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A House on a Steep Slope Gets a Seamless Extension
A poky Californian bungalow gets an upgrade with a new open-plan living area, a pool, and more bedrooms and bathrooms
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation each week. Here, architect Vanessa Wegner reveals how she resolved the challenges of a sloping site to add a discreet extension to a heritage home for a family of four.
The facade after works.
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey Californian bungalow built in the 1920s on a site with a fairly large cross fall.
What state was it in?
The house had good bones. The brickwork and timber detailing of the original front rooms were intact, however they were not in fantastic condition. There was a fairly basic extension at the rear that was probably done in the 1980s.
Inspired to get cracking on your own extension? Find an architect near you on Houzz
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey Californian bungalow built in the 1920s on a site with a fairly large cross fall.
What state was it in?
The house had good bones. The brickwork and timber detailing of the original front rooms were intact, however they were not in fantastic condition. There was a fairly basic extension at the rear that was probably done in the 1980s.
Inspired to get cracking on your own extension? Find an architect near you on Houzz
The rear before works.
What wasn’t working for the client about the house?
The client loved the location and the home’s original features. However, it was too small, there was no relationship to the rear garden or the view over the valley.
What did you identify as the main issues?
The main challenges were the orientation and the slope of the site. The rear of the house essentially faces south-west, so there was a challenge to bring in northern light.
Also, the site had a large fall across it, which we used to create the lower-level rumpus room.
What wasn’t working for the client about the house?
The client loved the location and the home’s original features. However, it was too small, there was no relationship to the rear garden or the view over the valley.
What did you identify as the main issues?
The main challenges were the orientation and the slope of the site. The rear of the house essentially faces south-west, so there was a challenge to bring in northern light.
Also, the site had a large fall across it, which we used to create the lower-level rumpus room.
The rear after works.
What was the client’s brief?
What was the client’s brief?
- Four bedrooms including two children’s rooms (one with a bay window seat and one with a built-in desk), one small spare room and one parent’s bedroom.
- An ensuite to the main bedroom.
- A bathroom with a bath and shower for the children.
- A powder room.
- An open and bright space for the kitchen, dining and living area.
- High ceilings with lots of windows/skylights/glass louvres to allow a light-filled kitchen, dining and living space.
- A kitchen with an island bench with space for dining stools, a pantry, generous marble benchtops, storage, and a double sink.
Elevation of the house.
- A laundry with sufficient bench space and cupboards.
- An outdoor entertainment deck, including a covered area, barbecue joinery as an extension of the kitchen space or an open window servery from the kitchen to a covered outdoor area.
- A teenage rumpus room.
- A swimming pool, with the chance of investigating chemical-free filtration and cleaning.
- Black steel window frames for the new part of the house and the use of warm materials throughout.
- Restore the original features at the front of the house.
- More storage.
- Garage to fit one car and storage.
Lower-ground floor plan.
What were the client’s must-haves?
A good relationship to the rear yard and the original house. An interesting and contemporary design that is comfortable to live in and not too minimal. It was important to them that the new design did not to overpower the existing house – they wished to keep it low-key when viewed from the front.
What was gained with the new works?
What were the client’s must-haves?
A good relationship to the rear yard and the original house. An interesting and contemporary design that is comfortable to live in and not too minimal. It was important to them that the new design did not to overpower the existing house – they wished to keep it low-key when viewed from the front.
What was gained with the new works?
- A new extension with a new open-plan kitchen, dining and living space.
- A main bedroom with an ensuite.
- A kids’ rumpus room and bathroom on the lower level.
- A new pool and rear verandah.
- A new study.
Ground-floor plan.
What exactly did you do?
We retained the original house’s first four rooms, and pared them back to their original features, which we then restored.
The original small bathroom became the powder room, and we added another bathroom.
We demolished the 1980s addition and excavated under the house to create the kids’ rumpus room and bathroom.
We raised the level of the new living room to delineate the space and create a cosier and more contained feel away from the voluminous space of the kitchen and dining room. Another reason was to reduce the amount of excavation required for the rumpus room downstairs, which is directly below it.
What exactly did you do?
We retained the original house’s first four rooms, and pared them back to their original features, which we then restored.
The original small bathroom became the powder room, and we added another bathroom.
We demolished the 1980s addition and excavated under the house to create the kids’ rumpus room and bathroom.
We raised the level of the new living room to delineate the space and create a cosier and more contained feel away from the voluminous space of the kitchen and dining room. Another reason was to reduce the amount of excavation required for the rumpus room downstairs, which is directly below it.
What was the budget?
Approximately AU$1.4 million.
Where did most of it go?
There was extensive excavation for the pool and the lower-level rumpus room and associated drainage with these works. A portion of the budget also went on the new polished-concrete slabs and the whole building in general. The existing brick garage was knocked down for ease of construction and rebuilt in the same form.
Approximately AU$1.4 million.
Where did most of it go?
There was extensive excavation for the pool and the lower-level rumpus room and associated drainage with these works. A portion of the budget also went on the new polished-concrete slabs and the whole building in general. The existing brick garage was knocked down for ease of construction and rebuilt in the same form.
