First came hygge, the danish concept of finding content in coziness; then we had Wabi Sabi, the Japanese art of imperfection; and now we have gezellig, a Dutch idea which refers to all things relaxing, enjoyable and gregarious. And here’s a home tour that embodies all this and more, with a sustainable twist. Welcome to the Gezellig House.

Upon first glance, what is most striking about the Gezellig House is the juxtaposition of the raw, stripped back design (an homage to the building’s warehouse heritage) and the intimate touches of home present in the books, art and other personal treasures scattered around the space. There’s a precise balance between function and industrial aesthetic which DiMase Architects, the brains behind this project, call a “testament to the gezellig ideal”.

The Gezellig House began life as a converted two-storey warehouse home in Melbourne’s inner-west. With its renovation, the home owners wanted the emphasis placed exclusively on sustainability. Specifically, they requested to follow the well-known European building standard Passive House (or PassivHaus), which aims to provide a comfortable internal environment while reducing household energy use by up to 90 per cent.

For this to happen, DiMase Architects had to completely re-establish the home’s existing internal structure using quality energy solutions and lasting materials. The extent of work needed, however, ultimately meant that the project fell just shy of gaining official PassivHaus accredition.

Regardless, the Gezellig House was still able to achieve an impressive 7.1 star rating under the Australian NATHERS energy efficiency rating tool. This is chiefly thanks to the home’s innovative insulation system which features air tightness, triple glazed glass and thermal bridging.

Design-wise, the ground floor and first floor function as two distinct spaces. Downstairs, a series of separated rooms house the private quarters, with three bedrooms, a study and a bathroom.

Of particular note here is the importance of lighting for both energy saving and atmospheric purposes. This floor adopts an LED lighting system which is adaptable, low energy and visually exciting (just look at that red neon gezellig sign!). The neon gives off a warm millenial pink glow, in its coziness.

Upstairs opens up to a grand, expansive living area which boasts city views, daylight access and outdoor living. I especially love the eclectic mix of furniture in this space. The clashing colors and textures suggest a nonchalant and spontaneous design approach that’s very gezellig indeed.

Overall, in both design and sustainability, the Gezillig Home is impressive to say the least. On a hot 42 degrees Celsius summer day, the home’s maximum indoor temperature was 27 degrees – sans air conditioning or any kind of mechanical cooling.

With the energy saving thoroughly taken care of, DiMase Architects left just one thing for the home owners to occupy themselves with – making their lives as gezillig as possible.