Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Series of Unfortunate Events Made Good
Renovating this curvaceous Art Deco house restored its former glory and made it infinitely more liveable
The brief for this renovation was a familiar one for a family looking to improve their home – an extra bedroom, updated kitchen and bathrooms, and a lounge and dining area that opens to the outdoors. But Sam Crawford Architects sure had their work cut out for them. Not only had the house been subjected to “significant and unfortunate” alterations in the late 1990s, which did away with many of the original features and resulted in cramped interior spaces, the exposed cliffside location posed key design challenges.
“Our design sought to celebrate the Art Deco and formal flourish of the original house and to create joyous spaces, full of warmth, character and light,” says architect Sam Crawford. “We aimed to retain the assertive historical visage of the old house, while revamping the interiors to include an additional bedroom, refreshed communal zones, and an improved connection to the garden and pool.”
“Our design sought to celebrate the Art Deco and formal flourish of the original house and to create joyous spaces, full of warmth, character and light,” says architect Sam Crawford. “We aimed to retain the assertive historical visage of the old house, while revamping the interiors to include an additional bedroom, refreshed communal zones, and an improved connection to the garden and pool.”
The design respects the character of the old house, while making it work for contemporary Australian living.
Curvaceous spotted gum joinery references the features and design of the original home. “We are delighted with the finished joinery,” says Crawford. “Square Peg, the joiners, did a remarkable job – particularly given the number of curves that were required.”
Aged brass goose neck kitchen mixer: Astra Walker
Aged brass goose neck kitchen mixer: Astra Walker
Restoring the home’s original features, such as the brass window joinery, inspired the architects to select synergistic finishes to continue the “material language” throughout the project. “A monolithic in-situ custom concrete kitchen island bench anchors the communal living spaces, and celebrates the robust beauty of the raw material,” Crawford says, by way of example. “Each space is now punctuated by elements that bring a quality of hand craftsmanship to the house.”
Before the renovation, the home lacked natural light and the floor plan needed to be opened up to suit the needs of a modern family.
Three custom light fittings were designed and crafted for the project, influenced by the restrained elegance of mid-century modern furniture making. “This project provided an opportunity to push our design thinking beyond the built fabric of the house and into the design of bespoke light fittings,” says Crawford.
In the living room next to the dining area, the long hanging light is inspired by Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea, with leather strapping binding timber rods. The pendant casts intricate patterns of light on the wall and ceiling when the sun goes down.
In the living room next to the dining area, the long hanging light is inspired by Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea, with leather strapping binding timber rods. The pendant casts intricate patterns of light on the wall and ceiling when the sun goes down.
A close collaboration with lighting makers Light Shed resulted in a striking dining room pendant that made use of hardwood off-cuts from the construction site, carefully inlayed with laser-cut brass to form a tubular constellation.
The ground floor is largely dedicated to communal living, with the living and dining spaces divided by a spotted gum timber screen. The home’s exposed cliffside location called for a series of shading elements and careful new incisions to control light as it enters the space. “Glare and heat are kept at bay while creating luminous interior spaces,” explains Crawford. “The design balances the need for protection and refuge from the elements while still celebrating the lofty site aspect.”
“Working mainly within the fabric of the original property, which is listed as an item of local heritage significance, we were inspired by the humble materials and bold formal devices of the Depression era and immediate post-war style, now described as Inter-War Functionalist,” says Crawford. The design team’s aim was to subtly reinterpret and strengthen this design language through bespoke elements such as handcrafted joinery. Splashes of colour and textural touches, meanwhile, give the home a playful feel.
The 10-millimetre cement overlay floors were poured on site.
The 10-millimetre cement overlay floors were poured on site.
Much of the ground floor interiors were reworked (marked in yellow), within the existing footprint.
The first floor plan shows the new master bedroom, which was built over the existing garage.
A covered outdoor entertaining area connects the home with the garden and swimming pool. “A close collaboration with the landscape architect has transformed the garden into a lush, flower-filled retreat,” says Crawford.
Liveability and sustainability were high on the list of priorities for the owners during initial discussions about the renovation. As a result, passive solar design techniques have been deployed throughout the redesigned home to shelter the interior from the hot sun, while opening it to cooling coastal breezes.
“A photovoltaic system and automatic thermal control devices supplement the passive design features with high-tech hardware,” says Crawford. “The thermal mass of the existing house has also been supplemented by upgrading roof insulation and external glazing to ensure a high-performance exterior envelope.”
“A photovoltaic system and automatic thermal control devices supplement the passive design features with high-tech hardware,” says Crawford. “The thermal mass of the existing house has also been supplemented by upgrading roof insulation and external glazing to ensure a high-performance exterior envelope.”
The curves of the original Art Deco exterior are echoed on the louvred pergola that shelters the outdoor dining and barbecue area – an ideal spot for entertaining.
A study niche occupies an “eccentric sweep” next to the entry and curved staircase on the ground floor.
This timber-framed glass door can close off the study area for privacy as needed. As in the dining room, a new skylight over the study niche fills the area with soft natural light. Curved joinery highlights the rounded walls and brings a sense of harmony to the home.
The staircase adds a grand flourish to the home.
Simple materials and the equally simple colour palette continue into the upstairs bathroom.
“Custom Corian niches and splashes of colour invigorate the bathrooms with a sense of playfulness,” says Crawford. The tapware has an aged brass finish that ties in with the restored brass windows.
Metropolis tapware: Astra Walker
Metropolis tapware: Astra Walker
The master suite includes a study area, with the same finely crafted joinery and pops of colour that give the house its creative designer edge.
Upstairs, a little-used deck over the 1990s garage addition, which had an astounding view to the ocean to the east and city skyline in the west, has been converted into the main bedroom with a generous walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.
The curves of the original house are referenced in the new bedroom form in joinery, landscape walls, skylight penetrations and ceiling forms.
Using a simple colour palette and humble – but on-trend – materials such as timber and concrete, the architects have managed to retain the original architectural aesthetics of the house while bringing the home up to the minute.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple and their children
Location: Dover Heights, NSW
Size: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Architect: Sam Crawford Architects
Landscape architect: True Form Landscape Architecture
Builder: SQ Projects
Aside from a small addition on the first floor over the old garage, the renovation was largely contained within the footprint of the original home.
The original house was built in 1949 in the Inter-War Functionalist style, with references to European modernism and inspired by the nautical and transportation features of Art Deco. “Other than a new bedroom nestled into the curves of the first floor, the rest of our work is contained within the assertive building form,” says Crawford.