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Architecture
Houzz Tour: A Gentle Upgrade for a ’60s Architectural Masterpiece
Architect Frank Cavalier's 1960s three-level, cream-brick family home is revitalised with a sensitive renovation
When Edward Dieppe and Nora Anderson-Dieppe of Dieppe Design were tasked with bringing architect Frank Cavalier’s former family home up-to-date for its new occupants, they knew a sensitive approach was required – one that balanced respect for the designer’s original vision with contemporary touches to suit today’s lifestyle.
The five-bedroom waterfront home hadn’t been touched in 50 years and featured classic ’60s and ’70s hallmarks – a sunken living room, slate floors, arched doorways and a lofty, timber-clad ceiling. But the interior was dark and there were elements that needed updating, including a tired kitchen and a master bedroom that opened directly to the living room. For the new owners, the main objectives were to brighten the home and draw in natural light while celebrating its distinctive character. Here’s how the Dieppes met their brief.
The five-bedroom waterfront home hadn’t been touched in 50 years and featured classic ’60s and ’70s hallmarks – a sunken living room, slate floors, arched doorways and a lofty, timber-clad ceiling. But the interior was dark and there were elements that needed updating, including a tired kitchen and a master bedroom that opened directly to the living room. For the new owners, the main objectives were to brighten the home and draw in natural light while celebrating its distinctive character. Here’s how the Dieppes met their brief.
The living room before works
“There were multiple water leaks and some areas of damp that needed rectifying,” he says. “Concrete spalling [where water enters the concrete] had occurred in some areas and remedial structural works were required.”
“There were multiple water leaks and some areas of damp that needed rectifying,” he says. “Concrete spalling [where water enters the concrete] had occurred in some areas and remedial structural works were required.”
The facade of the house
From a design perspective, the Dieppes’ brief was to modernise the interior, boost natural light, highlight the home’s unique architectural features and improve its flow. “The view, the original timber ceilings and the entry and master suite were among the main original features we sought to retain,” says Edward.
Itching to get started on your own renovation? Find an architect near you on Houzz
From a design perspective, the Dieppes’ brief was to modernise the interior, boost natural light, highlight the home’s unique architectural features and improve its flow. “The view, the original timber ceilings and the entry and master suite were among the main original features we sought to retain,” says Edward.
Itching to get started on your own renovation? Find an architect near you on Houzz
The living room before works
The architect-designer duo had a budget of approximately $1.4 million to return the architectural masterpiece to its former glory and bring it up-to-date for a contemporary lifestyle.
“There wasn’t a wall or floor that was left untouched, with a large proportion of the budget simply going on tiling, floor boards, painting and refinishing the original timbers,” says Edward. Custom joinery swallowed up another large chunk of the budget, he says.
The architect-designer duo had a budget of approximately $1.4 million to return the architectural masterpiece to its former glory and bring it up-to-date for a contemporary lifestyle.
“There wasn’t a wall or floor that was left untouched, with a large proportion of the budget simply going on tiling, floor boards, painting and refinishing the original timbers,” says Edward. Custom joinery swallowed up another large chunk of the budget, he says.
The storage set-up before works
“Our greatest challenge was getting the house watertight again,” he says. “A lot of time and effort was put into detecting and rectifying leaks. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always successful in the first instance, but we got there in the end.”
“Our greatest challenge was getting the house watertight again,” he says. “A lot of time and effort was put into detecting and rectifying leaks. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always successful in the first instance, but we got there in the end.”
The fireplace before works
A striking fireplace brings warmth and character to the open-plan living area. The original log-burning fire was replaced with a more convenient gas fireplace from Escea. “We then commissioned a custom powder-coated metal shroud to replicate the fireplace’s original copper hood and cladding,” says Edward.
A striking fireplace brings warmth and character to the open-plan living area. The original log-burning fire was replaced with a more convenient gas fireplace from Escea. “We then commissioned a custom powder-coated metal shroud to replicate the fireplace’s original copper hood and cladding,” says Edward.
The fireplace after works
The sunken living room with its dramatic, cathedral ceiling and water views is the first thing you see when you step inside the house.
The Dieppes gave the dated living room a new lease on life while honouring its past by adding a unique wall of custom joinery, replacing the slate flooring with limestone-look tiles and highlighting the statement timber ceiling by painting the surrounding brick walls a bright white (Dulux Lexicon Half). All the timber ceilings in the home were refreshed with a thorough sand and stain.
They specified spotted gum for the new front door and the exterior detailing to enhance the home’s cream-face brickwork.
The sunken living room with its dramatic, cathedral ceiling and water views is the first thing you see when you step inside the house.
The Dieppes gave the dated living room a new lease on life while honouring its past by adding a unique wall of custom joinery, replacing the slate flooring with limestone-look tiles and highlighting the statement timber ceiling by painting the surrounding brick walls a bright white (Dulux Lexicon Half). All the timber ceilings in the home were refreshed with a thorough sand and stain.
They specified spotted gum for the new front door and the exterior detailing to enhance the home’s cream-face brickwork.
Ground-floor plan
Changes to the ground-floor layout included opening up the kitchen and closing off the master suite to give it privacy from the living area.
Changes to the ground-floor layout included opening up the kitchen and closing off the master suite to give it privacy from the living area.
Lower-ground floor plan
The spacious waterfront home sits on three levels and leads down to a small beach.
The spacious waterfront home sits on three levels and leads down to a small beach.
First-floor plan
The family-friendly floor plan includes plenty of private space for the children on the upper level.
The family-friendly floor plan includes plenty of private space for the children on the upper level.
