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Sydney Houzz: A House in Two Halves for a Family of Five
Traditional Federation cottage at the front and light-filled, modern extension at the back – see how an architect did it
With an active family of five to accommodate, this narrow, three-bedroom Federation cottage was bursting at the seams. But its problems didn’t end there; it was dark, dull, riddled with asbestos and crying out for a better connection to the backyard. Enter architect and interior designer Edward Dieppe of Dieppe Design, who was tasked with adding the extra space and contemporary touches the owners craved.
Dieppe’s design solution was to create a house in two halves; classic Federation at the front and a clean-lined, modern extension at the rear, joined by a central courtyard and lightwell in the middle. Read on to learn all about it.
Dieppe’s design solution was to create a house in two halves; classic Federation at the front and a clean-lined, modern extension at the rear, joined by a central courtyard and lightwell in the middle. Read on to learn all about it.
The rear before works.
“The family loves entertaining and, with a background in graphic design and media, they are passionate about design and modern architecture,” says Dieppe. “Our goal was to reinvent the living spaces in order to create a bright and open living, dining and kitchen area for the family that opened seamlessly to the garden, while restoring the original part of the house.
“We also looked to provide an additional two bedrooms as the two boys were sharing a small room and the couple’s daughter was isolated in a small, oddly shaped room at the back of the house. The new main-bedroom suite was to include an ensuite and space for a study to work from home,” he says.
Thinking of renovating your own home? Find an architect near you on Houzz
“The family loves entertaining and, with a background in graphic design and media, they are passionate about design and modern architecture,” says Dieppe. “Our goal was to reinvent the living spaces in order to create a bright and open living, dining and kitchen area for the family that opened seamlessly to the garden, while restoring the original part of the house.
“We also looked to provide an additional two bedrooms as the two boys were sharing a small room and the couple’s daughter was isolated in a small, oddly shaped room at the back of the house. The new main-bedroom suite was to include an ensuite and space for a study to work from home,” he says.
Thinking of renovating your own home? Find an architect near you on Houzz
The facade before works.
“The house was in a poor state of repair when we came onboard,” says Dieppe. “There were two bedrooms at the front, a bathroom and sitting room, all of which were original, and a poorly constructed later addition at the rear containing a kitchen and a third bedroom that led onto a rotting, raised deck.”
The owners wanted to retain the character of the original part of the house, which contained decorative mouldings and cornices, and add a bright and modern extension to the rear that flowed to the backyard.
“Their must-haves included an entertainer’s kitchen, a family dining area and a bedroom for each of the children,” he says.
“The house was in a poor state of repair when we came onboard,” says Dieppe. “There were two bedrooms at the front, a bathroom and sitting room, all of which were original, and a poorly constructed later addition at the rear containing a kitchen and a third bedroom that led onto a rotting, raised deck.”
The owners wanted to retain the character of the original part of the house, which contained decorative mouldings and cornices, and add a bright and modern extension to the rear that flowed to the backyard.
“Their must-haves included an entertainer’s kitchen, a family dining area and a bedroom for each of the children,” he says.
The facade after works. Exterior painted in Dieskau and trims in Natural White: both Dulux.
The original Federation frontage was gently refreshed with new paintwork, timber trims, fascias and awnings.
The original Federation frontage was gently refreshed with new paintwork, timber trims, fascias and awnings.
The fairly narrow 5.8-metre width of the site elongated the design of the home. “Without attention, a narrow width can make a space feel tight and dark,” says Dieppe. “So we split the design of the home with a courtyard and lightwell at the stairs, and included a large north-facing window in the kitchen/dining area with an operable louvred screen to draw in light.
“We also included a clerestory window on the first floor to ensure the new bedrooms had plenty of natural light and ventilation.”
“We also included a clerestory window on the first floor to ensure the new bedrooms had plenty of natural light and ventilation.”
Dieppe retained the front three rooms of the house, carefully restoring the decorative ceilings, cornices, architraves and flooring. One of these rooms – a small sun room – was turned into a home office.
The run-down rear addition was demolished to make way for a modern extension, which is home to an entertainer’s kitchen, living and meals area.
The run-down rear addition was demolished to make way for a modern extension, which is home to an entertainer’s kitchen, living and meals area.
The open-plan kitchen now forms the heart of the home, providing a generous, light-filled space for the family to cook, gather and entertain.
