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A Classic Closed-In Villa Opens Up to the Garden
Old meets new in the most charming manner in this renovation and extension of a family home in Auckland, New Zealand
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking build or renovation each week. Here, Pat de Pont, architect at Strachan Group Architects (SGA), reveals how he added space, flow and functionality to a family’s traditional villa by rejigging the layout and introducing a contemporary, 76-square-metre rear extension that opens onto the garden.
The facade before works
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey, three-bedroom villa built around 1900.
Looking to extend your own home? Find a local architect on Houzz to help
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey, three-bedroom villa built around 1900.
Looking to extend your own home? Find a local architect on Houzz to help
The facade after works
What was your scope of works?
We were engaged to provide design services for the house refurbishment and extension. This included all interior fittings and fixtures to the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, as well as built-in furniture, including a window seat, a fireplace wrapped in joinery in the living area and a linking storage unit.
What was your scope of works?
We were engaged to provide design services for the house refurbishment and extension. This included all interior fittings and fixtures to the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, as well as built-in furniture, including a window seat, a fireplace wrapped in joinery in the living area and a linking storage unit.
The facade after works
What was the client’s brief?
The brief was to accommodate a couple with two young children, allowing for work-at-home options as well as providing an oasis and retreat for the family. The client also wanted to open up the house to their north-facing backyard.
What was the client’s brief?
The brief was to accommodate a couple with two young children, allowing for work-at-home options as well as providing an oasis and retreat for the family. The client also wanted to open up the house to their north-facing backyard.
The rear before works
What were their must-haves?
What were their must-haves?
- A bigger and more functional kitchen and living spaces.
- Connection to the garden.
- Updated bathrooms and bedrooms.
- Office space to accommodate working from home.
The rear after works
What look and feel did they want to create?
A warm, welcoming and functional family home.
Browse more images of lush and inviting gardens on Houzz
What look and feel did they want to create?
A warm, welcoming and functional family home.
Browse more images of lush and inviting gardens on Houzz
The floor plan before works
What did you do?
This project is a reinterpretation of the lean-to form. Traditionally used as service spaces, the lean-to addition here is recast as a living space, opening the house up to the north-facing backyard.
The existing lean-tos have been replaced with a lower-roofed link housing laundry and scullery spaces, which connect the old house to the new addition.
We also improved the flow and functionality of the original villa by moving the main bathroom, adding an ensuite with a walk-in wardrobe to the main bedroom, and adding a study with a daybed that can double as an extra bedroom when required.
What did you do?
This project is a reinterpretation of the lean-to form. Traditionally used as service spaces, the lean-to addition here is recast as a living space, opening the house up to the north-facing backyard.
The existing lean-tos have been replaced with a lower-roofed link housing laundry and scullery spaces, which connect the old house to the new addition.
We also improved the flow and functionality of the original villa by moving the main bathroom, adding an ensuite with a walk-in wardrobe to the main bedroom, and adding a study with a daybed that can double as an extra bedroom when required.
The floor plan after works
Did the house have any heritage restrictions?
There were no legal or council restrictions. The area is zoned for higher-density living, but this option is not being taken up by the owners. We wanted to be respectful of the original heritage house without replicating its style.
Did the house have any heritage restrictions?
There were no legal or council restrictions. The area is zoned for higher-density living, but this option is not being taken up by the owners. We wanted to be respectful of the original heritage house without replicating its style.
What changes did you make to the facade?
The original verandah had been closed in, shutting out views over the neighbourhood and to the Waitakere ranges beyond. The verandah’s original form was reinstated, reconnecting it with the street.
The original verandah had been closed in, shutting out views over the neighbourhood and to the Waitakere ranges beyond. The verandah’s original form was reinstated, reconnecting it with the street.
What was your thinking behind the colours and materials?
The design approach was to highlight new versus old and create a dialogue between the contemporary and traditional parts of the building.
Externally, colours and materials continue the dialogue with the contemporary, narrow-profile, rough-sawn weatherboards contrasting with the dark green on the traditional wide-board cladding.
The design approach was to highlight new versus old and create a dialogue between the contemporary and traditional parts of the building.
Externally, colours and materials continue the dialogue with the contemporary, narrow-profile, rough-sawn weatherboards contrasting with the dark green on the traditional wide-board cladding.
