elevated rooftop terrace. The result is a unified living environment that’s warm, welcoming, and the epitome of what a family home can be.

Modern bathroom with beige stone tiles, a glass shower, a white toilet, a wall-mounted sink, a heated towel rack with striped towels, and a potted plant near a window.

A modern beige building with rectangular windows and a circular window sits behind a concrete wall, casting a tree shadow; a red brick house is partially visible to the right.

For more information on Salmon House and True Story, visit truestory.au.

Photography by Dean Bradley.
Interior styling by Lou Wester.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

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