Kelem Design

Kelem Design — Luxury Residential Architecture — Melbourne



Kelem Design is a boutique architectural design studio located in the centre of Melbourne's Bayside district. Since its establishment in 2001 Kelem Design has developed a firm foothold in residential architecture design, specialising in luxury townhouse developments, contemporary home design, major renovations and extensions, as well as contemporary apartments developments.



Years of experience in the building design industry allow us to manage architecure projects from initial concept sketch design to a detailed and comprehensive documentation stage. Kelem Design specialise in guiding clients through complex development application submissions, successfully securing planning and building permits in a timely fashion. We also offer other various residential design services such as kitchen & bathroom joinery design, landscape planning and interior design colour consultancy.



Kelem Design treats every new project with an individual approach and immaculate attention to detail, ensuring a quality service and client satisfaction. Our use of sophisticated 3d modelling software and experience with a wide variety of innovative construction materials result in unique and accurate architectural designs.



In recent years we have also branched out into the 3d visualisation field and have been able to provide clients with high quality 3d rendering services for marketing and visualisation purposes.



Please feel free to view images of some of our completed projects in the gallery sections. For all enquiries including quotations please visit the contact section.




Architectural Design & Construction Services


Our business provides various architectural design and construction consulting services.
We also offer 3d visualisation services in collaboration with our partner Cleanpix Graphics.

Below is a list of the services we offer our clients:

  • Architectural Concept Design
  • Town Planning Submissions
  • VCAT Submissions
  • Building Permits
  • Interior Design
  • Joinery Design
  • Landscape Design
  • Colour Consultancy
  • Specification of finishes and materials
  • Liaising with authorities
  • Co-ordination with Consultants
  • Materials Quantity Schedules
  • Construction supervision and project management
  • 3d Rendering & Visualisation

Please feel free to view images of some of our completed projects in our gallery sections. For all general enquiries including quotations, please visit the contact section.






Our Fee Structure

We believe in absolute transparency when it comes to investing in your future home. To give you maximum financial predictability, we offer two main ways to structure your architectural fees based on your project scope and budget clarity.



Fixed Flat Fee

Staged Progress Payments — To support your financial planning, both our flat fee and percentage structures are broken down into manageable progress payments. You only pay for each completed stage of work:

  • Stage 1: Schematic & Concept Design – Initial site analysis, briefing, and spatial layouts.
  • Stage 2: Town Planning & Council Approval – Development refinement and managing the council submission.
  • Stage 3: Construction Documentation – Technical drawings, engineering liaison, and securing your Building Permit.



Percentage of Construction Cost

For larger projects we can charge a percentage of estimated construction cost.






Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What specific types of residential projects do you design?

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A. We design bespoke luxury homes, premium apartments, multi-unit developments and duplexes that maximize site potential.

Q. What areas and municipalities do you cover?

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A. While we specialise in Melbourne's urban areas like Bayside, Port Phillip, Stonnington, Kingston and Glen Eira and coastal country regions like Mornington Peninsula, we also frequently service other greater Melbourne suburbs.

Q. Can you help with major renovations, remodeling, and extensions?

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A. Yes. We seamlessly blend modern extensions and detailed remodeling into existing structures while strictly respecting the property’s architectural history.

Q. Do you need to visit the property before starting?

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A. Yes. A comprehensive site visit is required for all projects in order to evaluate topography, views, solar orientation, and local context.

Q. What extra steps are required for a renovation or remodeling project?

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A. For all renovation and extension projects, we conduct a meticulous, on-site site measure and inspection to accurately map the existing building before design work begins. We would liaise with the consulting structural engineer if we evaluate that structural assessment is required.

Q. Can we meet with you and discuss the project before we make a decision?

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A. Yes. We can arrange the meeting on-site or in our office to discuss the potential of your project and the process. We are happy to discover your requirements and review your original ideas.

Q. How do you ensure a successful planning application?

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A. We collaborate with an expert town planning consultant who assesses your project early and coordinates directly with local councils. This allows us to pre-emptively refine the design to strictly meet expectations, to maximize planning approval success rate.

Q. Do you handle Report and Consent applications?

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A. Yes. If your preferred design concept requires a variation to standard building regulations (such as boundary setbacks or fence heights), we manage the entire Report and Consent application with council to secure the necessary local dispensations.

Q. Do you handle council approvals for heritage or strict zoning areas?

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A. Yes. We have deep experience navigating strict council rules, heritage overlays, and unique regional codes common in both coastal zones and metropolitan Melbourne.

Q. Do you collaborate with the engineers, energy rater, or any other consultant?

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A. Yes, we coordinate them for you. Larger projects require structural engineers, energy raters, sustainability consultants, fire engineers, landscape designers and land surveyors, all of whom we source and manage.

Q. How far do you take the project before construction begins?

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A. We take care of full consultant coordination and technical drawing packages to bring your project entirely through the pre-construction phase up until your Building Permit is officially issued.

Q. Do you handle the interior design as well?

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A. We are capable of delivering a complete interior design fit out package in-house, including joinery, fixtures & fittings and finishes specifications. Alternatively, we are happy to collaborate with your preferred third party interior consultant.

Q. How long does the design and planning phase take?

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A. Bespoke homes and multi-unit designs typically take 3 to 8 months for design and approvals, depending on scope of works. Renovations & extensions typically take 2 to 5 months to finalise. Design and approvals of apartment building projects can take longer depending on size and complexity of the proposal.