The north wing of the house has been opened up, with a sitting area at one end that is loosely separated from the dining room by means of a bespoke joinery unit designed by the practice.
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Evoking the 1970s but certainly not trying to mimic the period, this unit allows for sightlines from the living room to the kitchen and lounge beyond. While the finishes and materials appear to be original, Studio Bright re-did the wood ceilings, added new bluestone floors to replace damaged slate, and reconfigured the window and door openings to allow for better insulation and access to a larger terrace.
The kitchen now features a green marble island and splashback, paired with full-height timber joinery. “From the beginning, we wanted to reveal the DNA of the house and figure out what it wanted to be rather than impose it,” says Bright, who has seen the space unfold with every strategic move. “We were lucky that all the internal brick walls were still original and not, like many of those from that era, plastered over,” she adds.
Although the house originally had four bedrooms, some of them have been remodeled to include a home office and spaces such as a sewing room.
With the goal of creating a “forever” home, Studio Bright installed new stairs (the old ones were questionable) and an elevator. The home’s exterior was also thoughtfully reworked with a new accordion-style perforated aluminum railing that extends from the deck to the carport—a contemporary nod that creates privacy, lets in sunlight, and also serves as a frame for landscape designer Sam Eagan’s garden bed.
Part of the brick fence has been tapered to allow the beauty of an established gum tree to fully express itself.Credit:
Although the tall brick fence of the front façade of the house remains, as does the original entry sequence through the generous porch, part of the brick fence has been tapered to allow the beauty of an established gum tree to fully express itself.
“This project felt like undoing a sweater, separating the threads, but very carefully, letting the house breathe in the process,” Bright explains.
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