Project Of The Week
Renovating
Popular Houzz Series
Popular Houzz Series
Appears in
See also
Fun HouzzFrom The ProsHouzz Around The WorldProject Of The WeekStickybeak Of The WeekQuizzesCreatives At HomeAt Home With...Best Of The WeekRoom Of The WeekDesigner Profiles3 Things I Wish My Clients KnewHow Do I...Buyer's GuidesExpert EyeInnovation AlertSo Your Style Is...Spotted!Picture PerfectBefore & AfterBudget BreakdownHome TimeMade Local
A Humble Beach Cottage on a Slope is Reimagined For Modern Living
A rundown beach cottage is given a new lease on life with new, light-filled spaces and warm, natural finishes
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation or extension each week. Here, architect Andrew Chapman at Andrew Chapman Architecture and builder Liam Flood of To The Mil reveal how they collaborated on this home in Sydney, NSW. The challenge? To transform a dated three-bedroom, two-bathroom coastal cottage on an awkward, sloping site. The result? A sophisticated four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom abode with lashings of light and space for the family to enjoy.
Gained
- All but the front two rooms of the original two-storey house were demolished and the property was re-built as a contemporary, three-level home.
- On the ground floor, a new double-storey living room, kitchen, butler’s pantry, children’s play room and bathroom were added.
- Outside included a new barbecue area, deck and swimming pool.
- On the new upper level, two children’s bedrooms, a family bathroom, and a parents’ retreat with an ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and balcony were added.
What was the house like originally?
Flood: A double-brick beach house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms set on a sloping, north-facing block. The house had been in the family for generations.
Find a builder on Houzz to help with your renovation project
Flood: A double-brick beach house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms set on a sloping, north-facing block. The house had been in the family for generations.
Find a builder on Houzz to help with your renovation project
What wasn’t working for the owners about the house?
Chapman: The house didn’t have enough space for the growing family. Plus, it was located on a steep site, the backyard was dangerous and difficult to access, and there was limited parking.
Chapman: The house didn’t have enough space for the growing family. Plus, it was located on a steep site, the backyard was dangerous and difficult to access, and there was limited parking.
What was your brief?
Chapman:
Chapman:
- Four bedrooms.
- Multiple living/dining spaces.
- An open-plan kitchen/living/dining area.
- A separate formal dining area.
- A coastal aesthetic to suit the setting.
- A double garage.
- An elevated street presence.
- An outdoor entertaining area.
- A separate parents’ retreat.
- A children’s play room.
- A swimming pool.
- Plenty of natural light and ventilation.
The original kitchen and dining area
The original garage was converted into a rumpus room
What were the client’s must haves?
Flood:
What were the client’s must haves?
Flood:
- Open-plan living.
- Four bedrooms.
- A kids’ rumpus room.
- A swimming pool.
The original floor plan
The lower-ground floor plan after works
What exactly did you do?
Chapman:
What exactly did you do?
Chapman:
- Retained the two original rooms and demolished the rest of the house.
- Undertook major ground works (including a concrete swimming pool).
- Added a new first-floor addition with two bedrooms, a bathroom and a parents’ retreat.
- Added a new rear addition housing an open-plan kitchen/living/dining room, a kids’ play room, bathroom and an entertainer’s deck.
- Included a double garage.
The ground-floor plan after works
The first-floor plan after works
The new ground floor opens up to an outdoor entertainer’s deck and swimming pool
What was the budget?
Flood: Around $1.36 million.
What was the budget?
Flood: Around $1.36 million.
Where did most of the budget go?
Flood: On the excavation and finishes.
How long did it take?
One year.
Flood: On the excavation and finishes.
How long did it take?
One year.
What was your thinking behind the high ceilings and half-levels in this house?
Chapman:
Chapman:
- Getting the levels of the rear addition right was important, and responding to the slope of the site created an opportunity for half-levels and very high ceilings.
