A short story of this project
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The family with 2 young children loved where they lived, but really needed more space. Their current home was a modest 1970’s double-brick, 2-bedroom cottage, situated well below street level.
At our first in-person meeting, they asked if they could improve the street appeal of their existing home and bring in more light, as the house was dark due to its position below street level.
Addressing their option of a complete knock down and rebuild, I advised them that in their case it made perfect sense to retain the existing structure and simply re-purpose the rooms.
Retaining the existing usable spaces would save them time and money. The family also appreciated that it was a more responsible solution from a sustainability point of view as well.
The major elements of the design solutions were:
- For additional space – The design included an extension at the rear and a new first floor. The ground floor included a new kitchen, meals area, family room and entertaining area. The new first floor added 3 bedrooms, and a family bathroom with the master bedroom having a large walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.
- To bring natural light into the home I focused on the rear of the property with its northerly aspect to ensure the kitchen, family room, and meals area were bright and sunny.
- The first-floor addition with the open-styled staircase allowed the light to penetrate into the centre of the ground floor of the home. In larger houses, this area can often be quite dark.
- To improve the street appeal and to announce the entrance from the street, I added a portico at the entrance.
- Retaining the existing structure and re-purposing the spaces saved time and expense. Some of the existing rooms were re-purposed into dining room, formal lounge, a bedroom and a study/ guest room.
- A glazed area within the roof over the entertaining area provided both cover for inclement weather and allowed natural light into the family room and meals area. It completed the transformation of their home.
The outcomes of the design on the family:
- The home is now easy to maintain, and this leaves valuable time to spend with the family
- As the children grow up, the spaces have different purposes, and everyone can have their own space when required. This creates an environment of harmony for all.
- The home is now a real entertainers delight. From the moment guests arrive at the front door, the smooth flow of the plan guides them to the kitchen and family room and then through to the entertaining area and backyard.
- Guests can comfortably stay over.
- There is now space for everything, and everything has its place.
The striking transformation from the almost unrecognisable old home to the fabulous new home amazes many of my clients, especially as we retained the existing structure of the building.
The family have great pride in their renovated home and have had many compliments about their bright, modern and spacious home.
Most importantly, all members of the family are now fully enjoying the lifestyle they always envisaged.
Photo Gallery
A creative roof design for additional light becomes an interesting focal point. A carefully situated new stairway encourages natural light to penetrate the centre of the home. To create a personalised feel, stairs provide opportunities for a variety of interesting spaces and display opportunities. A modern kitchen with an island bench has an enhanced a sense of style and comfort by utilising a variety of materials and textures.
The second storey bedroom is designed for good light penetration whilst multiple windows provide cross-ventilation, which is important for health and comfort. A simple connection and transition between internal and external living areas enables the family to take advantage of all seasons for indoor-outdoor living and entertaining.