The new custom-designed joinery unit in the living room adds an industrial edge to the space. It is made from interlocking laser-cut steel plates, which had to be welded on-site as it was too heavy and bulky to prefabricate.
“Once the metalwork was complete, we had the joiner randomly install limed, walnut-veneer cupboards into it,” says Edward.
Similar metal components have been used elsewhere in the house to reinforce the industrial aesthetic, including the framing around the kitchen joinery, the concealed television cabinet adjacent to the fireplace, and the new shroud over the fireplace.
“Once the metalwork was complete, we had the joiner randomly install limed, walnut-veneer cupboards into it,” says Edward.
Similar metal components have been used elsewhere in the house to reinforce the industrial aesthetic, including the framing around the kitchen joinery, the concealed television cabinet adjacent to the fireplace, and the new shroud over the fireplace.
The dark slate flooring on the ground floor was replaced with light-enhancing Lulo Tile limestone-look porcelain 900 x 450-millimetre tiles. The lower ground-floor library/rumpus room features a (now-discontinued) engineered timber floor.
“We loved the original Queensland rosewood ceilings and meranti nemesu beams in the house, however they had a red undertone that we felt didn’t sit with our client’s brief,” says Edward. “We softened the redness by adding a limed walnut veneer to the living room and bathrooms, which also served to bring a more neutral aesthetic to these spaces.”
The design duo also updated the fencing around the balcony to maximise water views.
The design duo also updated the fencing around the balcony to maximise water views.
The entry was transformed into a bright and practical spot with new white-painted built-in storage. “Since the kitchen is nearby, we wanted to carry through the same theme and style of the joinery,” says Edward.
Opening up the kitchen and adding lashings of white made the once-dark space feel bright and welcoming. “We gutted everything in the original kitchen apart from the amazing copper range hood,” says Edward. “The design for the new kitchen was inspired by our client’s ideas, which we blended with our own.”
The Dieppes specified Caesarstone Rugged Concrete benchtops (which were also used for the bathroom vanity tops) and custom steel-framed polyurethane-routered doors for the kitchen joinery.
The Dieppes specified Caesarstone Rugged Concrete benchtops (which were also used for the bathroom vanity tops) and custom steel-framed polyurethane-routered doors for the kitchen joinery.
A simple black-and-white colour scheme in the kitchen allows the warm timber ceiling to sing out.
An open staircase in the hallway lets the natural light flow through and leads to three upper-level bedrooms, a bathroom and a second rumpus room for the children.
The time-worn master ensuite was updated with a striking built-in concrete bath. Textured, plaster-effect 900 x 300-millimetre wall tiles (Spatolato Bianco at Lulo Tile) add depth and an earthy appeal to the room.
The ensuite vanity boasts curvy twin sinks and mirrors.
The client’s children have their own spacious retreat with three bedrooms, a bathroom and a rumpus room on the first floor.
The ground-floor powder room features Pietra marble 700-millimetre hexagonal floor tiles.
The library on the lower-ground level
The home’s generous floor plan provides ample options for the family to congregate or enjoy time alone, says Edward. “They spend a lot of time together in the living area, but equally the children love to be downstairs in the library/rumpus now that they are older.
“They all watch movies together in the theatre and entertain on the deck outside,” he says.
The home’s generous floor plan provides ample options for the family to congregate or enjoy time alone, says Edward. “They spend a lot of time together in the living area, but equally the children love to be downstairs in the library/rumpus now that they are older.
“They all watch movies together in the theatre and entertain on the deck outside,” he says.
The library on the lower-ground floor
A handsome timber spiral staircase opposite the front hall leads down to the rumpus/library.
A handsome timber spiral staircase opposite the front hall leads down to the rumpus/library.
“Our client was keen to render over the original face brickwork but we persuaded her not to – a choice she later agreed with,” says Edward.
“Many of the window frames, all the facia boards, eaves and roofing needed replacing. The house has concrete structure and much of this structure was exposed. Some areas were suffering from concrete spalling and exposed rusty reinforcing steel had stained the concrete, which was quite unsightly.
“After the concrete was repaired it was rendered in Rockcote smooth-set to mimic the look of off-form concrete,” he says.
“Many of the window frames, all the facia boards, eaves and roofing needed replacing. The house has concrete structure and much of this structure was exposed. Some areas were suffering from concrete spalling and exposed rusty reinforcing steel had stained the concrete, which was quite unsightly.
“After the concrete was repaired it was rendered in Rockcote smooth-set to mimic the look of off-form concrete,” he says.
The rumpus room on the lower-ground floor
A new outdoor area, complete with a built-in kitchen, barbecue and seating, provides the perfect spot to entertain in the warmer months. It leads down to a jetty and a small beach.
Your turn
Were you as impressed with this respectful renovation as we were? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Craving more great renovations? Take a look at this Houzz Tour: A Federation-Era House, Renovated and Restored
Were you as impressed with this respectful renovation as we were? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Craving more great renovations? Take a look at this Houzz Tour: A Federation-Era House, Renovated and Restored
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two children and three poodle-cross dogs
Location: Hunters Hill, NSW
Size: 459 square metres with four bedrooms and five bathrooms (after works)
Architecture: Edward Dieppe, principal at Dieppe Design
Interior design: Nora Anderson-Dieppe at Dieppe Design
Builder: Glenstone Constructions
“The house was beautiful, incredibly unique and interesting, but it was too dark. It had been well-maintained and loved by the family, but it was in need of a renovation,” says Edward. “The fixtures were dated and there was no useable space at the rear leading to the waterfront. It was also a little too open-plan, with the master bedroom being relatively open to the living areas.”