An Architect's Own Home: Conrad Residence by Paul Conrad Architects

7 October 2026

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Discover how the MODE KS1150 Tall Gas Fireplace found its place in Paul Conrad's own Melbourne home — a considered new build defined by restraint, craft, and frameless design.

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There’s something revealing about an architect designing their own home. Freed from the usual negotiations of a client brief, the work becomes a rare chance to build exactly what they believe in, without compromise.

The Conrad Residence in Malvern, Melbourne is that project for Paul Conrad, director of Paul Conrad Architects. Designed for himself, his wife and two children, the 445-square-metre new build sits within a leafy inner-eastern suburb. Conrad has described the aesthetic as one of contradiction: minimal yet rich, restrained yet bold, poised yet relaxed.

The house moves between two distinct characters — more formal and intimate toward the street, and progressively more open as you move through to the rear, where the living areas connect to the kitchen and extend toward the garden through full-height glazing. It is here that the home is at its most generous, drawing light across the interior and creating a seamless connection with the landscaping beyond.

The Fireplace

Within this living space, a MODE KS1150 Tall Gas Fireplace grounds the room — built into the wall and flanked by full-height glazing and sheers either side. The installation is deliberately composed: a bold black steel surround frames the fire with graphic precision, while a soft stone hearth extends the full width of the surround.

The palette is monochromatic, offset by the curves and warmth of a timber coffee table, the texture of a velvet rug, and the drape of curtains — details that soften the room's clean lines.

The fireplace sits asymmetrically to the left of the wall, a subtle compositional shift that adds interest without disrupting the room's calm. Its frameless design means there is no visual interruption between the fire and the wall — the glass face sits flush, integrating cleanly with the architecture around it. At this scale, with its large square format, the fireplace carries the presence of a considered design object as much as a functional one.

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The fireplace features a natural flame pattern that moves with genuine depth, set above a bed of elevated logs — the level of detail, craft and refinement that defines the MODE range.

Beyond its appearance, the fireplace delivers up to 8.6kW of efficient heat across the open-plan space, with simple touch-of-a-button operation.

The MODE range is designed and crafted in New Zealand.