Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Cold Edwardian Warms Up With Smart Addition
A loveable old house welcomes in much-needed colour and light to create a feel-good family home
As is typical of many homes built in the early 1900s, this old Edwardian house in the Melbourne suburb of Elwood was cold, dark and inefficient. Elena Low of architectural firm Preston Lane remembers having the first few meetings with the homeowners in what used to be their dark and cold dining room: “We kept our heavy winter coats on,” Low laughs. “They had lived in a house with hardly any heating over a winter so this was obviously a priority in the new works.” As well as adding some very welcome hydronic heating, the renovation retained and enhanced the existing period features of the house and added 230 square metres that made use of the existing roof space and extended into the backyard. The result? A warm and light-filled family home that connects to the outdoors without compromising on privacy – a two-storey block of units borders the block to the south. “The homeowners were passionate and engaged in the design process from day one,” Low says. “This was to be a long-term home to cater to the family’s growing needs.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple, their two sons and a Jack Russell
Location: Elwood, Victoria
Size: An original 140sqm, 2 bedroom and 1 bathroom house, converted into a 372sqm, 4 bedroom and 3 bathroom house
This house in 5 words: Warm, honest, light-filled, compact, textural
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple, their two sons and a Jack Russell
Location: Elwood, Victoria
Size: An original 140sqm, 2 bedroom and 1 bathroom house, converted into a 372sqm, 4 bedroom and 3 bathroom house
This house in 5 words: Warm, honest, light-filled, compact, textural
When you first enter the house, it looks like any other on the street – albeit with a fresh coat of white paint and polished floorboards. “You almost don’t know that the house has been extensively renovated from the front,” Low says. “Even once you step inside, it’s not until you turn at the end of the entry that you start to get a glimpse of what lies beyond.”
Continue on inside and the house opens up to a spacious and contemporary addition that seamlessly blends old and new.
Instead of covering and hiding old parts of the house, Low says their approach was one of honesty, revealing and making a feature of them.
“This honesty to the original elements of the house carries through to the new kitchen where the original rear brick wall of the house is again exposed to the new kitchen.”
A neatly concealed large door sits at the base of the brightly coloured teal carpeted stairs that separates the new living zone from the old.
‘Aegean T614’ goat hair carpet on stairs: Tretford
Instead of covering and hiding old parts of the house, Low says their approach was one of honesty, revealing and making a feature of them.
“This honesty to the original elements of the house carries through to the new kitchen where the original rear brick wall of the house is again exposed to the new kitchen.”
A neatly concealed large door sits at the base of the brightly coloured teal carpeted stairs that separates the new living zone from the old.
‘Aegean T614’ goat hair carpet on stairs: Tretford
The polished concrete slab to the new living areas has built-in hydronic heating, which along with the log fireplace, provides comfortable ambient heating.
The existing steep roof line provided a clue to solving the challenge of accommodating the upper level, which was to house two bedrooms, a children’s playroom and a family bathroom with a minimal footprint.
“Fortunately, the original house, although it wasn’t that great to live in, had some fantastic character period features and huge potential for addition and expansion,” Low says.
“Fortunately, the original house, although it wasn’t that great to live in, had some fantastic character period features and huge potential for addition and expansion,” Low says.
The spaces in the new extension are both open and private at the same time. Two sliding doors separate and allow connections to the study and laundry with the new living area. A large concealed pivot door provides opportunities to close the living space from the rest of the house.
Steel-framed doors are located at each end creating a strong visual link between both the existing and new outdoor areas.
Steel-framed doors are located at each end creating a strong visual link between both the existing and new outdoor areas.
The joinery within the new open plan living area serves as insertions that organise the views and spaces as you move around the house, Low says. The three-sided black glazed brick fireplace acts as a dividing element between the living and dining areas, for example, while also accentuating the drama between textures and materials.
Black gloss bricks: Euroa Clay Products; three-sided fireplace: Cheminées Philippe
Black gloss bricks: Euroa Clay Products; three-sided fireplace: Cheminées Philippe
A timber seat in the new living area sits below a series of four casement steel windows. When the windows are in open position, there is a welcoming flow between the indoors and outdoors, which is a great place to sit and relax.
Bench seat in 138x19mm spotted gum expression cladding in ‘Sorrento’ profile: Woodform Architectural
Bench seat in 138x19mm spotted gum expression cladding in ‘Sorrento’ profile: Woodform Architectural
The kitchen features a stainless steel benchtop on one side, and a Montmartre stone island benchtop from SMG Stone on the other. ‘Black Graphite’ laminate cabinets from Benchtop City modernise the look. The homeowners already owned the copper pendant lights.
This was the kitchen before the transformation – what a different experience cooking must be for the family now!
The kitchen, dining and living areas are minimalist in design, but have plenty of textural and dimensional interest. A simple Y pendant from Christopher Boots floats above the dining table, while the copper pendant lights separate the kitchen into its own zone.
A butler’s pantry, located behind the kitchen, houses the fridge and plenty of open shelving for easy access to supplies. A second sink and a dishwasher makes the cleaning up a breeze … and keeps the mess out of sight when guests come over.
Joinery in ‘Bluegrass 413’: Laminex; benchtop in ‘Charcoal 461’: Laminex; 100x300 white polished ceramic splashback tiles in ‘MB08002’: National Tiles
Joinery in ‘Bluegrass 413’: Laminex; benchtop in ‘Charcoal 461’: Laminex; 100x300 white polished ceramic splashback tiles in ‘MB08002’: National Tiles
The fabric of the existing house has been adapted respectfully in the new extension – you can see the original external wall here.
