Summer Hill

Completed in stages over three summers, stage one included the renovation of the two existing bathrooms in this Victorian terrace. As a heritage-listed property, the changes were constrained to the footprint of the existing house to avoid council approvals.

For stage two, the owners wished for a brighter, larger and more functional kitchen space with a better connection between the indoor and outdoor living spaces. The laundry was relocated and a new bathroom was created in the existing studio.

The colour selection throughout was inspired by a photograph of the clients' family holiday to Marrakesh. It was also important to consider the client's colourful collection of ceramics that would become a feature in the new kitchen. The colour scheme, brass details and use of timber, brick and concrete all work together to make these rooms evoke a sense of playfulness and joy.

Winner: Best Use of Colour - Australian House & Garden Top 50 Rooms 2024

Builder: Renotech Building | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Canada Bay, 163sqm

A unique view of the golf course was the main reason the owners fell in love with this property. The existing house, however, was dark and outdated. It needed improvement as well as the addition of an extra bedroom and bathroom for the young family of four who were quickly outgrowing their CBD apartment. The result is a house with an aesthetic of simplicity and subtlety: a delicate timber veil to the stairs, thoughtfully placed windows and skylights for natural light and framed views, and a palette of muted colours and natural materials.

Builder: Renotech Building | Photographer: Anne Stroud | Stylist: Bijoux Home

Balmain East, 110sqm

This original early 1900’s timber cottage needed to be urgently repaired: the timber weatherboards and decking were rotted, the roof and skylights leaked, and when it rained heavily, the lights turned into fountains. Major demolition and reconstruction work was required, which presented an opportunity to rethink the layout of the house to achieve a much more functional and comfortable home.

The project involved both internal and external alterations without any extension to the house. Instead, the ground floor was effectively rearranged to create a much more spacious and usable space for living.

Timber was used throughout to showcase the versatility of the material. From the rich, warm-toned timber floors and kitchen to the painted wardrobes and entertainment unit, the beauty of timber is celebrated. The curved bathroom capsule is clad in profiled timber boards, which has become a key feature in the house. Externally, a timber portal was designed to frame and protect the new doors, and timber battens create a privacy screen to the bedroom balcony above.

Other natural finishes and tactile details are used to complement the timber elements. These include natural limestone floors paired with Japanese mosaic wall tiles, brass tapware and concrete basins in the bathrooms; leather pulls on the wardrobe doors, and terrazzo used alongside 3D tiles in the kitchen.

The overall effect is a warm and inviting home that is full of natural beauty. The use of timber throughout creates a sense of harmony and continuity, while the other finishes and details add interest and depth.

Builder: Capital Building & Design | Joinery: East 2 East Joinery | Photography: Louise Wellington | Styling: Jessica Bellef

Leichhardt, 130sqm

Set amongst a row of similar brick cottages, this three-bedroom family home has been reimagined with the addition of a new first floor to include an extra bathroom and two new bedrooms.

Along the southern side of the house, two voids pierce through the building to pour natural light from the skylights above into the darkest parts of the house. The existing ground floor has been reconfigured with the new bathroom and laundry relocated to the smallest existing bedroom. Despite having an open-plan layout, the kitchen and dining room are tied together by a new timber bulkhead that also creates visual separation from the existing living room with its retained original detailing.

Deep window and door reveals and large overhangs of the new addition were designed for solar control but this feature also created an opportunity for storage, particularly in the main bedroom where the wardrobe is neatly recessed under the bank of windows.

The house now has a classic material palette of bright whites, cool greys and warm timber tones. The addition is modest and unassuming and has been designed to meet the functional requirements of a growing young family for many years to come.

Builder: Renotech Building | Structural Engineer: Capital Engineering Consultants | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Annandale, 103sqm

Hidden within the awkward plan of the existing house was the potential for a light-filled and functional living area for a young couple and their dog, Chowder. The existing house was already built to the limits of the site so without adding any additional area, a simple change to the floor plan was all that was required to completely transform this house.

The existing layout had two small bathrooms located at the rear of the house off of a room that was too small for any meaningful use. Additionally, there was a steep and oddly located staircase to a mezzanine that lowered the ceiling height of the living room below to a minimum.

Switching the location of these two areas has opened up the whole rear of the house and resulted in an expansive living room that is drenched with natural light. The bathroom is now centrally located and an ensuite and walk-in-pantry have also been created. The new staircase to the existing mezzanine neatly wraps around the bathroom with space for another special house underneath, a cubby for Chowder.

