In Conversation with Studio Griffiths

With one of your studios now firmly embedded on the Mornington Peninsula, how has the region’s landscape, lifestyle and design sensibility shaped the way you approach new residential projects?
The Mornington Peninsula has become an incredibly grounding influence on our work. The landscape has a quiet power: rugged coastline, expansive skies, rural solitude, a muted coastal palette and shifting light all invite a more elemental, intuitive design response. Living and working here has strengthened our commitment to restraint, material honesty, and spaces deeply connected to nature. Clients value calm, light-filled interiors, robust materials that age gracefully and planning that supports an easy flow between daily life and the outdoors, so our projects are more attuned to climate, more responsive to site and focused on creating a sanctuary that feels authentic to coastal and rural life.

Peninsula clients often seek homes that shift seamlessly between sanctuary and entertainer’s haven. How do you design spaces that achieve that balance?
This balance has become a defining signature of our Peninsula projects. We design flexible spaces that expand for entertaining yet contract for intimacy, starting with strong planning: generous open living zones that connect directly to outdoor areas, supported by secondary spaces such as a rumpus or sitting room that offer retreat. Materiality plays a crucial role, with warm, tactile textures grounding the home while refined, durable finishes handle large gatherings. Layered lighting then shifts from soft and atmospheric to bright and functional so sanctuary and celebration feel seamlessly integrated.

Materiality is central to your practice. Are there any emerging textures, finishes or palettes that you feel will define the next chapter of coastal architecture and interiors?
We’re seeing a shift towards materials that express depth, tactility and a sense of permanence. Across our coastal projects, we’re gravitating towards stone with gentle movement, warm neutral palettes of muted sands, coastal clays, chalky whites and deep inky charcoals or navy, natural timbers in refined matte finishes, and brushed or patinated metals for subtle warmth. We are also embracing porous, textural finishes such as limewash, rendered walls and handmade tiles that catch natural light beautifully. The next chapter of coastal design will lean into softer forms, layered textures and an understated, elemental calm.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about designing on the Mornington Peninsula over the next few years — and where do you see Studio Griffiths’ signature evolving next?
The Peninsula offers a rare freedom: space to breathe and create meaningful connections between home, landscape and lifestyle. We’re excited by the chance to design homes that truly elevate the way people live here. At the same time, we’re expanding across rural and regional Victoria, with projects that refine our understanding of how architecture can sit quietly within nature while remaining elevated and luxurious. Our signature is evolving towards refined simplicity and sculptural restraint: spaces that feel effortless yet intentional, bold in their calmness and shaped by authenticity, longevity and place.

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