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<Title>Multidisciplinary design studio Homeroom Studio was engaged to reimagine a Melbourne home shaped by art, memory and travel – a place built around objects and stories its owners had collected over a lifetime.</Title>
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<Paragraph>Partway through, a compliance issue with the existing fireplace became an unexpected turning point, and its replacement, an Escea gas fireplace, went on to became one of the room's defining features. </Paragraph>
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<Paragraph>We spoke with <Link url="https://homeroomstudio.com.au/" target="_blank">Homeroom Studio</Link> founder and director Romy Dankner about the project.</Paragraph>
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Tell us about Montana Jewel – who's the client, and what were you trying to achieve?
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Montana Jewel is a celebration of authenticity, craftsmanship, and layered warmth. The client had a deep appreciation for culture, storytelling, and refined materiality, having collected art and artefacts from around the world. <Break /><Break />Working alongside <Link url="https://www.addarc.com.au/" target="_blank">ADDARC</Link>, our role was to reimagine the internal layout to create a space that felt expansive, grounded, and emotionally resonant.
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<Title>How did that brief shape the design?</Title>
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<Paragraph>The client's passion for art, history, and tactile materials gave us a rich starting point. We restructured the home to centralise the main living areas, and landed on a warm, soulful palette – deep timber veneers, bronzed accents, leathered stone with rich veining. </Paragraph>
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<Paragraph>The design language intentionally drew on traditional craftsmanship, but with a contemporary restraint. It was about creating intimacy within grandeur, and detail within simplicity.</Paragraph>
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<Title>What led you to the Escea DS Series for the fireplace?</Title>
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<Paragraph>The existing fireplace turned out to be non-compliant with current building standards, so we needed a solution that was both functional and aligned with the aesthetic. </Paragraph>
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<Paragraph>Gas offered the convenience and cleanliness the client preferred, and the <Link url="/gas-fireplaces/ds-series-single-sided">Escea DS Series</Link> stood out for its sleek, linear form and technical flexibility – it let us maintain the design integrity while meeting safety and performance requirements.</Paragraph>
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<Title>Which features of the fireplace mattered most in this design?</Title>
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<Paragraph>The flexible flue system was especially useful for integrating it within our design intent, and zero clearance was critical given the adjacent joinery. </Paragraph>
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<Paragraph>The DS Series finish gave us that quiet sophistication we were after. Its frameless, linear form allowed us to achieve a sleek, built-in look without compromising the cabinetry or surrounding finishes. And being New Zealand-made was a nice bonus, in keeping with our support for quality local manufacturing where possible.</Paragraph>
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<Title>Can you talk us through the custom stonework and cabinetry surround?</Title>
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<Paragraph>It was treated as a sculptural and functional anchor, not just a heat source, but an architectural moment. The surround is a rich, leathered natural stone chosen for its warmth and veining, paired with deep-toned timber veneer cabinetry that also works as media storage and display. Window placement nearby was considered carefully too, to balance light, view lines and intimacy around the hearth.</Paragraph>
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<Title>Did Escea's design resources factor into the process?</Title>
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<Paragraph>Yes, the CAD and BIM files let us integrate the unit with precision, and we consulted their <Link url="/architectural-advisory">Architectural Advisory</Link> team to make sure everything complied and performed well alongside the custom cabinetry and stone.</Paragraph>
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<Title>How has the finished home, and the fireplace, been received?</Title>
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<Paragraph>The client was overwhelmed, in the best way. It feels like a true extension of who they are. The fireplace in particular, with its quiet strength and sculptural elegance, has become a favourite – it brings a sense of grounded calm, offering not just warmth but atmosphere. It's a space where they feel entirely at ease, surrounded by beauty, warmth, and meaning.</Paragraph>
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