What was your thinking behind the colour and materials palette?
The new materials are as natural as possible, however with a warmth and detail about them that complements the aesthetic of the original house.
New concrete and timber floors, face-brick walls and timber and aluminium window frames add warmth and interest.
See more images of stunning Australian swimming pools on Houzz
The new materials are as natural as possible, however with a warmth and detail about them that complements the aesthetic of the original house.
New concrete and timber floors, face-brick walls and timber and aluminium window frames add warmth and interest.
See more images of stunning Australian swimming pools on Houzz
Tell us about the beautiful, warm timber throughout
We used blackbutt for the floors and deck, ethically sourced rosewood for the windows and plantation-oak veneer for the joinery.
I love timber and believe that using it within a house really enhances the quality of the space. I particularly like to include it when we are using concrete on the floors, as we did in this kitchen, to add warmth.
We used blackbutt for the floors and deck, ethically sourced rosewood for the windows and plantation-oak veneer for the joinery.
I love timber and believe that using it within a house really enhances the quality of the space. I particularly like to include it when we are using concrete on the floors, as we did in this kitchen, to add warmth.
How important was indoor-outdoor connection here?
Indoor-outdoor connection is always important with the design of a house.
This site has a beautiful aspect facing west over a valley and the Lane Cove River towards the sandstone buildings of Riverview School in the distance. The existing garden also has some beautiful, big gums on the rear boundary. It was really important to work with all these features and create openings that highlighted them.
Indoor-outdoor connection is always important with the design of a house.
This site has a beautiful aspect facing west over a valley and the Lane Cove River towards the sandstone buildings of Riverview School in the distance. The existing garden also has some beautiful, big gums on the rear boundary. It was really important to work with all these features and create openings that highlighted them.
What are the defining features of the house now?
The owners love it! The house still presents as the original home from the street – the renovation is very discreet. Once inside, the new spaces gradually reveal themselves and are quite a surprise to most people.
The connection to the rear yard and the view over the valley work really well. The covered rear verandah is a beautiful place to sit.
The pool is settled into the garden with beautiful big trees around it – an idyllic place for a summer swim.
Why do you think the house works so well?
It works well as the client is really happy with it. They told me they didn’t need to use the air conditioning at all last summer as the house captures the breezes well and the large windows are shaded. It works well for their family and has been truly tested in these Covid times.
The owners love it! The house still presents as the original home from the street – the renovation is very discreet. Once inside, the new spaces gradually reveal themselves and are quite a surprise to most people.
The connection to the rear yard and the view over the valley work really well. The covered rear verandah is a beautiful place to sit.
The pool is settled into the garden with beautiful big trees around it – an idyllic place for a summer swim.
Why do you think the house works so well?
It works well as the client is really happy with it. They told me they didn’t need to use the air conditioning at all last summer as the house captures the breezes well and the large windows are shaded. It works well for their family and has been truly tested in these Covid times.
Materials palette
Interior palette
Interior palette
- Blackbutt and concrete floors.
- Ethically sourced rosewood for the windows.
- Kitchen and bathroom joinery finished in plantation-oak veneer.
- Bowral Chillingham White bricks.
- Ron Bennett Marble Statuario marble to kitchen benchtops.
- Caesarstone Airy Concrete to bathroom benchtops.
- Freelance Tile and Stone dark blue mosaic tiles to powder room.
- Freelance Tiles and Stone Sage finger mosaic tiles.
- Fixtures and fittings
- Euroluce lighting.
- Keeler Hardware and Halliday + Baillie door hardware.
The rear before works.
Paint colours
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature in this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Building or renovating on a steep site? You’ll get some great advice in this story: Building a House on a Slope
Paint colours
- Internal rendered walls, V-groove walls in Dulux Wash&Wear Natural White.
- Skirtings, doors and picture rails in Dulux Aquanamel Vivid White.
- Bedroom doors in Dulux Aquanamel Royal Battle.
- Feature wall in bedroom two in Dulux Wash&Wear Boathouse.
- Ceilings in Dulux Ceiling White
- External fascia under new gutters in Dulux Weathershield Shale Grey.
- Steel posts on verandah in Dulux Ferrodor Natural Grey.
- Fascia on gable ends, eaves and painted timber frames in Dulux Weathershield Vivid White.
- Front Door in Dulux Aquanamel Sapphire Stone.
- James Hardie Scyon Axon cladding finished in Dulux Weathershield Natural White.
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature in this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Building or renovating on a steep site? You’ll get some great advice in this story: Building a House on a Slope
Answers by Vanessa Wegner.
Who lives here: A couple with two teenage children and their dog
Location: Longueville, NSW
Size of the house before works: 170 square metres
Size of the house after works: 270 square metres
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms before works: Three bedrooms, one bathroom
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms after works: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Budget: Around $1.4 million
Architect: Vanessa Wegner Architect
Builder: MJ Minard Builders
Engineer: BVG Consultants
Landscaper: Hort Grade
Joiner: L&J Custom Kitchens
Lighting: Euroluce
Timber windows: Longma Joinery
Bathroom tiling: Freelance Tile and Stone
Styling: Koskela