Project Of The Week
Architecture
Renovating
Before & After: Smart Space-Maximising Moves for a 58-sqm Terrace
See how an architect achieved an open layout, indoor-outdoor connection and sanctuary-like vibe in an inner-city terrace
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation, redesign or new build each week. Here, Kitty Lee, architect and principal at Kitty Lee Architecture, reveals how she squeezed more usable space and smart storage into a skinny 58-square-metre Sydney terrace, all while creating a serene, holiday-like feel.
Facade before works.
What is this house like?
A single-storey Federation-style terrace house.
How would you describe this project?
A renovation with a rear extension on the ground floor and a rear attic extension.
Craving more space? Have a chat about your options with an architect near you on Houzz
What is this house like?
A single-storey Federation-style terrace house.
How would you describe this project?
A renovation with a rear extension on the ground floor and a rear attic extension.
Craving more space? Have a chat about your options with an architect near you on Houzz
Floor plan before works.
Had it been renovated before?
Significant original features had previously been removed, possibly in the 1970s, including the fireplaces and front porch tiles. The existing timber windows had also been replaced with aluminium-framed sliding windows.
Had it been renovated before?
Significant original features had previously been removed, possibly in the 1970s, including the fireplaces and front porch tiles. The existing timber windows had also been replaced with aluminium-framed sliding windows.
Floor plans after works.
What wasn’t working for the owners?
What wasn’t working for the owners?
- The laundry/bathroom was outside the house.
- The kitchen was tiny.
- The house was dark and damp throughout.
- The living room was disconnected from the backyard.
Rear exterior before works.
What did they want?
What did they want?
- An open-plan kitchen/dining/living area that directly connected to the backyard so they could use the outdoor space.
- To relocate the bathroom from the back of the house and to move the laundry inside.
Rear exterior after works.
What were the owners’ must-haves for the new design?
What were the owners’ must-haves for the new design?
- High ceilings.
- A small bathtub.
- A dining island in the kitchen.
- An outdoor dining/entertaining area.
What was your brief?
- To design a new rear addition with an open-plan living area that extends into the backyard.
- To design a combined kitchen/dining space that would eliminate the need for a separate dining area.
What was your scope of works?
The house was designed in two stages. Due to budget constraints, the original design only included a ground-floor rear addition to accommodate a new bathroom and an open-plan kitchen/dining and living area, while retaining the two existing front bedrooms.
Before construction commenced, the project was put on hold for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this period, the owners spent a lot of time working from their two-bedroom home and decided they needed a study space.
Following strict heritage controls, an extension was added to the rear of the existing roof to convert the attic into a habitable third bedroom/study.
The house was designed in two stages. Due to budget constraints, the original design only included a ground-floor rear addition to accommodate a new bathroom and an open-plan kitchen/dining and living area, while retaining the two existing front bedrooms.
Before construction commenced, the project was put on hold for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this period, the owners spent a lot of time working from their two-bedroom home and decided they needed a study space.
Following strict heritage controls, an extension was added to the rear of the existing roof to convert the attic into a habitable third bedroom/study.
What exactly did you do?
- Retained the front bedroom and hallway.
- Altered the second bedroom to accommodate a new staircase to the attic level.
- Demolished the rear of the existing house.
- Added a new rear extension housing a kitchen/dining space and a living area, a new bathroom and a laundry.
- Added a new outdoor entertaining area.
- Added a new attic to be used as a study.
- Restored the front of the existing house with new porch/entry tiles, landscaping and timber-framed windows, and we rebuilt the front porch roof structure.
What look and feel did you want to create?
The owners wanted the home to feel like a sanctuary. With the restricted size of the house, it was important to maximise the use of the outdoor spaces and bring in as much natural light as possible.
The owners wanted the house to remind them of holidays, so creating a playful, relaxed and comfortable space was the goal.
The owners wanted the home to feel like a sanctuary. With the restricted size of the house, it was important to maximise the use of the outdoor spaces and bring in as much natural light as possible.
The owners wanted the house to remind them of holidays, so creating a playful, relaxed and comfortable space was the goal.
Kitchen before works.
Kitchen after works.
Where did most of the AU$600,000 budget go?
On the carpentry and joinery.
Where did most of the AU$600,000 budget go?
On the carpentry and joinery.
What was your thinking behind the colours and materials?
The polished concrete floor contrasts with the long hardwood floorboards in the existing hallway to visually separate the new and old parts of the house.
To make it more cost-effective, we decided to polish the structural slab. We hand-seeded a mix of pink and white pebbles when the slab was poured to add some warmth to cosy up the cool concrete tones.
The polished concrete floor contrasts with the long hardwood floorboards in the existing hallway to visually separate the new and old parts of the house.
To make it more cost-effective, we decided to polish the structural slab. We hand-seeded a mix of pink and white pebbles when the slab was poured to add some warmth to cosy up the cool concrete tones.
I wanted the island bench to feel like a piece of furniture as it would function as the dining table, therefore timber (to match the new hallway floorboards) was selected for this centrepiece.
The deep-blue joinery allows the rest of the kitchen to be more recessive – a backdrop to the room.
The crisp white walls brighten the new back room, while the subtle variation of the white splashback tiles creates interest without vying for attention.
The deep-blue joinery allows the rest of the kitchen to be more recessive – a backdrop to the room.
The crisp white walls brighten the new back room, while the subtle variation of the white splashback tiles creates interest without vying for attention.
Hallway before works.
Hallway after works.
What challenges did you have to work around with this project?
What challenges did you have to work around with this project?
- Building during Sydney’s strict Covid lockdown period.
- Building a new extension to both side boundaries and working with existing neighbouring buildings already on the boundary.
