Project Of The Week
Architecture
Renovating
A Modest Cottage on a Narrow Site Gets an Ingenious Addition
An imaginative approach was needed when extending this small two-bedroom, one-bathroom home on an awkward site
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation or extension each week. What was originally a two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage on an awkward site is now a welcoming and light-filled four-bedroom, two-bathroom family home. Here, architect Shae Parker McCashen at Green Sheep Collective and builder Tim Martin at Excelsior Master Builder take us through the journey of renovating and extending this home.
Gained: A renovated kitchen and a new extension housing a living room, dining room and deck. Plus a new powder room, bedroom/study, and an internal courtyard/cat run.
Get more clever renovating ideas from these building stories
Get more clever renovating ideas from these building stories
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey, weatherboard Victorian cottage. Inside, a corridor connected two bedrooms at the front of the house to the kitchen, living room and bathroom at the rear.
A single-storey, weatherboard Victorian cottage. Inside, a corridor connected two bedrooms at the front of the house to the kitchen, living room and bathroom at the rear.
Shown here, the original bathroom/laundry
The original home had one small bathroom and laundry off the kitchen.
The original home had one small bathroom and laundry off the kitchen.
Shown here, the original kitchen
What was your brief?
What was your brief?
- To create a warm, robust and family-friendly extension.
- To boost the connection to the garden.
- To protect a mature magnolia tree in the garden.
Shown here, the original floor plan
Struggling to understand these architectural drawings? Here, an architect reveals how to read floor plans
Struggling to understand these architectural drawings? Here, an architect reveals how to read floor plans
Shown here, the new floor plan
What were the clients’ must-haves?
What were the clients’ must-haves?
- A larger and more functional kitchen, dining room and living area.
- A home that would accommodate their growing family.
- A physical connection to the landscape.
- A design that celebrated the mature magnolia tree in the garden.
Shown here, the new deck
What exactly did you do?
What exactly did you do?
- Created an efficient, passive-solar home with the magnolia tree in the garden as the focus of the design.
- Added a new extension to the rear of the house containing new living and dining areas, window seating and decking.
- Renovated the original kitchen.
- Turned the original living room into a third bedroom.
- Added a new bedroom/study (now the fourth bedroom).
- Moved and enlarged the existing bathroom.
- Added a new powder room.
- Added a new internal courtyard and cat run.
- Landscaped the rear garden.
Shown here, inside the new extension
How does the new extension complement the original home?
The design of the new addition respects the scale of the existing home, but juxtaposes it by adding passive-solar design elements and flexible spaces that accommodate a modern family lifestyle.
How does the new extension complement the original home?
The design of the new addition respects the scale of the existing home, but juxtaposes it by adding passive-solar design elements and flexible spaces that accommodate a modern family lifestyle.
What was the budget?
$482,570.
Where did most of it go?
On the new extension.
Learn how to stick to your building budget here
$482,570.
Where did most of it go?
On the new extension.
Learn how to stick to your building budget here
We love the shape of the clerestory windows – tell us about them
The high-angled clerestory window and bay-window seat were designed to frame views
of the magnolia tree in the garden. It’s a lovely spot to relax, read a book or admire the flowering magnolia.
The high-angled clerestory window and bay-window seat were designed to frame views
of the magnolia tree in the garden. It’s a lovely spot to relax, read a book or admire the flowering magnolia.
Tell us about the multi-faceted ceiling
A unique, folding roof form envelopes and provides stack-effect ventilation in the dining and living areas. High, angular ceilings offer views of the magnolia tree in the backyard and allow dappled light to penetrate deep into the residence.
A unique, folding roof form envelopes and provides stack-effect ventilation in the dining and living areas. High, angular ceilings offer views of the magnolia tree in the backyard and allow dappled light to penetrate deep into the residence.
What problem did this project address?
The main restraint was how to maximise the internal living areas while keeping to a single-storey volume. Other challenges were minimising the impact of the extension on the existing, mature garden, and working within the budget.
