Toby House: The Beauty of Holding Back

Set against the backdrop of sweeping valley views, Toby House is a considered exploration of contrast, between strength and softness, architecture and interior, monochrome and materiality. Designed by VICELLO in collaboration with Oz Build and client from day one, the home delivers a highly resolved joinery and interior package that feels both architectural and personal.

It reflects a tightly resolved vision: ranch-style warmth with an industrial edge.

The Island

At the centre of the open plan kitchen sits a 5-metre bench clad in Caesarstone^® Rugged Concrete^TM, not a decorative afterthought, but a piece of architecture in its own right. No tapware. No clutter. Just form, scale and tonal complexity doing the heavy lifting.

The rear benches and splashback continue the same tonal mood, offering cohesion without flattening the space. In a home defined by restraint, this confident mineral surface becomes the focal point.

A New Kind of Contrast

Rather than rely on high-shine or colour-blocking, Toby House introduces contrast through texture and proportion. The softness of matte stone against the sharp lines of joinery. The warmth of timber underfoot beside the cool tactility of concrete-style finishes.

In a palette as tight as this, every material has to justify itself. Rugged Concrete^TM does exactly that. It bridges function and feeling, boldness and subtlety.

Designed to Be Lived With

This isn’t a show kitchen. It’s a real one. Built for a full household, daily use and moments that matter, from pancake Sundays to late-night wine with friends. It works as effortlessly as it looks. Every detail, from the mitred bulkheads to the pivot door concealing the butler’s pantry, laundry, and garage, speaks to the benefit of early alignment between design, production and construction.

It’s this clarity of vision that allows the materials to do their job without distraction. Surfaces feel purposeful. Storage disappears. Movement flows.

And at the centre of it all, a gorgeous surface that brings peace of mind to the mix. Made from a unique blend of natural minerals and recycled content, Rugged Concrete^TM is part of the new generation of crystalline silica-free surfaces. Meaning it’s durable, sustainable and refreshingly low maintenance. It resists stains, shrugs off heat and doesn’t ask for sealing or special treatment, making it as easy to live with as it is to look at.

There’s no need to choose between beautiful and durable when the right materials, and the right team, deliver both.

Black, But Not Blank

Toby House is proof that monochrome doesn’t have to mean minimal. Rich in detail and shadow, the black palette here is layered and deliberate. The black joinery is kept intentionally sharp and uniform, using a fingerprint-resistant matte finish that pairs beautifully with the surface’s texture. Clean lines, concealed storage, and tonal consistency supports the overall rhythm of the design.

It’s as much about contrast as it is about depth. And every decision, from hardware to hinge, speaks to that approach.

Holding Back to Go Further

Some kitchens fight for attention with their loud finishes, bold veining and big gestures. But the most compelling spaces, often like the most compelling people, don’t need to perform. Think of that quietly confident character at the edge of the room who’s not the loudest, but somehow the most unforgettable. That’s the energy of Toby House.

Solid. Grounded. Effortlessly cool. It doesn’t need to shout because its strength lies in restraint, in knowing its role and playing it perfectly.

It’s a reminder that the most powerful design moments are often the most understated. Confidence, in both people and spaces, is best delivered with quiet clarity.

To explore surfaces that speak this same quiet language, discover Caesarstone’s next generation of benchtops, designed for now, and built for what’s next.

Project: Toby House

Joinery Design, Manufacture & Install: Vicello

Photographer: Nat Spada (formerly The Palm Co)

Builder: Oz Build