The renovation in Brunswick has extensively reworked the original footprint to produce a highly functional and light-filled home for a young family of 4.
The original dwelling cleverly reworked the existing built footprint of the house to maximise the usable floor area thus producing a home that will adapt to the needs of the family in the years ahead.
The studio’s renowned attention to detail has included extensive built-in furniture and concealed sliding pocket doors that separate the Kitchen and Meals area from the Living area beyond. Double loaded overhead cupboards maximise storage whilst providing visual interest within this open plan living area.
What was the brief?
The practice was initially engaged to provide a staged design that would allow partial upgrade of the home with a second stage to complete the project whilst the owners lived in Stage 1. With the final preferred design accepted, the Clients agreed to proceed with the full design to faciliate a more traditional construction process and avoid being on site with their two young children and all the associated upheaval.
The final design included the retention of the original built footprint of the inter-war period home, keeping the three bedrooms in place but stripping the remaining dividing walls, fixtures and fittings. A new secure internal entry foyer area was created in what was a front verandah, stepping into a new open plan meals, kitchen and living area that all bedrooms access negating the need for a corridor. The meals and kitchen area are united with built in furniture to maximise storage and useable space. Sneaky pocket doors are fitted at the end of the built in pantry closes the bedrooms and kitchen/meals area from the living space to improve the practicality of the home with two young children. A new study overlooking the backyard adjacent to a renovated bathroom and laundry cupboard completes the home.
What were the key challenges?
The renovation of older homes always presents "expected challenges" like older construction methods and materials that require replacement or upgrading to meet current building regulations and the like. And the old adage of being able to relax once the house is 'up out of the ground' also proved true on this project.
An unexpected sewer was discovered cutting across the backyard of the site only a metre from the new living room doors that serviced not only our property but the neighbouring dwellings as well! The intended built pergola structure and extensive decking was duly deleted while a more modest deck was given approval with spans designed to avoid the existing pipework.
With the age of the original home, all the internal plasterwork was stripped with all new plasterboard hung after levelling of the ceilings and walls. While not unusual, this is an added expense so worth doing for the improved result meaning the floorboards align correctly to the walls, the doors are square, architraves fit and built-in joinery fits neatly.
Key products used:
Boral OutRwall for a lightweight fire rated wall solution on the title boundary
James Hardie Matrix Scyon External Wall Cladding
Timber Weatherboards to match existing
Bradford Soundscreen Bulk Wall + Ceiling Insulation
Dulux Weathershield Acrylic Paint Finishes externally
Colorbond Black, Monument + Shale Grey
Clearshield Perforated Black Metal Security Door
Cowdroy "Exposed 90" Feature Sliding Door track, Colour Black
2 No. Marshall's Fitzroy Concealed Head Track with T Floor guides fitted to Living Room side of Pantry Cupboard
Black Aluminium double glazed windows
ASH Engineered Timber Floorboards, Australian Oak, Prefinished with Treffert UV Laquer (available from Oslek Flooring)
Caesarstone Frosty Carrina #5141 to Kitchen Benchtops
Solid timber table top with waterfall ends and mitre joins to Meals Table, Solid Victorian Ash, Stained to match Timber Floorboards ("Feather Mix B", Available from Grimes and Sons)
2 pack polyurethane paint finish to Kitchen typically, Colour Dulux Snowy Mountains Half Strength and Doe
Bosch Series 8 60cm Eco Clean Direct Built-in Oven
Bosch Series 6 60cm induction cooktop
Bosch Series 6 70cm integrated rangehood,
Bosch Series 6 Fully-integrated 60cm dishwasher
Fisher and Paykel Active Smart Fridge with ice maker
Abey Lago Double Bowl Sink with Inset Mounting
Methven Culinary Gooseneck Sink mixer with pull out spray
Caroma Gem ceramic inset vanity basin to Ensuite
Abey Lucia Tapware in Black to Ensuite
Hydrotherm Electric Towel Rail in Black powdercoat finish
Infinite Andrew Dual Flush Ceramic Toilet Pan with Gerberit inwall cistern
Mizu Soothe Back to wall Freestanding Bath
Kohler Reach back to the wall pan and cistern to bathroom
Polilife "Jordy" wall mounted vanity unit
Designer Doorware Quad Lever handles