Dieppe concealed the cooking appliances behind joinery and kept the lines of the cabinetry pared-back to keep the focus on the beautiful materiality – American oak joinery, textured brick walls and polished concrete floors.
Dieppe concealed the cooking appliances behind joinery and kept the lines of the cabinetry pared-back to keep the focus on the beautiful materiality – American oak joinery, textured brick walls and polished concrete floors.
The old and new parts of the home fit together around a central courtyard and lightwell, which houses a split-level staircase in American oak.
Painted brickwork on the new extension speaks to the original brickwork at the front of the house, creating a sense of connection. For the exterior cladding and screening, Dieppe specified hardy Western red cedar.
Powder-coated aluminium doors and timber screens: Stoddarts; timber deck: Blackbutt; paintwork in Natural White: Dulux.
To create some privacy from the neighbours without sacrificing light or airflow for the owners, Dieppe specified hit-and-miss brickwork to screen one side of the new rear deck.
To create some privacy from the neighbours without sacrificing light or airflow for the owners, Dieppe specified hit-and-miss brickwork to screen one side of the new rear deck.
“Like in any family home, storage was a priority here,” says Dieppe. To keep clutter at bay, he specified custom built-ins throughout the house, including under the television in the living room and upstairs. “We added cupboards the full length of the upstairs hallway, which provides an abundance of storage,” he says.
Sofa: King Living; rug: Armadillo.
Custom joinery in the new living area was finished in the same American-oak veneer as the kitchen. “We wanted the living-room joinery to flow into the kitchen to create a connectivity between the two spaces. It also helps maximise the sense of space and improves flow between the areas,” says Dieppe.
Custom joinery in the new living area was finished in the same American-oak veneer as the kitchen. “We wanted the living-room joinery to flow into the kitchen to create a connectivity between the two spaces. It also helps maximise the sense of space and improves flow between the areas,” says Dieppe.
Generous sliding doors visually draw the once-neglected backyard into the home.
Dieppe made the most of the often-overlooked under-stair area by installing a generous laundry here.
The home’s original sandstone footings now play a starring role in the new timber-screened glass atrium at the foot of the stairs.
A secondary living space zone between the two runs of stairs invites quiet relaxation.
A built-in desk in the daughter’s new upstairs bedroom creates an inviting spot to do homework or get creative.
A north-facing clerestory window above it has been carefully proportioned to draw in winter sunlight, with shading against the harsh summer sun. “This helps with naturally heating the room in winter while allowing it to be bright, but not overly warm, in the summer months,” says Dieppe.
A north-facing clerestory window above it has been carefully proportioned to draw in winter sunlight, with shading against the harsh summer sun. “This helps with naturally heating the room in winter while allowing it to be bright, but not overly warm, in the summer months,” says Dieppe.
The new main-bedroom suite upstairs is large enough to accommodate a desk for working from home if the study is occupied.
The front entry was refreshed with new paintwork and a skylight over the front door.
“The operable timber screens and the joinery, which are both key design elements to the home, took up a large portion of the budget,” says Dieppe.
The result is a home that feels comfortable and inviting all year round, with beautiful natural materials that emphasise the new and improved connection with the backyard.
The result is a home that feels comfortable and inviting all year round, with beautiful natural materials that emphasise the new and improved connection with the backyard.
Your turn
Are you as impressed with the reno as much as we are? 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 impressive renovation and extension to a heritage home? Don’t miss this story: Auckland Houzz: A Classic Villa With Add-Ons Sheds Its Ugly Past
Are you as impressed with the reno as much as we are? 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 impressive renovation and extension to a heritage home? Don’t miss this story: Auckland Houzz: A Classic Villa With Add-Ons Sheds Its Ugly Past
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three young children and a cavoodle
Location: Willoughby, NSW
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: Four bedrooms, two bathrooms
Budget: Around AU$850,000
Size of the house: 206 square metres
Architecture and interior design: Edward Dieppe, architect and principal at Dieppe Design
Architecture and interior design assistant: Lauren Hunter at Dieppe Design
Soft furnishings, furniture and artwork selections: Nora Anderson-Dieppe
Builder: Glenstone Constructions
Cabinetry: Banksia Joinery
How did you use Houzz for this project?
We used Houzz to collaborate with our client on ideas.