- Discovering the poor condition of the existing ground after demolition and excavation of the existing house.
Bathroom before works.
Bathroom after works.
We decided to continue the blue theme in the bathroom, where we paired the colour with warm timber and cool grey terrazzo tiles that extend into the lightwell to make the room feel larger.
The bath is smaller-than-average at just 1,200 millimetres long. The client wanted a small bathtub so it would be faster to fill and suitable for bathing children in the future. The shape of this bathtub makes best use of this space and allows access to the generous, open shower.
We decided to continue the blue theme in the bathroom, where we paired the colour with warm timber and cool grey terrazzo tiles that extend into the lightwell to make the room feel larger.
The bath is smaller-than-average at just 1,200 millimetres long. The client wanted a small bathtub so it would be faster to fill and suitable for bathing children in the future. The shape of this bathtub makes best use of this space and allows access to the generous, open shower.
With a small site, we only had space for one good-sized bathroom in the house, so we decided to separate the toilet from the bathing/shower space for more flexibility.
The handmade deep-blue tiles add depth to this compact bathroom. The glossy finish on the tiles creates a lively surface as the reflections on it change throughout the day.
I love that this particular blue looks different on every wall in the room depending on how the light shines on it.
I love that this particular blue looks different on every wall in the room depending on how the light shines on it.
What are the defining features of the house now?
- The furniture-like dining island.
- The blue bathroom and kitchen.
- The tall, raked ceiling in the rear extension and north-facing highlight windows, which draw natural light into the living area.
- The striped awning in the outdoor entertaining area.
- The lightwell and full-height sliding doors in the bathroom.
Tell us about the storage set-up
Smart storage was a priority in this house. The set-up includes:
Smart storage was a priority in this house. The set-up includes:
- A new wardrobe in the main bedroom built around the front window to make use of the whole wall for storage.
- Towel storage integrated into the bathroom vanity.
- Various cupboards open onto the hallway for laundry purposes, including a cupboard housing a washer/dryer and sink, built-in laundry hampers in another cupboard, and general storage in a cupboard behind the kitchen pantry.
- A secret door is hidden behind the wardrobe in the attic to access the storage space under the existing front roof.
- A full-height cupboard is recessed into the wall in the toilet for bathroom storage.
Why does the house work so well now?
The design of the rear addition lifts the roof to the north to introduce good daylight into the new living areas.
The owners prioritised volume, height and light over floor area, so this three-bedroom house of only 86 square metres feels much bigger than it actually is.
The design of the rear addition lifts the roof to the north to introduce good daylight into the new living areas.
The owners prioritised volume, height and light over floor area, so this three-bedroom house of only 86 square metres feels much bigger than it actually is.
Despite its location in a dense urban setting, the house has the sanctuary-like feel the owners had hoped for. From every new window, there is a distant view of either sky or greenery.
The design of the house allows the bathroom and living room to easily extend to the adjacent outdoor areas, and the retractable awning over the rear terrace adds flexibility to the use of the backyard – a very valuable space for a site of this scale.
The design of the house allows the bathroom and living room to easily extend to the adjacent outdoor areas, and the retractable awning over the rear terrace adds flexibility to the use of the backyard – a very valuable space for a site of this scale.
Backyard before works.
Materials and finishes
Materials and finishes
- Dulux Whakarewarewa Half on the facade walls.
- Dulux Dark Door on the front door.
- Dulux Whitsunday Island on the rear addition.
- Dulux White on White on the interior walls and ceilings.
- Two-pack polyurethane finish on the kitchen joinery in Dulux Biro Blue satin finish.
- Kitchen island in solid Tasmanian oak and Tasmanian oak veneer.
Backyard after works.
- Surface Gallery Shadow White tiles on the kitchen splashback.
- Surface Gallery Denim Gloss handmade subway tiles in the bathroom.
- Bathroom flooring, niche and lightwell in Surface Gallery Italian Terrazzo Tile 12.
- Ground and polished concrete slab (structural slab with hand-seeded pink and white pebbles) on the flooring of the new rear addition.
- Bremworth Levante carpet in Felucca the bedrooms and study.
- Timber Screens Australia ironbark screening outside.
Furniture and fixtures
- ACS Designer Bathrooms Moda Regina freestanding 1195 x 670-millimetre bath.
- ABI Interiors Finley All-In-One shower set in brushed brass.
- ABI Interiors Lola round bench-mounted basin.
- Custom-designed bathroom vanity and kitchen island finished in Tasmanian oak veneer.
- Rakumba Stone Cow kitchen pendants.
- Jardan Dari Camel rug in the living area.
- Coco Republic Oscar Tripod Stool in Bronze Velvet.
- Coco Republic Regent white concrete outdoor dining table.
- Coco Republic Sierra outdoor dining chairs.
Your turn
Does this small-home redesign impress you as much as it does us? Tell us your favourite feature in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Looking for more smart small-home ideas? Check out The Best Ideas for Small Spaces From the People Who Live in Them
Does this small-home redesign impress you as much as it does us? Tell us your favourite feature in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Looking for more smart small-home ideas? Check out The Best Ideas for Small Spaces From the People Who Live in Them
Who lives here: A couple and their dog
Location: Enmore, NSW
House size before works: 58 square metres
House size after works: 86 square metres
Bedrooms and bathrooms before works: Two bedrooms, one bathroom
Bedrooms and bathrooms after works: Three bedrooms, one bathroom
Budget: Around AU$600,000
Architecture and interior design: Kitty Lee Architecture
Builder: Renotech Building
Joinery: Navan Bespoke
Landscaping: Bell Landscapes