White interior and black facade - 1990s townhouse in Melbourne (Photo)

Behind the black façade of this 1990s Melbourne townhouse is a series of simple, minimalist and white painted living spaces designed by Winter Architecture.

The architecture studio first simplified the house's façade to appear as a "foreign object" among other more polished houses around the wealthy neighborhood. Black paint was applied across the front and rear facades and all windows were fitted with black window frames. A black-framed balustrade was also installed in front of the balcony on the first floor of the house.

The home's dark exterior was designed to serve as the “obvious opposite” of its new white interiors. The dull avocado-colored cabinets that once dominated the kitchen have been replaced with plain white cabinets complemented by white tile.

A chunk of pale marble towers over the breakfast island. The studio incorporated this so that residents have a place to sit and enjoy their food, while deflecting the need for the intrusive dining table that previously stood in the living room.

The living room now has only a pale gray sofa and a couple of black nightstands. A white storage unit has been installed on the peripheral wall where knickknacks can be neatly tucked away. A long white sideboard runs right below it if residents want to display any decorations.

The clean white surfaces continue upstairs to the first floor of the house. Textural interest has been created in the bathrooms, where gray tiles are tiled with rain showers and clad in showers and bathtubs. Hardware such as towel rails and faucets are made of gold-colored brass.

The studio has partially expanded the bedroom into a hallway to make room for a dressing room. The remaining space in the hallway was set aside for a small office with a wooden table from the wall. As residents move through the house, they may not see the light well of a building with a single silver birch.