- Interior
In the hills of Victoria’s High Country, Hilltop House unfolds as a serene retreat where nature, art, and architecture coexist in perfect harmony. What was once a modest modernist dwelling has been transformed by Flack Studio into a refined second home for a pair of collectors. Their request: a place that feels both powerful and intimate, where the raw beauty of the landscape sets the tone. The result is a residence that breathes the Australian earth while forming a sophisticated universe of texture, colour, and light.
Founded by David Flack in Melbourne, Flack Studio has distinguished itself over the past decade with an architectural approach that is both experimental and exquisitely refined. The multidisciplinary practice merges architecture, interior, and product design into projects that explore material, light, and volume with meticulous precision. From a former workshop in Fitzroy, a team of architects and designers create spaces that resonate emotionally while maintaining structural clarity. This fusion of imagination and craftsmanship yields interiors that transcend their time — elegant, honest, and profoundly layered. 
Hilltop House embodies this philosophy down to the smallest detail. The existing structure was reimagined with respect for its modernist core yet stripped of superfluous elements. Expansive glazing invites the rolling landscapes of the Taungurung region deep into the interior. The home is composed of two pavilions: an open living area with kitchen, dining, and lounge, and a private wing containing bedrooms and a study. The restrained footprint enhances the sense of intimacy, while the panoramic views make the house feel suspended between earth and sky.
Terracotta and Mafi timber floors meet walls finished in Venetian plaster that echoes the hues of local stone.
Inside, the residence reveals a layered play of materials directly inspired by its surroundings. Terracotta and Mafi timber floors meet walls finished in Venetian plaster that echoes the hues of local stone. In the entrance, a mosaic of marble and limestone provides a visual translation of the mountain palette. In the kitchen, Predia marble, hammered brass, and black steel converge in a monumental island, while the bathroom — clad entirely in Calacatta Viola — feels like a carved grotto. Every material has been chosen to make the tactile force of nature tangible. 
The interior is completed by a carefully curated collection of vintage furniture and art, primarily European and Australian pieces from the twentieth century. A Raffles sofa by Vico Magistretti, Gio Ponti lighting, and contemporary artworks create a dialogue between cultures and generations. Yet despite its richness, Hilltop remains understated: nothing demands attention, everything exudes calm and precision. What Flack Studio achieves here is more than a holiday home. Hilltop House is a rediscovery of living itself — a place where material, light, and landscape come together to tell a single story. 
Photography by Anson Smart
Text by Carolien Depamelaere