DALCROMBIE HOUSE

Repost 2017: A stylish movie set ? No, it’s a house in Olinda ! #Dalcrombie was built in 1939 for Earle Coles, of Coles & Garrard, and originally named Llanhydroch; it was designed by #JEsmondDorney, who did a lot of really great Deco flats, especially in Elwood. So many projecting #semicircular elements, a fave feature of Dorney’s later 1930s work, sticking out from the flat roofed main rectangular volume, on different levels and wildly cantilevered, and the stairs are also in a semi-circular drum. The lounge by contrast has huge long rectangular windows opening onto a terrace with only a corner post between them. The possibilities of #reinforcedconcrete. Along with Burnham Beeches, also in the Dandenongs, and Carlaminda in Toorak, this is one of the best Art Deco mansions in Victoria, though not well known. Note the biggest lower projecting window on the right is not original but part of a matching 80s addition. Inside there’s great wrought iron on the stairs, a fine sandblasted shark window, and a pair of (not very Deco) fluted columns between the entry and lounge, and outside a very classical columned screen beyond the pool. The first photo is everywhere in the internet, but was originally by Brian Scott for the NGV’s 2008 Art Deco exhibition in 2008 (featuring the car, a 1937 Cord 812 Westchester sedan), photos 2, 9 and the plans are real estate photos from 2003 (cant believe they’re still there), the rest Sandra Cohen Rose via Flickr from 2007, B&W photo is from acountryhouse.com blog.