A modest Edwardian cottage in a quiet street in the Melbourne suburb in Thornbury has been transformed into a light-filled and spacious family home.

The brief for the project was to retain the original charm of the cottage while transforming it into a functional and inviting home. 

The existing interior configuration has been reorganised into a more functional arrangement: the main bedroom at the front of the dwelling has been retained but a new ensuite has been added to provide additional amenities.  Two further bedrooms are stacked along the long and narrow linear floor plan, followed by a family bathroom and a concealed laundry. 

The key element of the design is the new addition at the back of the property.  With its high ceilings and generous windows, it creates a sense of lightness, and is the focal point of the home. 

The space features an open plan kitchen, dining and living area; oversized sliding doors open onto a timber deck, essentially elongating the living room by borrowing the additional external section. 

Materials have been kept understated, almost neutral, allowing to become a backdrop or canvas for the residents and their family life.  Soft warm timbers, light warm greys and white tones feature throughout the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms, creating in unison an unpretentious, modern, and welcoming family home.