![A modern home has wood-slat screens on its facade that create shading and privacy for the interior.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-house-wood-slats-swimming-pool-300323-800-01.jpg)
Koichi Takada Architects has completed a new home in Sydney, Australia, whose design was inspired by palm fronds, specifically the way the leaves provide dappled light and shelter to the fruit its tree bears.
![A modern home has wood-slat screens on its facade that create shading and privacy for the interior.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-house-wood-slats-swimming-pool-300323-800-03.jpg)
Applying the same principles, the home was cocooned with symmetrical linear screening, increasing privacy, protecting the glazing against solar heat gain, and directing site lines toward the tree-lined harbor waterways and beaches.
![A modern home has wood-slat screens on its facade that create shading and privacy for the interior.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-house-wood-slat-exterior-300323-807-01.jpg)
The outdoor spaces include local sandstone, a feature of the landscaping that also has 50% indigenous plant species.
![A modern home has wood-slat screens on its facade that create shading and privacy for the interior.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-house-wood-slats-swimming-pool-300323-800-02.jpg)
![A landscaped garden that features sandstone and a bbq.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-home-patio-300323-807-01.jpg)
![A modern home with landscaping that includes sandstone details and an abundance of indigenous plants.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-house-wood-slat-exterior-300323-807-03.jpg)
The slatted screens have a subtle woodgrain that adds texture and warmth to the facade.
![The slatted screens have a subtle woodgrain that adds texture and warmth to the facade of this modern house.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-house-wood-slat-exterior-300323-807-02.jpg)
The interior of the home, designed by Justine Hugh Jones, includes bright and welcoming spaces, like the living room, where floor-to-ceiling windows fill the room with natural light and a fluted fireplace surround adds a textural element.
![In this modern living room, floor-to-ceiling windows fill the room with natural light and a fluted fireplace surround adds a textural element.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-living-room-with-fireplace-300323-759-01.jpg)
The dining room includes a large table surrounded by chairs, with two pendant lights hanging above, and a rug to help anchor the table in the open space.
![This contemporary dining room includes a large table surrounded by chairs, with two pendant lights hanging above, and a rug to help anchor the table in the open space.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-open-plan-dining-room-300323-756-01.jpg)
In the kitchen, white cabinets are complemented with a light countertop, while a bench has been placed underneath the nearby window.
![In this kitchen, white cabinets are complemented with a light countertop, while a bench has been placed underneath the nearby window.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/contemporary-white-kitchen-with-bench-300323-753-01.jpg)
In the bathroom, a large picture window provides a backdrop for the freestanding bathtub, and arched mirrors are hung on the wall above the double vanity.
![In this bathroom, a large picture window provides a backdrop for the freestanding bathtub, and arched mirrors are hung on the wall above the double vanity.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/modern-wood-white-bathroom-300323-757-01.jpg)