Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A 1940s Cottage Transformed on a First-Time Buyer's Budget
Through smart design and clever reuse of space and materials, this cottage now suits the fun and sociable lifestyle of its architect owner
After years of house hunting, building designer Janik Dalecki stumbled upon a suburb a short distance outside of Perth that was unknown to him, but one that had great transport links, a lively buzz, charming tree-lined streets, and more importantly, older properties within his price range. “I was looking for a property that I could add my own touch to, but I found it very hard to find anything that had enough space to extend or that hadn’t been semi-renovated or extended already, usually badly,” he says.
“I was attracted to this cottage because of its rundown, untouched condition, and the huge amount of potential it offered. This project could be seen as a rebuild within the existing bones of the original house,” the designer says. “We’ve completely changed the layout and function of the internal rooms, as well as extending to the rear and side, but kept the integral look and feel of the cottage intact.”
“I was attracted to this cottage because of its rundown, untouched condition, and the huge amount of potential it offered. This project could be seen as a rebuild within the existing bones of the original house,” the designer says. “We’ve completely changed the layout and function of the internal rooms, as well as extending to the rear and side, but kept the integral look and feel of the cottage intact.”
Although cute and appealing from the street, the 1940s cottage had an impractical and cramped layout with vast amounts of wasted space and a lack of natural light. Keeping much of the footprint of the house intact, as well as many of the internal walls, Dalecki shuffled the layout around.
The original house consisted of the porch, the front living room and bedroom, the kitchen and the bathroom. Dalecki shifted both bedrooms to the cooler, south side of the house and opened up the back of the house with a small extension so the living areas could take advantage of the northern light and sun for winter heating. All rooms – except the bathrooms – now lead from the central open-plan living space, creating a sociable and welcoming feel.
Dalecki’s goal was to work with the property’s existing structure, but to improve its overall energy performance. At the front, the old fibro cladding was replaced with James Hardie Scyon Linea weatherboard cladding, retaining the heritage of the ’40s design while allowing the highest performing insulation to be added at the same time. New timber-framed windows with high-spec glazing replaced the old aluminium windows, while a new concrete driveway was added beneath a smart pitched-roof carport that replaced the existing lean-to.
Dalecki opted to clad the sides and back of the house in cost-effective, low-maintenance fibre cement board with a textured render finish.
Dalecki opted to clad the sides and back of the house in cost-effective, low-maintenance fibre cement board with a textured render finish.
A simple palette was chosen for the front elevation to allow the original heritage of the cottage to shine through and create a classic yet contemporary look. The original porch was updated with sleek grey floor tiles, a cedar-lined ceiling, and a smart new meter box to hide the once-exposed services.
As a young, single professional, Dalecki wanted an open-plan living space that would reflect his sociable lifestyle. A small lean-to in the sunken outdoor yard was replaced with a raised extension to the rear and side of the property, creating a spacious open-plan kitchen, living and dining room, with glazed doors opening onto the now-level deck.
The designer stuck to a clean and simple monochrome palette to prevent the large room feeling busy, while carefully selected pops of colour and standout accessories give each zone its own identity. Warm timber flooring links each room, creating a cohesive look throughout. “To save money, I upcycled furniture where possible, such as the dining table that was an old picnic table that got a lick of paint,” he says.
Dining chairs: Matt Blatt
The designer stuck to a clean and simple monochrome palette to prevent the large room feeling busy, while carefully selected pops of colour and standout accessories give each zone its own identity. Warm timber flooring links each room, creating a cohesive look throughout. “To save money, I upcycled furniture where possible, such as the dining table that was an old picnic table that got a lick of paint,” he says.
Dining chairs: Matt Blatt
Wall-to-wall bespoke cabinetry is the focal feature in the living area, giving this zone its own unique character. Incorporating a media unit, the display shelves were a crucial design feature.
“This was the last fixture to be completed once I had moved in, and when I’d finally filled it with my treasures, my heart stopped,” says Dalecki. “When I stood back, I couldn’t believe how much stuff I had collected over the years, but also how amazing it looked.”
Sofa and coffee table: Matt Blatt
“This was the last fixture to be completed once I had moved in, and when I’d finally filled it with my treasures, my heart stopped,” says Dalecki. “When I stood back, I couldn’t believe how much stuff I had collected over the years, but also how amazing it looked.”
Sofa and coffee table: Matt Blatt
Dalecki says he still sometimes lies on the sofa and stares at the items, thinking about their stories – the beautiful china plate his Nanna gave him, or his Pop’s old tobacco pipe, for example. “And some even tell a not-so-pleasant story, like all the old glass bottles I found while crawling under the house at the start of the build. It’s certainly the talking-point of the house.”