The corridor in the original part of the house visually extends to a slender rain garden (designed to absorb rainwater run-off) in the new addition
Tell us about the fabulous ceiling in the new addition
Here, the traditional lean-to roof form wraps in on itself, forming an inverted hip roof with a simple box to the exterior.
The new ceiling is battened in a nod to the traditional villa’s ceiling, and these create planes that float over an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space and a covered terrace.
High-level windows provide light and ventilation without compromising privacy.
Tell us about the fabulous ceiling in the new addition
Here, the traditional lean-to roof form wraps in on itself, forming an inverted hip roof with a simple box to the exterior.
The new ceiling is battened in a nod to the traditional villa’s ceiling, and these create planes that float over an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space and a covered terrace.
High-level windows provide light and ventilation without compromising privacy.
Where did most of the budget go?
The landscaping and planting here is extensive, and the clients chose good-quality fittings, fixtures and finishes for the kitchen and bathrooms.
The landscaping and planting here is extensive, and the clients chose good-quality fittings, fixtures and finishes for the kitchen and bathrooms.
What challenges did this project present?
The site has quite close and potentially intrusive neighbours to both east and west. The main challenge was finding an appropriate form to complement the original house and provide a good privacy solution that still allowed eastern and western sun into the living spaces.
The site has quite close and potentially intrusive neighbours to both east and west. The main challenge was finding an appropriate form to complement the original house and provide a good privacy solution that still allowed eastern and western sun into the living spaces.
How do the old and new parts of the house sit together?
Externally, the contemporary, narrow-profile, rough-sawn weatherboards of the new addition contrast with the dark green on the traditional wide-boarded cladding, creating a dialogue between the two different parts of the building.
Externally, the contemporary, narrow-profile, rough-sawn weatherboards of the new addition contrast with the dark green on the traditional wide-boarded cladding, creating a dialogue between the two different parts of the building.
What are the defining features of the house now?
- The ceiling plane in the new extension ties the space together and links through to the villa’s traditional battened ceilings.
- The relaxed living spaces are open-plan but zoned to allow for different experiences and activities.
- The central axis of the villa corridor is visually extended in a rain garden, which connects to the eclectic plantings and play areas of the north-facing gardens.
- The floor plan of the existing building has been rationalised with improved room sizes, bedrooms, an extensive home office, improved amenities, and revived kauri flooring and traditional details.
- The verandah’s original form has been reinstated, reconnecting it with the street.
Key design aspects
Interior materials palette
Interior fixtures and furniture
Interior materials palette
- Polished-concrete flooring in Peter Fell Black Oxide to the new extension.
- Intelligent Style carpet in Cucumber from Carpet Court to the bedrooms and home office.
- Artedomus Artetech Slate Black to the kitchen, living room, bathroom benchtops and kitchen splashback.
- Artedomus bathroom tiles.
- Kitchen joinery in band-sawn larch.
Interior fixtures and furniture
- Escea DF700 gas fireplace.
- Simon James Design Tangerine bar stools.
Exterior palette
Paint colours
Your turn
What do you like best in this new extension? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to see another clever home? Don’t miss this story – Sun Worshipper: A Captivating Home Made to Maximise Winter Light
- Siberian larch weatherboard cladding painted in Resene Woodsman Whitewash.
- Garapa wood decking.
- Natural stone pavers.
Paint colours
- Resene Merino to the interior walls.
- Resene Cabbage Pont to the bathroom ceilings.
- Resene Siam Green to the exterior of the original villa.
- Resene Double Sea Fog to the exterior trims.
- Resene Gravel to the front steps.
- Resene Woodsman Whitewash to the exterior of the new extension.
Your turn
What do you like best in this new extension? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to see another clever home? Don’t miss this story – Sun Worshipper: A Captivating Home Made to Maximise Winter Light
Answers by Pat de Pont, architect at Strachan Group Architects (SGA)
Who lives here: A couple with two children
Location: Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms before works: Three bedrooms and one bathroom
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms after works: Three bedrooms, a study with a daybed, one main bathroom and an ensuite
Size of the house before works: Approximately 135 square metres
Size of the house after works: Approximately 185 square metres
Architect: Pat de Pont at (SGA)
Interior design: SGA
Builder: Heartwood Builders
Landscaper: Xanthe White Design
Kitchen design and manufacture: Philbe Design