Design director Simon Pole and graphic designer Annabel Dundas have built their own home, named River House, in Melbourne around their collection of art, sculpture and furniture.
Set on the bank of the Yarra River, the house was also designed around outdoor activities for the couple's children, with a swimming pool, basketball court and boat deck providing access to the water.

"The setting of the house is very special," Pole told Dezeen. "Tucked down on the river within a natural setting only three miles from the city with very few references that it is in the inner suburbs."
River House stands on the site of a 1990s house that Pole and Dundas knocked down to make way for their home. To keep within planning regulations they shadowed the footprint of the former structure but added a small rear extension and more ceiling height to create extra space.
Built on a slope of 30 degrees, the site is divided into terraced levels with the three-storey house at the top and a series of lawns and decks leading down to the river.
Pole and Dundas decided to clad the lower half of the facade in blackened cypress to compliment the deep grey interiors, where the use of the slim dark timber slats continues.

"The 5.8-metre-high glazed openable facade allows abundant light deep into the living areas counteracting the fact that the rear of the house is cut into the steeply sloping site," said Pole.
"This allowed us to use materials such as the black cypress,...