The challenges facing the homeowners of this typical terrace home in Sydney were numerous and many related to the original, dysfunctional layout of the home. In order for the home to take care of their needs in the future, a renovation and re-working of the space was essential so the owners called in the specialist design and construction team from Brindabella.
The list of problems needing solutions including a narrow, dingy kitchen; bathroom stuck at the rear of the house; small laundry; damp, uninviting backyard; and a floorplan that was not conducive to family living. With a brief to create a kitchen/alfresco area that worked in conjunction with the backyard, we went to work.
Our priority was to stay within the main footprint of the house so the position of the exterior walls could be retained but re-work and redistribute the interior to make it a more functional living space. The entire rear wall was removed and replaced with bi-fold doors which fold back to create a seamless flow between indoors and out. This also added light and air which now stream into the kitchen area, making it warm and inviting. In order to create the space needed for the newly-designed kitchen, and allow the kitchen to connect with the outdoor area, the bathroom and laundry were moved to the front corner of the home.
To stay in keeping with the character of the home, the kitchen features handpainted doors and a French limestone floor which adds just the right touch of period style without sacrificing modern functionality. Handmade tiles were chosen for the splashback as the perfect complement to the handpainted surfaces.
This project was no small undertaking with a brand new roof included in the job in order to create a pitch that was more suitable for the design of the back garden and alfresco area. In addition, the same stone was used both inside and outside to create the visual impression of a larger, more cohesive space. Initially, the space now allocated for the kitchen was three separate rooms and, when the walls were removed, it was discovered that the substrates were all of a different height. In order to ensure no susceptibility to cracking in the future, a structural steel slab was created across all three areas to create a single, level base on which to create the masterpiece you see here.
Because of its position, the house tends to be chilly with little in the way of natural sunlight so one of the must-have items on the client’s wish list was underfloor heating throughout, including the laundry and kitchen areas. This is now one of the homeowner’s most-loved elements of the project and it is not regretted for a minute.
Outdoors, one of the most significant challenges was how to manage the lack of drainage which made the garden floor very damp. In order to rectify this issue, a new retaining wall – with full engineer specs – was created at the rear of the garden as well as a planter box with its own retaining walls. Within the planter boxes, an agricultural drainage system was included which helps drain away excess water and makes the outdoor area much more pleasant. Three specially-chosen light fittings make it easy to enjoy this space after dark.
On the right hand side, a clever seat arrangement not only provides an additional spot for family and friends to perch but also offers extra storage for garden implements within its cavity. The seat is made from specially-sourced, recycled spotted gum which sits perfectly in this environment and adds a gorgeous, rich tone to the space. A retractable awning sits atop the bi-fold doors and extends the full-length of the space across to the retaining wall providing shade from the sun when needed and making the outdoor space more usable for more months of the year.