Builder: Wyatt Projects | Structural Engineer: Greenwood Consulting Engineers | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Camperdown, 201sqm

For a family of three, the brief required a new first floor to accommodate two new bedrooms, a bathroom and a study. The existing single-storey house was retained in full and the new staircase and laundry neatly slotted into the old study. The form of the asymmetric addition is a rhythmic expression of its functional requirements where the design was carefully considered to maintain amenity to the surrounding buildings whilst maximising natural light and privacy within. A new garage and studio to the rear was also constructed and balances the design of the new first-floor addition to the house. The building boldly addresses its prominent position at the junction of two laneways with an impressive artwork on the garage door by artist Nico Nicoson.

On the ground floor, only small changes were required to dramatically transform the existing living and dining rooms - the existing walls were thickened to conceal the new first-floor structure, the timber floors were refinished, the wallpaper was replaced with a fresh coat of paint, and new full height sheer curtains replaced the impractical roller blinds covering the existing bi-fold doors.

A critical part of the design brief was for a set of stairs that would be comfortable and well-lit. The generous solid blackbutt stair incorporates concealed LED lighting under each tread and the staircase is naturally lit from above by a large window and skylight.

The new first-floor bathroom is bright and serene, designed with a neutral material palette that is enhanced by the textural variation of the tiles.

Inside the studio is a simple open-plan space under a raked ceiling. A small kitchenette and wardrobe bridges the living and sleeping spaces and the design of the windows take advantage of tree and sky views without compromising on privacy to and from the building.

Builder: Geometric Construction | Structural Engineer: Burgess Arnott & Grava | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Enmore, 86sqm

The design approach for this project prioritises volume, height and natural light over floor area. Instead of building a full first-floor addition, a new third bedroom was achieved by means of an attic conversion. This offered the opportunity to maximise the height of the rear extension and lift the roof to the north to gain natural light into the new living areas.

The interior seamlessly extends to the outdoor space and the house is filled with plenty of storage solutions to ensure that every part of this small site can be used to its full potential. There is now space to entertain and accommodate guests, and spaces for work and retreat; the renovation offers flexibility and connection that was lacking in the original home.

Builder: Renotech Building | Photographers: The Palm Co. and Vikram Hingmire

Chippendale, 106sqm

With a terrace located on a busy arterial road in a heritage conservation area, a young professional couple wished to simply renovate their existing kitchen and bathroom. After initial discussions about the way they live and the potential of their compact 70sqm site, the project quickly grew into a full transformation of the house.

The project involved demolition of the existing two-storey addition to make way for a new ‘bath box’ perched over a generous new kitchen.

Behind the existing terrace, a gentle step down into the new kitchen creates an important connection to the ground, with granite flooring continuing through to the courtyard. This enables the living area to extend into the outdoor space and maximises the use of the whole site. The constraints of the narrow block have been alleviated by the tall volume of the new room, and the sliding stacking doors which open up the rear of the house.

On the first floor, the bath box houses a Japanese-inspired bathroom and a separate dressing room and Juliet balcony to the rear. New windows and a large skylight over the Japanese bathtub not only fill the upper floor with natural light but also provides a much-desired link to the outdoors. The vista to the treetops and an unobstructed sky view from the bathroom work together to expand the sense of space in this modest addition.

Every surface of this house has been refreshed with a carefully considered palette of natural colours, light timber tones, warm whites, black accents and shades of green that visually connect with the glimpses of greenery outside.

Meticulously detailed to present itself as a simple box, the house has now become a sanctuary in its urban setting.

Builder: Renotech Building | Structural Engineer: Capital Engineering Consultants | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Kingsford, 124sqm

Designed for a single mum and her seventeen-year-old daughter, this project included the conversion of an existing garage into a new ensuite and walk-in-robe and a full renovation of the interiors of their 1960’s red brick house.

It isn’t often that wine is one of the top priorities in a client’s design brief. To showcase her extensive wine collection, the dining room was relocated from the front entry area to the rear of the house with new bi-fold doors opening onto a new deck for entertaining.

The existing galley kitchen was rebuilt with midnight blue joinery, fluted glass cabinets, soft grey benchtops and long brass handles. The darker palette of the kitchen contrasts with the timber cabinetry of the dining room and entry area that bookend it on either side; the kitchen effortlessly extends towards the front door to incorporate the wine fridge, additional storage, a new bench seat and shoe cabinet.

