Houzz Tours
Renovating
Melbourne Houzz: An Architect's Post-Pandemic Family Home
This mid-pandemic renovation mindfully updated a sweet but run-down two-bedroom Victorian cottage in a narrow street
Keen to prove that an architecturally designed home does not need to be showy, architect Lisa Breeze designed her own house in Melbourne to be size-and-need appropriate. And while honouring its historical connection and era, she enhanced its functioning for modern-day family living.
When Breeze and her partner were looking for a place to base their small family, they came across a run-down Victorian cottage in Northcote, not far from where they lived in Melbourne. Slightly bigger than their current home, they realised it had the potential to be converted from a two-bedroom to a three bedroom home.
Situated near a commercial and retail strip in an area populated with warehouses that were mostly converted to homes, they were attracted to the urban aspect, with small makers and artists still operating from nearby premises.
Situated near a commercial and retail strip in an area populated with warehouses that were mostly converted to homes, they were attracted to the urban aspect, with small makers and artists still operating from nearby premises.
References to the old home and surrounding areas are made with the use of brick and weatherboards.
But first they had to address the home as it was. So what was wrong?
“Everything!” says Breeze. “It was both rundown and dated, draughty and cold, poorly planned and the small garden was overgrown. We
wanted to fix all of that, plus add a bit of space.”
Planning on updating your starter home? Find an architect near you on Houzz
But first they had to address the home as it was. So what was wrong?
“Everything!” says Breeze. “It was both rundown and dated, draughty and cold, poorly planned and the small garden was overgrown. We
wanted to fix all of that, plus add a bit of space.”
Planning on updating your starter home? Find an architect near you on Houzz
To maintain the integrity of the historical cottage, all the areas under the old roof remain. The home’s heritage details are referenced in the renovation to the front of the house.
The couple’s plan was to fix up the house, front to back and top to toe. They needed to demolish and rebuild the rear, restore the heritage features and introduce some landscaping. Adding a further bedroom was also important to their overall plan, with the pressing goal of finishing by the time their baby was due.
Like many people updating an old home for contemporary living, they desired an open-plan kitchen/meals/living area. They also wanted to incorporate space so they could work from home and to integrate as much storage as the house could hold.
The couple’s plan was to fix up the house, front to back and top to toe. They needed to demolish and rebuild the rear, restore the heritage features and introduce some landscaping. Adding a further bedroom was also important to their overall plan, with the pressing goal of finishing by the time their baby was due.
Like many people updating an old home for contemporary living, they desired an open-plan kitchen/meals/living area. They also wanted to incorporate space so they could work from home and to integrate as much storage as the house could hold.
The main bedroom features matching joinery and wall colour in Dulux Oceanic.
Today the home is laid out with the first two bedrooms on either side of the hallway, behind which is the third bedroom on one side (where Breeze works from home) and the wet area on the other. Moving towards the rear of the floor plan, the layout opens to the kitchen, meals and living area.
Physical challenges were plentiful, including the limitation of space. The home is built boundary-to-boundary on the sides. This made access to light, air and circulation – plus simply fitting everything in – a tricky task.
To maximise space, Breeze designed the home so some fundamental elements are laid out and proportioned like an apartment. The former living room has been converted into the wet area, with the bathroom, laundry (cupboard) and powder room facing the hallway.
The meals area and kitchen are a combined space and tied together with a window seat that houses part of the kitchen’s storage in drawers below the bench. Floor-to-ceiling storage makes the most of the home’s footprint.
Today the home is laid out with the first two bedrooms on either side of the hallway, behind which is the third bedroom on one side (where Breeze works from home) and the wet area on the other. Moving towards the rear of the floor plan, the layout opens to the kitchen, meals and living area.
Physical challenges were plentiful, including the limitation of space. The home is built boundary-to-boundary on the sides. This made access to light, air and circulation – plus simply fitting everything in – a tricky task.
To maximise space, Breeze designed the home so some fundamental elements are laid out and proportioned like an apartment. The former living room has been converted into the wet area, with the bathroom, laundry (cupboard) and powder room facing the hallway.
The meals area and kitchen are a combined space and tied together with a window seat that houses part of the kitchen’s storage in drawers below the bench. Floor-to-ceiling storage makes the most of the home’s footprint.
Then there was the pandemic. “We were getting ready to start demolition just as Melbourne was going into its first long days of lockdown [May 2020].
“As we all know, it was a hard time to gauge what the future held and how the build would unfold,” she says.
“As it turned out, the first six months were the easiest of the two years that followed as far as
navigating the construction industry’s challenges. It was risky to start when we did, but it was worth it.”
“As we all know, it was a hard time to gauge what the future held and how the build would unfold,” she says.
“As it turned out, the first six months were the easiest of the two years that followed as far as
navigating the construction industry’s challenges. It was risky to start when we did, but it was worth it.”
The powder room vanity is Super White dolomite, leftover from the slab that was used in the kitchen. “But for the record, I don’t recommend carting around excess stone when you move house!” says Breeze.
The hallway.
The baby’s room.
The cottage is fully insulated, orientated to capture sunlight and can be naturally ventilated.
“Underfloor wall and roof insulation helps manage seasonal temperatures. The home does not have mechanical cooling, although it is strategically shaded and can be naturally ventilated. It is heated by a hydronic heating system,” says Breeze.
