Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Hamptons-Inspired Bungalow That Blends Old and New
An interior designer and a builder brought well-balanced Hamptons style to this historical Californian bungalow
Michelle and David Hart had to imagine the family who would live in the Californian bungalow they were renovating and hoping to sell; what they came up with is a case study in a transitional Hamptons style that mixes the best of a historical and contemporary aesthetic.
Image by Dylan Lark
Two years ago, this 1920s weatherboard Californian bungalow, in the suburb’s historical Castlefield Estate, was in need of a total renovation. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home had been added to in the ’60s with a requisite sunroom at the rear. The entire garden, back and front, was overgrown.
Two years ago, this 1920s weatherboard Californian bungalow, in the suburb’s historical Castlefield Estate, was in need of a total renovation. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home had been added to in the ’60s with a requisite sunroom at the rear. The entire garden, back and front, was overgrown.
Image by Dylan Lark
Michelle, an interior designer, and David, a builder, wanted to work together to upgrade the property to four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The couple had a vision for the remodel that required a complete internal revamp – gutting most of the interior and adding a second storey, while maintaining the facade of the original house.
Exterior paint: Dulux Teahouse with trims in Dulux Natural White
Michelle, an interior designer, and David, a builder, wanted to work together to upgrade the property to four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The couple had a vision for the remodel that required a complete internal revamp – gutting most of the interior and adding a second storey, while maintaining the facade of the original house.
Exterior paint: Dulux Teahouse with trims in Dulux Natural White
The first-floor plan
Today, the ground floor features a master bedroom suite, with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, a living area and study, and a hallway that opens onto a kitchen/dining/living area with pool access.
Today, the ground floor features a master bedroom suite, with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, a living area and study, and a hallway that opens onto a kitchen/dining/living area with pool access.
The second-floor plan
Upstairs are three bedrooms with a shared bathroom and a rumpus room.
Upstairs are three bedrooms with a shared bathroom and a rumpus room.
On the ground floor, the master bedroom is at the front of the house and features a soothing colour palette to create the feeling of a restful retreat.
This space also has a walk-in wardrobe…
…which flows onto an ensuite. “We wanted to blend the old style with a more contemporary feel here,” says Michelle.
“The palette was kept monochrome; we used an old clawfoot bath we had resurfaced, and chose traditional tapware for the bath, while using very modern fittings for the rest of the bathroom.”
The study, also in the original part of the house, features Natural Oak melamine joinery from Polytec.
The formal living room is a study in how to contemporise a period living area.
Post-renovation, steel-framed doors in the hallway demarcate the original home from the new extension. The new, extended part of the home flows on from the original front, and features more contemporary features such as commercial black windows and these steel-framed, Bauhaus-style doors.
The powder room, which is next to the kitchen, radiates a beautiful classical style. As in the kitchen, the benchtop is honed New Grey Tundra from Signorino.
Adjacent to the powder room is a spacious laundry with direct outdoor access.
Floor and wall tiles: Elegance Tiles; joinery is in Haymes Paint Smoky Silhouette
Floor and wall tiles: Elegance Tiles; joinery is in Haymes Paint Smoky Silhouette
The kitchen is designed with a contemporary Hamptons style in mind. To tie the kitchen to the bold steel elements in the hallway, Michelle added a large steel bracket to the island bench.
Hay ‘About a Stool’ Barstools: Open Room
Hay ‘About a Stool’ Barstools: Open Room
In order to integrate traditional and contemporary Hamptons-style design, Michelle selected cupboards with a Shaker profile. She also integrated a ceramic double butler’s sink with traditional tapware and an otherwise sleek induction cooktop and modern appliances.
The flooring was also selected to help the home transition from period to modern.
“The chevron-patterned floor was chosen to complement the more traditional style of the home,” says Michelle. “Again, the thought was to blend old style with new, so that it flowed well from the front door all the way to the rear. The chevron pattern was the perfect choice to enhance the features and add interest to the floor.”
Honed New Grey tundra island benchtop and splashback: Signorino; Ambit Rail pendants above the dining table: Design Stuff; dining table: MuBu Home
“The chevron-patterned floor was chosen to complement the more traditional style of the home,” says Michelle. “Again, the thought was to blend old style with new, so that it flowed well from the front door all the way to the rear. The chevron pattern was the perfect choice to enhance the features and add interest to the floor.”