The main restraint was how to maximise the internal living areas while keeping to a single-storey volume. Other challenges were minimising the impact of the extension on the existing, mature garden, and working within the budget.
Shown here, the new courtyard/cat run
How does the new work address these problems?
The design carefully considers the spatial requirements of internal spaces to reduce built form and maximise garden area. A reduction in building form – due to flexible programming and clever joinery – results in fewer construction materials, less maintenance, reduced heating and cooling costs, and a lower overall environmental footprint.
How does the new work address these problems?
The design carefully considers the spatial requirements of internal spaces to reduce built form and maximise garden area. A reduction in building form – due to flexible programming and clever joinery – results in fewer construction materials, less maintenance, reduced heating and cooling costs, and a lower overall environmental footprint.
Tell us about the slatted timber near the roof line
This silvertop-ash slatted screen provides shading to the living area. It reduces unwanted summer heat gain while allowing diffused light to illuminate the space.
Renovating or extending? Chat through your ideas with a local architect
This silvertop-ash slatted screen provides shading to the living area. It reduces unwanted summer heat gain while allowing diffused light to illuminate the space.
Renovating or extending? Chat through your ideas with a local architect
Why do you think the extension and reno work so well?
This design has successfully addressed the brief, site constraints and opportunities, taking advantage of the site levels, orientation and a delightful garden. A robust, flexible floor plan, bright living area and thermally comfortable home all contribute to creating a positive space that people enjoy living in.
We’ve employed passive solar design principles, combined with efficient planning and a healthy and environmentally friendly material selection, to create a highly sustainable, modestly sized family home.
This design has successfully addressed the brief, site constraints and opportunities, taking advantage of the site levels, orientation and a delightful garden. A robust, flexible floor plan, bright living area and thermally comfortable home all contribute to creating a positive space that people enjoy living in.
We’ve employed passive solar design principles, combined with efficient planning and a healthy and environmentally friendly material selection, to create a highly sustainable, modestly sized family home.
Shown here, the renovated family bathroom
Key features
Key features
- Double-height ceiling in the new living and dining rooms.
- Built-in window seat with views to the garden.
- Thermally efficient home to reduce running costs.
- Windows and bi-fold doors that permit cross ventilation and offer numerous openings for people and pets to step out into the garden.
- A sunken concrete floor in the dining room provides thermal mass for heating and cooling, and adds a unique feel to the dining area.
- High, angled clerestory windows frame the owners’ beloved magnolia tree in the backyard.
- Robust, low-maintenance and sustainable natural materials.
Interior materials palette
Exterior materials palette
Tell us
Are you as impressed with this clever reno and extension as we are? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more renovating ideas? Check out this genius little extension: A Gloomy Bungalow Welcomes the Light Thanks to Some Smart Changes
- Polished blackbutt and concrete floors.
- Plywood cabinetry and ceilings.
- Recycled red brick.
- Dulux White Dune Half paint used inside and out.
Exterior materials palette
- Radially sawn silvertop-ash battens used for the exterior screen.
- Radially sawn blackbutt decking.
- Colorbond steel roofing in Monument.
Tell us
Are you as impressed with this clever reno and extension as we are? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more renovating ideas? Check out this genius little extension: A Gloomy Bungalow Welcomes the Light Thanks to Some Smart Changes
Answers by Shae Parker McCashen at Green Sheep Collective and Tim Martin at Excelsior Master Builder
Who lives here: A family with two young children, a dog and a cat
Location: Fairfield, Victoria
Original size: 94 square metres
Size after extension: 181 square metres (the house measures 150 square metres and the deck is 31 square metres)
Architect: Shae Parker McCashen at Green Sheep Collective
Builder: Tim Martin at Excelsior Master Builder
Structural engineer: ZS Consulting
Surveyor: Mackie Surveying and Tekcon Group
Energy efficiency specialist: Filter ESD