A client often asks for an industrial, minimalist look, but also wants warmth and cosiness. This can be a challenging task for an architect — combining the dominance of industrial design features with a comfortable home feel. This brief was mastered in this Melbourne holiday home and the solution was to install an Escea DX1500 gas fireplace with its innovative Multiroom function.

The house has 4m high ceilings and a 30m long open plan living area with vast windows bringing the ocean views inside. The huge hanging concrete slab housing the ultra wide (1.5m) frameless gas fireplace is the feature element of the home. Using the double sided option means the fireplace provides flame for two areas at once, while dividing the main space into different zones. This is a clever take on open-plan living — the kitchen and dining area are separated from the lounge area, but the house retains excellent flow between rooms.

The Multiroom ducting system distributes heat throughout the home's living space. This Melbourne retreat has all the duct outlets placed in the main room to heat every corner evenly. This is the choice of the architect. Multiroom is designed to suit different builds — it also allows for multiple rooms to be heated from the central fire. The Powered Direct Vent technology also means the flue can be run through the floor, allowing an island install for Escea DX Series gas heaters.

The required minimalist look is achieved by the frameless fire and the white coal fuel bed. Despite the industrial look of the concrete slab, natural materials complement the overall interior design. A variety of wood finishes and stone are used in floors and furniture to create a link to the natural world outside. Warmth is achieved in subtle ways — the copper underside of the hanging lights, the warm wood of the dining table and the cheerfully coloured cushions on the plump sofa in the living room.