The Neutral Bay house project involved the complete external and internal renovation of a mid-20th Century cottage located in a richly varied conservation area.

Dealing with the heritage considerations as well as a difficult and restricted site resulted in design solutions that were necessarily rigorous whilst maintaining flexibility for the inhabitants, a growing family with two young boys. Very little addition was possible to the existing dwelling, limited to the rebuilding of the garage, the creation of a roof terrace and ground level decks, a new plunge pool and careful interventions to the existing building fabric. More extensive internal reconfigurations allowed for the creation of an expansive open plan living area with stunning north-east orientation, a guest bedroom, ensuite and WIR to the main bedroom and a new lease of life to the period staircase. Colour and material selection played a key part in contemporising the home, with the necessary retention of the original rooftiles requiring a deft handling of the Council's preferred heritage colours when rendering and painting the exterior brickwork. A splash of red to the pivoting front door hints at the fresh interiors

beyond, and the rooftop terrace becomes a tropical retreat with luscious clay tones. Overall the project balances the integration of the dwelling with its streetscape context whilst achieving a refreshing aesthetic expression that perfectly suits the personality of the owners.