- The first-floor addition is connected to the original house by a large void that creates a bridge to the master suite.
The bridge to the master suite on the new upper level
The textured concrete-look wall finish in the bathroom is a French wash from Porter’s Paints that was painted by a master craftsman
What are the key features of this extension?
Flood:
What are the key features of this extension?
Flood:
- Open-plan living.
- Natural light.
- Natural ventilation.
- Separate children’s and parents’ zones, and separate everyday and formal areas.
- Fine finishings by master craftsperson.
How did you spruce up the facade?
Chapman:
Chapman:
- The brick and concrete garage and ground-floor facade were clad in sandstone to give the house a solid base, both structurally and visually. The sandstone also matches nearby cliffs and the heritage walls of Waverley cemetery.
- The new first-floor addition is clad in lightweight shiplap with detailed trims, hip-roof forms and exposed rafters to create a classic Australian coastal aesthetic.
What challenges did you face during this project?
Flood: This was a particularly tricky site; it was sloping and was set on a corner bend near a busy bus route and thoroughfare. However, we put a solid traffic-management plan in place that enabled us to overcome the issues.
Very sandy soil caused major difficulties in excavation and shoring. There were also neighbours tightly tucked onto the boundary who needed to be considered. In addition, the existing sewer pipe had to be replaced and encased.
Flood: This was a particularly tricky site; it was sloping and was set on a corner bend near a busy bus route and thoroughfare. However, we put a solid traffic-management plan in place that enabled us to overcome the issues.
Very sandy soil caused major difficulties in excavation and shoring. There were also neighbours tightly tucked onto the boundary who needed to be considered. In addition, the existing sewer pipe had to be replaced and encased.
Interior materials palette
Exterior materials palette
- American oak timber-veneer joinery in the kitchen.
- Auburn Woodturning timber feature door handle in the kitchen.
- WK Stone Carrara marble slab in the kitchen.
- Royal Oak smoked and limed engineered-timber flooring.
- The Natural Floorcovering Centres Kalahari Herringbone sisal carpet.
- Teranova Tiles encaustic stone and marble tiles on the bathroom floor.
- Interior painted Dulux White on White; apart from the rumpus room, which was painted Porter’s Paints Grey Pepper.
Exterior materials palette
- Sydney Sandstone Company rock-faced ‘White Range’ sandstone cladding.
- Spotted-gum decking.
- Windows and doors, trims, eaves and rafters, front balcony ceiling and rear fixed awning painted Dulux Lexicon Half White.
- Cladding and concrete render painted Dulux Miller Mood.
Why do you think this extension works so well?
Flood: The old and new parts of the house are integrated in a way that feels gentle and natural; street-level entrance to the original two front rooms allows you to easily move upstairs to reach the bedrooms or downstairs to the living-dining room, and the entire space is filled with light and fresh air.
Large glass doors blur the lines between inside and out, and the house has a coastal vibe, which suits its location.
Your turn
What do you love best about this renovation? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want more renovating ideas? Don’t miss this Project of the Week, From Drab to Fab: How a Modern Pavilion Transformed a 1990s Home
Flood: The old and new parts of the house are integrated in a way that feels gentle and natural; street-level entrance to the original two front rooms allows you to easily move upstairs to reach the bedrooms or downstairs to the living-dining room, and the entire space is filled with light and fresh air.
Large glass doors blur the lines between inside and out, and the house has a coastal vibe, which suits its location.
Your turn
What do you love best about this renovation? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want more renovating ideas? Don’t miss this Project of the Week, From Drab to Fab: How a Modern Pavilion Transformed a 1990s Home
Answers by Liam Flood, director of To The Mil; and Andrew Chapman, principal at Chapman Architecture
Who lives here: A couple with two young children
Location: Clovelly, NSW
Size of the house originally: 241 square metres
Size after works: 390 square metres
Architect: Andrew Chapman Architecture
Interior designer: Lane and Grove
Builder: To The Mil
Engineer: E2 Design