When you look inside this sun-drenched, green-filled home, it’s hard to imagine the tired, dark dwelling that once stood before it.
Due to its north-facing façade, the original living room and study at the rear were deprived of natural light and the view of the rear garden was minimal. But the previous house was not completely demolished.
Instead, Zen Architects restored the single-sided white Victorian facade to its full glory — decorative ironwork, picket fence and all.
Behind this charming heritage façade, a cleverly designed modern extension has been designed to extend onto the rear garden.
“The clients loved their existing garden and wanted the house to feel surrounded by it,” said the design director Luke Rhodes said.
True to the design of the original log cabin, the new extension also incorporates timber, with an emphasis on elevation and enhancing the presence of natural sunlight, ventilation, colour and connection with nature.
Part of this process involved opening up views and access to the rear garden, including adding a built-in window seat, cantilevered over the backyard.
Luke says the clients, a young family, were debating whether to keep the house on one level or build it up, as they were concerned about reducing the size of the garden. So they came up with an alternative solution, in the form of a mezzanine office.
At the top of a perforated white spiral staircase, the office boasts one of the best views in the house, and perhaps the project’s cleverest inclusion: a lush rooftop garden that offers another verdant vista in an unexpected location.
Raising the roof of the extension also created a central skylight, allowing northern light to flood the living spaces.
“The dramatic volume of the extension gives the whole house a fresh feel,” adds Luke. “We wanted to create a simple home that encourages family members to connect with each other, the neighbourhood and their garden.”
Each room has been carefully renovated, ensuring a pleasant synergy between old and new. The wooden accents pay homage to the roots of the house, while the modernity of the new interiors facilitates the lifestyle of a growing contemporary family with an “adventurous spirit”.