A Gloomy 1920s Bungalow Gets a Bright and Luxurious Makeover
A dark and cramped three-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow is barely recognisable after an ambitious update and extension
Georgia Madden
13 September 2018
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation or extension each week. Here, building designer Anthony Green walks us through the stunning upgrade and extension of a South Australian family home.
Images by Hiro Ishino
Answers by Anthony Green, director at Platinum Fine Homes
Who lives here: A family with three active kids, a dog and two rabbits
Location: Glenelg, South Australia
Original size: Around 314 square metres
Size after extension: 355 square metres
Gained: A new kitchen, living room, dining room, laundry and bathroom; an extra bedroom and powder room; an outdoor terrace, swimming pool, outdoor shower, shed and landscaping
Budget: Around $500,000
Architect: C.O.S Design
Builder: Platinum Fine Homes
Answers by Anthony Green, director at Platinum Fine Homes
Who lives here: A family with three active kids, a dog and two rabbits
Location: Glenelg, South Australia
Original size: Around 314 square metres
Size after extension: 355 square metres
Gained: A new kitchen, living room, dining room, laundry and bathroom; an extra bedroom and powder room; an outdoor terrace, swimming pool, outdoor shower, shed and landscaping
Budget: Around $500,000
Architect: C.O.S Design
Builder: Platinum Fine Homes
What was the house like originally?
A three-bedroom, two-bathroom 1920s bungalow with a few quirks left over from previous additions over the years. It was also filled with dark timbers and had very little natural light.
A three-bedroom, two-bathroom 1920s bungalow with a few quirks left over from previous additions over the years. It was also filled with dark timbers and had very little natural light.
What was the clients’ brief?
They wanted more functional space and to give their home a light and airy feel.
They wanted the new addition to feature modern materials and finishes, but they still wanted them to work with the traditional character of the house.
They wanted more functional space and to give their home a light and airy feel.
They wanted the new addition to feature modern materials and finishes, but they still wanted them to work with the traditional character of the house.
Before floor plan
What problems did this project address?
Room of the Week: A Recycled Kitchen That Connects to Nature
What problems did this project address?
- Tight access.
- The need to blend the old and new parts of the property.
- Existing wine cellar in the kitchen needed to be maintained, although the kitchen layout changed quite considerably.
Room of the Week: A Recycled Kitchen That Connects to Nature
After floor plan
What exactly did you do?
We replaced an old addition with a new 146-square-metre extension housing a new kitchen, living room, dining room, bedroom, powder room and terrace. We also swapped the heavy, dark timbers for a brighter, contemporary palette with light, polished concrete and honey-toned timber.
The new addition has lofty 4.3-metre-high ceilings, with 2,700-millimetre commercial stacker doors that open up to the terrace and pool, both of which work to fill the area with natural light.
One of the existing bedrooms was converted into a new bathroom, and part of the old main bathroom became the new laundry.
Outside, we added a new terrace, swimming pool, outdoor shower, shed and landscaping.
What exactly did you do?
We replaced an old addition with a new 146-square-metre extension housing a new kitchen, living room, dining room, bedroom, powder room and terrace. We also swapped the heavy, dark timbers for a brighter, contemporary palette with light, polished concrete and honey-toned timber.
The new addition has lofty 4.3-metre-high ceilings, with 2,700-millimetre commercial stacker doors that open up to the terrace and pool, both of which work to fill the area with natural light.
One of the existing bedrooms was converted into a new bathroom, and part of the old main bathroom became the new laundry.
Outside, we added a new terrace, swimming pool, outdoor shower, shed and landscaping.
Where did most of the $500,000 budget go?
The swimming pool, spa and outdoor shower, the polished concrete, suspended slab and hatch over the wine cellar in the kitchen, and underfloor heating.
The swimming pool, spa and outdoor shower, the polished concrete, suspended slab and hatch over the wine cellar in the kitchen, and underfloor heating.
How does the new addition co-exist with the original home?
While the new addition was never intended to blend in and become part of the original character of the home, the old and the new do work very well together – ceiling heights and colour palette play a big part in this.
While the new addition was never intended to blend in and become part of the original character of the home, the old and the new do work very well together – ceiling heights and colour palette play a big part in this.
Can you tell us about the mixed materials palette?
Combining modern steel cladding and concrete finishes with the traditional nature of the original home was a risk. However, adding softening touches such as natural timber and the light colours of the exterior render brings it all together nicely and makes it work.
See more stunning contemporary living rooms
Combining modern steel cladding and concrete finishes with the traditional nature of the original home was a risk. However, adding softening touches such as natural timber and the light colours of the exterior render brings it all together nicely and makes it work.
See more stunning contemporary living rooms
Exterior materials palette
Interior materials palette
- EuroPlus external cladding.
- Silvertop ash decking and cladding.
- Bluestone engineered slab flooring for the outdoor terrace and pool surround.
Interior materials palette
Paint palette
- Interior walls in Dulux Grey Pebble quarter-strength.
- Ceilings, cornices and internal doors in Haymes Paint Marble Mist half-strength.
Tell us
Did you enjoy this story? Tell us why in the Comments. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like the story, and join the conversation.
More
Enjoyed this story? See last week’s Project of the Week: A Small, Drab Courtyard Gets a Dreamy Subtropical Makeover
Did you enjoy this story? Tell us why in the Comments. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like the story, and join the conversation.
More
Enjoyed this story? See last week’s Project of the Week: A Small, Drab Courtyard Gets a Dreamy Subtropical Makeover
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I too love the original before photo of the hallway.
Absolutely - all kept, we just changed the colour schemes to get more light and airy feel