A Bronte 1940s duplex is not the best structure to convert into a house, the rooms on the ground floor were small and are not suitable to open plan living and the old outdoor stairs did not provide easy access to the upper floor. However a new building on the small site could not have been as large as the existing duplex, as the Council rules would have restricted its size.

So armed with a good engineer and a good builder we managed to open up the ground floor and relocate the staircase inside the existing semi-circular bay. We found more space in the roof for an attic and upgraded all the finishes and openings. The house has now an open and luminous feeling, a long way from the 1940s sombre apartments, and with a new lease of life. Indicative of this is the joyful palette of colours and interiors.