Honed New Grey tundra island benchtop and splashback: Signorino; Ambit Rail pendants above the dining table: Design Stuff; dining table: MuBu Home
The under-stair space facing the kitchen has been turned into a wine-storage room that features the same Bauhaus-style door.
The living room, which extends off the dining area, was designed as the main family living space. A gas fireplace was installed to create a warm, cosy environment for a family to sit back and relax in.
Chimney-breast bricks: Austral Masonry
Chimney-breast bricks: Austral Masonry
“We wanted this area to flow on from the rest of the home, so the cabinetry was made the same in order to tie in with the kitchen,” says Michelle.
Sofa: Harbro Furniture; armchairs: Zillo + Hutch
Sofa: Harbro Furniture; armchairs: Zillo + Hutch
Here, floating shelves hold select objets d’art.
Image by Dylan Lark
Upstairs is the second living area, which operates as a kids’ rumpus/TV room.
Upstairs is the second living area, which operates as a kids’ rumpus/TV room.
One of the upstairs bedrooms uses a panelled half-wall as a headboard.
Image by Dylan Lark
A large bathroom is located upstairs and is aimed at catering to the children of the house. “The design thinking here was to ensure there was a long vanity with ample storage (young kids have so many bath toys, while teenagers collect an abundance of beauty products), so we installed shaving cabinets and underbench cupboards along with an inset bath in reconstituted stone,” says Michelle.
“This bathroom is a lot more contemporary, and the colour palette was grey floors and benchtops with lighter natural-coloured walls that would tie in with the greys throughout the home.” Timber cabinetry doors from Polytec add warmth to the room.
A large bathroom is located upstairs and is aimed at catering to the children of the house. “The design thinking here was to ensure there was a long vanity with ample storage (young kids have so many bath toys, while teenagers collect an abundance of beauty products), so we installed shaving cabinets and underbench cupboards along with an inset bath in reconstituted stone,” says Michelle.
“This bathroom is a lot more contemporary, and the colour palette was grey floors and benchtops with lighter natural-coloured walls that would tie in with the greys throughout the home.” Timber cabinetry doors from Polytec add warmth to the room.
“We wanted to make sure you could see the pool from the kitchen/dining area,” says Michelle. “Stepping out onto an undercover alfresco area meant that the space was practical to use year-round.”
Deck: spotted gum; ash granite pavers lining the pool: Yarrabee & Castlemaine Stone Solutions
Deck: spotted gum; ash granite pavers lining the pool: Yarrabee & Castlemaine Stone Solutions
Image by Dylan Lark
The result is an up-to-date period house that embraces all seasons. “It works well because it was designed to have everything a young family would need in a house – ample storage, separate living zones, home office, large master ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, garage, pool, contemporary open-plan living, and an upstairs kids’ zone,” says Michelle.
And, as expected, one lucky family snapped it up prior to auction.
African Malawi Chairs: Craft Enterprises; the fence is painted in Dulux Woodland Grey
Tell us
What do you love most about this home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Craving more clever design? Read last week’s My Houzz: A Low-Key Luxe Makeover for a Sydney Family Home
The result is an up-to-date period house that embraces all seasons. “It works well because it was designed to have everything a young family would need in a house – ample storage, separate living zones, home office, large master ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, garage, pool, contemporary open-plan living, and an upstairs kids’ zone,” says Michelle.
And, as expected, one lucky family snapped it up prior to auction.
African Malawi Chairs: Craft Enterprises; the fence is painted in Dulux Woodland Grey
Tell us
What do you love most about this home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Craving more clever design? Read last week’s My Houzz: A Low-Key Luxe Makeover for a Sydney Family Home
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This home was bought and renovated by Michelle Hart of Bask Interiors and her husband David Hart of Hart Builders, and sold on completion to a young family with two school-age boys
Location: Hampton, Victoria
Size: 362 square metres, four bedrooms and three bathrooms
Building designer: Fineline Building Design
Builder: Hart Builders
Interior designer: Bask Interiors