“The original painted bricks to the eastern side of the house are exposed and sandblasted to create a threshold between the old and the new and allow the occupant to clearly differentiate between the two,” Low says.
“The original painted bricks to the eastern side of the house are exposed and sandblasted to create a threshold between the old and the new and allow the occupant to clearly differentiate between the two,” Low says.
The rear roof to the existing lean-to-addition was retained to house a new study and laundry, pictured in the previous image. This is what the painted external walls looked like before they were sandblasted to expose the original red brick.
Textured glass to the bottom pane of an existing window now looks into the study, providing a hint of the old while allowing natural light through the clear upper pane.
On the ground floor a skylight has been inserted into the guest bathroom to bring light into the centre of the floor plan. “Black gloss tiles and the bluestone flooring provided a bold lift to the existing bathroom without a completely modern feel,” Low says. The black tiles have black grout for a more solid look.
100x300mm black ceramic tiles in ‘BELWP310’: National Tiles; 600x300mm bluestone floor tiles: Eco Outdoor; 500 series 470 wall-hung basin: Pozzi Ginori; Ideal Standard dual-lever mixer (chrome finish): Reece
On the ground floor a skylight has been inserted into the guest bathroom to bring light into the centre of the floor plan. “Black gloss tiles and the bluestone flooring provided a bold lift to the existing bathroom without a completely modern feel,” Low says. The black tiles have black grout for a more solid look.
100x300mm black ceramic tiles in ‘BELWP310’: National Tiles; 600x300mm bluestone floor tiles: Eco Outdoor; 500 series 470 wall-hung basin: Pozzi Ginori; Ideal Standard dual-lever mixer (chrome finish): Reece
Externally, an expansive concrete block wall to the southern boundary, along with a strategically placed high overhanging roof to the north provides a visual barrier from the neighbouring block of two-storey units which previously overlooked the rear garden.
Internally, this exposed wall serves as a textural backdrop for hanging artwork and links the new living spaces within the open plan extension.
Blockwork in ‘Pearl Grey’: Boral; artwork: David Bromley
Blockwork in ‘Pearl Grey’: Boral; artwork: David Bromley
The biggest challenge of the project was achieving a balance between addressing the homeowners’ expectations while being sensitive to the neighbours, not to mention having to also meet Council regulations.
The architects had to undergo a report and consent application process to Council and negotiated with the neighbours. “Shadow studies and calculations had to be provided to prove that the increase in overshadowing to their private open space was minimal and the resultant design did take their amenity into consideration as well as our client’s brief,” Low explains.
The architects had to undergo a report and consent application process to Council and negotiated with the neighbours. “Shadow studies and calculations had to be provided to prove that the increase in overshadowing to their private open space was minimal and the resultant design did take their amenity into consideration as well as our client’s brief,” Low explains.
In the ensuite, white subway tiles with dark grout provide a striking contrast against the bluestone flooring. “The subway tiles give a contemporary feel, especially with the dark grout, but also references the old,” Low says.
100x300mm ‘MB08002’ white polished ceramic wall tiles: National Tiles; 600x300mm bluestone tiles: Eco Outdoor; ‘Series 500’ wall basin, rail and legs: Pozzi-Ginori; Ideal Standard dual-lever mixer (chrome finish): Reece
100x300mm ‘MB08002’ white polished ceramic wall tiles: National Tiles; 600x300mm bluestone tiles: Eco Outdoor; ‘Series 500’ wall basin, rail and legs: Pozzi-Ginori; Ideal Standard dual-lever mixer (chrome finish): Reece
The master bedroom, ensuite, formal living room, guest bedroom, guest bathroom and butler’s pantry are located in the original part of the house. The kitchen, study/laundry, dining and living area are on the ground floor of the extension.
Upstairs, the boys each have their own room, plus a bathroom and play area to share.
The large existing roof space of the original part of the house has been adapted to accommodate the children’s zone. “The upper-level volume of the new extension is kept minimal to ensure a human scale at ground level as well as having no visual impact from the street,” Low explains.
Bedroom feature paint (orange) in ‘Crossfire 19C.2’: Taubmans; walls and ceiling paint in ‘Vivid White PW1H9’: Dulux
Bedroom feature paint (orange) in ‘Crossfire 19C.2’: Taubmans; walls and ceiling paint in ‘Vivid White PW1H9’: Dulux
Operable skylights sit within the existing roof to provide natural daylight and ventilation into the upper floor bedrooms. “The angled ceiling lines and modest heights are complemented with splashes of bright paint colours, providing playfulness to these children’s spaces,” Low says.
Bedroom feature paint (teal) in ‘Submersible P32.G9’: Dulux
Bedroom feature paint (teal) in ‘Submersible P32.G9’: Dulux
In the kids’ bathroom, the peacock-coloured door echoes the colour of the joinery inside, and provides another pop of colour against the bright white walls and ceilings of the upstairs addition. The same white polished ceramic wall tiles and bluestone floor tiles used in the ensuite and guest bathroom reappear here, and the Pozzi-Ginori basin is the same as the one in the guest bathroom. Repeating certain elements throughout a home is a clever way to unify the different spaces into a harmonious whole.