In the main bedroom, a new joinery unit conceals the study nook and a hidden door to the walk-in-robe and ensuite, a secret haven in place of the old garage. For the daughter’s bedroom, a room-width desk that overlooks the new picture window is integrated with the bookshelves and wardrobe to provide plenty of space for study and storage.

Builder: Renotech Building | Structural Engineer: Capital Engineering Consultants | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Newtown, 110sqm

In a house without a dining room, the design brief to fit seven seats around an island was the starting point for this terrace renovation. Stripped of its 1980’s interior, the project was an exercise in restraint, to achieve a quiet backdrop for the dinner parties to come. A neutral palette of pale oak floors, Victorian Ash details, matt stone benchtops and simple white joinery combine to create a minimal yet multi-functional kitchen and dining space.

The powder room and bathroom were also renewed with tactile aquamarine mosaic tiles, balanced by the warmth of the Victorian Ash cabinetry. The bathroom was redesigned to fit a generous bathtub and a separate shower that takes advantage of the natural light from the existing skylight.

Through the use of muted finishes, simple geometries and thoughtful planning, the result is a house that feels fresh and calm.

Builder: Frank Jay Custom Concepts | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Leichhardt, 113sqm

A new first-floor addition that is almost completely obscured from the street view by mature foliage has converted this one-bedroom cottage into a three-bedroom family home.

Though compact in size, the design of this house is both practical and fun. The patterns and prints of the selected interior materials and finishes have injected lots of personality into this cottage. The house is full of life and colour and perfectly suits the young family who lives here.

Previously entered from the side passage, the original front entry has been reinstated and a new hallway created to separate the front bedroom from the main living area. The original living room transitions to a new open plan family space, defined by the change in floor finish from timber to terrazzo. The new room is grounded by a dramatic 4-metre long hardwood island bench. The bench is the heart of the house, crafted from a tree that was demolished from a local golf course, and functions as both the kitchen workbench and dining table.

The size of this house was constrained by the location of the existing sewer vent shaft in the backyard. Restricted by Sydney Water’s stringent guidelines for building adjacent to their assets, there was little change to the existing building footprint except for the addition of a new covered deck that has become a natural extension of the living room. The first-floor area is also limited by these restrictions but the addition was able to fit in two new bedrooms and the main bathroom.

Builder: Base Projects NSW | Structural Engineer: Leading Engineers | Stormwater Engineer: Leading Engineers | Photographer: The Palm Co.

Malabar, 200sqm

Located on a corner block, the existing house is sunken below the street level and surrounded by established trees, providing a great sense of privacy as well as a garden outlook from every room. The brief for the project allowed half the existing house to be retained but required new contemporary living areas, a new main bedroom with ensuite, and importantly, a place to check the surf. Starting with an approved DA (designed by Kieran McInerney Architect) with a DA condition to delete the proposed lookout tower, the challenge was to find a solution to include a lookout that would be acceptable by council.

With a clear and logical sequence of rooms, there was little change to the approved floor plans but the exterior of the house was reimagined. A pitched roof form that mimics the existing roof allows a viewing platform to be concealed within the roof space of the new bedroom balcony. The exterior of the new addition is inspired by the client’s grandmother’s original Queenslander but adapted to suit the harsher conditions of its coastal setting. Charred Jarrah weatherboards give the addition its characteristically black appearance, juxtaposed against the white rendered brickwork of the existing house. The charred hardwood cladding was selected for its qualities of low maintenance and durability which were essential to meet the clients’ brief for an enduring timber house close to the beach.

Inside and out, the new addition showcases timberwork. The timber verandah frames the front of the house and the new timber doors and windows, posts and beams have been clear sealed in contrast to the black cladding. Internally, Victorian Ash joists have been skilfully pressure-blocked and exposed; Spotted Gum floorboards have been used throughout the ground floor and grooved timber boards line the soaring gabled ceilings on the first floor. The selected internal finishes are simple and durable, the bathrooms are colourful and playful, and along with the passive design considerations, the house is a thermally comfortable and liveable family home with a relaxed and casual atmosphere.

Builder: Bauen Building | Structural Engineer: Partridge | Stormwater Engineer: Partridge | Landscape Architect: Pepo Botanic Design