The crisp, white palette continues into the cooking zone, where the sleek units and industrial concrete benchtops are interrupted with a burst of colour from the splashback. “These beautiful mosaics complement the colourful objects displayed on the shelves in the seating area,” says Dalecki.
Cage pendant lights: Beacon Lighting; cabinets: Emilia Jane Kitchens; concrete benchtops: Concrete Studios
Cage pendant lights: Beacon Lighting; cabinets: Emilia Jane Kitchens; concrete benchtops: Concrete Studios
Robust and hard-wearing materials, such as hardwood floors throughout and polished concrete benchtops in the kitchen and bathroom, are ideal for this entertainment-ready home. “I wanted surfaces that would cope with my lifestyle and wouldn’t reveal too much wear and tear,” says Dalecki.
Andy Warhol Pop Art Mosaic tiles: Beaumont Tiles
Andy Warhol Pop Art Mosaic tiles: Beaumont Tiles
Is it art or is it simply creative bike storage? Well, it’s a bit of both. The clever bike shelf brings a playful element to the dining area, creating a fun and laid-back vibe, while the super-efficient rack keeps Dalecki’s well-used bike off the floor to free up more space. “I don’t have a garage so this solution provides easy and secure storage for my bike, as well as an interesting talking point over dinner,” says Dalecki.
Bike rack: Knife and Saw
Bike rack: Knife and Saw
Dalecki’s master bedroom, which was the old living room, was updated with new wardrobe storage and a doorway through to an ensuite. For a low-cost bedside solution, he painted an old drum in a stand-out colour for a quirky finish. A kitchen stool acts as the bedside table on the other side.
Replica Eames House Bird lamps: Beacon Lighting
Replica Eames House Bird lamps: Beacon Lighting
The original fireplace from the old living room adds a warm, homey touch to the otherwise cool space. Tuck pointing was used to restore the bricks, giving the feature a refined finish. The same technique was also used on the verandah at the front of the house, creating a cohesive feel from inside to out.
Dalecki added an ethanol-burning fire for a contemporary touch and has kept the decor around the room simple for a calm, fuss-free feel.
Fireplace: Subiaco Restoration
Fireplace: Subiaco Restoration
Staying true to the cottage’s heritage and charm was important to Dalecki, so he restored original fittings where possible. “I love seeing the contrast created between the modern cage lights and the period ceiling roses,” he says.
Sticking to his design rule of ‘less is more’, Dalecki created a beautifully fresh bathroom using a simple, pared-down palette of crisp white and grey. The chunky concrete vanity ties in with the benchtops in the kitchen for a sense of harmony, while the large mirror helps to maximise the light and space in the small room.
Concrete benchtops: Concrete Studios
Concrete benchtops: Concrete Studios
The house sits on stumps thanks to the site having a large fall, so the new extension and outdoor deck were also elevated to maintain level flooring and create a seamless inside-outside flow. “The double-height steps on one side also function as seats, perfect for soaking up the sun and looking over the lower section of the garden,” says Dalecki.
Referred to as the ‘sunken garden’, the original yard now provides a cosy, private retreat for the owner and his guests. The raised areas of the house also provide a large amount of secure storage underneath – super-handy on a small site with no garage.
Referred to as the ‘sunken garden’, the original yard now provides a cosy, private retreat for the owner and his guests. The raised areas of the house also provide a large amount of secure storage underneath – super-handy on a small site with no garage.
It wasn’t until the front aluminium fencing was installed in mid-2015 that Dalecki considered the project complete. “Considering my father and I did 90 per cent of the work in our spare time and at weekends, the two-and-a-half-year timeline was pretty good,” he says. “Although we staged the project so that I could live in the house through the reno, I never did get used to the dust and dirt, and became a pro at cleaning.”
The effort was well worth it, however. The renovation inspired Dalecki to start up his own building design firm, Dalecki Design, which specialises in the adaptive reuse of existing structures.
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The effort was well worth it, however. The renovation inspired Dalecki to start up his own building design firm, Dalecki Design, which specialises in the adaptive reuse of existing structures.
TELL US
Share your thoughts on this first-time buyer’s renovation in the Comments below.
Who lives here: Building designer Janik Dalecki, 28
Location: Maylands, WA
Size: 110 square metres; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Site: 315 square metres
Building designer: Dalecki Design
Year completed: 2015
Renovation cost: $190,000, including all building work, fixtures and landscaping
Awards: Winner of the 2016 Building Designers Association of WA Best Residential Alteration and Addition up to $250K. Winner of the 2016 National Association of Building Designers Best Residential Alteration and Addition up to $350K.