“Underfloor wall and roof insulation helps manage seasonal temperatures. The home does not have mechanical cooling, although it is strategically shaded and can be naturally ventilated. It is heated by a hydronic heating system,” says Breeze.
Skylights bring in light in the tightly situated property.
The large glazed areas facing the backyard are shaded by external roller blinds, and the slope of the north-facing roof was designed to maximise the area for a solar hot-water system and as many solar PV panels as possible.
The large glazed areas facing the backyard are shaded by external roller blinds, and the slope of the north-facing roof was designed to maximise the area for a solar hot-water system and as many solar PV panels as possible.
The internal finishes are repeated in both the old and new rear area, such as the terrazzo tiles and calm blue-grey tones throughout.
The old floorboards were in poor condition, so were replaced with recycled baltic pine with a clear polyurethane matt finish. The laundry (essentially a large cupboard) features a hole for the family cat that leads directly to his litter tray.
Aesthetically, Breeze was keen to use hardy, practical and beautiful materials for her home. Timber floorboards, terrazzo floor tiles and ceramic wall tiles, as well as a stainless-steel kitchen bench ("it’s indestructible”) were the go, she says.
The colours she choose are soft and calming; moody in the old part of the home and bright due to the the natural light in the extension.
Aesthetically, Breeze was keen to use hardy, practical and beautiful materials for her home. Timber floorboards, terrazzo floor tiles and ceramic wall tiles, as well as a stainless-steel kitchen bench ("it’s indestructible”) were the go, she says.
The colours she choose are soft and calming; moody in the old part of the home and bright due to the the natural light in the extension.
Gubi Collar pendant light in Grey.
In this space, the two-pack polyurethane laminate joinery is colour-matched to the laminate benchtop seat in Laminex Spinifex.
In this space, the two-pack polyurethane laminate joinery is colour-matched to the laminate benchtop seat in Laminex Spinifex.
Dark window frames in kiln-dried hardwood with an opaque stain draw the gaze outside.
Check out more Australian kitchens in beautiful shades of blue
Check out more Australian kitchens in beautiful shades of blue
Vogue Ghiaccio gloss splashback tiles in 200 x 100mm: Classic Ceramics.
The kitchen is the heart of the home for this young family. “Evenings and weekends are spent here (mornings are more of a scramble!),” she says. “Having said that, it has a lovely quality of natural light and the palette is soft and calming, but practical.”
The kitchen is the heart of the home for this young family. “Evenings and weekends are spent here (mornings are more of a scramble!),” she says. “Having said that, it has a lovely quality of natural light and the palette is soft and calming, but practical.”
In the extension, the timber flooring is from Eterno Piccolo, in Hekke finish: Tongue n Groove. Other colours that feature throughout the interior include a calming combination of Dulux Gamelan, Natural White and Lexicon Half.
The new part of the home is unabashedly contemporary in form and layout. The kitchen, meals and living area is opened via high, sloped ceilings to the back garden.
The new part of the home is unabashedly contemporary in form and layout. The kitchen, meals and living area is opened via high, sloped ceilings to the back garden.
Along with improving the existing home and incorporating a light-filled extension, the family invested in select new furniture pieces that suited their new premises.
Round pavers were used to find a balance between achieving a lush feel and outlook while allowing the serviceability of hard surfaces. Atlas Granite concrete pavers: Anston Architectural Products.
The outdoor area is designed to accommodate a car parking space and the pavers are
laid out to create informal trails to the barbecue, rubbish bins and clothesline. “It is both whimsical and practical,” says Breeze.
The outdoor area is designed to accommodate a car parking space and the pavers are
laid out to create informal trails to the barbecue, rubbish bins and clothesline. “It is both whimsical and practical,” says Breeze.
The rear extension is in Resene Half Iron with features such as the front fence, the base boards of the old part of the house, and a sliver of weatherboards on the rear of the extension picked out in a shade that matches Colorbond Basalt.
The location of the cottage does not lend itself to a strong connection to nature; it is a very urban setting. To compensate, Breeze worked with a landscaper to make the small garden as lush and full as possible.
The location of the cottage does not lend itself to a strong connection to nature; it is a very urban setting. To compensate, Breeze worked with a landscaper to make the small garden as lush and full as possible.
The honest form of the extension is complemented with cement-sheet weatherboards. Timber battens have been affixed to a cement sheet at the base and covered with a paint finish.
Your turn
Do you admire this appropriate renovation of a historical home as much as we do? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Would you like to see another beautiful build in a modest-sized home? Check out this California Houzz: Living Large in a 130-Square-Metre Home
Your turn
Do you admire this appropriate renovation of a historical home as much as we do? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Would you like to see another beautiful build in a modest-sized home? Check out this California Houzz: Living Large in a 130-Square-Metre Home
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with their baby and two pets
Location: Northcote, Victoria
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: Three bedrooms, one bathroom and one powder room
Size: 104 square metres
Architect: Lisa Breeze Architect
Builder: Never Stop Group
Joiner: Silverstream Joinery
Landscape designer: Amanda Oliver Gardens
How did you use Houzz for this project?
Houzz is always helpful for looking at ideas.