Situated on the lower north shore of Sydney, the existing dwelling was an inter-war double brick cottage with a tired appearance including an ugly garage in the front of the property. The brief for the project was to extend the dwelling to include open plan living, additional bedrooms and a large deck area. In order to capitalise on the bush setting and to contextualise the contemporary addition, the large covered deck acts as an elevated outdoor room which frames the views to the bush and situates the house amongst the trees. Through the use of different materials and textures, the design is articulated with regards to aesthetics, functionality, and the relationship of the addition to the existing portion of the dwelling. Timber boarding, rendered masonry and a painted cladding system create scale and proportion and facilitate spatial opportunities both internally and externally.