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Best of the Week: 19 Standout Home Extensions
These enviable renovations add much-needed space and lifestyle-enhancing functionality to homes across Australia
A traditional home is nice, but a traditional home with a modern extension is even nicer. As these incredible additions reveal, the extra space and modern comforts that come with a well-designed extension can be positively life-enhancing. It’s little wonder that, given the means and the opportunity, most of us aspire to doing something similar at our own properties. Be inspired by these standouts in the meantime.
The front has been given a facelift but retains its original charm.
2. Location: Adelaide, SA
Why we love it: A narrow city block can limit the possibilities when it comes to extending a home, but the shed-like design of this 100-square-metre addition brings both functionality and character to this one.
Why we love it: A narrow city block can limit the possibilities when it comes to extending a home, but the shed-like design of this 100-square-metre addition brings both functionality and character to this one.
The extension offers a modern take on the familiar rural Australian shed.
6 Houses Inspired by the Australian Vernacular Shed
6 Houses Inspired by the Australian Vernacular Shed
3. Location: St Kilda West, Victoria
Why we love it: That zinc shingle cladding won us over instantly…
Why we love it: That zinc shingle cladding won us over instantly…
… along with the abundance of natural light inside.
4. Location: Rose Park, SA
Why we love it: This daring and ultra-modern addition contrasts dramatically with the Federation-style original home, giving the homeowners the best of both worlds.
Why we love it: This daring and ultra-modern addition contrasts dramatically with the Federation-style original home, giving the homeowners the best of both worlds.
From the front, the extension is barely visible.
5. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Why we love it: This extension is unapologetically modern to suit the lifestyle of the family within.
Why we love it: This extension is unapologetically modern to suit the lifestyle of the family within.
The first owners of the original Victorian cottage could never have imagined how their home would be transformed in the future.
6. Location: Taringa, Queensland
Why we love it: Not all extensions have to be to the rear, and not all of them need to include an enclosed living space. This heritage-listed Queenslander is located on a corner block, which opened up possibilities to build alongside rather than behind the home.
Why we love it: Not all extensions have to be to the rear, and not all of them need to include an enclosed living space. This heritage-listed Queenslander is located on a corner block, which opened up possibilities to build alongside rather than behind the home.
The addition comprises a covered outdoor room and deck, complete with kitchen – ideal for the Brisbane climate.
7. Location: Castlecrag, NSW
Why we love it: A red-brick pre-war house crying out for a renovation was transformed with a modern two-storey addition, and the original home was rendered to bring it into the 21st century.
Why we love it: A red-brick pre-war house crying out for a renovation was transformed with a modern two-storey addition, and the original home was rendered to bring it into the 21st century.
8. Location: Birchgrove, NSW
Why we love it: It’s refreshing to see an addition designed in keeping with the original home.
Why we love it: It’s refreshing to see an addition designed in keeping with the original home.
Inside, the homeowners enjoy the same modern comforts as found in more commonplace ultra-contemporary extensions.
9. Location: Highgate Hills, Queensland
Why we love it: The addition makes the most of a sloping backyard to the rear of an 1890s cottage.
Why we love it: The addition makes the most of a sloping backyard to the rear of an 1890s cottage.
Inside, cool brick floors and shelter from the hot sun make the extension an inviting place to be.
10. Location: Alphington, Victoria
Why we love it: Daring to be different can pay off, as is the case with this curvy extension.
Why we love it: Daring to be different can pay off, as is the case with this curvy extension.
The design may be a little out there, but it still manages to complement the modest Arts and Crafts home to which it is connected.
11. Location: Elwood, Victoria
Why we love it: It’s boxy but beautiful, and the corner block enabled the architect to design a graphic extension that dramatically improved access to light and ventilation, and connection with the outdoors – all things the original home failed to adequately do.
Why we love it: It’s boxy but beautiful, and the corner block enabled the architect to design a graphic extension that dramatically improved access to light and ventilation, and connection with the outdoors – all things the original home failed to adequately do.
12. Location: Hobart, Tasmania
Why we love it: Comprising light and open living areas downstairs and extra bedrooms upstairs, this extension takes design cues from the original 1920s California bungalow to unite the two weatherboard-clad structures.
Why we love it: Comprising light and open living areas downstairs and extra bedrooms upstairs, this extension takes design cues from the original 1920s California bungalow to unite the two weatherboard-clad structures.
Inside, however, the additional living space is wonderfully contemporary.
13. Location: Kensington, NSW
Why we love it: This addition surprises and delights, despite drastically altering the home’s appearance from the street. The upstairs addition to the 1920s home replaced a dated ’80s addition without having to expand the building’s envelope.
Why we love it: This addition surprises and delights, despite drastically altering the home’s appearance from the street. The upstairs addition to the 1920s home replaced a dated ’80s addition without having to expand the building’s envelope.
14. Location: New Farm, Queensland
Why we love it: It’s not what you expect from a Queenslander, but the addition makes it no less loveable.
Why we love it: It’s not what you expect from a Queenslander, but the addition makes it no less loveable.
Before and after.
15. Location: Subiaco, WA
Why we love it: A cramped 1920s cottage struggled when it came to meeting the needs of its modern family. This extension reorientated the home completely.
Why we love it: A cramped 1920s cottage struggled when it came to meeting the needs of its modern family. This extension reorientated the home completely.
16. Location: Kooyong, Victoria
Why we love it: Sweeping curves define this good-looking addition, and the use of timber inside and out has won us over.
Why we love it: Sweeping curves define this good-looking addition, and the use of timber inside and out has won us over.
17. Location: Armadale, Victoria
Why we love it: From the front, this heritage beauty is sure to attract admiring glances from passersby.
Why we love it: From the front, this heritage beauty is sure to attract admiring glances from passersby.
Interlocking dining, living and courtyard spaces are incorporated into the rear extension, its design maximising the feeling of space and openness in the home.
The modern extension has a strong presence, and it’s invisible from the street.
18. Location: Sydney, NSW
Why we love it: This novel extension to a Federation Queen Anne home comprises a wide, sheltered verandah downstairs that connects the kitchen and breakfast area to the garden. The shutters can be closed up of an afternoon to keep the western sun at bay.
Why we love it: This novel extension to a Federation Queen Anne home comprises a wide, sheltered verandah downstairs that connects the kitchen and breakfast area to the garden. The shutters can be closed up of an afternoon to keep the western sun at bay.
19. Location: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Why we love it: These homeowners deserve an award for ‘grandparents of the year’. The pavilion-style addition was designed as a pod for their visiting grandchildren to sleep and play in.
Why we love it: These homeowners deserve an award for ‘grandparents of the year’. The pavilion-style addition was designed as a pod for their visiting grandchildren to sleep and play in.
The pod is essentially a supersized cubbyhouse.
It connects to the main house via a glazed bridge.
Your say
Tell us which extension you like best in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like, bookmark or share this story. Join the conversation!
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Read more ‘Best of the Week’ stories
Your say
Tell us which extension you like best in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like, bookmark or share this story. Join the conversation!
More
Read more ‘Best of the Week’ stories
Why we love it: Adding another storey onto a humble California bungalow has transformed this home, without departing radically from its original style.